We've previously discussed what you need to be a video game streamer on a budget, and you've probably had most, if not all, of the things you need at hand to start your video game streaming career.
However, getting the equipment you may need is only the easiest part. Starting and maintaining your streaming career through schedules is the hard part.
Here are some things you may want to remember when starting your streaming career:
Set Some Streaming Goals
Even before you start streaming or your streaming career in general, you have to set a goal for you to accomplish every time you face the monitor. These goals may be to reach a good point in a video game, a time limit, or even a certain number of viewers.
Remember: you and your audience are only human. Keep things short and simple, and you'll not only avoid streamer burnout, but it will also help you build your community and retain your audience's interest.
Don't Beg for Anything
The audiences are a fickle crowd. They could love you in one minute and hate you the next. As a streamer, your main goal is to keep making them love you and avoid the things that push them away from you.
Audience members would donate money or subscribe to you if they feel you're deserving, but asking or even begging for it, even with other things like attention and views, is a definite turn-off in the streaming business. You're there to either entertain people with your gameplay or merely share your gameplay with others. Your audience can do the same with other streamers and content for free and without them being begged for anything.
Read More: 5 Must-Have Characters for Your Honkai: Star Rail Teams
Be Yourself
Nobody likes a poser, and being one is exhausting a difficult to keep up. While you do have to entertain people in your streaming career, there will be times that you have to put your foot down about something and take a stand.
If you don't want to play a game your audience is asking, then don't, but give them a good reason why you won't. Additionally, be true to yourself and speak your thoughts without fear, though do so with a filter appropriate to your audience.
Yes, some people won't like what you believe, but they're entitled to their opinion. They could leave your stream if they want and watch someone else.
Those that do agree and stay will love you more for doing so and spread the word around about you being a stand-up guy - the best kind of press.
Don't Call Out Lurkers
Not everyone watching your stream is there to interact with people or even a streamer such as yourself. These people, usually called "lurkers" due to their silent nature on online forums, have their own reasons for tuning into your stream.
They could be anxious to interact with someone online or are just there to watch you play a game and vibe with the chat. Regardless of their reason, calling them out is a big no-no in the unwritten rules of video game streaming. There's nothing wrong with window shopping, and there's nothing wrong with lurking and just enjoying a stream in silence.
Related Article: The Best Tools for Streaming on a Budget
