April 28, 2017

Twitch Etiquette

It’s been no surprise that with Twitch rolling out all their recent new updates of the past few months (Custom Cheermotes, 1080p Streaming Quality, Twitch Desktop App, Twitch Crates and the Twitch Affiliate Program) that there has been more incentive to begin grinding even more to become a successful streamer on Twitch. In that time there have been many posts on Twitter, Reddit and other forms of Social Media in regards to things many Viewers or Streamers take for granted while they stream, so we worked with some members of the Noble Stream Team to compile a list of things that all Streamers and Viewers should keep in mind while they’re on the platform.

Streamer Do’s:
– Be Active On Social Media
– Be Proactive on Stream Work
– Create and be consistent with your Stream Schedule.
– Answer emails and messages as soon as you can, otherwise, you can miss out on amazing opportunities
– Don’t be afraid to try something different
– Take time off when you need it. Your channel will understand
– DRINK WATER
– Be a part of your community, not just the person they all watch
– Ask fellow streamers for help if you need it
– Collaboration with other streamers is key, always try and play games with fellow
friends that also stream
– Create value in stream lurkers/ nontalkative viewers. These people also support the stream in big ways and help with directory placement
– Gain additional exposure by making yourself known in other channels within directories that you stream in

Streamer Dont’s:
– Focus on your numbers while you are live
– Push yourself to the point of burning out
– Stream longer than you should
– FORGET TO DRINK WATER
– Use social media to bad mouth companies or streamers, you never know who will be watching
– Compare yourself to other streamers
– Though smoking on stream is allowed, it is very frowned upon
– Do not copy other streamers.
– Do not dismiss viewer opinions
– Do not expect to go in making a ton of money. 99% of the time that will not happen
– Do not go into other streamer’s streams and ask for follows
– Do not advertise your stream is other streamer’s chat.

It’s a golden rule that while you’re streaming that you don’t focus on your numbers. The more successful streamers will tell you that you are providing an entertainment service to your viewers and regardless of the viewer count, whether it be 1 person or 100 people, treat your stream the same. Remain entertaining and engaging. One of our dedicated and loyal Noble Streamers, , who has made an impact with his marathon streams has made it known that drinking Water is key. As someone who has done countless 24 Hour Streams, 40 Hour Streams and even a few 50 and 70 hour Stream Marathons – he will tell you that drinking water and remaining hydrated will be one of the most beneficial things to your health and longevity while you’re streaming during long periods of time.

It’s also been noted for many channels on they feel things become stagnant as they continue to grow in one “genre” and essentially lose ambition and drive in what they are doing with their channel. has been able to avoid this in the past and offered some insight on the issue.

“One of the most difficult aspects of being a full-time Twitch streamer, in my opinion, is longevity. Unless you are a competitive player for a certain game or genre of games – the chances are that at some point you will grow tired of streaming whatever game you initially got your start in. Many channels have trouble transitioning from one gaming community to another, and in some severe cases, streamers will succumb to the emotional stress of being “stuck” with a single game and the fallout from beginning to stream something new. The solution to this is not simple and may vary case by case, but in my experience, there are a few key factors to developing portable communities that can move from game to game without having to completely start over with each cycle. The most critical factor in these situations is your investment in your community itself. It isn’t enough to simply stick to a schedule and put in the hours – you have to develop a closer relationship with your people on and off stream. If you are invested in your viewers, they will be invested in you and your brand as an entertainer, and not just as a streamer playing the game they currently enjoy. It’s also extremely important to have your overall brand in mind from the very beginning. If you know that you plan on streaming full time or for a length of time into the future and are not a professional or competitive gamer, then you can most likely assume that at some point you too will have to make the journey from one game community to another. That expectation should be relayed to your community openly, and be understood through your channel branding. Executing those expectations successfully will take a lighter toll on your mental and emotional health as a streamer, and also minimize the shock to your community when you do finally make that transition. Having been through these difficult transitions myself, I could talk in great detail about what it takes to be successful at this point in your streaming career, but my last critical piece of advice is to sample data from your community intelligently. Do not switch from one game to another cold turkey. It is crucial that you test the reception of certain genres and titles with your community in small doses to understand what has potential and what does not. Once you have narrowed down a new game community that has a positive reception – slowly phase into it with certain scheduled days or by using a 50/50 stream format and slowly increasing the airtime for the new community.”

While Streamer etiquette is important, the viewer is what makes a stream entertaining for many. Without viewers – there is no stream. So, there are some natural “Golden Rules” to being a helpful and beneficial viewer to many streamers:

Viewer Do’s
– Join the conversation
– Make others feel welcome
– Tweet out their favorite streamer
– Tell the streamer if you like their content (this goes a long way for streamers)

Viewer Dont’s
– Tell the streamer that they’re boring
– Tell the stream that they’re going to stream/currently streaming
– Tell the streamer to switch games.
– Don’t put casters in competition with each other “____ plays games better”
– Bring negative attitude into the channel
– Tell the streamer how many viewers they have
– Ask why no one is talking
– Advertise other streamers
– If the streamer misses what you said, don’t spam it.

As a viewer, you are a key part to any streamer. Remember that a streamer is a person trying to continue this as a potential job because it’s something they’re passionate about. Often times we forget that ridicule and comparison while in stream comes off as ridicule and disrespectful while the streamer is live and working on perfecting their craft. Remember that being helpful, interactive and kind are most important while enjoying someone’s content.

To all of the streamers who are either starting out or simply grinding and growing: stay passionate and work hard – it always shows while you’re streaming. For those who are achieving their dreams in getting into the Affiliate Program or getting Partnered for all your hard work: do the same – the grind never stops once you achieve these things.

#StayNoble

Special Thanks to the Noble Streamers who Participated in this.

SlyyyPanda
Kyente
Lokiriko
Veinotte
Squigglepoof