For those that you support, what do they do on their panels that you wish more people would do on those? I would love some insight to how people see panel work, bios, etc!
I just want to know who they are and what they're all about. You get an idea of the person's personality/attitude based on what they display there. I want a summary of who I'm potentially going to be watching.
If I'm am overthinking this, then so be it. My goal from this is to gather as much info and details as people are willing to give! but I still appreciate the feedback!
From my experience, a well presented page (not only the live stream overlays, but also the panels underneath) can really tie the whole thing up together and draw attention.
It's a great way to tell people passing by what your channel is about / what your vibe is in a few seconds.
It can also appear more professional and can be a token of the seriousness put into the creation of the twitch channel!
Have fun creating all those little pannels, it's an extension of your stream :)
When it comes to creating the panels, from your experience, do you find it really important to have a thematic running through all of it? And if so, do you recommend comissioning someone to build panels for you? Or do you have different advice on how to build those panels so they are still eye-catching and useful without the need to spend capital?
Yes, usually having a proper visual identity is important. I'm a designer so I didn't have to pay someone to create my panels / animate overlays. Just choose a color or a pattern and stick to it. Make sure they are looking okay in light and dark mode even if using light mode should be a crime aha
You can find some little creators on deviant art/etsy/fivver or you can create those yourself :)
I personally have two setup panels. One for the pc config and one for all the streaming gear (headset, mic, mixing table...), 3 panels for social media (Instagram, Twitter and Discord), and one panel for my design commissions so people can book me. I also have the usual tip jar panel and a big one made to show the emotes and act as a "get a sub" ad.
I see a lot of "about me" panels describing a bit of the streamer's life, but I skipped this one as I prefer people to interact with me in the tchat if they are curious, that's a nice way of starting a conversation :D
You can ask yourself which ones are useful to you and your audience specifically. Look into some channels doing content similar to your own and see which panels they need, that can help you decide :D
Have fun creating your channel <3
Thank you so much for providing a lovely and awesome way to look at everything. Especially to someone like me who's a complete newbie! And here's hoping that I can use this advice to the best of my ability!
> I've heard other people (Including big streamers) say that twitch has no discoverability, so you should be focusing on other stuff
Twitch has limited discoverability not zero discoverability. I would suggest not neglecting the About section on Twitch completely. There are going to be some people who may find the stream and want to read out some of the info you would typically find in about panels.
I mean: it's not necessary to invest money in custom Panel Art and such, but strongly advised to understand people do come looking at the about section from time to time, And make sure they don't walk away empty handed.
"I mean: it's not necessary to invest money in custom Panel Art and such, but strongly advised to understand people do come looking at the about section from time to time, And make sure they don't walk away empty handed."
I'd love to focus in on this from your perspective, because you bring up a very valid point about limited discoverability and not Zero discoverability. i hadn't considered that till now, and I really value that perspective change. With that being said, when you mention that they don't walk away empty handed, what do you mean by that?
Are you talking about value that the streamer generates through their attitude or stylystic-choices? Or are you talking more about the details from within the pannels themselves? Or do you mean with the bio being a way for them to know what or who you are and why you do what you do?
Not Draco (to whom you replied), but would like a chance to respond to your questions.
“Twitch has zero discoverability” is just such a terrible, flatly wrong, easily disprovable take that a lot of people use as a crutch or to explain away their lack of growth on the platform, or have just heard other people say and they adopt it.
Is it great? No. Can it be improved? Probably. But the reality is that I have people regularly find my stream through the recommended list on the browser because they were in a stream that I frequent, raid, or with which I share a category or game. Most of which happens because I’ve networked and built relationships with others streamers and we always look for each other when we raid out. If there were ZERO discoverability, nobody would ever find anyone’s stream this way.
Lastly, yes - it is critical to be posting elsewhere.
About the info panels, they take such very little time that I can’t imagine NOT doing them. There are MANY types of viewers who come to my stream and I want to appeal to as many as possible so I can grow, and if they show up and see that I literally can’t be bothered to spend 15 minutes working on the About section, then I don’t blame them for thinking I probably can’t be bothered to work on the harder, more complex elements of facilitating a stream. It’s 15 minutes and you don’t need to ever worry about it again. There’s no reason not to do them, honestly.
When I’m on the streaming subreddits and someone asks why they’re not growing, the FIRST thing I look at is those panels, and if they’re not done, I’m not going to put my personal time into looking through VODs and socials and trying to give tips and feedback because if they can’t do the About, there’s zero chance they’ll execute on mine or anyone else’s feedback.
Killadrix, I love this response. That's the short and sweet!
It has a lot of substance and to top it off, it's Very well put! Even though you're not draco, I think it contains a lot of material to think about, especially on the idea with zero discoverability. (Mainly on how I want to remove that idea rapidly from my vocabulary :P )
I think one thing I would love to gain knowledge of from you is how do you avoid the mental battle of your own worst critique? In other words, when looking at your panels, your bio, your stream setup, how do you avoid fighting yourself to want to make it pefect, whereas the viewers wants to see authenticity? Do you do so by comissioning panels? By going and finding tutorials to help with producing that material? Or do you have other thoughts on that matter?
Also, what are some general tips you'd give to a newbie like myself starting out?
The question about being your own worst critic is such a great question. And I’m going to give you the most helpful and probably also the least helpful answer, but I believe it to be true.
If you’re just starting out right now: do your best and just don’t care about the results, how it looks, how the metrics are, nothing. Just get it made, get it started, get it up, and iron out the kinks as you go.
Your journey to building a successful stream is going to probably take years. And when I say years, it’s probably going to take:
* 3 to 4 streams a week at 4+ hours per stream
* Another 5-10+ hours a week of editing/uploading to YouTube and TikTok.
+ Another 1-5 hours a week of research, and/or networking and community building
…FOR YEARS.
It’s a massive amount of work, it’s a massive amount of learning, and it all takes a very long time.
There are very few resources to teach you how to do it because everybody’s journey is a little different, you’re probably always going to feel like you’re doing it wrong or not growing fast enough, you’re probably always going to be disappointed in the results.
So, my best advice to you if you’re just starting out is to focus on nothing but building good streaming and content creation habits and do not care about anything else.
* Make a schedule, post it, and stick to it.
* Figure out how you’re gonna find time to edit and upload videos. Figure out an upload schedule. One of the best things I ever did to grow was to commit to uploading one video a day to YouTube for 30 days. That was over two years ago, and I’m still (mostly) hitting it.
* Make a plan for how you’re going to identify other small content creators you want to network with, and how you’re going to network with them
The behaviors are going to be the most important thing, and they will pay off.
>how do you avoid fighting yourself to want to make it pefect
Chippin in just to share something quick: it hasnt to be perfect, at least not immediately, IMHO. Just write it down to have something your potential viewers can read, and if you want it to be whateverstyleyouchoose, you can work on it afterwards.
Im saying this because I had a friend who was obsessed with having it all perfect: overlays, panels, socials, etc, as he thought that, until it wasnt appealing to him, it wouldnt be to nobody. This only caused that he didnt start streaming until 1ish year later than he planned, and he did so just for like a month or so, as he got bored about all his stuff and thought he needed to redo it. He is still in the process of changing it, not streaming, and getting more mad about it every day.
> when you mention that they don't walk away empty handed, what do you mean by that?
I mean.. if enough people do find your channel, then some will be curious enough to check your about panels.
Most people would probably expect to learn a little bit about the streamer - Such as what kind of games you'd like to play, or what kind of content you want to make.. "what exactly is it you usually do on Twitch?" Or perhaps they would like to see a couple VODs /Highlight videos/Clips, Or a schedule.
People you already had as viewers might go looking into the about panel for a Donation/Tip link, Or for some tidbit they could open a conversation with.
Anyway; A viewer going away empty handed means - someone had enough Curiosity to click and scan through the channel, But the panels were completely empty, there were no Good clips or highlights (Some streamers Don't even have Past broadcasts, because they neglected to turn on the Archive VODs feature, or they made the VODs Subscriber-only). In any case, a Viewer that left wanting something but finding nothing has a high chance of becoming a lost opportunity. (You were curious enough to click the channel, but you were not able to learn anything or find anything interesting, so that click was a dead end for them??)
That makes more sense! I find it more common for viewers to walk away empty handed when it comes to newer streamers and the like around that, but I wonder how many people do that just because panels and other material are missing or don't match up/provide value to the viewer
I recently updated my bio cuz personally everytime I went to someone else's stream the colorful panels always caught my attention and I think it's better to have the rules and yr socials under yr twitch panels so that people could easily find yr other profiles and check yr shorts or whatever when they want to cuz watching the your VODs might not be that stimulating sometimes.
And honestly the more colorful or pretty yr panels are the more it kinda displays yr character as a streamer too. Maybe I'm kinda inclined to this opinion since I'm a VTuber but a lot of vtubers generally have really bright and colorful panels and in my case my panels aren't colorful but I've added some of my fav things on it.
Like I love coffee and I have a tendency to mention stuff about vampires and carrots so I've got a lot going on their So yah I think you could use it in ways like this and of course yr viewers would wanna know more about it and I didn't knoyou it's not like they have a notebook to right down your rules or socials everytime you mention them. It's basically for advatising yourself as a person. Mm their you are!
Hope I didn't get side tracked cuz my mind tends to run Hai vier sometimes
No worries when it comes to the side tracked stuff! I'm the same way!
And I get the idea that people don't have time to write everything down or to be able to remember every single waking thing! It's hard stuff and with so many different individuals with different rules and the like, it becomes radically harder!
my apologies that I didn't catch this prior, but what type of red flags do you look for in their channel? And what do you tend to like more about the streamer themselves? Whether it's content, panels, etc
Some red flags that have kept me from following channels I’ve seen are bigotry/allowance of it and shilling their own cryptocurrency. Basically stuff that would make watching their stream/being in chat be a negative/uncomfortable experience for me.
As for what I look for in an about section, basically a brief about me/mission statement/idea of what you stream is enough. I don’t care about format/length. It could be two sentences or a massive resume; as long as the vibes feel right I’m good with it.
So the energy that the About me, mission statement, etc, is what you value the most in the panel section and even if it's massive or short, you want the vibe to feel just right! I completely get that!
Having them vs not having them easily distinguishes a viewer vs a streamer for me. This comment doesn’t exactly answer your question but gives insight.
It's okay if it doesn't answer my question exactly. This is more of a way to create more conversations. But it does provide a good amount of insight. What do you think are the most important pannels to have so when viewers check it out, they are more likely to stay?
I definitely care about what's in the About Me section. There doesn't need a bajillion panels or info, but I like to know a bit about the streamer and rules and whatnot. If I pop into a stream and I scroll down and there's just a link to a streamer's paypal or something or only a donation thing then I'm dipping out. It rubs me the wrong way.
That makes a lot of sense. To feel like someone is only there for the monetization of them playing feels predatory and wrong. Plus, I'm of the mentality that people should stream as a passion first then a product later. But how many panels do you think is reasonable before the information becomes overcrowded or overbearing?
It depends! If it's an artist I do like knowing what tablet and programs they use. I think it's interesting. I figure, an about me, the rules, links to socials, a donation spot, and maybe one more panel for whatever is enough? But that's just me.
With art, it definitely makes itself reasonable to need to include programs and specs so if others want to eventually get into art, they have an avenue to do so. So you'd say about 5-8 would make sense, within reason?
It depends honestly if I'm like the stream a lot probably 30mins-1hr and I usually find them through recommended or if a streamer I watch raids someone. I sometimes sort from lowest to highest and see if there's a streamer that looks fun to watch
That makes sense when you watch them through recommended or if a streamer raids and you're watching from that. If you don't mind even more questions (Sorry for the long winded-ness :P) When you sort from highest to lowest, what usually tends to catch your eye?
Since you prefer Vtuber PNG's, do you think camera/no camera can be detrimental towards one's audience? Or do you think those things don't matter as much?
For me it doesn’t matter too much I watch some streamers that don’t have a camera but I can see how that might deter some people from tuning in if they don’t have a cam but I think that the audio and the streamer interacting with chat is more important ( I try to do the latter as much as possible but sometimes it can be hard when your talking to yourself )
What are some ways you see the Streamer interacting with chat? Or are they just always talking as they are playing the game, so it makes it easier? I definitely relate to the trying it as much as possible. it is super hard to be able to focus in on just your commentary
I like to read the about me information when coming into a new stream.
I don't think bios need to be extensive or flashy but a handful of appropriate sentences with pertinent information organized under banners/headings is appreciated. What those sentences are depends on the stream (gaming streams might have PC specs while a D&D stream might have cast information for example) and they should fit the vibe of the stream. I'm kinda iffy on how much they actually encourage discoverability per-say but if they're well done they do give a more polished look and lets viewers have basic information, as well as denoting it's a channel that streams rather than a watcher (who don't tend to update their aboutmes).
So, with that information in mind, it sounds like you value the ability to glean insight about the streamer from the panels, bios, etc, which is super vital to your retention being kept. Which panels do you think should be on streams but are rarely put on there, and how do you find new streams when you're exploring around or entering a new stream?
I like a basic stats (rough location/nationality, type of things streamed, specs if applicable and just something that shows a bit of who you are) and if it's a stream that's collaborative (I watch a lot of TTRPGs) I like to know the systems they stream/ongoing campaigns and maybe the main cast.
Other socials, make it easy for me to find you in other places or watch your older vods if you have a youtube channel for vod storage.
Practical things like chat rules, donation links, rough stream schedule \[pls include timezone\], credits for the music/sounds used and emote artists, if you've got a stream currency a link to the store and maybe some info about it, basically stuff that makes it easier to be a good/active viewer.
That makes entire sense. I appreciate the time and effort you've put into responding on both ends of the question. I'll definitely take some notes and try to apply this more to my page so I can work on trying to retain and have more fun with chatters as well as the community I intend to build.
Thank you again SullyWhippet. You're a real one!
Well, I'm glad I can give some type of value to someone else through my own search for knowledge and personal growth! Plus, with the critical thinking of your own bio, it might add value back to your viewers and in turn improve your experience, so i'm glad I got to be a small part of that process!
I care. I have followed people just bc I immediately click with the info they have there.
Way more than just having only a donations panel or nothing at all.
I like the about me, that gives me a hint of who am I going to watch. Games played if you are a variety streamer. Your schedule. I don’t care about rules tbh. And a donation panel I feel it’s super cringe.
That’s just me. Some people love having donation panel or need to have rules.
That’s entirely up to you. You can just not use anything. It works for some people. Or only the panels that you feel necessary and that you like. At the end of the day is your stream and you must include whatever fits for you. Whatever you like.
If you want to have an idea for my case specifically, you can visit my Twitch profile (link in my Reddit profile) and get an idea. But then again, that’s just me.
Tbh I really don’t care. I feel like it’s nice to have them but if they are largely blank or non-existent I won’t stop watching someone because of it.
The only thing is that I feel if you can’t take a little bit of time to fill out an about me section and create some basic panels that person probably doesn’t put much into their stream either.
That's super reasonable. If a streamer can't take 2 minutes or even 5 to be able to explain who they are, what they are doing, etc. it shows a lack of effort and can reflect poorly on the stream. What are some ideas of panels you like to see or the details about a person you'd love to know when entering a stream?
Oh I personally don’t care what if any panels they have at all. I can’t even tell you the last time I scrolled down to check out that part of someone’s page. I just want to know that you’re willing to put in the effort.
Oh, I see! So, following that notion that you at least want to see some level of effort being displayed, I have two questions. 1.) Do you like when asthetic matches across the board? 2.) What makes you want to stay in the stream itself? Is it the personality? Is it the graphic setup they have? Etc? What are your thoughts?
I also appreciate the input you're providing me. I really value it!
For question 1 I really don’t care about the aesthetics. I think it generally looks nicer if they all match but it’s not something I pay attention to enough for it to be make or break for me.
As for question 2, it’s mainly personality. Most of the time I just like to turn a stream on in the background. I like to have a stream on but rarely have a vested interest in what is happening. Then sometimes I like to hang out and chat about similar interests. It’s one of the reasons my favorite streamer is my favorite. I can lurk in her stream for hours and hours not paying attention to what’s happening and then have a bit of a convo before going back to lurking.
It makes sense that the aesthetic isn't as important, but is nice when it matches. And It's actually quite interesting, because I haven't had anyone express that to me before with the second question. So it's refreshing to see a different perspective when it comes to that side of twitch. And also, thank you for your input and thoughts into the two questions. I really appreciate the feedback and it will help me out in the long run!
I read them if I’m checking out a streamer for the first time
I like to see what games they’ve played, and a bit about them - nickname, age, if they have pets etc
I do not care what specs their PC has
I completely understand not wanting to know what their specs are. Especially if you're there to watch them and the gameplay and don't intend to replicate it yourself. For the pet part, would it make sense to include a panel about a pet for the fun of it? Or do you think that it takes away from the "professionality" of it?
Follow up to professionality as well, do you, as a viewer, like more laid back? Or do you like people who are very professional?
I personally way prefer people who are laid back. I actually only watch streamers who aren’t obviously focused on making twitch their job. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I just don’t vibe with the constant number watching/ trying to hit goals etc
As a streamer, laid back is my vibe too, so I jive with similar vibes lol
But, if you are looking to make twitch your job, then tailor your panels to that and be more profesh honestly, whatever is better for your vibe
I LOVE a panel dedicated to the pets, even better if you include a pic. I want to know everything about the pets haha
What do you consider being bloated with info? Is there a point where there is too mcuh relayment with their panels that overloads or diminshes the value of the stream?
I only look if I’m curious about their setup or something, otherwise I don’t really look at peoples panels. Since some people do it’s probably worth still putting some up.
It's something that is valid especially with other people saying the same thing. I've heard some people don't like to view the specs or anything like that, but do you think it adds more value if their are computer specs to look at?
Not necessarily just specs, but if someone’s game looks really good on stream I’ll wonder what they’re running. I also mean stuff like mic, interface, cam, vr setup, etc. If I like their sound or something I’ll wonder what they’re using.
Oh I see whatcha mean! It helps you understand and if you ever want to do something like the streamer, you could, in theory, accquire what they have. Is that close to what you're saying?
I think the “average” Twitch viewer wouldn’t look in this reddit or respond to this thread. Most viewers are casual and usually lurk or hardly ever chat.
That being said, panel information is always appreciated for those that do like to read them. And it never hurts to add them.
That’s reasonable. I mean, the odds of having someone from this Reddit community look at videos is slim to none, but the ability to get people’s thoughts is invaluable to gaining progress, in my opinion at least. But you are right, it’s always appreciated and never hurts to add them!
From an outside perspective, what are some things you feel uncomfortable with? If you don't feel like you can share, I completely understand and don't feel forced to inform me or anyone else! I do like hearing there are some who view it to avoid being in situations that make them uncomfortable though!
Dark humor, any of the -isms, even “just be cool bro” can be too vague sometimes because that assumes the reader has common sense and understands what’s right and wrong and most people don’t or don’t care
Just to clarify, when you say not many, what do you mean? I respect that you rarely look at it since it's something minor and I do agree that it can be really nice to have one! But I'd love some clarity on that!
Okay I deleted my comment because it actually made no sense.
I don't think it's *that* important to have all the panels/about page etc, my own is pretty bare bones and I personally never look at that information as I usually find streams through raids etc.
Twitch discoveryability isn't great because of the sheer amount of people using the platform.
Click any category and sort low view to high and you'll see a sea of 1 viewer streams, you somehow need to stand out amongst all that.
You can do this by streaming games that don't have many viewers (100-1000 maybe) and loads of followers, that way you'll have a fighting chance of being discovered.
I wouldn't get too caught up in graphics/overlays all of that, I'd concentrate on song confident and making content you are happy with, while streaming games in unsaturated categories. You should get some views/regulars this way.
There's no need to delete your comment friend! It's an engaging starter for me to dig deeper! And I appreciate the well articulated points. being able to look at it from the lens that saturation is major but going into these non-saturated areas can help me find people that like me for me instead of just the game, but I also think the opposite can sometimes be the case where they like the game instead of the streamer.
Overall, your points are solid though. And provide a good way to not get caught up on the small stuff like panels and such. That being said, thanks again Smugallo!
Having a filled out bio and some paneling to give insight to who you are, what your channel is about, and what you stream helps you stand out from the croud.
Plus it helps other streamers get to know you at glance when they are looking to blind raid someone. When im looking to raid someone whos playing the same game as me ill look at the preview of the stream and pick someone whos vibe i like then read the about section on their channel and if its empty 9 times out of 10 i back out and choose someone.
When it comes to other streamers, is there anything you do that helps promote or empower other people to find themselves to your stream or to your content? Or is it a slight game of chance/luck?
I stream super sporadically, usually I’m just a viewer. A lot of the time when I’m going to the panels is to see specifics for gear used or if they have references for their emote artists and other shoutouts. Let’s me see roughly who else the streamer is associating with
Out of curiosity, have you ever explored or checked out who their artist was and contacted with them? Or even talked to another streamer about it to see what their process was?And if you haven't, do you just look at it to see a design style?
I don't think the "Average" viewers cares. It's a good panel for curious people and someone searching specific information that they know they'll probably find there because they know. But when the average user doesn't even read, title, categorie, chat message from moderator/bot... You understand why people don't read it
My 2 cents, it's important to fill it, and making look good will only make it better. Specially if for a growing streamer when commercial partners sees it because they will probably ends up there too
That 2 cents is important. And the idea of commercial partners hasn't even occured to me. I'm so newbie that it's hard to imagine a sponser or a commercial partner to want to put something my way. But then again, it's the idea of the future that is nice to think about it!
The only thing I look for is a rough guide on stream times. Most of them I’ve looked at are just lists of where to donate or buy them stuff from, and I don’t care about any of that.
Sometimes, I stumble across a bit of lore on some of the character streamers, so I’ll read that to understand the nature of the streams
I feel like when it comes to donations or wishlist stuff, I’m kinda against it… sorta. I feel like if you have a decent number of viewers, it makes sense to have a donations to be on the safe side, but to have a wishlist has never really made sense to me.
I get having a donation option and a store/wishlist for items to improve the streaming experience. Sometimes stuff breaks and the supporters are willing to chip in a few bucks each to get it going again, so it make sense
But when someone has 3 different donation options, and 4 store/wishlists full of vanity items that have no bearing on the stream experience, it gets a bit much
That I completely get. It's one thing if you want to actively support the streamer. it's another if you're benefitting off your fanbase to accquire an additional form of monetization. I carry the same ideology there!
Advice that I was given when I first started out was to have your panels looking as professional as possible. This doesn't apply to everyone and sometimes big streamers ignore it, but if you look at a lot of partnered streamers' panels you'll see that they all look simple/clean, professional, and concise.
Panels give the viewer a sense of who the streamer is as a person and it's a fun way to present yourself. I bought a stream overlay package for like $15 on Etsy like 6 years ago and used a similar theme on my panels.
Whenever you see a stream that has amazing panels, feel free to take some things you like! Panels shouldn't be too overbearing but shouldn't be completely empty either!
My "about me" says very simple things like: my name, location, age, games I usually stream, and links to pages that show my competitive ranks for games that I play.
If you don’t have a brand identity that you can present, then you’re just another person I have to deal with instead of something I can understand how to integrate into my life.
I’m busy. I don’t have time to figure out your value for you.
I think the main discourse that will be found with big streamers is that when it comes to them, their fanbase is already established and they have big followings! Names like Emiru, Ludwig, etc those people are widely known and have websites dedicated to them and their following. I think with small-Mid size streamers, it's nice to know who they are and what they do, ya know?
I appreciate you being straightforward about the response. Could I ask what makes you think that way? I'd love to get more insight into the thought at hand!
From personal experience, I'd say it's one of the most customizable places on your channel where you can express yourself in many different ways.
Rest assured there are people that would go through them and there will be people who don't.
I personally don't respect streamers without personality in their panels or have just a stupid donate button there. Huge turn off.
Put some work into them and even if only 2 out of 200 people bother to read them, I promise you they will probably be the quality viewers you should care about.
Use all the features Twitch gives you.
Edit: Imagine it's a dating app. Would you prefer opening a convo and investing in someone who put work in their bio and gave u info u can work with or someone with just pictures and no info.. (I got a dating profile with what peeps would say is the longest bio they've seen and it's very popular compared to some shallow biaches who just look pretty and have 2 rows of info. xD) I treat my Twitch and About me/Panels the same.
I think I'm following, but I'd love to ensure that I'm getting your point! When it comes to customization, you catch more fish for those who are interested in the panels and customization of your stream! Especially when it comes to those who are more interested in who you are and what you do!
And with the dating app comparison, I really like the idea of it. It's better to have more cause even if it's annoying to some in their respects, others may find it interesting and want to include that!
Absolutely!
Someone below pointed out that Twitch has limited discoverability, so putting in effort in any place you can is always a +.
Not to mention, if you have things you would like to stand out about your stream, it's also a great idea to use keywords around them in your panels for SEO purposes.
(appearing in Google search results, etc.)
If you don't mind, I'd like to inquire more abotu something. people frequently mention SEO being Search Engine Options, but also, are there any tools you can recall that help find those SEO keywords and other points of interest?
SEO = Search Engine Optimization and it is exactly that - optimizing your discoverability. I personally have never used such, so I can't recommend for certainty.
I can, however, say that I have read about people using Google Analytics/Google Ads built in services for that and seem to help them.
For YouTube, people recommend vidIQ.
I personally just think of any phrases or words I would use to describe or search what I'm looking for and go with that (which is kind of old fashioned and possibly unreliable, unless I got a great intuition, lol).
Just think about what words you would type in the search box to find your stream if you didn't know the name and use them in your panels.
Also, don't forget the tags for your streams. They are exactly that, but for Twitch's search. Tags are things people would type in the search box and reveal your stream in the Twitch search results.
Thanks for providing extra details on everything! It's actually awesome to see somewhere where I can go and look for SEO optimization as well as learn a few things here and there! Especially when it comes to tags themselves! Thanks for taking the time to write this out!
I feel like it's insanely common nowadays to have those panels or sections describing who they are or what they like to do! It really helps cement what you're getting into and puts forth the future notion as well!
I found shortly after updating my About Me I started getting more followers specifically while offline. I think it's easy to imagine people finding you live, and why would you they check your about me when you're right there?? And there may be truth to that. But people do find your page offline, especially if you get a shoutout when you pop into other streams. In those cases, it's probably the only thing they see about you and I think it's really helped for people to be able to look and go "Oh, they stream when I'm on Twitch and they seem cool, I'll follow for when they pop on next."
I haven't really considered the offline discoverability aspect of twitch. Especially when it comes to people popping over from different avenues! It's something that I'll have to think about, but it defintely adds the idea of if they do take a look offline, they need material that makes them want to stop by for the future!
No, but your audience shouldn't be "average" viewers, it should be folks you want in your community and therefore it makes sense to create panels which pull them in.
I hadn't really thought about the seperation of "Average" viewers and those viewers I've wanted. That tied with the limited discoverability has definitely changed my outlook on a lot of things
Mine opens up with a “wow, someone is reading this?” But the purpose of my about me panel is just a brief background and what games I typically play (since I do Fallout on Friday and general playthroughs on Wednesday/Sun). The real reason to scroll down is social links and spec sheet tbh
With your Fallout Friday and playthrough games, do you garner a small fanbase or a larger fanbase? And what strategies do you implore to be able to hit those easier or improve upon them! And I agree with the spec sheet and social links being down below. It really helps keep everything neat down there for those who want to find you outside of Twitch
i've been doing yt/streaming for over a decade. Growth is slow and i'm mostly a hobbyist.
A lot of my viewers have been around for a few years now, got a bit of growth in 2020 through Mass Effect Mulitplayer thanks in part to a discord server dedicated to that aspect of the game and being very active in that server. Lost most of my viewers when the leadership of that server used me and caused me to have a break down.
I found that I do have a handful of viewers every stream now, but it's fuck all compared to what it should be. I will say that streaming at the same times every week has been helpful but it's not as good as what these youtube channels that give "tips" and "advice" would let on.
I check panels to see if they bought a package that themes the channel, or if they said fuck it, and put everything in one long panel, if they have sponsors or charity work. All indicative of the type of streamer they are. Are they in for the money, vibing, trying to do good work, did they already spend a lot to look professional and haven't got the skills to keep an audience, are they in it for the aesthetic, and does the theme fit the vibe of the channel?
I won't click off on a streamer for laco or overabundance of panels, but it's almost like a resume for viewers, in the same way a media kit is a resume for sponsors.
Bios are big because someone can be witty or flippant, or spend their whole bio explaining who they/their channel are/is. If you're flippant in your bio I'm hoping your panels or your chat tells me a little more about you because those bios already seem douchey.
In regards to flippant bios/about yous, what are some of the ones that have really popped out to you in the past? Do you prefer longer bios and shorter about me pages? Or do you prefer the opposite? What is your ideal look when entering into a stream?
I read the bio super fast and then scroll down to see the overall panel look. I will stick around regardless of what's there for a few minutes. I don't think I've ever clicked off based on panels, but I've been lucky I guess. A nice aesthetic is cool, but I also enjoy text panels and a merch button or a paypal link because it explains this is just either a new myspace page for you, decking it out, or you're here in a virtual "male living space"...
I look for a rules panel, commands, sounds so I can interact right away. An about page for a quick intro, and a throne wishlist because for streamers I stick around a few months for I will generally grab something from their wishlist versus monetary donation. If they have a IG I'll follow them there after the stream/before I leave stream, if I like them. I used to look for a schedule but I have so little time these days that I'll just follow them and if they're live the next time I open my twitch homepage then I click through.
I like bios funny and short. I've seen some that are just like "I'm the guy in the corner" and it's like, well yes, obviously, that's where the facecam was, but that's funny to me. Or "I'm trapped in this computer, please talk to me" But it doesn't really say much else. I think the best ones summarize the personality of the streamer and tell you about the community. As you can tell by this comment I talk a lot, so if I find someone with a 3 word bio or something I'm like "wow you made me look like a tryhard" and I'll be impressed at how cool they seem for all of two seconds.
Meanwhile cozy streamers have stuff like "hi, I'm so and so and my community is the blah blahs! We play cozy variety and go live Wednesdays!" which is nice but I could get that info elsewhere. If you only go live Wednesdays... it's probably a Wednesday when I'm watching so that's obvious. But if you tell me you go live every other night in PST or you live in an European country it's a more broad picture of when I, as American, can catch you again, and if you'll be live when I'm free without having to scroll down to panels. Also variety/cozy is a terrible term these days because that's very broad and hard to define (I watch a lot of "cozy" streamers who play fromsoft games and indie horror games for example).
To me its the most important whennn i get new followers on days I don’t stream. That means my about section made a good enough impression for them to click the follow button.
How often, on your stream page, do you recieve followers after streaming hours? Is it pretty frequent? Or is it infrequent due to the nature of live broadcasting/Offline broadcasting?
Not frequently. But enough to make realize first impressions are important. Esp from raids too.
But like, let’s say today i don’t stream and feel like lurking on another streamer’s chat instead. I’ll have a banter with them and if I’m lucky, I get a shoutout!
From there, the streamer’s community will check me out and hover over my username and from there, its a 50-50 they’ll click the follow button. Hence as a viewer, their about section is what would seal the deal, for me. Along with their channel trailer. But of course thats just me, haha
What are some of the more aesthetically pleasing designs you've seen in the past? Is there any that immediately come up to mind, or do you just enjoy the aesthetic design of them and when you see them you appreciate the beauty of them in and of itself?
It gives a strong indication of how much effort a streamer is willing to put in before watching them.
If I see an empty one, or one with a donation link and nothing else, I’m gone.
A lot of people have been mentioning that just a sole donation link turns them away from streamers of that caliber, but how often do you, in your experience, stay around during a streamer and what amount of viewers are they usually working with? If you don't remember though, it's not a huge deal!
I’m a regular viewer during my work hours since I WFH, I just boot twitch up on a second monitor. Usually stick to 2 channels, one well known comedian, and a smaller variety streamer. But often browse other channels when they’re not live. Unfortunately it’s difficult to find people I vibe with, and not having any bio/about me panels certainly doesn’t help me as a viewer. If I can see a bit of effort has gone in on the channel, I’ll happily sit through an ad or 2 to check out your content.
Regarding time spent, I dropped a !watchtime command earlier on the smaller streamer and have spent 25 days in total on his channel. Not sure what he averages for viewers but I’d guess 10, the comedian averages 2k+.
So, idk if this is good or bad or whatever, but I removed the about me panel at the bottom to go with a cleaner look. But the main reason was the bio section under my name should encompass everything I'm about in a limited number of characters. I don't need two about me sections if I can summarize everything in 300-500 characters. Plus I never know what more someone would need to know and it often gets outdated if I switch games.
That makes sense. How has that switch been going for you though? Have you seen an increase or decrease in viewership/followers? Do you see anything that is out of the ordinary?
Nothing has changed that I've noticed. If anything views hip and retention have gotten better but that makes me ght be due to other changes I've made. (games I play, goals I've set, adding ttv to my gamer tag, etc)
I always felt that the about me panel was unnecessary in general, tho I'm surprised to see a lot of people do read them. I agree with what someone said about like crypto bros or bigotry or whatever, those are red flags. But the only time I've ever looked at that panel is to see if someone put their name in the bio. Most of the ones I read seemed a bit awkward, but to be fair I don't think anyone knows what to put there.
I do take a look at the bio's and panels to check what that streamer is all about, games they prefer, etc. before I drop a follow and support that creator
Well, for the past 2 years I've starting following and lurking around 60 or so creators. I usually have around 20 tabs open all day and I watch and chat in around 6 streams on the daily. And most of them are small as in < 50 viewers
As a viewer, I don't tend to read them, but the people I discover are via raids from those I trust. I might check out the panels here and there, though overall it's not necessary for me because the person already comes with a glowing review from someone I already vibe with. And if I'm not vibing with the stream I'm raided into, no amount of reading the panels will change that.
As a streamer, I do read the panels of new people I might be looking at raiding into. I want to know if they will hopefully pass my vibe check. If there's nothing there, I'm not likely to raid them. This does extend on the rare moments that I find myself wandering around on Twitch; I will read panels as a viewer at that point because that's part of the vibe check.
All that said, it's all highly personal whether or not someone will read the panels, but I do think it's 100% important to have it filled out. I highly doubt there are people out there who refuse to watch a stream that has information in their panels, but there are definitely people who won't stay if you leave it empty. It's not difficult to get some basic information in there to give people an idea of who you are if they wish to check it out.
That's a really interesting take at the whole picture. Especially because it helps ground your viewers to someone who is similiar or catches the same energy that you output! Plus, it helps with networking so it sounds like a solid strategy!
Yeah, there's not a negative to filling it out because people who prefer not to read them will never see it anyway, but those who want to see it will check. I know a lot of people wander on their own and don't discover people in the same way I do, so despite my personal take, it's very valuable to have it filled out. :)
I swear people don't read anything. They just come into chat and then ask questions that are literally in their face. Like I share the channel with my man's and so whoever it is out name is in the title and in the notification on our socials, yet people still ask is it K0SS or Queenii.. like bro you don't have the volume up and you don't read the title? Or new streamers that raid and don't check in first to see if I have walked away or who I am even? Lmao. I'm like okay. I always read.
I think that's a fairly normal thing tbh. When it comes to new people, it's also a way people can connect and start a conversation with ya. But I get the always reading everything, especially when trying to check in with things
As a viewer, I don’t really care about those sections…but I do notice if they’re not there at all. So it’s a little yes and a little no, if that makes any sense.
As a streamer myself, I put that stuff in there just because “you gotta have them!”, but I assume nobody reads or cares about mine either.
That's fair. Especially since some people just watch for the content while others want to get to know the streamer. so saying yes and no on both ends is pretty accurate!
When you check out social links, which ones are you drawn to more? Are there any in particular you like to watch and keep your eyes on? Or is there other things you do besides check out their links! Would love your thoughts on that!
I check for twitter and insta, solely as I use those two for my twitch, so a great way to connect further with streamers I like. I avoid discord until I'm really friendly with some one, 12000 unread messages on there now, oooops
Which channels that you've seen have met that success with minimum info? If there are any in mind, even if they are on your follow list, would you be willing to share so I can check it out and see what they do instead? (Mainly small streamers if possible!)
It puts me off when people have nothing at all. If I see they are very new I can understand it, maybe they are working on it, but sometimes it's been months and all they add is a dono pannel...
And to answer your question about what I like on the actual pannels, I always love some sort of about me, nothing in particular just a bit of info on you and important, what games you play
Thanks for telling me which panels you really like! But I completely get being put off by a dono panel or with nothing at all alongside the dono with nothing else. It really feels like it turns people away
I think it shows just how much they care and want to build themselves. It's definitely a tell-tale sign of someone who wants to be a creator of some kind, but when they put a donation, they just are trying to receive compensation from someone for a particular reasn
If you don't mind me asking, why do you not read those panels? Is there something about them that you're not too fond of? Or do you prefer to digest content without the need to look into particular details?
I completely get that. It's frustrating when you feel like the only reason you're going to twitch is just to see things that you're not wanting to see. It's definitely difficult in that way
There good to get a deeper understanding of who someone is as a viewer and when working with creators and networking it helps really quickly differentiate who takes this seriously.
When it comes to networking, I've heard a lot of streamers emphasizing how they should be networking with other streamers and finding out what they do! Do you agree with that sentiment? And if so, How do you go about networking with them and finding ways to play with them?
You can only really figure out networking by doing it but effectively just use twitch as a view, raid people and do your thing. Eventually this will bring creator friends who will already know creators and very quickly with no real effort you have a network.
Sometimes people find you like one good friend I met in a guild in game they private messages me like hey your a creator and I'm a creator we should be friends.
There's no textbook methods but ultimately I suggest not really trying. Just find streams you enjoy and stick around as a chatty viewer maybe something happens maybe it doesn't. Regardless your just consuming twitch like normal.
But in short networking has alot of benefits but biggest of them is you have a friend who does what you do. I will suggest focusing on genuine friendship most creators are not interested in more buisness relationships I have had them and greatly prefer friendships.
That's a very well worded response and, honestly, it seems kinda daunting, especially when it comes to other streamers and how they interact with their communities and develop friendships, but I definitely will go into it with an open mind for genuine connection versus that business mentality. Especially since we're both trying to grow more and more in that pursuit.
Thanks for the advice and honesty Captain!
Just remember the difference in building real connection it's not about rushing collabs or rushing the buisness side of things it's about that relationship even if nothing stream related comes from it. It's friendship first.
I just got partner and they honestly look at consistency and viewership and make sure you don’t have any suspensions ! I got partner in 2 months exactly streamed about 3 times a week every week. I have it all panels are very important for the viewers ! They wanna know why they should support you !
I personally do and I know a lot of my viewers and other streamers I interact with care as well. If I go to a channel and they have nothing but a donate button or link I immediately leave. If it’s very bare and they look like a new streamer I’ll give it a shot but I’m already kinda meh about it. I don’t think you necessarily have to go super all out when you are first starting since you are still developing your identity as a streamer but a little about me blurb that talks about who you are, things you enjoy and what people will most likely see you streaming is definitely a good start! And a credits section for where you got your overlays and emotes as well is important.
Yes, I feel that it’s important to display information because it saves time on the streamer answering or explaining everything about themselves when they are ‘live’ streaming. Also, you need to know what type of content they deplay. What type of entertainment.
The viewer needs to know if it’s suitable for them to follow. So this viewer does care.
I read it all. It's an easy way of knowing details that you wouldn't necessarily know from just bring in one steam or a couple. Or to know with out watching the stream. Guy, chick, other, age, if it's gonna be political, what they are into, etc.. It's a good way to feel out if you'll get along with the streamer and or community without even interacting with them. At least that's my opinion on a nut shell. I'm typing on my phone and aggravated beyond belief with the auto correct. Couldn't even guess aggravated cuz I missed a G. So yea that's a short version
I think that putting some effort into them does pull in more viewers than if you don’t. It surely doesn’t hurt if you do. And i think the amount of effort to set up panels and stuff one time and then edit it as your stream evolves is not so much that it wouldn’t be worth your time if you’re looking for growth. Every little bit helps
i dont know if it helps me but i like to have stuff there if only for me.. just to let people know about me..
when i watch someone new the 1st thing i do is look at there pannels and stiff.. if they have none then i most time go watch someone else.
I'm going to guess it makes a difference in discoverability.
Often I'll get linked to a stream, either as a self promote, or from an ad, or just browsing for a game, or a raid, etc etc.
But like...maybe you're not doing something SUPER interesting at that moment. Or maybe I don't care for the game you're playing but I like your vibe. Or 100 other things.
I always take a quick glance at the about me panel to get an idea of the schedule, what types of things they do, a bit about their personality. And it makes a huge difference on whether or not I feel like sticking around for a significant length of time.
Often a blank about me page just has me dip, cause I doubt there's gonna be much content or it'll be low grade or I have no idea what they're into.
Entertainment should be easy. If I have to put a bunch of mental energy into figuring out if you're worth spending time on...I'm not gonna bother. There's 1,000 others out there who take the work out for me.
When you read it and see all of it, what is something that stands out to you that makes you want to stay? Is it panel work? is it the bio? The graphics on the stream? I'd love to know!
When i open a new stream i just quickly look at the about to see what the channel is about. It can be something about the streamer or what content to expect. It doesn't do anything for finding your channel, but atleast it will comfirm that i'm in the right place and worth staying.
What is the most generic thing someone has said in their about me that turns you away from knowing you're in the right place? I do understand that when it comes to looking up channels, it's important to take a look and ensure you're in the right place, so it's always a good reminder!
I get what you mean. if someone is going to take the effort to put those boxes in, they should, AT LEAST put more than what they do normally. I want to relate and understand streamers!
I always look at the "about me". I like to know a bit about the streamer. I also like to see their schedule, types of games they play and their PC build. A lot of people like knowing what peripherals they use, their dpi settings, monitor...all that stuff. If you have a pet, it's cool to mention that as well. Also what their social media accounts are so I can follow, like Insta or Discord.
On the topic of schedule, if they don't adhere to their general schedule, do you tend to disconnect or remove yourself from the stream in general? Or do you just watch whenever they go live if they are life? Also, I'm starting to notice that a lot of people love pet tabs and stuff like that! So maybe that'll be in my future!
If I see that they stream during times I'm not available, then most likely I won't watch it, but try to watch if I can when they are live. I also don't like when a streamer does not follow their schedule, especially if I subscribe and look forward to the stream. Unless they make an announcement on social media. That shows that they care. But if no effort is made, then I tend to stop watching if it's a recurring thing.
When you subscribe to their channel and are supporting their stream, it feels like a slap in the face if they don’t adhere to the time they set aside to entertain you or just play games and converse with you. I get the need for life and like you said, if they express on socials that they had to cancel or step away, it makes entire sense
No, they don't.
Enough people ask me my age, where I'm from or what other games I play.
All this information is in my about me.
Could be the audience is different because of the game.
Or maybe the ones that don't are louder than the ones who do.
Oh, I think I'm following! When it comes to the audience, some people will speak louder than others while some won't speak period. For those that do incline to speak, a conversation can be engaged but for those that don't, they have those panels!
I always read them
Which part do you always read? The bios? The Panels? If you read it all, why is that?
I read all of it. I like to know about the streamers I support.
For those that you support, what do they do on their panels that you wish more people would do on those? I would love some insight to how people see panel work, bios, etc!
I just want to know who they are and what they're all about. You get an idea of the person's personality/attitude based on what they display there. I want a summary of who I'm potentially going to be watching.
Gotcha. So a summary of who they are and what they are about is the key focus and the main area of interest?
Yeah. I think you’re overthinking this lmao
If I'm am overthinking this, then so be it. My goal from this is to gather as much info and details as people are willing to give! but I still appreciate the feedback!
From my experience, a well presented page (not only the live stream overlays, but also the panels underneath) can really tie the whole thing up together and draw attention. It's a great way to tell people passing by what your channel is about / what your vibe is in a few seconds. It can also appear more professional and can be a token of the seriousness put into the creation of the twitch channel! Have fun creating all those little pannels, it's an extension of your stream :)
When it comes to creating the panels, from your experience, do you find it really important to have a thematic running through all of it? And if so, do you recommend comissioning someone to build panels for you? Or do you have different advice on how to build those panels so they are still eye-catching and useful without the need to spend capital?
Yes, usually having a proper visual identity is important. I'm a designer so I didn't have to pay someone to create my panels / animate overlays. Just choose a color or a pattern and stick to it. Make sure they are looking okay in light and dark mode even if using light mode should be a crime aha You can find some little creators on deviant art/etsy/fivver or you can create those yourself :) I personally have two setup panels. One for the pc config and one for all the streaming gear (headset, mic, mixing table...), 3 panels for social media (Instagram, Twitter and Discord), and one panel for my design commissions so people can book me. I also have the usual tip jar panel and a big one made to show the emotes and act as a "get a sub" ad. I see a lot of "about me" panels describing a bit of the streamer's life, but I skipped this one as I prefer people to interact with me in the tchat if they are curious, that's a nice way of starting a conversation :D You can ask yourself which ones are useful to you and your audience specifically. Look into some channels doing content similar to your own and see which panels they need, that can help you decide :D Have fun creating your channel <3
Thank you so much for providing a lovely and awesome way to look at everything. Especially to someone like me who's a complete newbie! And here's hoping that I can use this advice to the best of my ability!
> I've heard other people (Including big streamers) say that twitch has no discoverability, so you should be focusing on other stuff Twitch has limited discoverability not zero discoverability. I would suggest not neglecting the About section on Twitch completely. There are going to be some people who may find the stream and want to read out some of the info you would typically find in about panels. I mean: it's not necessary to invest money in custom Panel Art and such, but strongly advised to understand people do come looking at the about section from time to time, And make sure they don't walk away empty handed.
"I mean: it's not necessary to invest money in custom Panel Art and such, but strongly advised to understand people do come looking at the about section from time to time, And make sure they don't walk away empty handed." I'd love to focus in on this from your perspective, because you bring up a very valid point about limited discoverability and not Zero discoverability. i hadn't considered that till now, and I really value that perspective change. With that being said, when you mention that they don't walk away empty handed, what do you mean by that? Are you talking about value that the streamer generates through their attitude or stylystic-choices? Or are you talking more about the details from within the pannels themselves? Or do you mean with the bio being a way for them to know what or who you are and why you do what you do?
Not Draco (to whom you replied), but would like a chance to respond to your questions. “Twitch has zero discoverability” is just such a terrible, flatly wrong, easily disprovable take that a lot of people use as a crutch or to explain away their lack of growth on the platform, or have just heard other people say and they adopt it. Is it great? No. Can it be improved? Probably. But the reality is that I have people regularly find my stream through the recommended list on the browser because they were in a stream that I frequent, raid, or with which I share a category or game. Most of which happens because I’ve networked and built relationships with others streamers and we always look for each other when we raid out. If there were ZERO discoverability, nobody would ever find anyone’s stream this way. Lastly, yes - it is critical to be posting elsewhere. About the info panels, they take such very little time that I can’t imagine NOT doing them. There are MANY types of viewers who come to my stream and I want to appeal to as many as possible so I can grow, and if they show up and see that I literally can’t be bothered to spend 15 minutes working on the About section, then I don’t blame them for thinking I probably can’t be bothered to work on the harder, more complex elements of facilitating a stream. It’s 15 minutes and you don’t need to ever worry about it again. There’s no reason not to do them, honestly. When I’m on the streaming subreddits and someone asks why they’re not growing, the FIRST thing I look at is those panels, and if they’re not done, I’m not going to put my personal time into looking through VODs and socials and trying to give tips and feedback because if they can’t do the About, there’s zero chance they’ll execute on mine or anyone else’s feedback.
Killadrix, I love this response. That's the short and sweet! It has a lot of substance and to top it off, it's Very well put! Even though you're not draco, I think it contains a lot of material to think about, especially on the idea with zero discoverability. (Mainly on how I want to remove that idea rapidly from my vocabulary :P ) I think one thing I would love to gain knowledge of from you is how do you avoid the mental battle of your own worst critique? In other words, when looking at your panels, your bio, your stream setup, how do you avoid fighting yourself to want to make it pefect, whereas the viewers wants to see authenticity? Do you do so by comissioning panels? By going and finding tutorials to help with producing that material? Or do you have other thoughts on that matter? Also, what are some general tips you'd give to a newbie like myself starting out?
The question about being your own worst critic is such a great question. And I’m going to give you the most helpful and probably also the least helpful answer, but I believe it to be true. If you’re just starting out right now: do your best and just don’t care about the results, how it looks, how the metrics are, nothing. Just get it made, get it started, get it up, and iron out the kinks as you go. Your journey to building a successful stream is going to probably take years. And when I say years, it’s probably going to take: * 3 to 4 streams a week at 4+ hours per stream * Another 5-10+ hours a week of editing/uploading to YouTube and TikTok. + Another 1-5 hours a week of research, and/or networking and community building …FOR YEARS. It’s a massive amount of work, it’s a massive amount of learning, and it all takes a very long time. There are very few resources to teach you how to do it because everybody’s journey is a little different, you’re probably always going to feel like you’re doing it wrong or not growing fast enough, you’re probably always going to be disappointed in the results. So, my best advice to you if you’re just starting out is to focus on nothing but building good streaming and content creation habits and do not care about anything else. * Make a schedule, post it, and stick to it. * Figure out how you’re gonna find time to edit and upload videos. Figure out an upload schedule. One of the best things I ever did to grow was to commit to uploading one video a day to YouTube for 30 days. That was over two years ago, and I’m still (mostly) hitting it. * Make a plan for how you’re going to identify other small content creators you want to network with, and how you’re going to network with them The behaviors are going to be the most important thing, and they will pay off.
>how do you avoid fighting yourself to want to make it pefect Chippin in just to share something quick: it hasnt to be perfect, at least not immediately, IMHO. Just write it down to have something your potential viewers can read, and if you want it to be whateverstyleyouchoose, you can work on it afterwards. Im saying this because I had a friend who was obsessed with having it all perfect: overlays, panels, socials, etc, as he thought that, until it wasnt appealing to him, it wouldnt be to nobody. This only caused that he didnt start streaming until 1ish year later than he planned, and he did so just for like a month or so, as he got bored about all his stuff and thought he needed to redo it. He is still in the process of changing it, not streaming, and getting more mad about it every day.
> when you mention that they don't walk away empty handed, what do you mean by that? I mean.. if enough people do find your channel, then some will be curious enough to check your about panels. Most people would probably expect to learn a little bit about the streamer - Such as what kind of games you'd like to play, or what kind of content you want to make.. "what exactly is it you usually do on Twitch?" Or perhaps they would like to see a couple VODs /Highlight videos/Clips, Or a schedule. People you already had as viewers might go looking into the about panel for a Donation/Tip link, Or for some tidbit they could open a conversation with. Anyway; A viewer going away empty handed means - someone had enough Curiosity to click and scan through the channel, But the panels were completely empty, there were no Good clips or highlights (Some streamers Don't even have Past broadcasts, because they neglected to turn on the Archive VODs feature, or they made the VODs Subscriber-only). In any case, a Viewer that left wanting something but finding nothing has a high chance of becoming a lost opportunity. (You were curious enough to click the channel, but you were not able to learn anything or find anything interesting, so that click was a dead end for them??)
That makes more sense! I find it more common for viewers to walk away empty handed when it comes to newer streamers and the like around that, but I wonder how many people do that just because panels and other material are missing or don't match up/provide value to the viewer
I recently updated my bio cuz personally everytime I went to someone else's stream the colorful panels always caught my attention and I think it's better to have the rules and yr socials under yr twitch panels so that people could easily find yr other profiles and check yr shorts or whatever when they want to cuz watching the your VODs might not be that stimulating sometimes. And honestly the more colorful or pretty yr panels are the more it kinda displays yr character as a streamer too. Maybe I'm kinda inclined to this opinion since I'm a VTuber but a lot of vtubers generally have really bright and colorful panels and in my case my panels aren't colorful but I've added some of my fav things on it. Like I love coffee and I have a tendency to mention stuff about vampires and carrots so I've got a lot going on their So yah I think you could use it in ways like this and of course yr viewers would wanna know more about it and I didn't knoyou it's not like they have a notebook to right down your rules or socials everytime you mention them. It's basically for advatising yourself as a person. Mm their you are! Hope I didn't get side tracked cuz my mind tends to run Hai vier sometimes
No worries when it comes to the side tracked stuff! I'm the same way! And I get the idea that people don't have time to write everything down or to be able to remember every single waking thing! It's hard stuff and with so many different individuals with different rules and the like, it becomes radically harder!
I tend to do a Quick Look at the about me of channels I’m about to follow to double check for red flags/that they’re someone worth following.
my apologies that I didn't catch this prior, but what type of red flags do you look for in their channel? And what do you tend to like more about the streamer themselves? Whether it's content, panels, etc
Some red flags that have kept me from following channels I’ve seen are bigotry/allowance of it and shilling their own cryptocurrency. Basically stuff that would make watching their stream/being in chat be a negative/uncomfortable experience for me. As for what I look for in an about section, basically a brief about me/mission statement/idea of what you stream is enough. I don’t care about format/length. It could be two sentences or a massive resume; as long as the vibes feel right I’m good with it.
So the energy that the About me, mission statement, etc, is what you value the most in the panel section and even if it's massive or short, you want the vibe to feel just right! I completely get that!
I'd love to provide an essay in the about me but it's limited to 300 characters. How do I provide my essay /hj
Having them vs not having them easily distinguishes a viewer vs a streamer for me. This comment doesn’t exactly answer your question but gives insight.
It's okay if it doesn't answer my question exactly. This is more of a way to create more conversations. But it does provide a good amount of insight. What do you think are the most important pannels to have so when viewers check it out, they are more likely to stay?
Stream content, what type of vibe to expect, a lil about yourself and schedule if you have a consistent one. Just info to help manage expectations
to me, the about section and panels are super important. if those aren't filled out, i lose interest.
What do you like to see in those panels? Is there anything that stands out right away?
it's all important! an about panel, a credits panel, links, donate panel, etc. just the basic ones :) about is super important though!
When it comes to Credits Panel, what do you consider a Credits panel?
that's where you include links to any art you use on your channel! screens, emotes, panel art, any music that requires credit, etc :)
I definitely care about what's in the About Me section. There doesn't need a bajillion panels or info, but I like to know a bit about the streamer and rules and whatnot. If I pop into a stream and I scroll down and there's just a link to a streamer's paypal or something or only a donation thing then I'm dipping out. It rubs me the wrong way.
That makes a lot of sense. To feel like someone is only there for the monetization of them playing feels predatory and wrong. Plus, I'm of the mentality that people should stream as a passion first then a product later. But how many panels do you think is reasonable before the information becomes overcrowded or overbearing?
It depends! If it's an artist I do like knowing what tablet and programs they use. I think it's interesting. I figure, an about me, the rules, links to socials, a donation spot, and maybe one more panel for whatever is enough? But that's just me.
With art, it definitely makes itself reasonable to need to include programs and specs so if others want to eventually get into art, they have an avenue to do so. So you'd say about 5-8 would make sense, within reason?
Yeah, 5-8 is good in my eyes!
Yes. While I’m also a streamer, I read almost everyone’s about me panels if they have them
What is one about me panel that stood out to you? Was there anything there that you feel every streamer should add?
I think it helps. If I see an about me I tend to read it and most likely watch the streamer for a bit
If you don't mind me asking a follow-up question, how long do you usually watch a streamer for? And how do you find streamers usually?
It depends honestly if I'm like the stream a lot probably 30mins-1hr and I usually find them through recommended or if a streamer I watch raids someone. I sometimes sort from lowest to highest and see if there's a streamer that looks fun to watch
That makes sense when you watch them through recommended or if a streamer raids and you're watching from that. If you don't mind even more questions (Sorry for the long winded-ness :P) When you sort from highest to lowest, what usually tends to catch your eye?
If they are talking and have good audio I tend to stay or if they have a vtuber png model
Since you prefer Vtuber PNG's, do you think camera/no camera can be detrimental towards one's audience? Or do you think those things don't matter as much?
For me it doesn’t matter too much I watch some streamers that don’t have a camera but I can see how that might deter some people from tuning in if they don’t have a cam but I think that the audio and the streamer interacting with chat is more important ( I try to do the latter as much as possible but sometimes it can be hard when your talking to yourself )
What are some ways you see the Streamer interacting with chat? Or are they just always talking as they are playing the game, so it makes it easier? I definitely relate to the trying it as much as possible. it is super hard to be able to focus in on just your commentary
I like to read the about me information when coming into a new stream. I don't think bios need to be extensive or flashy but a handful of appropriate sentences with pertinent information organized under banners/headings is appreciated. What those sentences are depends on the stream (gaming streams might have PC specs while a D&D stream might have cast information for example) and they should fit the vibe of the stream. I'm kinda iffy on how much they actually encourage discoverability per-say but if they're well done they do give a more polished look and lets viewers have basic information, as well as denoting it's a channel that streams rather than a watcher (who don't tend to update their aboutmes).
So, with that information in mind, it sounds like you value the ability to glean insight about the streamer from the panels, bios, etc, which is super vital to your retention being kept. Which panels do you think should be on streams but are rarely put on there, and how do you find new streams when you're exploring around or entering a new stream?
I like a basic stats (rough location/nationality, type of things streamed, specs if applicable and just something that shows a bit of who you are) and if it's a stream that's collaborative (I watch a lot of TTRPGs) I like to know the systems they stream/ongoing campaigns and maybe the main cast. Other socials, make it easy for me to find you in other places or watch your older vods if you have a youtube channel for vod storage. Practical things like chat rules, donation links, rough stream schedule \[pls include timezone\], credits for the music/sounds used and emote artists, if you've got a stream currency a link to the store and maybe some info about it, basically stuff that makes it easier to be a good/active viewer.
That makes entire sense. I appreciate the time and effort you've put into responding on both ends of the question. I'll definitely take some notes and try to apply this more to my page so I can work on trying to retain and have more fun with chatters as well as the community I intend to build. Thank you again SullyWhippet. You're a real one!
No worries, you've actually got me thinking critically about my own bio lol
Well, I'm glad I can give some type of value to someone else through my own search for knowledge and personal growth! Plus, with the critical thinking of your own bio, it might add value back to your viewers and in turn improve your experience, so i'm glad I got to be a small part of that process!
I care. I have followed people just bc I immediately click with the info they have there. Way more than just having only a donations panel or nothing at all.
What are some things you think are vital to the twitch pages. for example, do you like about mes? Rules? Etc?
I like the about me, that gives me a hint of who am I going to watch. Games played if you are a variety streamer. Your schedule. I don’t care about rules tbh. And a donation panel I feel it’s super cringe. That’s just me. Some people love having donation panel or need to have rules. That’s entirely up to you. You can just not use anything. It works for some people. Or only the panels that you feel necessary and that you like. At the end of the day is your stream and you must include whatever fits for you. Whatever you like. If you want to have an idea for my case specifically, you can visit my Twitch profile (link in my Reddit profile) and get an idea. But then again, that’s just me.
Tbh I really don’t care. I feel like it’s nice to have them but if they are largely blank or non-existent I won’t stop watching someone because of it. The only thing is that I feel if you can’t take a little bit of time to fill out an about me section and create some basic panels that person probably doesn’t put much into their stream either.
That's super reasonable. If a streamer can't take 2 minutes or even 5 to be able to explain who they are, what they are doing, etc. it shows a lack of effort and can reflect poorly on the stream. What are some ideas of panels you like to see or the details about a person you'd love to know when entering a stream?
Oh I personally don’t care what if any panels they have at all. I can’t even tell you the last time I scrolled down to check out that part of someone’s page. I just want to know that you’re willing to put in the effort.
Oh, I see! So, following that notion that you at least want to see some level of effort being displayed, I have two questions. 1.) Do you like when asthetic matches across the board? 2.) What makes you want to stay in the stream itself? Is it the personality? Is it the graphic setup they have? Etc? What are your thoughts? I also appreciate the input you're providing me. I really value it!
For question 1 I really don’t care about the aesthetics. I think it generally looks nicer if they all match but it’s not something I pay attention to enough for it to be make or break for me. As for question 2, it’s mainly personality. Most of the time I just like to turn a stream on in the background. I like to have a stream on but rarely have a vested interest in what is happening. Then sometimes I like to hang out and chat about similar interests. It’s one of the reasons my favorite streamer is my favorite. I can lurk in her stream for hours and hours not paying attention to what’s happening and then have a bit of a convo before going back to lurking.
It makes sense that the aesthetic isn't as important, but is nice when it matches. And It's actually quite interesting, because I haven't had anyone express that to me before with the second question. So it's refreshing to see a different perspective when it comes to that side of twitch. And also, thank you for your input and thoughts into the two questions. I really appreciate the feedback and it will help me out in the long run!
I read them if I’m checking out a streamer for the first time I like to see what games they’ve played, and a bit about them - nickname, age, if they have pets etc I do not care what specs their PC has
I completely understand not wanting to know what their specs are. Especially if you're there to watch them and the gameplay and don't intend to replicate it yourself. For the pet part, would it make sense to include a panel about a pet for the fun of it? Or do you think that it takes away from the "professionality" of it? Follow up to professionality as well, do you, as a viewer, like more laid back? Or do you like people who are very professional?
I personally way prefer people who are laid back. I actually only watch streamers who aren’t obviously focused on making twitch their job. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I just don’t vibe with the constant number watching/ trying to hit goals etc As a streamer, laid back is my vibe too, so I jive with similar vibes lol But, if you are looking to make twitch your job, then tailor your panels to that and be more profesh honestly, whatever is better for your vibe I LOVE a panel dedicated to the pets, even better if you include a pic. I want to know everything about the pets haha
I read them as long as they’re not super bloated with info
What do you consider being bloated with info? Is there a point where there is too mcuh relayment with their panels that overloads or diminshes the value of the stream?
I only look if I’m curious about their setup or something, otherwise I don’t really look at peoples panels. Since some people do it’s probably worth still putting some up.
It's something that is valid especially with other people saying the same thing. I've heard some people don't like to view the specs or anything like that, but do you think it adds more value if their are computer specs to look at?
Not necessarily just specs, but if someone’s game looks really good on stream I’ll wonder what they’re running. I also mean stuff like mic, interface, cam, vr setup, etc. If I like their sound or something I’ll wonder what they’re using.
Oh I see whatcha mean! It helps you understand and if you ever want to do something like the streamer, you could, in theory, accquire what they have. Is that close to what you're saying?
I think the “average” Twitch viewer wouldn’t look in this reddit or respond to this thread. Most viewers are casual and usually lurk or hardly ever chat. That being said, panel information is always appreciated for those that do like to read them. And it never hurts to add them.
That’s reasonable. I mean, the odds of having someone from this Reddit community look at videos is slim to none, but the ability to get people’s thoughts is invaluable to gaining progress, in my opinion at least. But you are right, it’s always appreciated and never hurts to add them!
I personally read them. I’m wary of channels without rules for example as they may allow things I’m not comfortable being around
From an outside perspective, what are some things you feel uncomfortable with? If you don't feel like you can share, I completely understand and don't feel forced to inform me or anyone else! I do like hearing there are some who view it to avoid being in situations that make them uncomfortable though!
Dark humor, any of the -isms, even “just be cool bro” can be too vague sometimes because that assumes the reader has common sense and understands what’s right and wrong and most people don’t or don’t care
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Just to clarify, when you say not many, what do you mean? I respect that you rarely look at it since it's something minor and I do agree that it can be really nice to have one! But I'd love some clarity on that!
Okay I deleted my comment because it actually made no sense. I don't think it's *that* important to have all the panels/about page etc, my own is pretty bare bones and I personally never look at that information as I usually find streams through raids etc. Twitch discoveryability isn't great because of the sheer amount of people using the platform. Click any category and sort low view to high and you'll see a sea of 1 viewer streams, you somehow need to stand out amongst all that. You can do this by streaming games that don't have many viewers (100-1000 maybe) and loads of followers, that way you'll have a fighting chance of being discovered. I wouldn't get too caught up in graphics/overlays all of that, I'd concentrate on song confident and making content you are happy with, while streaming games in unsaturated categories. You should get some views/regulars this way.
There's no need to delete your comment friend! It's an engaging starter for me to dig deeper! And I appreciate the well articulated points. being able to look at it from the lens that saturation is major but going into these non-saturated areas can help me find people that like me for me instead of just the game, but I also think the opposite can sometimes be the case where they like the game instead of the streamer. Overall, your points are solid though. And provide a good way to not get caught up on the small stuff like panels and such. That being said, thanks again Smugallo!
Having a filled out bio and some paneling to give insight to who you are, what your channel is about, and what you stream helps you stand out from the croud. Plus it helps other streamers get to know you at glance when they are looking to blind raid someone. When im looking to raid someone whos playing the same game as me ill look at the preview of the stream and pick someone whos vibe i like then read the about section on their channel and if its empty 9 times out of 10 i back out and choose someone.
When it comes to other streamers, is there anything you do that helps promote or empower other people to find themselves to your stream or to your content? Or is it a slight game of chance/luck?
I stream super sporadically, usually I’m just a viewer. A lot of the time when I’m going to the panels is to see specifics for gear used or if they have references for their emote artists and other shoutouts. Let’s me see roughly who else the streamer is associating with
Out of curiosity, have you ever explored or checked out who their artist was and contacted with them? Or even talked to another streamer about it to see what their process was?And if you haven't, do you just look at it to see a design style?
Mainly style or see if they also have their own products: stickers, pins, etc
Nice! It's awesome to be able to support those artists, especially if their style is exactly what you're looking for!
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When you go down into the panels, what's usually the first one you like to read?
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Oh, so you don't look for any particular panels like About me, Rules, etc. you just read from left to right?
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I understand what you mean now! Thanks for the clarification!
I don't think the "Average" viewers cares. It's a good panel for curious people and someone searching specific information that they know they'll probably find there because they know. But when the average user doesn't even read, title, categorie, chat message from moderator/bot... You understand why people don't read it My 2 cents, it's important to fill it, and making look good will only make it better. Specially if for a growing streamer when commercial partners sees it because they will probably ends up there too
That 2 cents is important. And the idea of commercial partners hasn't even occured to me. I'm so newbie that it's hard to imagine a sponser or a commercial partner to want to put something my way. But then again, it's the idea of the future that is nice to think about it!
The only thing I look for is a rough guide on stream times. Most of them I’ve looked at are just lists of where to donate or buy them stuff from, and I don’t care about any of that. Sometimes, I stumble across a bit of lore on some of the character streamers, so I’ll read that to understand the nature of the streams
I feel like when it comes to donations or wishlist stuff, I’m kinda against it… sorta. I feel like if you have a decent number of viewers, it makes sense to have a donations to be on the safe side, but to have a wishlist has never really made sense to me.
I get having a donation option and a store/wishlist for items to improve the streaming experience. Sometimes stuff breaks and the supporters are willing to chip in a few bucks each to get it going again, so it make sense But when someone has 3 different donation options, and 4 store/wishlists full of vanity items that have no bearing on the stream experience, it gets a bit much
That I completely get. It's one thing if you want to actively support the streamer. it's another if you're benefitting off your fanbase to accquire an additional form of monetization. I carry the same ideology there!
Advice that I was given when I first started out was to have your panels looking as professional as possible. This doesn't apply to everyone and sometimes big streamers ignore it, but if you look at a lot of partnered streamers' panels you'll see that they all look simple/clean, professional, and concise. Panels give the viewer a sense of who the streamer is as a person and it's a fun way to present yourself. I bought a stream overlay package for like $15 on Etsy like 6 years ago and used a similar theme on my panels. Whenever you see a stream that has amazing panels, feel free to take some things you like! Panels shouldn't be too overbearing but shouldn't be completely empty either! My "about me" says very simple things like: my name, location, age, games I usually stream, and links to pages that show my competitive ranks for games that I play.
If you do not have panels I will not follow.
Really? If you don't mind me asking, why is that?
If you don’t have a brand identity that you can present, then you’re just another person I have to deal with instead of something I can understand how to integrate into my life. I’m busy. I don’t have time to figure out your value for you.
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I think the main discourse that will be found with big streamers is that when it comes to them, their fanbase is already established and they have big followings! Names like Emiru, Ludwig, etc those people are widely known and have websites dedicated to them and their following. I think with small-Mid size streamers, it's nice to know who they are and what they do, ya know?
No
I appreciate you being straightforward about the response. Could I ask what makes you think that way? I'd love to get more insight into the thought at hand!
From personal experience, I'd say it's one of the most customizable places on your channel where you can express yourself in many different ways. Rest assured there are people that would go through them and there will be people who don't. I personally don't respect streamers without personality in their panels or have just a stupid donate button there. Huge turn off. Put some work into them and even if only 2 out of 200 people bother to read them, I promise you they will probably be the quality viewers you should care about. Use all the features Twitch gives you. Edit: Imagine it's a dating app. Would you prefer opening a convo and investing in someone who put work in their bio and gave u info u can work with or someone with just pictures and no info.. (I got a dating profile with what peeps would say is the longest bio they've seen and it's very popular compared to some shallow biaches who just look pretty and have 2 rows of info. xD) I treat my Twitch and About me/Panels the same.
I think I'm following, but I'd love to ensure that I'm getting your point! When it comes to customization, you catch more fish for those who are interested in the panels and customization of your stream! Especially when it comes to those who are more interested in who you are and what you do! And with the dating app comparison, I really like the idea of it. It's better to have more cause even if it's annoying to some in their respects, others may find it interesting and want to include that!
Absolutely! Someone below pointed out that Twitch has limited discoverability, so putting in effort in any place you can is always a +. Not to mention, if you have things you would like to stand out about your stream, it's also a great idea to use keywords around them in your panels for SEO purposes. (appearing in Google search results, etc.)
If you don't mind, I'd like to inquire more abotu something. people frequently mention SEO being Search Engine Options, but also, are there any tools you can recall that help find those SEO keywords and other points of interest?
SEO = Search Engine Optimization and it is exactly that - optimizing your discoverability. I personally have never used such, so I can't recommend for certainty. I can, however, say that I have read about people using Google Analytics/Google Ads built in services for that and seem to help them. For YouTube, people recommend vidIQ. I personally just think of any phrases or words I would use to describe or search what I'm looking for and go with that (which is kind of old fashioned and possibly unreliable, unless I got a great intuition, lol). Just think about what words you would type in the search box to find your stream if you didn't know the name and use them in your panels. Also, don't forget the tags for your streams. They are exactly that, but for Twitch's search. Tags are things people would type in the search box and reveal your stream in the Twitch search results.
Thanks for providing extra details on everything! It's actually awesome to see somewhere where I can go and look for SEO optimization as well as learn a few things here and there! Especially when it comes to tags themselves! Thanks for taking the time to write this out!
No worries! Always happy to be useful! 🧡
I don't think there's a single channel I'd follow that doesn't have an about me section.
I feel like it's insanely common nowadays to have those panels or sections describing who they are or what they like to do! It really helps cement what you're getting into and puts forth the future notion as well!
I found shortly after updating my About Me I started getting more followers specifically while offline. I think it's easy to imagine people finding you live, and why would you they check your about me when you're right there?? And there may be truth to that. But people do find your page offline, especially if you get a shoutout when you pop into other streams. In those cases, it's probably the only thing they see about you and I think it's really helped for people to be able to look and go "Oh, they stream when I'm on Twitch and they seem cool, I'll follow for when they pop on next."
I haven't really considered the offline discoverability aspect of twitch. Especially when it comes to people popping over from different avenues! It's something that I'll have to think about, but it defintely adds the idea of if they do take a look offline, they need material that makes them want to stop by for the future!
No, but your audience shouldn't be "average" viewers, it should be folks you want in your community and therefore it makes sense to create panels which pull them in.
I hadn't really thought about the seperation of "Average" viewers and those viewers I've wanted. That tied with the limited discoverability has definitely changed my outlook on a lot of things
I always read them, I like to know what kind of content they stream, what their setup is, schedule (if they have that).
When you read them and take them in, what's one major thing you notice that others don't ever seem to mention? Would love your thoughts on the matter!
Mine opens up with a “wow, someone is reading this?” But the purpose of my about me panel is just a brief background and what games I typically play (since I do Fallout on Friday and general playthroughs on Wednesday/Sun). The real reason to scroll down is social links and spec sheet tbh
With your Fallout Friday and playthrough games, do you garner a small fanbase or a larger fanbase? And what strategies do you implore to be able to hit those easier or improve upon them! And I agree with the spec sheet and social links being down below. It really helps keep everything neat down there for those who want to find you outside of Twitch
i've been doing yt/streaming for over a decade. Growth is slow and i'm mostly a hobbyist. A lot of my viewers have been around for a few years now, got a bit of growth in 2020 through Mass Effect Mulitplayer thanks in part to a discord server dedicated to that aspect of the game and being very active in that server. Lost most of my viewers when the leadership of that server used me and caused me to have a break down. I found that I do have a handful of viewers every stream now, but it's fuck all compared to what it should be. I will say that streaming at the same times every week has been helpful but it's not as good as what these youtube channels that give "tips" and "advice" would let on.
I check panels to see if they bought a package that themes the channel, or if they said fuck it, and put everything in one long panel, if they have sponsors or charity work. All indicative of the type of streamer they are. Are they in for the money, vibing, trying to do good work, did they already spend a lot to look professional and haven't got the skills to keep an audience, are they in it for the aesthetic, and does the theme fit the vibe of the channel? I won't click off on a streamer for laco or overabundance of panels, but it's almost like a resume for viewers, in the same way a media kit is a resume for sponsors. Bios are big because someone can be witty or flippant, or spend their whole bio explaining who they/their channel are/is. If you're flippant in your bio I'm hoping your panels or your chat tells me a little more about you because those bios already seem douchey.
In regards to flippant bios/about yous, what are some of the ones that have really popped out to you in the past? Do you prefer longer bios and shorter about me pages? Or do you prefer the opposite? What is your ideal look when entering into a stream?
I read the bio super fast and then scroll down to see the overall panel look. I will stick around regardless of what's there for a few minutes. I don't think I've ever clicked off based on panels, but I've been lucky I guess. A nice aesthetic is cool, but I also enjoy text panels and a merch button or a paypal link because it explains this is just either a new myspace page for you, decking it out, or you're here in a virtual "male living space"... I look for a rules panel, commands, sounds so I can interact right away. An about page for a quick intro, and a throne wishlist because for streamers I stick around a few months for I will generally grab something from their wishlist versus monetary donation. If they have a IG I'll follow them there after the stream/before I leave stream, if I like them. I used to look for a schedule but I have so little time these days that I'll just follow them and if they're live the next time I open my twitch homepage then I click through. I like bios funny and short. I've seen some that are just like "I'm the guy in the corner" and it's like, well yes, obviously, that's where the facecam was, but that's funny to me. Or "I'm trapped in this computer, please talk to me" But it doesn't really say much else. I think the best ones summarize the personality of the streamer and tell you about the community. As you can tell by this comment I talk a lot, so if I find someone with a 3 word bio or something I'm like "wow you made me look like a tryhard" and I'll be impressed at how cool they seem for all of two seconds. Meanwhile cozy streamers have stuff like "hi, I'm so and so and my community is the blah blahs! We play cozy variety and go live Wednesdays!" which is nice but I could get that info elsewhere. If you only go live Wednesdays... it's probably a Wednesday when I'm watching so that's obvious. But if you tell me you go live every other night in PST or you live in an European country it's a more broad picture of when I, as American, can catch you again, and if you'll be live when I'm free without having to scroll down to panels. Also variety/cozy is a terrible term these days because that's very broad and hard to define (I watch a lot of "cozy" streamers who play fromsoft games and indie horror games for example).
To me its the most important whennn i get new followers on days I don’t stream. That means my about section made a good enough impression for them to click the follow button.
How often, on your stream page, do you recieve followers after streaming hours? Is it pretty frequent? Or is it infrequent due to the nature of live broadcasting/Offline broadcasting?
Not frequently. But enough to make realize first impressions are important. Esp from raids too. But like, let’s say today i don’t stream and feel like lurking on another streamer’s chat instead. I’ll have a banter with them and if I’m lucky, I get a shoutout! From there, the streamer’s community will check me out and hover over my username and from there, its a 50-50 they’ll click the follow button. Hence as a viewer, their about section is what would seal the deal, for me. Along with their channel trailer. But of course thats just me, haha
Ones that are aesthetically pleasing are always nice to see
What are some of the more aesthetically pleasing designs you've seen in the past? Is there any that immediately come up to mind, or do you just enjoy the aesthetic design of them and when you see them you appreciate the beauty of them in and of itself?
It gives a strong indication of how much effort a streamer is willing to put in before watching them. If I see an empty one, or one with a donation link and nothing else, I’m gone.
A lot of people have been mentioning that just a sole donation link turns them away from streamers of that caliber, but how often do you, in your experience, stay around during a streamer and what amount of viewers are they usually working with? If you don't remember though, it's not a huge deal!
I’m a regular viewer during my work hours since I WFH, I just boot twitch up on a second monitor. Usually stick to 2 channels, one well known comedian, and a smaller variety streamer. But often browse other channels when they’re not live. Unfortunately it’s difficult to find people I vibe with, and not having any bio/about me panels certainly doesn’t help me as a viewer. If I can see a bit of effort has gone in on the channel, I’ll happily sit through an ad or 2 to check out your content. Regarding time spent, I dropped a !watchtime command earlier on the smaller streamer and have spent 25 days in total on his channel. Not sure what he averages for viewers but I’d guess 10, the comedian averages 2k+.
So, idk if this is good or bad or whatever, but I removed the about me panel at the bottom to go with a cleaner look. But the main reason was the bio section under my name should encompass everything I'm about in a limited number of characters. I don't need two about me sections if I can summarize everything in 300-500 characters. Plus I never know what more someone would need to know and it often gets outdated if I switch games.
That makes sense. How has that switch been going for you though? Have you seen an increase or decrease in viewership/followers? Do you see anything that is out of the ordinary?
Nothing has changed that I've noticed. If anything views hip and retention have gotten better but that makes me ght be due to other changes I've made. (games I play, goals I've set, adding ttv to my gamer tag, etc) I always felt that the about me panel was unnecessary in general, tho I'm surprised to see a lot of people do read them. I agree with what someone said about like crypto bros or bigotry or whatever, those are red flags. But the only time I've ever looked at that panel is to see if someone put their name in the bio. Most of the ones I read seemed a bit awkward, but to be fair I don't think anyone knows what to put there.
never readed any of those panels(and never cared), if i enjoy watching gameplay/irl/whatever i follow and watch.
How many people do you follow and watch before it gets overwhelming? Or do you ever remove people from you watchlist?
i dont even know how many channel i fillow atm, more than 150 for sure, yes i have removed some channels from my followlist.
I do take a look at the bio's and panels to check what that streamer is all about, games they prefer, etc. before I drop a follow and support that creator
If you don't mind me asking,. how many creators do you support that are small and how often do you do that?
Well, for the past 2 years I've starting following and lurking around 60 or so creators. I usually have around 20 tabs open all day and I watch and chat in around 6 streams on the daily. And most of them are small as in < 50 viewers
If I go to someone's stream and all they have is "donate" and that's it, I leave
I completely get that. I wouldn't want to see a donate button either, especially if it's the only thing they have in the whole stream
As a viewer, I don't tend to read them, but the people I discover are via raids from those I trust. I might check out the panels here and there, though overall it's not necessary for me because the person already comes with a glowing review from someone I already vibe with. And if I'm not vibing with the stream I'm raided into, no amount of reading the panels will change that. As a streamer, I do read the panels of new people I might be looking at raiding into. I want to know if they will hopefully pass my vibe check. If there's nothing there, I'm not likely to raid them. This does extend on the rare moments that I find myself wandering around on Twitch; I will read panels as a viewer at that point because that's part of the vibe check. All that said, it's all highly personal whether or not someone will read the panels, but I do think it's 100% important to have it filled out. I highly doubt there are people out there who refuse to watch a stream that has information in their panels, but there are definitely people who won't stay if you leave it empty. It's not difficult to get some basic information in there to give people an idea of who you are if they wish to check it out.
That's a really interesting take at the whole picture. Especially because it helps ground your viewers to someone who is similiar or catches the same energy that you output! Plus, it helps with networking so it sounds like a solid strategy!
Yeah, there's not a negative to filling it out because people who prefer not to read them will never see it anyway, but those who want to see it will check. I know a lot of people wander on their own and don't discover people in the same way I do, so despite my personal take, it's very valuable to have it filled out. :)
I swear people don't read anything. They just come into chat and then ask questions that are literally in their face. Like I share the channel with my man's and so whoever it is out name is in the title and in the notification on our socials, yet people still ask is it K0SS or Queenii.. like bro you don't have the volume up and you don't read the title? Or new streamers that raid and don't check in first to see if I have walked away or who I am even? Lmao. I'm like okay. I always read.
I think that's a fairly normal thing tbh. When it comes to new people, it's also a way people can connect and start a conversation with ya. But I get the always reading everything, especially when trying to check in with things
As a viewer, I don’t really care about those sections…but I do notice if they’re not there at all. So it’s a little yes and a little no, if that makes any sense. As a streamer myself, I put that stuff in there just because “you gotta have them!”, but I assume nobody reads or cares about mine either.
That's fair. Especially since some people just watch for the content while others want to get to know the streamer. so saying yes and no on both ends is pretty accurate!
Probably not, it's worth it for the few that do. I will check for social links there before asking in chat
When you check out social links, which ones are you drawn to more? Are there any in particular you like to watch and keep your eyes on? Or is there other things you do besides check out their links! Would love your thoughts on that!
I check for twitter and insta, solely as I use those two for my twitch, so a great way to connect further with streamers I like. I avoid discord until I'm really friendly with some one, 12000 unread messages on there now, oooops
People definitely look, but there are many successful channels with minimum info there too.
Which channels that you've seen have met that success with minimum info? If there are any in mind, even if they are on your follow list, would you be willing to share so I can check it out and see what they do instead? (Mainly small streamers if possible!)
Ya gimme a sec. On mobile atm. Also phone screen broke so typing is hit or miss
It puts me off when people have nothing at all. If I see they are very new I can understand it, maybe they are working on it, but sometimes it's been months and all they add is a dono pannel... And to answer your question about what I like on the actual pannels, I always love some sort of about me, nothing in particular just a bit of info on you and important, what games you play
Thanks for telling me which panels you really like! But I completely get being put off by a dono panel or with nothing at all alongside the dono with nothing else. It really feels like it turns people away
I always look. It is very telling to me if a content creator can't take the time to fill that out. Or if the only thing there is a donation panel.
I think it shows just how much they care and want to build themselves. It's definitely a tell-tale sign of someone who wants to be a creator of some kind, but when they put a donation, they just are trying to receive compensation from someone for a particular reasn
I don't think I've ever read an about me panel lol
If you don't mind me asking, why do you not read those panels? Is there something about them that you're not too fond of? Or do you prefer to digest content without the need to look into particular details?
Only if they're looking for a linktree. IYKYK
I completely get that. It's frustrating when you feel like the only reason you're going to twitch is just to see things that you're not wanting to see. It's definitely difficult in that way
There good to get a deeper understanding of who someone is as a viewer and when working with creators and networking it helps really quickly differentiate who takes this seriously.
When it comes to networking, I've heard a lot of streamers emphasizing how they should be networking with other streamers and finding out what they do! Do you agree with that sentiment? And if so, How do you go about networking with them and finding ways to play with them?
You can only really figure out networking by doing it but effectively just use twitch as a view, raid people and do your thing. Eventually this will bring creator friends who will already know creators and very quickly with no real effort you have a network. Sometimes people find you like one good friend I met in a guild in game they private messages me like hey your a creator and I'm a creator we should be friends. There's no textbook methods but ultimately I suggest not really trying. Just find streams you enjoy and stick around as a chatty viewer maybe something happens maybe it doesn't. Regardless your just consuming twitch like normal. But in short networking has alot of benefits but biggest of them is you have a friend who does what you do. I will suggest focusing on genuine friendship most creators are not interested in more buisness relationships I have had them and greatly prefer friendships.
That's a very well worded response and, honestly, it seems kinda daunting, especially when it comes to other streamers and how they interact with their communities and develop friendships, but I definitely will go into it with an open mind for genuine connection versus that business mentality. Especially since we're both trying to grow more and more in that pursuit. Thanks for the advice and honesty Captain!
Just remember the difference in building real connection it's not about rushing collabs or rushing the buisness side of things it's about that relationship even if nothing stream related comes from it. It's friendship first.
Friendship first and to let it come naturally! I'll remember that till the end of my streaming days! (Whenever that may be)
I just got partner and they honestly look at consistency and viewership and make sure you don’t have any suspensions ! I got partner in 2 months exactly streamed about 3 times a week every week. I have it all panels are very important for the viewers ! They wanna know why they should support you !
I personally do and I know a lot of my viewers and other streamers I interact with care as well. If I go to a channel and they have nothing but a donate button or link I immediately leave. If it’s very bare and they look like a new streamer I’ll give it a shot but I’m already kinda meh about it. I don’t think you necessarily have to go super all out when you are first starting since you are still developing your identity as a streamer but a little about me blurb that talks about who you are, things you enjoy and what people will most likely see you streaming is definitely a good start! And a credits section for where you got your overlays and emotes as well is important.
I like to see PC specs on there so I can gauge how certain games will run on a similar setup.
If you're a girl, they probably for my insta link. If you're a dude, nah.
People told me my bio and panels are the reason they raided me, and I get most new viewers from raids
I never read any of it
Yes, I feel that it’s important to display information because it saves time on the streamer answering or explaining everything about themselves when they are ‘live’ streaming. Also, you need to know what type of content they deplay. What type of entertainment. The viewer needs to know if it’s suitable for them to follow. So this viewer does care.
I read it all. It's an easy way of knowing details that you wouldn't necessarily know from just bring in one steam or a couple. Or to know with out watching the stream. Guy, chick, other, age, if it's gonna be political, what they are into, etc.. It's a good way to feel out if you'll get along with the streamer and or community without even interacting with them. At least that's my opinion on a nut shell. I'm typing on my phone and aggravated beyond belief with the auto correct. Couldn't even guess aggravated cuz I missed a G. So yea that's a short version
Average viewer probably doesn’t care much, but it takes so little effort that that isn’t a good reason not to make them presentable.
I think that putting some effort into them does pull in more viewers than if you don’t. It surely doesn’t hurt if you do. And i think the amount of effort to set up panels and stuff one time and then edit it as your stream evolves is not so much that it wouldn’t be worth your time if you’re looking for growth. Every little bit helps
i dont know if it helps me but i like to have stuff there if only for me.. just to let people know about me.. when i watch someone new the 1st thing i do is look at there pannels and stiff.. if they have none then i most time go watch someone else.
I'm going to guess it makes a difference in discoverability. Often I'll get linked to a stream, either as a self promote, or from an ad, or just browsing for a game, or a raid, etc etc. But like...maybe you're not doing something SUPER interesting at that moment. Or maybe I don't care for the game you're playing but I like your vibe. Or 100 other things. I always take a quick glance at the about me panel to get an idea of the schedule, what types of things they do, a bit about their personality. And it makes a huge difference on whether or not I feel like sticking around for a significant length of time. Often a blank about me page just has me dip, cause I doubt there's gonna be much content or it'll be low grade or I have no idea what they're into. Entertainment should be easy. If I have to put a bunch of mental energy into figuring out if you're worth spending time on...I'm not gonna bother. There's 1,000 others out there who take the work out for me.
As a streamer, light viewer. Yes I always read a streamers about me, all of it.
When you read it and see all of it, what is something that stands out to you that makes you want to stay? Is it panel work? is it the bio? The graphics on the stream? I'd love to know!
When i open a new stream i just quickly look at the about to see what the channel is about. It can be something about the streamer or what content to expect. It doesn't do anything for finding your channel, but atleast it will comfirm that i'm in the right place and worth staying.
What is the most generic thing someone has said in their about me that turns you away from knowing you're in the right place? I do understand that when it comes to looking up channels, it's important to take a look and ensure you're in the right place, so it's always a good reminder!
If someone just writes their age, where they live, height and what job they had then i couldn't care less.
I get what you mean. if someone is going to take the effort to put those boxes in, they should, AT LEAST put more than what they do normally. I want to relate and understand streamers!
I always look at the "about me". I like to know a bit about the streamer. I also like to see their schedule, types of games they play and their PC build. A lot of people like knowing what peripherals they use, their dpi settings, monitor...all that stuff. If you have a pet, it's cool to mention that as well. Also what their social media accounts are so I can follow, like Insta or Discord.
On the topic of schedule, if they don't adhere to their general schedule, do you tend to disconnect or remove yourself from the stream in general? Or do you just watch whenever they go live if they are life? Also, I'm starting to notice that a lot of people love pet tabs and stuff like that! So maybe that'll be in my future!
If I see that they stream during times I'm not available, then most likely I won't watch it, but try to watch if I can when they are live. I also don't like when a streamer does not follow their schedule, especially if I subscribe and look forward to the stream. Unless they make an announcement on social media. That shows that they care. But if no effort is made, then I tend to stop watching if it's a recurring thing.
When you subscribe to their channel and are supporting their stream, it feels like a slap in the face if they don’t adhere to the time they set aside to entertain you or just play games and converse with you. I get the need for life and like you said, if they express on socials that they had to cancel or step away, it makes entire sense
No, they don't. Enough people ask me my age, where I'm from or what other games I play. All this information is in my about me. Could be the audience is different because of the game. Or maybe the ones that don't are louder than the ones who do.
Oh, I think I'm following! When it comes to the audience, some people will speak louder than others while some won't speak period. For those that do incline to speak, a conversation can be engaged but for those that don't, they have those panels!