Do you struggle with keeping your viewers engaged? Have you noticed you do little talking while live streaming? Talking is daunting especially while no one is viewing your content. To motivate yourself, try branching out to other platforms, and engage your audience they will motivate you. You will give your best knowing that you are not only doing for yourself. You may want to buy Facebook likes for a page promoting your channel.
Could be weird talking to an empty chat. Or you have not practiced or mastered what to talk about while streaming. Streaming isn’t easy. Research on phobias indicates that public speaking is one of the most feared activities. People are really afraid of talking in front of people. Though online, streaming is just another form of public speaking.
You get to share your thoughts with large groups of people. Or even worse than public speaking, streaming allows audiences to comment and give their feedback all the while remaining anonymous. This encourages most people to be open. Remember, some audiences are rarely kind with their words. They do everything possible to upset streamers. How do you keep up with all these? How do you rise above them? Here are dead-given ways to keep your audience hooked while streaming.
Table of Contents
1. Develop an online persona
There are streamers who a day cannot end without viewing their content. What is common about them? Is it the dress code, how they package their content, or do you just like them? Most of the outstanding streamers are hella entertaining. They have an outstanding persona.
Without the Noisy Ninja, the controversial xQc, and Sykkuno, Twitch wouldn’t exist anymore. Though our persona is always influenced by real-life personalities, you should at least take it a higher for entertaining. Should you start copying someone else? Should you start adopting a fake personality? No, your audience will realize when you are faking it and will shy away. All am saying is you can draw inspiration from others and develop your online persona.
2. Watch other streamers
As Brendon Burchard would say, “If you are passionate, they will understand, but if you are obsessed, they will think you are crazy.” The best poets are obsessed with writing. Best footballers are obsessed with training. The best musicians are obsessed with music. No way can you become a good streamer without watching other streamers. If you want to know where you are headed, ask those who are coming back. Lest you have an entertaining background, engaging with an audience while streaming is not easy.
If you think about the human brain and how it works, you start consciously simulating things that surround us. That’s exactly what will happen when watching other streamers. You consciously or unconsciously master their skills. Are you watching other streamers already? Make this your daily bread. Are you strapped up by time? Just start it in a small way, even 30 minutes a day. You will be amazed at the impact of this in the long run. This is what James Clear talks about in the Atomic Habits, taking small actions consistently for a long period.
3. Talk about your chat!
We are used to ignoring others. You can text someone in the morning, all the while they are online but they only answer in the evening. No problem. Sometimes, people get busy. This is not what you want to do when it comes to your viewers. You must show them that they are highly valued in your platform. Are they talking to you? Aren’t they replying to your questions? Just do it. Continue talking to them. Who knows, one day they will just start responding.
Is there no one watching? Do they come and leave? Talk, talk and continue talking. Our energy is contagious. If someone comes and sees your passion, he will get hooked if he is interested in your content. Always strive to make your audience feel included. Soon, they will keep up with the pace. They will start replying and get the ball rolling. Are you afraid of how you look? Afraid of the audience’s perception of you? Talking is better than not talking at all. Get the ball rolling? You will master it in a few.
4. Avoid playing slow games
Some streamers strive on this because in most cases, it’s not easy. ‘Different strokes for different folks they say. Are you finding it difficult to continuously entertain your audience? Do people get in and leave almost immediately? You want to avoid slower types of games.
Take your time and know your audience well. Hopefully, your efforts will eventually pay off. These tips will make your streaming a walk in the park.