Streaming is an ever-changing landscape. If you were to go back only two or three years ago, the amount of features that Twitch had pales in comparison to what it has to offer now. The ability to adapt to the new features and trends that come along with streaming is incredibly important. Some streamers that used to have huge followings have now been reduced to much smaller numbers. One thing that I’ve noticed amongst some of my streamer friends, including myself, is how quickly people write off the new functions and features that Twitch launches. I think this is a huge mistake and I want to discuss how having the right mindset with regards to new features will help you grow your stream.

New Features = New Opportunities.

Every time Twitch releases a new feature, no matter how big or small, Twitch creates a new opportunity for streamers to take advantage of. That time you spent complaining about how a new feature “doesn’t benefit the little guy”? Some other streamer that probably has fewer viewers than you was thinking of new ways they could take advantage of the new feature for their stream.

In the past few months, it seems as if Twitch has been releasing new feature after new feature. With every new awesome feature that people enjoy, there are always people that somehow find a way to look at the negatives of these things. DON’T BE THAT PERSON. Whether it’s on Twitter, on your stream, or other avenues of social media, being the person that always finds things to complain about is always the wrong choice. There is a difference from constructive criticism and whining.

A common complaint I see by many streamers is that certain features only benefit the big name streamers and makes it less likely for smaller streamers to get found. I’ve got news for you: most of these new features are going to help bigger streamers more. This doesn’t mean that it can’t help you though. You have to be able to see the big picture.

A great example of this was the recent introduction of Vodcasts, the finished product of Twitch Playlists. Instead of appearing in their own section, they were now appearing in the normal Live Directory and Following feed. The idea of “always on” is quickly becoming a new reality on Twitch. As a smaller streamer, it can be really daunting to know “X Big Name Streamer” will now have even more opportunities to grow their stream. This makes the primary focus on others, rather than themselves. Your mindset shouldn’t be focused on what others are doing with the feature. You can’t control someone else’s stream. Your mindset should be centered on growth: “There is a way I can use this feature to have a positive effect on my stream, and I am going to find it!”

​Streaming as a small streamer isn’t easy, but the majority of the “Big Streamers” started out there, too. The reason many of them were able to explode in popularity was because they took a game, or a feature, or just one lucky break and used it to propel their stream to a higher level.

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The Five Steps of Using a New Feature
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I want to break down a process on how you should digest, think about, and employ a new features release. By following these steps, there’s a good chance you’ll start to see some positive results.

1. Do Your Research

I’m assuming most streamers follow Twitch on Twitter, but if you somehow have not done yet, do that RIGHT NOW. Staying up to date on when new features are released is incredibly important, and Twitter is usually one of the first places that features are announced. Once announced, do some research on what exactly the feature entails. The more information you have on the exact product, the more readily you’ll be able to take advantage of the product.

2. Inform Your Audience

You won’t believe how many streamers know about the new products Twitch is pushing, but never talk to their own streams about them. A big part of the reason smaller streamers never take full advantage of a feature is due to the fact they never tell their chat about the feature. When viewers see you’re excited about a feature, they will want to find out why. The more informed your viewers are, the more inclined they are to check it out.

3. Watch Other Streamers

If you really want to understand what works/doesn’t work for a new feature, check out someone who is successful with it. Twitch is full of streamers that are willing to share their secrets and techniques, and all you have to do in order to learn is tune in. Maybe you’ll find something that you can use on your stream, or even make improvements to the method. Don’t just copy and paste what they do, though. Try to find your own twist.

4. Try New Things/Take Some Risks

Whether you stream on Twitch full-time, or it’s just a side hobby for you, trying new things and taking risks are healthy for the growth of your stream. Not every feature that Twitch releases is going to be right for you and your stream, but a lot of times you’ll never know until you try.  I see so many streamers think that it’s a waste of time to give something a shot, then complain when their stream remains so stagnant. What is the harm in giving a feature a shot? Even if it fails on your stream, you’ll learn a ton about why it failed, which will lead to more success down the road. I can’t tell you how many times an idea for a game to play, an event to run, or the use of a feature on Twitch led to later success, even though it initially failed for me.

5. Stick with It

This step goes along with step four as well. I’ve seen a common problem on Twitch where streamers are onto some great ideas that in the long run will greatly benefit their stream, but they give up on it too early. There is always a point where if something isn’t working, you have to move on, but many times streamers never really give something enough time to grow. Sticking it out for just a little longer sometimes is the key to the breakthrough, so don’t give up if it doesn’t meet your expectations right away!


​New features can be daunting, but understanding and taking advantage of them as they come out will help your stream in the long run!

​Follow us on Twitter so you get all the latest updates!  @StreamBigNET

Be sure to also check out our Twitch Streaming Team 

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Not too long ago Twitch introduced a new feature on their site called Twitch Extensions. According to Twitch, “Extensions are interactive overlays and panels, developed by 3rd parties, which put you at the heart of the next evolution in live streaming.” Basically, this opened up the door to a lot more customization on Twitch that gave broadcasters more tools to reach their audience. If you check out the list of approved extensions there are countless helpful extensions that range from listing your equipment you use for streaming, to showcasing the top viewers that cheer in your chat.

Today, I want to point you to the ONE extension that all broadcasters that are looking to grow and network should have on their stream. It’s incredibly easy to use this extension, and the help that it will provide in growing your stream could even be deemed as BIG. If you’re going to dive into extensions, this should be the first on your list.

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Featured Follow Button

What is it?

​The Featured Follow Button is an extension that allows for you to display the follow button of a stream of your choice on your stream overlay. You can have your stream, your friend’s stream, even someone who ended up raiding you that night that you want to shout out, pop up whenever you want. It’s very noticeable, and anyone that is paying attention to the stream will be able to instantly see it. (Disclaimer – This is only visible on Desktop, it will not appear on mobile or the PS4/Xbox/Chromecast apps)

​How Does It Work
Your first step is installing the extension. You can access the extension by clicking HERE. Once you get to the extension page, you’ll see a button that says install, click that! Once you’ve installed it, you now have to activate it by going to the extensions tab in your dashboard. 

 
Once you’ve reached the extensions tab, you’ll see a button under the extension that says activate. Press the activate button, and you’ll now be able to run the extension through your actual livestream dashboard on Twitch. So go to your dashboard and under the extensions widget, choose “Featured Follow Button.” From there you’ll be able to put whatever stream you want in the Channel Name box, and even set up a queue of different channels. To get it to appear on stream, just press the activate button, and to remove it press the clear current button.

Why You Should Use It
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First off, this is an incredibly awesome way to get people to follow your channel. If you’re noticing a lot of newer viewers in your channel and you have a small break where you have some time to talk, this is a great tool to point to your follow button! It’s a very obvious reminder to new viewers to follow your channel, as it appears right on the main screen and is super easy to find. This may come as a surprise to you, but many viewers simply forget to follow when they go to a stream. Pointing them in the right direction with the right kind of nudge can greatly help! Let’s say you’re about to cut your stream and want to remind people one last time to follow your stream. By simply activating this extension, viewers will be more likely to follow as they are leaving and saying goodbye!

Secondly, this is a great way of promoting other streamers that you know! Let’s say you’re dual casting with another streamer and you want to help point your viewers to their stream. Just drop their channel name in the extension, and now your viewers don’t even have to leave your channel to go follow your friend’s stream! Or let’s say someone raids your channel and you want to give them the counter shout out to thank them for the raid! Pop their channel name into the extension, and now you’ve created a great opportunity of introducing your viewers to the incoming raid stream.
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Finally, this extension is going to be a huge addition to channels that host events on their stream where multiple streamers participate. A stream like GamesDoneQuick could easily showcase every runner’s channel during their run, greatly increasing traffic to these channels. An E-sports channel can now shout out a streamers channel after the player makes a big play during a match, giving viewers who see the big play a chance to easily find the stream. This extension will greatly help promote those participating in events all across Twitch. 

​Extensions In General
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In my opinion, this is the best extension on Twitch just for how easy it is to help streamers gain legitimate followers. There are so many great extensions out there that will help improve your stream experience, so be sure to check out the full list here! The main suggestion that I would make when trying out extensions is always experiment and get feedback from your viewers. Some extensions seem really fun, but can oftentimes distract from the actual stream and keep viewers away. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback! Thanks for reading and have fun with extensions!

​Be sure to also check out our Twitch Streaming Team 
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Follow us on Twitter so you get all the latest updates!  @StreamBigNET

How Not To Network 

I’ve written a lot of articles on good ways to network, but today I want to talk about what you shouldn’t do in trying to grow your stream. So many streamers have a very small understanding of networking and because of this, they approach it the wrong way. One of the quickest ways to destroy any chance of improving your relationship with other streamers is to force your channel on them. By following these easy steps today, you’ll be well on your way to improving your ability to avoid these networking traps.

DON’T PROMOTE YOUR STREAM IN OTHER STREAMS

If there is one thing that really grinds almost every streamer’s gears, it’s the viewer that comes into the chat, and nonchalantly starts talking about THEIR STREAM. No matter big or small, no streamer wants to have to deal with someone who is only coming to a stream to promote themselves. Networking is hard, and sometimes it might feel right to take the easy route and try and force yourself in other streams, but DON’T DO IT! I know from personal experience that when people do this in my stream, I immediately do not want to help them.

This also goes for messaging the streamer through their inbox or Twitter and asking for a raid or a host directly. This does not work! It will never work, and doing so will only hurt your chances of ever forming a good relationship with the streamer.  

DON’T SUBSCRIBE/DONATE/CHEER JUST TO GET RAIDS/HOSTS/SHOUTOUTS IN CHAT

Donations, subscriptions, cheers, or any other form of giving something to the streamer should be viewed as a thank you for the hours of entertainment streamers give, not a binding contract that requires hoops to jump through. So many people donate and subscribe with the expectation that they will be more noticed by the streamer, or that the streamer now owes that person something. There is nothing more off-putting than a viewer who feels entitled.  

I will say that when you subscribe to someone and spend more time in their channel, and show a love for their stream, streamers will likely want to interact with you more and want to help you out, but that isn’t something that HAS to happen. These kind of relationships take time, and it isn’t something that can just be bought in a single moment. There are countless viewers, ones that have never donated a single dime, that I would be willing to help in a heartbeat because of how much they support the stream in other ways.

DON’T JUST TALK ABOUT YOU

Let’s say you are going to your favorite convention to meet your favorite streamer.  We’ll call that favorite streamer BESTSTREAMERNA69. You’ve been so excited to meet BSNA69. You’ve tweeted at him, you’re looking to talk with the streamer, and you’re really looking forward to getting a picture with him and chatting for a few minutes. When you finally get the chance to meet the BSNA69, you make a costly mistake. Instead of talking to the streamer about them, and telling them how you enjoy THEIR stream, you instead start talking about only YOUR stream. I’ve had countless people do this, and it’s annoying.

When talking to a streamer, try to bring up a topic that you can both relate to. “Hey, I really enjoyed your Dark Souls play through --  that moment when you beat X boss was super intense! You beat it so differently than I did, I really enjoyed it!” These statements show that you’ve spent time in their stream and that you care, and also open up the opportunity for them to ask more about you.

So many people are thinking about only themselves when it comes to networking, that they forget the fundamental rule of networking: it isn’t about you, it’s about everyone. When you’re looking to network people, I always encourage people on how they can help the other person, not how the other person can help them. 

THE LIST

I want to briefly talk about what I believe is an unspoken streamer subject, something that I truly believe every streamer has, but rarely mentions it out loud. When viewers do things that are obnoxious after being told to stop, or attempt to take advantage of the streamer, they tend to get put on the mental “list.”  I’ve talked to quite a few streamers about my “List”, and many of them chime in with “YOU HAVE A LIST TOO?” How people end up on The List is going to vary from streamer to streamer, but I find that doing any of the previously listed no-no’s are a very quick way to get on that list.

Once you’re on The List, it’s not impossible to get yourself removed, but you’ve essentially made your first, and second, and possibly third impression of yourself to the streamer a bad one. I tend to straight up ignore any messages, comments or suggestions from those type of viewers because they simply do not understand the rules of how you go about interacting with the streamer. Don’t be that person!
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On the flip side, streamers don’t just write off viewers due to one bad experience. From personal experience, quite a few of my favorite viewers started out to be incredibly annoying. People grow up and learn to better conduct themselves in streams. Always be willing to give people a chance.
 
Networking can be a scary thing. Doing it the right way can be tricky, but just avoid these pitfalls and you’ll be on the right track to networking the correct way!

Whether you’re a partnered streamer, an affiliate, or just someone who streams as a hobby on the side, many of us have taken extended breaks from streaming. Momentum is a huge thing on Twitch, and any extended break can be a huge momentum killer for your stream. You may have stopped for so long that you think making a comeback and getting back to your normal routine/numbers will be close to impossible. But making a comeback is definitely not impossible. Just like anything else, the hardest step to getting back into something you use to do is taking that that first step.

​Today’s post is all about making that first step back easier. I’ve broken down the keys to a comeback into six simple steps. There are obviously a lot more things you can do to help you get back into the swing of things, but these are six that I believe are incredibly important!

1.  Consistency is KEY

​If you are serious about rebuilding your stream, you’re going to need to have a solid schedule of consistency. It’s crazy to think about, but many viewers actually plan their schedules around certain streams. If they hear one of their favorite streamers is coming back, there’s going to be a lot of excitement, but that excitement will quickly dissipate if the streamer isn’t consistent. If you say you’re going to stream that Tuesday, unless an emergency happens, you better follow through. When your viewers see you’re serious about streaming consistently, they will be serious about showing up to the stream consistently.

2. Have a Main Game to Focus on

For a lot of streamers, there was a specific game that shot them up to popularity on Twitch. It could be a speedrunning game, a multiplayer game you played competitively, a challenge run you did, or even a casual game that took your channel to the next level. Going back to what got you started is a really easy way to reboot the stream. A lot of your old viewers will have a lot of fond memories of those streams, and if you can recapture the magic of those streams, it’s a great way to rejuvenate your stream.
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But let’s say playing those old games was one of the main reasons you stopped in the first place? Let’s face it, burning out on streaming is a real thing, and a lot of times the game that you stream can be the main instigator. If that’s the case, you’re going to want to do some research on what your new focus is going to be. I always suggest trying to find something similar to what you use to stream, but different enough to avoid burn out. So maybe your stream was mainly focused on speed running Super Mario Sunshine, but you got burnt out. Giving another 3D Mario speedrun a try would be a great alternative to keep something fresh, without losing what made your stream special. 

3. Talk to your Friends/Mods/Viewers

This is a step that I think all streamers should be doing, but it’s especially important for those who are looking to get back on the grind. A great way of finding out what worked and/or what didn’t work for your stream is to reach out to those who use to watch you all the time for feedback. I’m not just talking about random people that occasionally checked into the stream. I’m talking about the trusted people within your stream circle that won’t be afraid to give you constructive criticism. Not only will taking to them give you further insight for improving your stream, but it will also give you a chance to let them know that you’re serious about streaming again, as well as a great way to get people excited for your return.
 
4. Make things look and sound nice!

​I’ve always been a big believer in the idea that the content of your stream is way more important than how your stream looks when you first get into streaming. But if you’re making a comeback, you’re essentially getting a 2nd chance at a good first impression. You’re definitely going to want to have good content lined up, but making sure your stream looks and sounds good is going to be super important. If your stream looks or sounds worse when you return, it’s going to leave a bad impression on a lot of people. Ensuring high quality in the appearance of your stream also shows those viewers who are on the fence about your consistency that you are serious about your return to streaming. 

5. PROMOTE PROMOTE PROMOTE

If you’re making a big comeback to Twitch, you want as many people to know that it’s happening. That means taking advantage of social media as much as possible and plenty of talking about the return. Setting a date that you’re making your return and organizing a big event are great ways to get people excited for the return. If you have the right kind of relationship with certain streamers where it won’t come across as shameless self-promotion, talk to a few streamer friends to let them know that you’re serious and that you hope they stop by and check out the return. The more of your old viewers that are aware of your return, the more success you’ll have! Networking is important!

Promoting isn’t just for the first stream back though; it’s also for your vision and future that you have with your stream. If you’re making a comeback, and you have a solid plan, be sure to share with your stream viewers about all the cool ideas and plans that you have. Seeing the excitement that you have for your stream and its future will get your viewers excited as well.

6. Have Fun

I know this sounds obvious, but for many streamers who stopped streaming, not having fun was one of the main reasons they stopped. Even if your “growth” will take a hit, focusing on fun before growth will be incredibly important for the long term. Don’t be afraid to stream games that aren’t your main genre, or that will bring in less viewers, because in the long run you’ll be much happier and way more consistent. 



Be sure to also check out our Twitch Streaming Team 
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Hey everyone, Iateyourpie here! It’s been a hot minute since the last StreamBig blog post (2016). Sorry about that! 2017 was a crazy year for me in terms of streaming, and I got tied up with a bunch of other projects that kept me from updating this site regularly! I actually wrote a few posts in 2017, but didn’t want to post them without having a plan in mind for consistent content! I felt like starting fresh with something more consistent in 2018 was the better plan and so here we are! I’ve got a lot of thoughts/plans for StreamBig in 2018 and I want to outline them in this post.

Blog Posts

First off, blog posts should come back in a more consistent fashion in 2018. Starting this Sunday (Jan 21st)  around 2 PM EST, I’m going to try publish a blog post on a weekly basis with varying types of content called StreamBig Sundays. Content to teach, content to inform (Twitch Feature Updates), and content to promote (Events, streams, and products) are going to be my focus! Over the past couple of years, the response to StreamBig has been overwhelming! People tell me all the time how helpful the blog posts are, and how the changes they made to their stream from StreamBig advice has helped their streams grow! I’m excited to get back to consistent content and I’m looking forward to helping even more people in 2018!

StreamBig Team

In October, we announced the creation of the StreamBig Twitch Team. This was something that was brewing for a long time, and I’m super happy we were finally able to go public with it! We kicked it off with the streaming event Waifu Wars! Right now our focus as a team is just jelling and supporting each other, but we’ll have some more stream events coming in 2018! We’re a group of 8 dudes that not only want to grow together, but are great friends! I highly encourage you to check out everyone on the team, as I promise you won’t be disappointed with the content!

Social Media + Stream
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With the content on the site slowing down, I didn’t really touch the StreamBig Twitter account. In 2018 I want to be way more engaging with people on Twitter! The increase to 280 characters gives a little more wiggle room in terms of posting stream thoughts. It also opens the door for answering questions streamers have! So expect a lot more activity on Twitter this year from us!

I’d also like to get back to doing bi-weekly StreamBig streams where I take time writing out blog posts and answering questions about streaming! I’m incredibly passionate about streaming, and I love being able to share that passion with others! Expect more of those nights in the future, and maybe even a few special guests!

Overall, I’m super excited for the future of StreamBig in 2018. I love helping people, and I’m super excited to get to do that more in 2018! If you personally have suggestions for content that you’d like to see in 2018 from the site, leave a comment!

​I get a lot of remarks from streams, both big and small, on how they consistently hit a lot of dead spots in their streams where there isn’t much to talk about.  A conversation starter can only go so far, and keeping the chat moving and active can be very challenging no matter your size.  One way to fill the gap of silence is to do the occasional stream with a friend!  Streaming tends to be a solo activity, but a great way to generate good content and growth is by doing a dual stream with another caster.  Today, I’ll break down the benefits of the occasional duo cast, as well as some no-nos.

The Basics
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So what exactly does a dual stream or duo cast entail?  A duo cast usually involves you and another broadcaster streaming the same or similar content while talking with each other over a VOIP such as Discord, Skype, or Mumble.  

By: After5

One of the obstacles with getting started in streaming is figuring out a system that works for you.  A big part of that system is finding out what sort of streaming content makes you feel most at home.  Streaming is a bit tricky in the sense that, just like speedrunning, your favorite games may not always be the best games for streaming.  Your role as a streamer is that of an entertainer; video games are just the medium that unites you and your audience.  The focus of this article will be on two major sections.  The first will get you thinking about your personal history to steer you onto a path.  The second will discuss experimenting and how you can make the most of it.
 
Personal Assessment
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The first and easiest step in personal assessment is considering your favorite games and genres from your library.  The number one policy is to have fun with what you’re doing, so go ahead and push aside all the games that don’t match you.  The next two parts are a little bit more complicated.  Kind of like picking your favorite Race and Class in an MMORPG, you now need to start finding your Approach and Personality.
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The dream of a lot of streamers on Twitch is to someday make the jump to full-time streaming. Being able to work from home and make your living from doing something you love is an opportunity that not many get, so it’s understandable that so many partnered, and even a few non-partnered streamers are making the decision to go full time. While streaming is one of the most rewarding jobs, there’s a lot of work involved to make it work. Streaming isn’t just sunshine and rainbows; there is a lot of work to be done if you want be successful on Twitch. There are a lot of aspects of streaming full time that get overlooked that require a lot of commitment.  
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I see so many people who are growing their streams and are thinking about going Full-Time that only think about the fun and positive side of streaming for a living. Today I want to have a real conversation about some of the harsh realities of going from streaming just as a hobby, to making it your primary source of income.

By: Yielder89 (Accountant By Trade)

So you’ve been steaming big.  You’ve got that shiny sub button, a strong following and maybe you even got yourself a few big donations. Life is good. But as we enter 2016 the IRS wants their cut.  As a new streamer or even a veteran streamer there may be some things about your tax return that you did not know.

So what are these forms and what do they mean?

So chances are that if you have earned money streaming on Twitch you have received 1099-MISC or even a 1099-K.  Not only are these forms sent to you but they are also furnished to the IRS so that they know how much you made during the year.  Ultimately, this means that the IRS has a rough idea of how much tax you will owe.  These 1099’s that you received, for the most part, represent your gross streaming receipts with a few exceptions.  If you receive your money from subs and twitch ads through your PayPal, you may have your income double reported.  It is important to keep track of all of the money that goes into your PayPal and bank accounts as you don’t want to be taxed on deposits that were not earned through streaming.
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Donations – Common misconceptions

​So you have received a 1099-MISC, but you may be wondering what the 1099-K is because you did not receive one.  Payment processors, such as PayPal, must report the gross payments you received only if it was over $20,000 and over 200 separate transactions in a year.  This does not mean you should not report how much you got from people donating to your stream.  Even though you did not receive this form you still need to report this on your tax return.