Social media is one of the most important things for a streamer. The reason is because it is basically free advertising for your stream. You can use the different methods of social media to make sure that you are gaining a follower base, sharing content with them through different media forms, and alerting them to when you are streaming so they can come and join. The social media piece is one that is generally forgotten and neglected by streamers. Many think that if you simply stream well on your streaming platform than that is enough. Social media helps you to fill in the gaps of when people miss your stream, or for new people who are considering checking in and giving you a view. I have always said, social media can get your foot in th door, and your stream content will keep the viewers there.
Social media can work differently for different streamers. I am going to highlight how I use social media to help to promote my own stream. The first big portion of media for me is through twitter. Twitter is where I have gained a following, and I can post clips of my stream to get people interested and to gain exposure for my content. On top of that, I use twitter to tweet out things that are happening now in the streaming and gaming community, as well as making sure that I am alerting all of my followers on when I am going live with a stream. Hashtags help to pull in people who do not even follow you to possibly stop in and view your stream.
Youtube is another possible platform to use. Youtube is great for content creation and uploading highlights from your stream. Then, use your twitter account to direct followers to your youtube video you just posted. They really do all work together to help you in gaining bigger levels of exposure and popularity within the gaming community. Make sure you are posting your best content so viewers will think of your stream as entertaining, and they will be more likely to return to view.
One thing you can do to help keep yourself on track is to create a social media schedule. You can schedule tweets to be sent out at certain times to make sure that you are staying active. Nothing kills your stream and social media accounts more than being inactive. People will lose interest, and once that happens it is hard to get them back. Something more simple you can do is schedule weekly content releases, tweets, and other social media acitvity on your smart phone. Set alarms to remind you to complete these tasks everyday and every week. Completing the social media piece can be taxing, but it is essential in gaining exposure for your new stream.