Learn about 7 steps you need to follow to simply start your online streaming career.
Episode #10-10 released on October 13, 2019
Are You interested in streaming and have decided to go ahead and either share your passion or demonstrate your skills, looking to learn what the process is?
The first step, like everything else, is admitting you have a problem or a dream. In this case, we will presume you have a dream. You audience needs to know that you have a dream, or you are talented. This may take a while. Nothing worth doing ever came easy to anyone.
The second step is to start creating your online streams. You have a choice of YouTube, Twitch, Mixer, etc. The most common method is to pick a single site and work your way there. However, it might be useful to stream to many places and see where you become partner or affiliate first and then stream on that platform exclusively. You can use a service like Restream to help you start out your streaming career on many platforms before locking onto a single platform. After you start getting a community, it will be easier for You to convert users to another platform than find everyone on a single platform at the beginning. Remember, once you become affiliate or partner on places like Twitch, Mixer, etc. you are required to stream exclusively to those platforms for your given stream type. So, if you are a gaming streamer on Twitch, and you become an Affiliate like I am, you have to stream video game play on Twitch, the rest is up to debate.
Third step, software. You need to choose your software solution. There are quite a few choices out there. I've used XSplit for Years, but recently moved to OBS Studio. OBS Studio, StreamLabs version of OBS Studio, some versions of XSplit, and many other programs are free or have free tiers. Consider what you need for your stream and your budget. My suggestion is OBS Studio or the version by StreamLabs.
Fourth step, hardware. You need a microphone, headphones, etc. If you want it to be more personalized, a webcam is a must. You might want to use a green screen if you are using a webcam, too. If you are using a webcam, and especially with a green screen, you will need lights. Lighting is not going to be expensive. In this case, Amazon can be your friend.
Step five is to know what specifications you are likely to need to stream to the chosen platform. You can typically, you can set a 1080P stream running at 60 frames per second at a video bitrate of 6000 Kbps with an audio bitrate of 160 kbps and you should be fine. If you are using OBS Studio, you can go to the advanced section of settings and turn on dynamically change bitrate to manage congestion to solve all possible issues related to bandwidth. But for all that to work, you should have at least 10 Mbps Internet connection or better.
Step six, make a schedule and keep to the schedule, there is something to be said when viewers, potentially fans, know when you will be online. Sure, you can stream whenever you want, but maintain at least several regular streams, or even a regular stream during the week so your fans, viewers, etc. can keep coming back to see you. Remember, you want to share your passion and talent, but you'll be making a community around this.
Step seven, the most important step, know what you are going to be streaming. You don't need to be an amazing gamer, artist, etc. you just need to have some idea of intent, content, talking points, etc. When streaming anything, you are the show. It is okay to be quiet, thoughtful, loud, expressive, etc. but you need to add to the content. Just streaming a video game without any extra content or commentary can violate terms of broadcast if you are not adding to the experience and no one really wants to watch people play a video game, many want the entire experience of the game and your reactions.
Host : Steve Smith | Music : | Editor : Steve Smith | Producer : Zed Axis Dot Net