What you need to stream. Twitch guide: how to start streaming and what you need for this

• How to monetize a stream

Having rapidly burst into our lives a few years ago, streams quickly gained popularity.

What are streams and where did they come from? Streams from English stream - stream (in this case stream of information) are live broadcasts on the Internet, usually via Twitch and YouTube. The most common streams associated with online games. Many people even consider the words stream and letsplay to be synonymous. But it is not so. There are other streams, for example, related to online learning. Almost any live broadcast over the Internet is considered a stream. You can stream anything you want. The only question is whether it will be interesting to a large audience, since the streamer's earnings directly depend on the number of viewers and views.

The universal principle of creating online broadcasts

Before you start broadcasting a stream and gather an audience, you need to prepare and learn a lot of useful little things that will help attract viewers.

Where to start: choosing a format and direction

First of all, you need to decide what to broadcast and to what audience. The main condition for success is the streamer's passion for the topic of broadcasts, his passion. Therefore, it is best to stream what is really interesting and what you are good at. Then there will be no problems with the content.

If you decide to do letplay, you can go to http://www.twitch.tv/directory and see what's in the top. The choice is very wide, but, at the same time, it should be borne in mind that the competition in the field of games is incredibly high. For a start, it's better to take a game that no longer attracts top streamers, but is still interesting to viewers.

To attract an audience, you need to constantly comment on the game, squeezing the content out of everything. You will have to work hard to find your own chip that will lure as many users as possible to your channel. The moves that streamers use can be the most unexpected. So, on one of the English-language channels, a streamer poured candy on people and thus earned himself popularity. Of course, there is no need to go to extremes, but the original move will help promote the channel both in RuNet and in the bourgeoisie.

Where is it better to make money: creating a channel for an English-speaking audience.

Where is it more profitable to open your own channel in Russia or abroad? The latter is preferable, and for several reasons.

Firstly, almost everything that exists in the Russian Internet comes from abroad.

Secondly, the foreign audience is dozens of times larger.

Fourthly, abroad in the same YouTube there are no such crises as we do, the rules do not change so often, and there is no drop in income. The fact is that foreign advertisers have more opportunities than Russian ones.

So, if you know English well or some other foreign language, it is better to open the channel immediately in the bourgeoisie. In no case should a Russian-language channel be converted to an English-language one, since the channel has already been indexed by YouTube as a Russian-language channel, and will not be ranked abroad.

What you need to promote a stream: 7 secrets leading to the TOP

Steamers have the opportunity not only to do what they love, but also to earn decent money, turning their broadcasts into the main source of income. And to recruit your viewers and reach the top is not at all easy. Although the competition among streamers is quite high, everyone has a chance, but for this you need to know how to work and what to look for.

1. Equipment

To start streaming, you need to have good computer and optional equipment, in particular, a microphone, a webcam. Before broadcasting, it's a good idea to work on diction. For a live broadcast, the ability to pronounce words clearly and correctly is very important - diction must be delivered.

1. Information and design

Be sure to post preliminary information that notifies you of the start of the stream and everything that you consider important. Pay attention to the design. It should be present, but you don't need to clutter up the channel too much: behind all sorts of frames and pictures, the game itself will not be visible, which can only take up a quarter of the screen.

Use screensavers to make your channel more attractive.

1. Schedule

The regularity of broadcasts is equally important. Viewers should clearly know when the next stream will be and how long it will last. It is preferable to create a VK group and post on each stream, and set the start time and duration of the stream immediately after its first release. It is better to do the first broadcasts no more than 2 hours. After the audience has gathered, the duration of the streams can be increased.

1. Sweepstakes and gifts

All kinds of jokes and gifts will help a lot in promoting the stream. They require some costs, but if you think that your stream is really good, but you cannot attract a large audience, pranks are an excellent way out of the situation.

1. Cosplay

The attention of the audience can be attracted through cosplay, dressing in costumes of different characters. Seeing a streamer in a suit is interesting for both children and adults. The simplest option is low-cosplay, which is actively found in foreign countries.

1. Reaching the goal

Another trick that you can use to engage your Goal audience is the goal. Streamers promise to do something unusual if they get a certain number of subscribers, or collect the right amount of money. You can promise anything: shave your head or dance on a chair. But you need to think that sooner or later the promise will have to be fulfilled, so proceed from your real capabilities.

1. Communication.

And do not forget to communicate with the audience and contact them as often as possible. A silent streamer is unlikely to be popular. The viewer should first of all be interested in the streamer itself, only then the game.

Looped video: a little secret for a big streamer

V recent times on YouTube and Twitch, a looped or looped video has become popular. It is a multiple repetition of the same plot. Yes, you can show videos where the same moment of shooting is constantly repeated. Sometimes it slows down the video so that the viewer can pay attention to some details and better understand what the streamer wants to show. But the same plot can be replayed many times, creating the illusion of ongoing action. As a result, it is really possible to create an endless video that will last as long as you need.

By making a looped video, you can gain an audience even when you are absent in real time. An illustrative case is a stream with Jeff Kaplan, VP of Blizzard and Chief Designer of Overwatch, who "sat" by the fireplace for 10 hours and gathered 40,000 viewers.

Viewers are still debating whether it was real time or a looped video, and how many hours the famous game designer actually spent in front of the fireplace.

How to monetize a stream

Twitch and other platforms show streams, include ads in them, and make money from it. After registration, you will only need to adjust the frequency and duration of advertising. The more often ads are broadcast, the more money a streamer can make. But there is one "but" here. Viewers don't like ads too much. Therefore, at first you should not be greedy. When the channel becomes popular, advertisers themselves will go to its owner. And then the earnings will depend on the agreement with them.

Twitch is a popular platform and its features

Twitch is perhaps the most popular and most interesting project for making money on streams, specializing in online games... But in order to make money on Twitch, you need to become his partner and fulfill a number of conditions: Streamer needs to:

• Comply with the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA);
• make at least three broadcasts per week;
• have an average of 500 concurrent views.

That is, you can make money on Twitch by becoming its partner if you already have your own audience.

If you are a little short on the required number of views, but you have very interesting content, you can quite count on cooperation.

But there are other ways to monetize as well. One of them is donations, when people give their money to support the streamer. Although this method works more in the United States. Our viewers are reluctant to part with money "for nothing".

You can also use to make money:

• affiliate programs (you post the received referral links, which will be followed by viewers. But it should be noted that they should be close in topic to your stream);
• recording of broadcasts (Recordings are posted on YouTube, and already there you monetize the stream).

New YouTube monetization rules

Unfortunately, it has become more difficult to make money on YouTube, since the service has tightened the rules since this year. Now, in order to monetize your YouTube channel, you need to gain 1,000 subscribers (previously it took 10 times less) and 4,000 hours of views.

But everything is not as bad and scary as it seems at first glance. Channels with fewer viewers still earn insignificant amounts: $ 5-10 per month. So you can try to unwind and make money on views.

It is more difficult to create a children's channel. They began to be closed on YouTube last year, since according to the new rules, it is prohibited to show and eat sweets, chips and other junk food. It is also forbidden to take pictures of children in swimsuits, show scary toys to play doctor, etc.

But even here you can find an alternative - to create a children's English-language channel. The main thing is to believe in luck and follow the basic rules of the streamer.

Useful tips and guides for newbies to video streaming

In this article, I will give you a couple of tips on how to get started streaming games on Twitch and more. Also I will refer to useful guides which are necessary for Twitch channel settings and OBS (OBS Studio).

Where is the best place to stream games

On this moment There are a lot of venues for live broadcasts of games, especially foreign ones, but I advise you to pay attention to these three leaders: Twitch, YouTube Gaming and Goodgame... You can stream to one service, or you can stream simultaneously to several using or through GoodGame.ru.

It is the most popular video streaming service today. There is no doubt a lot of competition there, but it is everywhere.

Setting up and designing a channel for streaming

What content is needed to stream

As for the content, there are no comrades for taste and color. The most important thing is to be yourself and you will definitely find your audience, even if not right away.

Do not forget about stream quality and its further improvement. Also, a sense of humor is very important, so your viewers will not get bored even on the most boring game.

Output

Make a show out of your stream that will bring pleasure not only to you, but also to many others. Don't quit if something doesn't work out.

Everything will be possible if you apply a little bit of perseverance, a little time and a whisper of creativity to this :)

How do I start streaming games on Twitch? This question is asked by many novice gamers who want their "gaming career" to be followed not only by their parents, but also by a bunch of strangers. In addition, the space earnings of top streamers is a great motivation. In general, we have prepared small guide for beginner streamers, where everyone will find some useful tips for themselves.

1. Get your equipment in order

For streaming, you need a few things: a good PC, a headset with a microphone, possibly a webcam, and a few video games (at least one). The computer must be configured with at least an Intel Core i5-4670 or AMD equivalent with 8GB of RAM (or more). Obviously you need a good graphics card and a good internet connection.

2. Create and set up your Twitch account

On a streaming platform, it's best to use your own in-game nickname and choose a cute avatar. It is best to ask a familiar designer to draw a unique image for yourself. Many streamers provide information on their favorite games on the Twitch page, describe the PC configuration and indicate contacts on social networks where they can be contacted.

3. Download broadcasting software

Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) is the best option possible. The program is free and pretty simple. There is also XSplit, but you have to pay for it, and Gameshow.

4. Configure the program

After downloading the software, go to the settings. On the Stream tab, select Twitch, then find and enter your unique stream key there, which is located in the platform dashboard. You can also check Twitch's video bitrate guidelines and check if the camera is working with a microphone.

It is important to understand sources and scenes. The source is what you see and hear on stream, such as video games, camera, images, and so on. Scenes are what streamers put in between games. For example, you wanted to make yourself a sandwich and you can insert a scene with the logo and the text: "Be back soon."

For the broadcast, set up a scene called Game Stream for OBS. Add a microphone and camera as audio and video sources, and then customize everything as you like.

5. Need a plan

Going to stream with your camera? Wash your hair, get yourself a drink, and put on something attractive. Rehearse in front of the mirror and be sure to plan your broadcast. If it's a marathon, it's worth stocking up on food, timing. Change the name of the streams to match the games you are going to play. The community really hates it if you've played CS: GO but then decided to chill out in FIFA 18 without changing your game on Twitch.

6. Record a test stream

Even amateurs can provide quality and good content if you approach this issue wisely. Record several streams for yourself, test the microphone sound, camera, game graphics. You can find out everything by appointment and make the appropriate changes.

You can start with friends on Facebook or Twitter - send broadcast announcements and stick to the schedule. It is also worth highlighting your strengths- skill, rank, statistics, clickable title. Think about how you can make your own broadcast unique and don't try to stream adult content. It also doesn't hurt to be realistic - for a novice streamer, even a dozen viewers are already a success.

8. Don't be afraid of experimentation and criticism

A beginner streamer should understand what his viewers like and what they don't. It is not necessary to be led by everyone, but it is also impossible to ignore numerous requests. Try to find a middle ground and not so often take other people's mothers to the movies, even if you really want to. Good luck!

23 minutes reading

Updated: 09/10/2018

What is a stream and who is a streamer? How to set up and stream? How to become a streamer and make money on it? What do you need to stream? How much do streamers earn and what are donations on stream?

According to the Streamlabs service, in 2015, streamers earned $ 56 million. In 2016, this figure doubled to about $ 102 million, and the number of profitable channels (income over $ 10,000) amounted to 1,897. Statistics for the previous year are not yet compiled, but, I am sure, the next record will be broken.

I often heard about streams and fabulous earnings, so I decided to understand this topic. In the article, you will find out what streams are, which areas in this area are the most profitable, and where beginners should start. I talked to streamers and found out interesting details about work and earnings. You will find their stories at the end of the article.

• Donat – voluntary donation. Respectively, donate, donate- make this donation. People do it in return for a job, ordering music, delivering a message, or just for fun. Learn more below;
• Stream- conduct a stream (what it is, I will describe in detail below);
• Streamer- the person organizing and conducting the stream;
• Skill- a generalized term that reflects the skill of the player (ie how well and "correctly" he plays).

What is Stream?

Stream(English stream - stream) - broadcasting of actions taking place on a computer or game console in real time. It takes place on the Internet, on special sites (more about them - below). Allows users to see what the streamer is doing in real time.

Note: The streaming service Twitch.tv is used as examples below.

What it looks like:

This stream is watched by 27 thousand people. On the right, you can chat (both with each other and with the streamer). Here is the broadcast of the official event - computer competition League game of Legends.

Here's another example:

Click to enlarge image

Already fits more into the standard concept of "stream", to which most Internet users are accustomed. Those. there is a person with a camera (directed at him) who plays the game and comments on what is happening.

The examples provided are related to video games. But there are also non-game streams - culinary, unpacking, conversational and others .. In general, you can show whatever comes to mind. I'll tell you more about the types of broadcasts a little later, but for now, keep an example of a culinary stream:

You can broadcast actions without a camera or without comments. But this way you are unlikely to attract viewers. Agree, it's boring to watch the other person go through the game in silence. This is one of the first tricks to help you spin up quickly. You will learn more about this later.

Why are streams needed?

For viewers, this is a whole type of entertainment: some people like to watch someone masterfully pass his favorite toy (i.e. to receive new useful information), others find it interesting to observe a person (like his comments, appearance, style of thinking, jokes, image).

In fact, streams are such a new kind of television that entertains people, only creates and acts as a presenter on this television not by some large television company, such as Channel One or NTV, but by an ordinary boy or girl sitting at the monitor of her computer.

Why can you make money on this?

Streaming platforms are popular with web users. In 2013 alone, the creators of Twitch.tv said that their portal was visited by more than 45 million viewers, and the popularity of streaming is growing every year.

Streaming services (like YouTube and blogs and websites) serve ads. Advertisers are willing to pay big for a website to display ads while streaming (think of YouTube commercials, the principle is the same here). One part of the funds is transferred to the administration, the other - to streamers.

It's hard to believe, but the streamer's main income does not come from advertising royalties, but from voluntary donations directly from viewers (donations). That is, people give money away just like that! Why do they do it, what record donations were recorded and how to provoke the audience to this - you will find out below.

Popular and profitable streaming destinations

As I mentioned, streaming isn't just about video games. Let's take a look at the main streaming directions:

1

Basically, the broadcast is launched by famous personalities (for example, promoted bloggers from YouTube) and do whatever their heart desires. The streamer already has an audience that will watch it, regardless of the content of the stream. They tell stories, answer questions from viewers, talk about life, visit other streamers' channels, and watch funny videos. This type is not suitable for beginners, because they do not have their own viewers yet.

For example, the blogger SnailKick, along with users through the stream, watches videos from YouTube and comments on them.

Is a profitable destination, but only if you have an audience (i.e., there will be at least 1000 viewers). You can make money on donations, as well as on advertising any goods and services, if you organically fit them into the stream.

2

Broadcast of any ordinary events. The main thing is to give users something valuable and informative. An example is culinary streams, travel. If the broadcast gathers a sufficient number of viewers, you can offer an idea for a donation. For example: “We are raising funds for a new frying pan, equipment”. In terms of profit, the direction is the same as the game one, but here it is more difficult to interest the audience.

And here is a stream organized by Red Bull. The goal of the creator is to popularize the drink, and viewers can enjoy different events - races, music, travel:

3 Entertainment, communication

You've probably seen entertainment shows on TV. People also play funny shows on the Internet. And someone is streaming it live. Discussion shows, news, music - everything you've already seen on TV. The goal is to entertain the audience.

For example, here's a guy playing guitar in real time:

Not profitable, since the goal is to gain an audience. But, again, donations are unpredictable.

4

The most popular and profitable destination. Passing games (new products, speed), live broadcasts of e-sports competitions and various events virtual world(exhibitions, conferences), news gaming industry- all this is interesting to hundreds of thousands of people.

Next games have been popular for more than a year:

What is the reason for such frenzied popularity? It is as much fun as watching football. Some people are interested in watching others go through a cool toy, others learn something new (increase their skill), others spend their free time chatting with like-minded people.

The reasons are different, but the fact that this is the most popular streaming destination is a fact. This means the most profitable. Moreover, it is suitable for beginners. You don't need to have any skills or other knowledge - you just play games and entertain the audience.

5 streaming services. Short review

Choosing a service is an important step in the preparatory work of a streamer. We'll walk you through 5 free streaming sites and highlight their pros and cons.

Twitch

By the way, in the "Streamer" section you will find an abundance of useful information, including tips for beginners (there is such a thing on Twitch, but there is mainly information about earnings, not tips). There is also a forum where users discuss games and everything related to them.

The creators arrange tournaments for games with cash prizes (useful for esports players):

Click to enlarge image

Advantages:

• Nice design;
• Clear terms of cooperation (described in the "Help" section);
• Users can communicate with each other on the forum;
• A rich portal of computer games with broadcasts, news, tournaments, videos.

Disadvantages:

• Most often they stream eSports disciplines;
• The project has low popularity among streamers (broadcast in the TOP barely gains 500 people).

CyberGame

Note: if you do not fit - do not be discouraged, improve the content and broadcasts in general, attract new viewers and re-apply.

By connecting an affiliate program, you can play advertisements during the stream. To do this, you need to press a special button (it will appear in the control menu). The number of ads is at your discretion (you can even run it every 5 minutes). This will increase your income, but remember that viewers won't like it. I recommend running it every 15, 20 or 30 minutes.

Income per day will be (let's take $ 3.5 per 1000):

It should be borne in mind that some users may use an ad blocker (for example, AdBlock), so the profit may be less.

if you have affiliate program then you can earn by paid subscriptions to your channel.

Click to enlarge image

The bottom line: the viewer contributes $ 5 and becomes your subscriber (there is such a function on YouTube, but it is free). The money is split in half: $ 2.5 gets the streamer, $ 2.5 goes to Twitch. If you have 100 subscribers, you will receive $ 250.

The question arises: "What is the point of a paid subscription?" Subscribers stand out from others in the chat by highlighting the name. They also get access to unique emoticons and are deprived of the opportunity to view ads. Personally, I wouldn't give $ 5 for such insignificant features, but popular streamers make good money this way.

If you like the streamer (his behavior, image, skill), then you can thank him by sending money (even 10 rubles). In addition, this is a kind of gratitude for the work, because streaming 10 hours a day is not so easy.

Usually, streamers announce information about where to throw money in the profile (located below the stream):

Most streamers announce in advance the goals for which player donations will go. For example - the purchase of new play equipment, charity. Of course, you can spend money on booze and entertainment, but this will quickly lose the credibility of the audience.

In Twitch, if you donate, you can activate some functions. For example, send a message to the streamer, which will be voiced by the built-in bot. There is a 100% probability that it will be read by the host of the broadcast and will react somehow. You can ask a question, thank you for your work, and much more.

Click to enlarge image

Another interesting function is ordering music. During streams, various songs are often played in the background, and for a fee, you can order your favorite track.

Donates are streamers' goldmine. Suffice it to recall the sensational case on the Internet related to streamer Karina (streamed Dota game 2). In January 2016, she blew up the Runet with her broadcasts, on which the girl behaved very inappropriately: she cursed, screamed, was constantly nervous. Users found her behavior ridiculous, and constantly teased the girl, throwing her donations with insults voiced by the bot.

Messages poured in every second, and this, as you remember, is a paid feature. In January alone, Karina managed to collect 860,000 rubles. At the same time, the minimum donation amount was 30 rubles, the maximum - 200,000 (possibly rumors).

And this is far from a record. Collected for you a list of incredible donations:

• Professional Counter-Strike player Jaroslav Jarzombkowski received $ 40,000 from a user under the nickname Motar2k;
• Disabled streamer Adam Baritz donated $ 6,000 for surgery;
• User Amhai donated $ 100,000 to three players: Chance Morris ($ 50,000), Isaac Kamins-Bentley ($ 30,000), Leia May ($ 20,000).

Googling and you'll see tons of other crazy donations. Some of them are fake, but some are real.

Advertisers can contact the streamer directly, offering to advertise something. A person can insert an ad unit in the stream window or place links in a profile for a certain amount. Streamers can also search for advertisers on their own.

Earnings are not automated, and customer suggestions may not always please you ( low price, questionable content). Also, you must have a permanent audience (at least 300 viewers), otherwise you will simply not be interested.

An additional way - recording broadcasts

Streams can be reloaded by both streamers and ordinary users. Those. you don't have to worry about the idea, the implementation of the video - just go to a popular streamer, record a video and upload it to your channel.

Preparing for the first stream. What beginners need to know + step-by-step stream setup

If you do not know where to start streaming, check out my small instruction, in which I have covered the basics of work and provided tips.

To get started, you must register on one of the above sites. Just enter your nickname, email address and password - and now, you already have an account.

Note: I took the Twitch.tv site as a basis, but you can register on others if you want.

Choosing a theme

Think about what you will be streaming. Spontaneously launching a broadcast without a preliminary plan and preparation is a road to nowhere.

Decide on a topic. Above, I mentioned that profitable and popular are computer games. If you stop there, here's what is popular on Twitch:

Popular games on Twitch (mark K - esports):

• League of Legends (K);
• Playerunknown's Battlegrounds;
• Fortnite;
• Heartstone (K);
• Dota 2 (K);
• Overwatch (K);
• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive(TO);
• Monster hunter World;
• World of Warcraft;
• Grand Theft auto 5 (GTA 5).

If you are far from the gaming industry, remember what you do well. Cook? Are you traveling? Or are you a master at drawing and can arrange online tutorials? It is important to interest and surprise the viewer in order to keep their attention.

And even more important is desire. Therefore, even if you do not know how to do anything, just try it... Perhaps, while streaming, you will discover new "skills", or you will be very lucky. It's hard to predict - just try it.

The hardware is a microphone, a camera, and powerful computer hardware (in the case of video game streaming). Here, as with videos on YouTube - a high-quality picture will attract more viewers.

The microphone is needed to communicate with the audience, and the camera allows you to see the streamer. Fact: People love to watch a person's emotions when they do something, so the camera can attract new viewers.

For starters, you can take inexpensive but high quality devices:

1 Microphone Sven MK-170

Of the more expensive models, the Audio-Technica ATR3350iS is an excellent choice.

Or the Audio-Technica AT 2020 studio condenser microphone:

2 From cameras, it is preferable to take webcams (conveniently mounted on a monitor, cheap). For starters, the Canyon CNE-CWC3 model is suitable.

But the best choice for streaming is the Logitech C922 Pro Stream.

3 Powerful computer hardware is needed for stable operation of streaming and launching good games... It is important for players that game process took place without brakes, otherwise all the pleasure of passing is spoiled. Here you should rely on the basis of finances and preferences (new items require powerful hardware, and e-sports games require medium).

It is better to choose productive system units in the price category from 30,000 rubles.

To find out if your computer will pull any toy, you can use the service https://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri. What do we do:

2 We see the minimum system requirements. If you know the components of your PC, you can compare them at this stage and find out if the game will work. If you don't know - press "Can You Run It"

3 An automatic download of the program will start, which will collect information about your computer and compare it with the minimum system requirements games. The program is safe. Just click on it when it loads.

Click to enlarge image

4 The program works by itself, and upon completion it refreshes the page with the game (image for step 2). Here's what the site is now showing:

Provides detailed information on what components need to be updated in order for the game to work. As you can see, my laptop is not intended for toys at all.

Stream setup

Setting up a stream will take time and download additional programs. On the network, I found a video in which a person explains about all the nuances of setting up a stream. Please read the following information before viewing:

Complete obs and twitch setup in 15 minutes

In the description of the video, the person described in detail what he was doing, so difficulties should not arise.

Stick to the following tips and your streams will interest people:

What not to do:

• To envy and discuss other streamers;
• Stream being tired / in a bad mood;
• Unleash conflict with viewers;
• Violate the broadcast schedule;
• Discuss personal life;
• Disclose personal information (for example, address);
• Show off your earnings (if any);
• Behave inappropriately (shouting, doing something abnormal and immoral).

How much can you earn?

A streamer can earn simultaneously in 4 ways, and the income from everyone is different. Let's imagine that you already have a certain audience (at least 100 people are watching you) and an established broadcast schedule. Then you will receive approximately (per month):

As a result, we get $ 170 per month, i.e. 10,000 rubles. But the earnings are not permanent, in particular because of donations. Therefore, you can receive many times more, the main thing is to have a desire to develop.

Interesting fact : Just the other day, I watched one of the bloggers stream on YouTube. For the first hour, he was paid 8,000 rubles (someone 10 rubles, someone 1,000), and as a result, by the end of the stream, he easily collected 20,000 to pay for an apartment and other matters. True, the audience of his channel exceeds 100,000 viewers, and 1000 people watched the stream. But who is stopping you from achieving the same success?

The figures given above may seem like mere pennies to someone. Then how do you like the popular Twitch streamer Tyler "Ninja" Blevins, who makes half a million dollars a month from it? He has almost 4 million subscribers and his main income comes from Amazon Prime subscribers, as well as videos of his streams posted on YouTube.

“When I started streaming, I was working part-time at a fast food chain and also in college. Moreover, work and study were more important to me than the games themselves. First you need to secure your future. If you want to make money on streams, then make sure that your future is secured and you have something to live on.

There is high competition among streamers now, so not everyone will be able to break into the leaders and start earning decently. If you are not the son of rich parents, then it is better to direct your energy towards getting a good education and high-paying job, if you do not succeed in streaming, so that you can find yourself a decent job outside the stream. "

Streamer stories

Tell me something about yourself. What are your hobbies, when you started playing games, how did you get the idea to start streaming?

My name is Ksyusha, I'm 24. I myself am from the city of Kemerovo, but in the fall of 2017 I moved with my boyfriend to St. Petersburg.

In addition to streams, I am fond of drawing. I have been playing games since the time when a computer appeared in my family. I was 16 years old then. I won't say that I am an avid gamer, but I liked shooters since that time.

I never dreamed of streaming. Until 2017 (at 23 at that time) I did not know what it was and what kind of site this Twitch was. I first learned about streams from my boyfriend, who first shot videos on YouTube (somewhere I even helped him), and then decided to start streaming, because, unlike me, he had tremendous experience behind him in games and I even now sometimes it seems that he has already played everything that can be played on a PC!

At first, he launched streams alone, I looked askance at him, did not understand what he was doing and why, because I was far from that. I decided to support him in his hobby, so to speak, began to delve into what he was doing. For example, he showed me the streams of the channel on Twitch "PUNSHIPUN". At that time, two guys who I knew from YouTube videos were streaming on the channel - Anna Meow and Artyom Morgan. Vitya (my boyfriend) said that he would also like to stream together on the same channel as they do. And so, after watching their streams and impressed, I still decided. I was the only one who was afraid to go on the air, I agreed to start broadcasting on the channel only if we stream together and I sit side by side.

Do you remember your impressions from the first stream?

Oh yeah! As I remember on March 4, 2017, the game was Oxygen, there were about 10 spectators and I was sitting next to my young man on the stream and was wildly embarrassed, but it was unusual, interesting and I liked it! After about a week, I took a chance and started streaming alone Overwatch game... The old men of the channel remember how red and shy I was sitting then!

It was scary, very much. Even my hands were shaking at first. I have always been a very shy and notorious person, for me it was something unthinkable to take and start communicating with strangers on the Internet, who also see me, but I don't.

I noticed you good equipment for streaming (chair, camera, microphone). Was it expensive?

Yes, it was not cheap. But everything that we have now for streaming, we have thanks to our viewers and their support of the channel. If not for them, we would hardly have been able to afford such high-quality equipment. And if there was no such huge support from their side, we would not have continued to stream.

How soon did the audience start to appear? What can you say about the audience in general? Is it easy to communicate with them?

The audience probably began to appear in the first month, albeit little by little. I have always been and am open for communication on the stream, I take the guys to play together. All viewers are completely different, but if we take it in general terms, most of the guys are interesting, adequate and I am pleased to communicate with them.

To this day, I have met few people who would somehow insult me ​​and try to hurt me. There are such spectators, but fortunately there are very few of them.

Have you already managed to earn your first money from streams? If so, in what way?

We managed to earn the first money. I already mentioned above that all we have now is only thanks to the support of our viewers. We moved to another city - and these are all our viewers too! Most of the earnings, of course, are donations, this is no secret to anyone. Only a small part goes from subscriptions.

Tell me something about yourself. What are your hobbies, when you started playing games, how did you get the idea to start streaming?

My name is Vlad, I am 20 years old, my game nickname is "GeneraL". I am a student and at this stage streaming for me is like a hobby that brings me pleasure and some money. I've been playing games since childhood, and started streaming six months ago. On broadcasts I only play HearthStone game since I am a professional player and the game itself is very popular on Twitch. I have been watching streams on Twitch for a very long time and started streaming myself as soon as such a technical opportunity appeared.

What can you tell us about your morale before streaming?

Of course, it is impossible to do this without the desire to stream. Streams should not be treated as routine work. You should be prepared for the fact that on the first streams you will have 0 viewers. The hardest part is getting up from the bottom of Twitch. Very few people come down to find the right stream. 99% of viewers are on the first 3 channels in this category.

What should novice streamers look for?

First of all, you must take care of the technical equipment:

• Powerful computer;
• Fast internet;
• Good microphone;
• Webcam (optional);
• Setting up programs for streaming

Without these main components of the stream, the viewer who accidentally comes to your broadcast will not stay for a long time.

You should also consider what you will stream and how to do it. You can come up with a certain image (behavior), be a fan-streamer (make purely entertaining content) or, on the contrary, play a certain game at a very high level.

What about viewers? Is it difficult to attract an audience? How did you win the audience's trust?

As I said, getting off the bottom of a Twitch is the hardest part of streaming. Even if you have excellent stream quality and unique content, no one knows about you, and few people visit channels with a small number of viewers. Without the help of other streamers or media resources ( social networks, YouTube) to climb quickly is almost impossible.

My friends streamers helped me a lot, they threw me hosts (redirected their viewers to my channel), this is the most efficient way attracting new viewers. When I finish the stream, I refer the audience to my friend streamers. I am often offered to "buy" my viewers in this way, but I always refuse, because I don't want to send people to streamers that I don't watch myself.

A little about making money on streams. Which method is the most profitable?

Beginner streamers should be concerned about how to attract audiences to their streamers, not about making money from streaming. Your income is directly proportional to the number of viewers.

A little about ways to make money:

1 Paid subscriptions to your channel: in addition to free subscriptions to twitch, any viewer can also subscribe for a fee to your channel by paying $ 5, you will receive $ 2.5 from this amount. Each paid subscriber will have access to unique emoticons for your channel. That is, the income from paid subscriptions depends entirely on the number of paid subscribers.

Also, by becoming a partner of Twitch, you will receive income from advertising, which is played by the Twitch itself. But in the CIS, there are few advertisers and the income from this advertising is very small.

2 Donates: your viewers can send you money through various services, through these donations viewers can send a message to the stream, which will be voiced by a google guy, or order music to stream. Donation income depends entirely on your charm and the generosity of your viewers.

3 Advertising: Unlike other types of earnings, this method opens only from a certain number of viewers (from 400-600) and depends entirely on the number of viewers, your ability to find advertisers and the ability to negotiate with them.

Usually advertisers themselves contact you and say what and how you should advertise (place a banner on the stream) and ask how much you want for it. For example, I play paid tournaments for free on the same site. There were other offers, but I refused because of unwillingness to advertise this product (for example, roulette sites) or the price was not satisfying to me.

Advantages and disadvantages of earning

Advantages:

• You can play and make money;
• 4 ways to make money at the same time;
• Free schedule;
• You can become popular.
• Earnings are not limited, but depends on your capabilities.

Disadvantages:

• High probability of facing criticism;
• It is difficult to “unwind” and rise “from the bottom”;
• You will need to invest in equipment;
• Mistakes during the stream (inappropriate behavior, discussion of the wrong topics) can lead to loss of audience.

Conclusion

The future of streaming isn't in the fog - it's as clear as a sunny day. This is an activity that will be relevant for decades, and it is gradually entering new level... This attracts a huge number of people every year, provoking large media communities to think about starting their streaming sites.

It is not at all worth saying that crazy finances are spinning in this area. Anyone can make money here - after reading this article, you can try yourself in the field of streaming. The main thing is to follow our advice and gain experience, and you will succeed.

Two monitors and their implementation.

The second monitor will be the most valuable asset for broadcasting. Streaming without an additional monitor is very inconvenient. You can use a super widescreen monitor, laptop, tablet and other options, however, the most convenient way is to simply connect another monitor. In addition to the main 24 "monitor, I use two other 19 and 23" monitors. The brand and size of the additional monitor does not matter, you can take some kind of box with avito for 1000 rubles. I have a game on my main monitor. On the second, Chat, OBS, Donates and additional software. On the third monitor, there is a communication program (Discord) and music ordered by viewers (TwitchDJ). When you have everything in front of your eyes, you can control all the information related to your stream, for a start it is not so critical, but if you go to a serious level, then you need to notice everything and react to it in a certain way.

To connect a second monitor, no additional software or wires are needed. You just need to connect both monitors to the graphics card and adjust the screen resolution on your desktop. There is a small program DDMM, it allows you to configure the conditions for moving the mouse between screens. You can make a free transition between both screens (there may be problems in games), you can set the transition when a certain amount time when the cursor is at the border of the screen, as well as make the transition from screen to screen when you hold down a certain button on the keyboard (my choice).

By the way, if you want all your monitors to be on the same level, then you can purchase special monitor brackets that cling to the edge of the table. True, they are not very cheap, I bought one in my opinion for 4000r. I did not find them in ordinary stores, I ordered them via the Internet.

An example of what a stream looks like from three monitors

Computer for streaming.

If your computer can handle most games without problems, then there should be no problems with the stream. If you are already playing at low settings, then most likely the computer will not be able to handle the stream either. Computer requirements depend on the quality in which you plan to stream and what games. Some games can even be streamed from a regular laptop (for example, the very popular HearthStone at the moment). Although at the same time, other games can lag even on the most powerful PC. Internet for broadcasts needs at least 5MB, but this is very small and there will be problems, I think.

I've never used multiple computers for streaming, so I don't know how they are connected. This is most likely done with a capture card, but I'm not sure. Of course, 2 computers (1 for the game, 2 for OBS) is the ideal option with which you can achieve maximum broadcast quality indicators.

I looked on Youtube videos about capture cards and streaming through them, for the sake of unloading the processor and realized that this was a bad idea. Most likely there will be severe quality losses. The capture card must be purchased primarily for streaming from the game console. It must be remembered that there are 2 types of capture cards, those that encode the data themselves and those that simply serve as intermediaries, but the computer encodes anyway. As far as I understand those cards that encode themselves for good quality pictures require a huge bitrate (which is not available on Twitch).

What do you need for streaming besides the standard set? Webcam, Microphone, Additional Monitor, Headphones, Chromakey (plus stand) lighting (plus softboxes), no mechanical keyboard. Many people stream without a camera, so see for yourself what format you will have. A microphone is required. A second monitor is very much needed, but you can start without one. Headphones are required, you will not be phoning into the microphone from the speakers. Chromakey and lighting are already a higher level of streaming. The keyboard should be taken as quiet as possible, and the mouse is desirable, otherwise all the clicks will be heard on the stream.

My config at the time of this writing

• Frame - Cooler MasterHAF 932 Full Tower Chassis.
• Power unit - Cooler Master 750w Bronze RS-750-ACAA.
• Motherboard - MSI X370 GAMING PRO CARBON ATX
• Processor - AMD Ryzen 7 1800X
• Video Card - GeForce GTX 1070 Palit Super JetStream 8gb
• Audio Card - ESIProdigy X-fi NRG High Quality 24-bit 96kHz 7.1.
• Network Card - TP-Link TG-3468 1000mbps.
• Memory - CORSAIR Vengeance 32GB DDR4 2400mhz
• Hard drives - SSD 128gb Kingston (windows), SSD 240gb Kingston (games) + 2TB hard and 150GB hard.
• Monitors - Basic BenQ XL2420T, additional LG 19 "and DELL 23".
• Mice / Mat - Razer Deathadder Chroma, Razer Naga Hex (Red), Razer Mamba 2012 / Razer Scarab, Razer Goliathus Speed ​​Edition / Control Edition.
• Keyboards - Razer Anansi, A4Tech X7-G800.
• Headphones - Razer Tiamat 7.1, Razer Hammerhead Pro, Sennheiser RS-165.
• Camera - HD Pro WebCam C920 + Logitech HD C525.
• Microphone - Microphone SAMSON C03U USB + Installation (SAMSON MD5, PS01, SP01).
• Console - Playstation 4 Slim 500gb + Capture Card (in the process of purchase).

Workplace.

It is advisable to place the workplace away from extraneous sounds and take into account the presence of sunlight from the window. You should also immediately think about whether you want to sit with your back to the wall or put the table in such a way that the camera easily captures most rooms for various interactions. It is advisable to have on hand a notebook with a pen for various recordings, for example, broadcast time codes. When you think a lot about the development of the channel, you have hundreds of thoughts spinning in your head and it is better to start writing them down. It is very important to buy a good chair, for a long time I sit in an ordinary chair as they stand in savings banks and it was terrible. If your ass constantly hurts, your back gets tired, and so on, then you will have to forget about a good mood during long broadcasts. I have been sitting on the DXRacer King series for over a year now and am very satisfied, except that it is incredibly hot on it and needs a towel. Why overpaid for the brand? Because I haven't found any other chairs that guarantee they can hold more than 150kg.

Microphone.

At first I used a microphone from Razer Tiamat 7.1 was ok overall, but there was some background noise. I don't know how much this affects the microphone, but I have an audio card Prodigy X-Fi(I bought it for 7.1 sound). Later I bought myself a condenser microphone S AMSON C03U USB+ various devices ( SAMSON MD5, PS01, SP01). Among these devices is a stand (there is a basic one in the kit, but it is not very), a spider that grabs a microphone and a pop filter for a cleaner sound. I wanted to buy a floor stand but did not, although of course it is better to use it. I also had to find and download software called AudioCommander, only thanks to it it was possible to completely get rid of background noise and reduce the volume of mouse and keyboard clicks.

Today I still use this microphone, but I switched to a stand like those on which table lamps are held, attach it to the edge of the table and twist it as you like. With Aliexpress came out quite not expensively about 900 rubles, analogues in Russia cost about 5,000.

Many streamers place the microphone directly in front of them for maximum sound quality. The microphone is always in the frame and is right at the mouth. Of course I agree that this is cool, but personally I would be extremely uncomfortable holding the microphone in front of me, so it stands aside from me. If you also place the microphone farther away, then place it in such a way that it is as far away from the mouse and keyboard as possible and is not directed towards them.

Camera.

You can start without a camera at all, for example, I used a phone camera using the program DroidCam... By the way, with the help of this program, you can arrange remote excursions around the apartment. Then I took a weak camera from Aliexpress, it was clearly better than a WiFi camera. Then I switched to the normal version. Logitech C525 and started using chromakey . When there was extra money, I switched to HD Pro WebCam C920. It made a certain sense, the camera supported a resolution of 1920x1080, gave a better picture and worked better with a chroma key. However, there is one important drawback, the previous camera could rotate, and the new one only moves up and down, because of this it is very difficult to make the desired angle. I heard that there will be a Razer camera coming out soon that will create a chroma key effect. This may be a good option for some streamers, but I think that the quality of such a chroma key will be much lower than the real one.

What angle should I choose for installing the camera? If she is looking directly at you, then this is quite versatile and you can safely change the position of the camera in OBS, for example, from one corner of the screen to another, to adapt to the game. On the other hand, if the camera looks at you from a certain angle, then it looks pretty nice, but there may be problems with the positioning of the camera in OBS depending on the game and the setting of the chroma key. By the way, you can use an unlimited number of cameras in OBS, so don't rush to throw away your old webcams.

Chromakey.

Chromakey is a large green rag (may be in other colors, but mostly green versions are used). Its main task is to create a transparent background for photos, videos, streams, etc. I chose a darker and larger, muslin fabric. I did not find it on the Internet, only very expensive ones from 5000 rubles. As a result, I ordered from Aliexpress for 1000p. In general, it is better to order all such devices from Aliexpress, in Russia there are frantic markups for professional equipment.

What is the best way to hang up the chroma key? Above in the "Workplace" section, there is a photo of how I currently have my chroma key installed. I also bought a rack and two softboxes (I use 1) for the chroma key on Aliexpress. There are options for buying a chromakey stretched on a piece of iron in the form of a vertical trampoline, but this option seems to me rather small. You can pull the chroma key on your own in your room, for example, initially I drilled 2 holes in the wall, screwed in the screws and stretched a rope between them, on which I pulled the chroma key. After that, I did everything according to a similar scheme, only I was already stretching the rope from one side of the room to the other. Such options are bad because the chromakey on the rope does not hang evenly enough and is covered with folds and waves. In turn, any folds and waves create shadows, and shadows create interference.

Light is incredibly important when working with a chroma key. I have 8 energy-saving light bulbs in my chandelier, plus one softbox shines in my face, there was simply not enough space for the second. You can also see the photo of the softbox in the "Workplace" section. Any shadows will interfere, the stronger and more uniform the lighting, the easier it will be to tune the chroma key to work without interference. Plus, the backlighting of the face with a softbox is also very important, but you need to adjust the backlight in such a way that your eyes would not get tired of it. Personally, I pushed the softbox as far as possible (tied it to the battery so that it deviates) and put a second cover on it, which I removed from the unused softbox, so that the light was less intense. Of course, you can make it easier and just take a light bulb of a different power.

I sit in front of a window and any changes in the weather completely change the lighting in the room, so I put up green curtains that practically block out the light. It is better, of course, not to sit by the window, because you constantly have to keep it closed from the sun and it will be bad for air to enter the room. Although if you have an air conditioner, then this is not a problem. Your task is to get the lighting so that it is identical at 4 pm and 4 am, otherwise you will have to change the settings on a regular basis.

Setting up a chroma key in OBS Studio is straightforward. Add a webcam to the sources, open the filter list of this source and add Chromakey there. Select the desired color through the camera (the color of your chroma key is average, not too dark and not too light). Next, you are interested in the 3 items "Similarity", "Smoothness" and "Reducing Key Color Leakage". The main parameter "Similarity", the more you set it, the more the specified color is cut off. It is better not to twist the "smoothness" much, otherwise you will begin to become transparent, but it is worth increasing a little. Reduce Key Color Leakage is optional, but you can increase it slightly to smooth out the bright green around the edges of the outlines and replace it with a less toxic one. After setting up, do not forget to test the camera, twitch your hands, bring some objects to it, put on headphones, etc. The camera can normally show a static image of your face, and with certain elements in the lens, it can interfere, adjust everything until you are completely satisfied.

If you are not able to make yourself a high-quality chroma key, then it is better to stream with a regular webcam, the main thing is to choose good positions for it on the screen and a pleasant background behind you. Also, a small frame around the webcam will look nice. Not all top streamers stream with chroma key, this is not a critical element of the broadcast.