October 5, 2023
Engaging content is a widely used phrase in marketing and creator circles. Content is engaging when it becomes less about producing a video and stream and more about interacting with your community. Creators can form a long-term connection with their viewers, resulting in high viewer retention and financial success. Engaging content shows creators’ skills, making them more desirable as collaborators.
Sadly, making your audience feel engaged by your streams can be challenging. Small streamers, in particular, might be discouraged by the low levels of engagement during their streams. In this article, I will share some strategies on how you can make your Twitch content more engaging and attractive to your audience.
Ask Away
Twitch streams are known for their high number of lurkers who watch a streamer but do not actively engage with them. Some lurkers might be too busy to chat. However, others might just be shy and unsure how to start a conversation. One way of turning your lurkers into active and loyal community members is by being proactively engaging. Why wait for a question from chat when you can invite them to chat yourself?
Whenever someone new joins the stream or follows you, try asking them a question. This shows your interest in every single community member and lowers the barrier to streamer-viewer interaction. Moreover, it fills gaps of silence when you might struggle with commentary by yourself. For example, in case of a new follower or first-time chatter, you could ask:
- How are you today?
- How did you come across my stream?
- Have you ever played this game?
- Here are some possible questions for returning viewers:
- How have you been?
- Did you see the latest Daily Dose of Internet?
- How was your first day at your new job?
Afterward, try follow-up questions related to your chatters’ responses and stories to keep the conversation flowing naturally.
Sharing is Caring
I already mentioned above that it could be hard to provide continuous entertainment. Sometimes, your brain just runs blank, and you cannot come up with something witty or funny to say. Many introverted or insecure streamers I have spoken to struggle with this. So, remember that entertaining content is about streamers sharing their personality with their community. This may be a fictional personality or your authentic self, but your streams will feel shallow without character.
Sharing is caring is the way to go! The more you share, the more viewers feel engaged by your content. Here are some examples to illustrate what I mean:
- Share your feelings about a game/piece of content
- Share your weekend plans
- Share your current favorite songs
- Share your other hobbies
- Share your most embarrassing childhood memory
As you can see, there are various things to share depending on what you are comfortable with. You might fear that no one will be interested in your stories, but you will not know for sure unless you put yourself out there. I promise there is an audience for almost every content personality!
Extensions
Extensions are free integrations you can add to your Twitch channel. They come with several functions, such as stream schedules and voting tools. But there is also a category specifically for viewer engagement, which you can browse here. Once again, I recommend picking extensions that meet your brand. My favorites are:
- Stream Avatars
- Pando, and
- Sound Alerts
Stream Avatars lets your viewers appear on stream as avatars you import. This makes your community feel like they are part of your content. Also, the extension allows you to customize and upload your own avatars!
Pando is your virtual pet, and your community members are its caretakers. Streamers can choose from four pets, including a raccoon and a ghost. Through commands, viewers can interact with your pet, treating and petting it. They may even play a round of rock-paper-scissors against the Pando. If your chat adores animals and playful interactions, then this is the extension for you!
Sound Alerts lets your chat play funny, sad, or cringy sounds during your stream. The extension offers a vast collection of sounds, but uploading your own tunes is also possible. Just be mindful of potential copyright conflicts. By playing sounds that resonate with you and your audience, viewers can instantly react to a special moment or gain your attention. My extra tip: upload recognizable audio clips from your own streams for an additional layer of personal branding!
Channel Points
The common Channel Points uses, such as “Posture Check” and “Hydrate,” are found in nearly every channel. But you can leverage the engagement power of Channel Points in more ways than you might think. For example, you can make a point redeem that allows your viewers to propose your next game. Or did you know that you can enable Sound Alerts as a Channel Point redeem?
Create redeems that you feel comfortable with and that align with your personal brand. This way, you turn them into an accessible yet rewarding engagement tool for your loyal fans. Just make sure to also implement cooldowns for each redeem to avoid spam.
Chat Commands
Chat commands are often used for informational purposes. For example, !uptime reveals how long a streamer has been live. But chat commands do not have to be a one-way street. In fact, they can be an interactive tool that is accessible to every viewer regardless of loyalty level or financial situation. Again, you have nearly endless options depending on your brand and goals. Commands such as !hug or !pat are heartwarming. On the other hand, there are playful commands like !battle and !bonk. No matter what vibe you choose, with chat commands, your audience can engage with you and each other in a unique way!
Predictions and Polls
I have already stated that asking questions is a simple and effective way of making your community feel heard. With predictions (type /prediction in chat) and polls (/poll), you can take this to another level! How? Predictions can create excitement for an upcoming event in your stream. Viewers predict with Channel Points. The winners will be rewarded, turning the prediction into a small spectacle. Here are a few prediction topics:
- Will I win the next match?
- How often am I going to die during this playthrough?
- Who will win this tournament?
- Polls make it easy to get the input of your entire audience about every subject imaginable. Here are some examples:
- What food shall I order?
- What game should we play next?
- What is the best ice cream flavor?
Sadly, small creators are less likely to receive adequate engagement from polls and predictions due to low participation rates.
Community Gaming
Lastly, I will go over community gaming as an engagement strategy. Playing games with your audience is a straightforward way of connecting with them and will result in more meaningful connections. There are many multiplayer games to choose from, including Fall Guys, Valorant, or Dead by Daylight. On top of that, Twitch users love games specifically made to be played on stream. These are often free and include titles like Marbles and Words on Stream. My tip here is to plan specific stream days dedicated to community gaming, for instance, when you are celebrating a follower goal. This will make the occasion more enticing for your community.
Conclusion
When it comes to engaging content, streamers have dozens of strategies to choose from, allowing them to improve their streams without losing out on authenticity. I am sure I have missed some engagement tools, yet I hope you have found my tips helpful.
If you want to network with another streamer, check out my Twitch and Twitter!