What makes a live stream fun?!

   
     The idea of a live stream may seem foreign to most, but for those privy to the idea know how much fun there is to be had.  As a long time stream watcher turned Live Streamer I can say that I've seen my fair share of both successful and unsuccessful live streams.

     The first thing you need to tackle is quality.  Both video and audio quality are important when it comes to a successful live stream.  The highest bitrate and resolution is not always a necessity.  It's always better to smoothly stream in 360p or 480p than to stream at 720p or higher and have the stream lag.  Another component that people overlook the most is the quality of the audio.  Audio quality may even be more important than video quality.  Audio is your strongest connection to your audience.  Of course you could talk to your stream through text chat, but great audio quality helps your audience get a glimpse of your personality.



     People that watch the same live streams on a regular basis don't always return to the stream because of the gameplay.  Of course the games you stream will draw a certain group of people to your stream, but viewers will keep coming back because of you the streamer.  I feel that the most successful streamers are those that make it a point to communicate with their viewers.  I find that the streamers I enjoy watching the most are those that treat their viewers like a big group of friends that are hanging out and enjoying video games.

     A good stream has a good balance of comedy, serious topics, gaming tips/tricks/tutorials, and real life stories from the streamer that relates to the topic at hand.  No matter how big or small your audience is you need to treat every stream the same.  You need to make sure to communicate with your stream and make sure that once your stream is done your viewers feel like they know who you are and that you feel like you know your viewers as well.

     I'm not the most popular streamer in the slightest but every time I stream I know that my viewers and I have a great time.  We enjoy each others company and I honestly feel that if we were to all meet up in real life that we would have just as much fun as we do during my live stream.  I really see my stream viewers as friends that I chill with almost every night.  We talk about the craziest things and we're all passionate about the fighting game community.  I'm excited to stream everyday because I know we're going to have a good time.  The game I'm streaming becomes secondary to everything else.  Truthfully some days I could stream just a background picture and just talk and laugh with my stream.

     What it comes down to is the streamers relationship with their viewers.  At the end of the day viewers are people.  You need to treat your viewers the same way you would treat people you know in your personal life.  Too often do people lost all common courtesy when they're online.  The anonymity of the internet makes a lot of people feel like they don't need to be held accountable for their words and actions and its refreshing when someone on the internet treats you like a human being.

     Anyway I hope I didn't sound too preachy but I really wanted to write this article because so many people have been messaging me about live streams and how to run a successful live stream.  I found it weird that people asked me for live stream advice seeing as I have such a small stream compared to those around me.  But in any case I was honored to be asked such a question.  I hope this helped and I'll see you guys in the stream!