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Written by Petra Hule
Well known as a space for gamers to live stream and broadcast esports, Twitch has developed into more than just watching gamers stream for hours on end. The platform has evolved into a live streaming service for all things such as music, creative content, live cooking broadcasts, talk shows, and so much more.
Twitch allows people to interact in real-time as it is a live broadcasting service. Any user can become a content creator, Twitch even encourages it and has their own hot tip pages for all kinds of streamers, whether you’re a gamer, cooking host, or a live talk show, you can find articles about how to get started.
How To Use Twitch (& What To Use It For)
Twitch works like this:
When watching a live stream the viewer will be able to see the streamer and their monitor to see what they’re doing on their end. Viewers are able to interact with other viewers and the streamer.
Although most popular for gamers, this platform also allows live streams and virtual performances and interviews to happen. Given the circumstances of the world, we see why going virtual in literally everything and anything can benefit everyone.
Twitch allows people from all over the world to tune into any given broadcast or performance which is why so many have hopped onto this platform to launch their music careers. The second best thing would be going live on Instagram or Facebook, however, when dealing with audio and acoustics, neither of these options are viable.
When streaming through twitch, the audio quality makes you sound just as good as you would in real life, it allows you and your viewers to interact for as long as you choose, as opposed to having a one-hour time limit where viewers would have to re-enter the stream, and most importantly, the easiest way to virtually “tip” a streamer.
“Bits”: Twitch’s Virtual Currency
Known as “Bits”, Twitch contains its own virtual currency, which allows users to tip the streamer of which the streamer can see on screen and can interact with the user. Maybe they have a song request and tip you for it or you made a good gameplay, you are able to have that interaction as opposed to a faster-paced platform such as Instagram live where thousands of people are commenting and constantly liking the stream where many comments get lost or go unnoticed.
How To Play Music On Twitch
First things first, create an account that is known as your channel, that includes a photo and a bio about you and what you’re all about. Hot tip: In your bio, you should include stuff about you, but also what your listeners should look out for from you such as collaborations in the making, what kind of music you produce, and other things they should expect to see on your channel.
The great thing about Twitch is it allows you to have multiple links or ‘panels’ which allows your users to browse through and get an even more personal experience with you. On your Twitch channel, you can add panels with links to your schedule and times when your listeners should tune in to see you stream live performances, links to your merch store or your other social media platforms are also accessible through your panels ensuring everything is in one place.
Uploading Music To Twitch
Uploading music is easy when using Twitch. As a musician looking to branch out on the platform, it’s time to familiarize yourself with ‘Soundtrack.’ Twitch’s Soundtrack allows musicians to share licensed music within their live streams which gives way for artists to be discovered and make their mark in the Twitch community.
Another feature that allows musicians to be discovered on Twitch is the Twitch Studio feature, which is where your music can be uploaded by you and downloaded by your fans.
When To Post To Twitch
We’ve all heard about ‘prime time,’ the perfect time to post on Instagram which is usually early morning when people wake up and check their phone first thing or in the evening when users are mindlessly scrolling. So when’s prime time to stream on Twitch? Is streaming for longer necessarily better? As we all know social media and technology play a large role in today’s day and age, to the point that they can take over some aspects of our day-to-day life.
Whether it’s dictating our sleeping schedule, utilizing it as a procrastination tool, or enjoying the endless adventure of gaming, we see that the internet and technology are constantly accessible. Where is this leading to?
According to Twitch analytics, the best time to stream is between midnight and 9 am PST. Two reasons: There is still a large number of viewers during this time, but most importantly there are fewer channels, thus, a better chance for you to be discovered.
Like every social media account, the more time and effort put into it the more chance you have of being noticed. The difference with Twitch is it requires you to broadcast live as opposed to creating videos such as YouTube, however, this is the unique quality of Twitch as it allows you to interact virtually in real-time with your viewers.
How To Build Your Twitch Community
Some tips to build on your Twitch community is to stream often and within the optimal times when users are active, but your channel can still be seen. Add to your channel and build your panels, including every social media platform you can be found on as it leads to more and more recognition. Most importantly, constantly be active and update your schedule and content as people love seeing new things and knowing there’s something new on the way.
How Music Artists Currently Use Twitch
Well-known artists such as Post Malone and T-Pain are streamers on Twitch for gaming, however, there are plenty of successful artists that might not be on everyone’s radars, but still profit and share their creativity in the Twitch community.
Aaron Goldberg for example is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, rapper, and dancer who streams 4-6 hours every night to share with the Twitch community positive energy and to build the music community.
Twitch has become increasingly popular, especially when the world is lacking in-person communication and experiences, thus, it’s a great space for live shows, broadcasting, and taking time out of your life for your people. The beauty of Twitch is it allows you and others to be in sync and simultaneous for however many hours, despite the inability to have these experiences as we used to.
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