Increasing your stream's impact by making changes

Increasing your stream's impact by making changes

As you continue on your streaming journey, you will undoubtedly notice that there is always something to fix about your stream and that can be very overwhelming. You don’t want to leave solving these things to chance. Often while streaming, you will notice an issue and say I’ll fix it after the show.  The problem with this is that by the time you end the stream, you will have forgotten what changes you wanted to make, or you get distracted with other responsibilities. You might also notice that inspiration can hit at all hours of the day and then by the time you sit back down at the computer you forget about your idea.  To make it easier to not only remember but also to address issues or ideas for your streams, you will want to start keeping a list of things you want to improve or add to your streams. The next time you sit down, you can take out your list and start working on the list you have created. The idea here is not to fix every issue right away but rather to have a list and work towards solving things.  You’ll want to break down your list into 4 types of fixes and prioritize them.

Objective fixes

On occasion, a problem in your stream doesn’t call for much thought but rather just a solution. This could be a typo in your description or bot message, or maybe it’s changing the position of your webcam border. Generally, these objective fixes are those that your viewers point out are aesthetic and can be fixed easily.  Do not allow these fixes to persist, especially if someone took the time to let you know. As a viewer, they might feel ignored, and as discussed in the article We is better than me when streaming it is important for viewers to feel heard and appreciated and this is another way to accomplish that. 

Subject fixes

These changes may be a bit more difficult, but it is still crucial to resolve them. Optimizing your graphics/alert placement, changing the wording of your chatbot messages or description, or enhancing your audio are all examples of subjective fixes. Let’s talk about your audio mix and ensure you correct all your audio levels. Nothing is more important than being able to hear your own voice on stream. This does not imply that you need the best microphone but rather that your voice is audible in comparison to the volume of the game so that viewers can hear you. You will need to play around with different sound levels and watch your vods to identify issues. The issue with these fixes is that they are often personal preferences, so viewers won’t usually be able to point them out to you. Unless you watch and keep track of these adjustments you won’t be able to fix it. Write down the issues you notice even if the solution isn’t clear right away you might find one later. 

Habit fixes 

It is not always possible to find a quick fix to problems, because some might require you to alter your routine. This can include how you introduce your stream, become more active on social media, or be more engaged with viewers. These fixes will take time because you need to consistently do something for days or weeks to establish the habit and be able to trust yourself to do it regularly.  To track these particular things, you will want to create a checklist, and marking them incomplete or complete each time will encourage you to change the routine and maintain the new habit. 

Substantial fixes

A fix that requires a complete overhaul of some aspect of your stream is substantial and probably the most terrifying. Substantial fixes can include changing your complete stream layout, changing your name and all your branding, changing the games you play, or rethinking your hosting style. We often have trouble solving these issues because we either do not know where to begin or fear change. However, we should never be afraid of change, because change is good, and these large-scale changes will contribute to our growth as streamers. Although these fixes seem unsurmountable, it is important to remember that we can break this larger goal into a number of tasks from the three previous sections. Fear causes us to miss out on significant growth opportunities so don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and try new things that you believe will help your stream. 

Be accountable

Now that we have identified the types of fixes for your stream and made a list, it is time to keep you accountable. Keep an eye on your list and identify the tasks that remain unfinished the longest and ask yourself the following questions. It is a lot of work? Are you concerned about how the change will be received? Are you afraid you will make a mistake? No matter the answer, it is important to take steps no matter how small forward. Start with small, reversible changes to see if they help your channel.  Sometimes all it takes is seeing a change in action so try that new intro or hosting style at times when viewers are low and see how it feels. If it’s a new logo or camera border you want to try, save your old ones and see what it looks like, just seeing the previous one might be all you need to convince yourself that the change needs to be implemented.  Remember you will never know unless you try. 

Final thoughts

Interestingly enough, you will notice that your list will never have zero items on it and that in fact, it will continue to grow. This does not mean you haven’t fixed or solved issues on your stream. On the contrary, it means you are growing and as your stream becomes more complex you’ll notice things previously overlooked which is a great thing. Aspiring to stream without ever solving problems isn't the goal; the goal is to grow. The results of changing something about your stream daily are remarkable. Don’t ever stop improving and finding things to improve upon.