As a live streamer, having a new viewer join your show is only a part of the victory. Ideally, they follow/subscribe to your channel and return to see and interact with you. However, those “please subscribe” conversations can be awkward and sound a bit desperate.
So, how do you naturally motivate viewers to subscribe without overwhelming them? In this article, we present some ways to encourage viewers and shape your content for the right audience (most likely to subscribe organically).
Followers vs. subscribers on Twitch
Followers and subscribers are very different on Twitch. Followers are similar to subscribers on YouTube, meaning they receive notifications whenever the creator posts new content. Subscribers on Twitch refer to paid subscriptions that people purchase in exchange for exclusive perks. That could mean special live stream sessions, unique badges, and custom emotes to use in chat.
Subscribers directly support creators financially by paying their monthly fees.
More viewers = more potential subscribers
Your goal for getting subscribers should be to attract viewers, turn them into followers, and eventually, convince them to subscribe. Of course, with great luck and preparation, you could skip the follower step and proceed directly to subscribing. Yet, the idea is that the more viewers you manage to acquire, the higher the chances of seeing new subscribers (now or eventually).
Start valuable partnerships
One of the first suggestions is to start establishing partnerships with other creators, businesses, and brands. Collaborations with other creators allow you to capture their viewers for yourself. Furthermore, some online services, such as JumpTask, could help in getting new viewers. This platform pays users for performing various microjobs or online assignments. In this case (for promoting channels), users get paid to watch videos and, in turn, discover new content. It lets people learn about your live streams, and if it feels right, they might follow or subscribe.
Establish your niche
Knowing what content you want to provide is crucial for understanding exactly what you are selling with subscriptions. Of course, subscribers can already enjoy unique content, such as emotes and ad-free streams. Additionally, you can host subscriber-only stream sessions and implement subscriber-only chat mode.
Of course, don’t make your channel all about subscribing: it should enhance viewers’ experience, but not make it impossible to enjoy if you are just a follower. Over time, you can even craft special merchandise or establish Discord communities for your subscribers to interact.
Promote subscriptions
Yes, we have already mentioned that asking viewers or followers to subscribe can seem tacky and awkward. However, there are options to make this more natural and less intrusive. According to viewers, briefly promoting subscriptions is not annoying if done at the end of streams. By then, they already have an idea of your content and can make more informed decisions. You can also remind viewers of this option by adding animations and widgets for the new follower or subscriber count.
Play less popular games
Since getting viewers is the first task, you can play less saturated games on Twitch (if you’re streaming your gameplay). By “saturated”, we mean highly popular games that thousands of streamers play simultaneously. If you play less well-known or niche games, your target audience changes. So, if new viewers want to find streamers playing a particular title, your channel becomes easier to discover.
Have subscriber goals
You can host special events designed to expand your subscriber base. The content itself won’t likely differ too much, still focusing on your traditional games and interactions. However, your stream will feature special overlays for tracking the number of new subscribers. During these events, streamers often offer various incentives to their new subscribers, such as merchandise, giveaways, or other potential rewards.
Conclusion
Hitting higher follower and subscriber numbers can seem like the primary goal. However, all of these people start as regular viewers who might not have considered joining your community before. Your focus should be on having a positive impression on everyone who gives your live stream a chance.
Even if they only follow your channel, there’s no reason to fret. They will likely join your other streams and will eventually learn of the benefits of becoming a subscriber. Of course, it’s also to have something worth offering, aka the perks that people would have no issue spending their hard-earned money on.
