You’ve likely heard of Twitch by now, but did you know it’s not just for gamers? Tons of creators are hopping on the site to promote and connect with an audience, which makes it a great place for musicians. Twitch is becoming a prime spot for livestreams, so we’re here to tell you why you need to get on Twitch to grow your fanbase if you aren’t already riding the wave.

Know the Platform

If you’re not familiar with Twitch, it’s a live-streaming platform for sharable content. Gamers and other influencers use the platform to broaden their audience and gain more followers. With more than 15 million daily active users, it’s a great place to reach new fans and connect with current ones. There are even ways to earn income through the platform, like with subscriptions to your channel or from user donations.

Create and Customize your Profile on Twitch

To get started, you’ll need to create a profile. Twitch lets you customize your profile and add a bio, plus a profile pic and links to your other media or merchandise. If you want more visibility on the site, you can even add personalized tags and a channel category similar to how it works on YouTube. With the Twitch Creator Camp, you can learn more about how to easily get started with the basics.

Grow Your Followers

Be sure to tell your existing fans you’re on Twitch and share your Twitch @ on your other socials. This will help you get more streams early on as you build your presence on Twitch. Users on this platform are super active, so gaining new followers is easier than you think. You can even invite your viewers to subscribe and get notifications so they don’t miss your streams.

Stream and Interact (chat/alerts/etc)

It kind of goes without saying, but interacting during your streams is super important. You can easily use the chat function on Twitch while livestreaming to talk to fans during your streams. Just like on Facebook or Instagram Live, viewers can comment in real time. You can also answer questions during your stream or ask viewers for feedback. You can even make it interactive by asking them to participate. Whatever it is, make sure you think about what will get them to come back to your channel next time.

You can also use alerts on Twitch, which are like helpful pop-ups that can drive even more interaction and streams. If you set up alerts on your Twitch dashboard, a pop-up will show during your livestream if something important happens, like someone subscribing to your channel. Other viewers can see it too, which means it can encourage them to participate more as well.

For more tips on doing live streams, check out our handy guide to setting up an online concert for more ideas on how to go live with your music. It applies to not just Twitch, but the many livestreaming options out there for you to try.

Create a Schedule

Once you’ve got the hang of the platform and have a few streams under your belt, you can start figuring out what content is best, and when. If you know when you get the most viewers, schedule your streams for peak times. Just like on other platforms, you’ll want to tailor your content to what viewers are showing interest in. You can even create a weekly schedule through Twitch so users know when to come check your channel. Fans will be able to see it on your dashboard.

Ready to unleash your music? Sign up to MusicDigi now and upload your music to all major streaming platforms.