There’s nothing worse than taking than setting up your capture card, getting your game working right, figuring out exactly what you’re going to say, then switching on Twitch and having ZERO people watching.

That’s why today, I want to share with you the four key ways to get your first 100 followers on Twitch.

If you are brand new to Twitch, then you already know how hard it can be to stay motivated if no one is watching.  Sure, it would be nice to have thousands of subscribers and dozens of donations, and you can get there, but it all starts with landing your first 100 followers.

Why 100?  Well, 100 is doable for a small-time streamer, but is also a big enough number to help keep you motivated. And if you can stay motivated, you’re more likely to stream long enough to see amazing success.

Those first 100 are like the first snowflakes that build towards an avalanche.

But before we talk about what this guide is, let’s talk about what it isn’t.

What NOT to do

No matter how tempting it is, DON’T buy followers.

A quick Google search will tell you that there are tons of people offering ways to build an audience overnight and they’re all asking for money.  They are universally bullshit.

Think about it, if it was that easy to build a large audience instantly, why aren’t they raking in the same dough that Ninja does? The secret is: there is no shortcut.

So, no matter how tempting it may be, you should never use those techniques.

That means you should never buy followers, you should never let bots follow you, you shouldn’t use follow farms or any of the other stupid techniques people push week after week.

If you want to build a real audience, you have to do that with real people.

Twitch is not stupid, they know all the “hacks” and tricks you can use to fake an audience, and they will penalize you for it. Trying to build a large follower-base on fake followers is like trying to build a house without a foundation… so just don’t do it.

You want to take advantage of the viral nature of Twitch. If something is getting more popular, Twitch will share it more. When it’s shared more, more people follow. They won’t do that for people with fake followers.

So, how do you get REAL followers?

#1 Consistency!

People need to know when to expect your stream and what to expect when they get there.

You might have a crazy schedule, you might not be able to stream much, but if you can’t stick to a schedule, get ready to lose viewers.

The best part of streaming is the live interaction between streamers and their audience. So even though you can upload VODs and your previous broadcasts are available, unless you can interact with people while you stream, you’re missing out on one of the best ways of getting more viewers.

So, the first thing you should do is take a good hard look at your schedule for at least the next 3 months. Find a day and time you know you can stream every week for those 3 months.

So, even if you can only stream Sunday morning from 2am to 4am that’s better than just streaming whenever you can.

Block that time off and DO NOT schedule anything during that time.

Soon, you’ll have a handful of people who start expecting you to start streaming before you even go live!

#2 Optimize, Optimize, Optimize

Don’t play your favorite game if no one wants to watch it.

I hate to be the one to break this to you, but your favorite game probably isn’t great to play on stream.

That isn’t because it’s a bad game (probably), it’s because the sort of games that suck you in are boring for other people to watch.

Streaming is a fine balance between being invested in a game and being invested in your audience. So if you can’t hold a conversation, and read, and crack jokes while playing the game, it’s not the right game to play on a stream.

Initially, you are going to just have to throw some stuff at the wall to see what sticks and then optimize based on what people respond to.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t start on the right foot. Go on Twitch and take a look at what some of the most popular streamers play. If people watch them play it, it means people might watch you play it.

So browse Twitch to find at least 3 games that you like playing and get a decent audience when other streamers play them.

Over the next few months, try some streams where you only play one or two of those games, and others where you play all three on stream.

Once you see which ones people like the most, switch almost exclusively to playing that game on stream.

#3 Ask People to Follow

Sometimes, the best solutions are the most direct.

It’s amazing to me that so many people who want more likes and followers don’t do this one, really simple thing

I’m sure it’s because you don’t feel like begging or annoying your viewers, but as my mom always told me: you don’t get anything you don’t ask for. So, if you want more followers, just ask your viewers to follow you.

Some streamers really overdo the requests for followers, some never ask at all. So to make it as easy as possible for you, here are the three main times you should ask people to follow you:

1) When your stream starts.
2) When your stream ends.
3) When someone tells you they like your content.

You shouldn’t have to beg them, it’s enough to just say, “And if you enjoy my stream, don’t forget to hit ‘Follow’ to be notified when I go live.”

That’s it. No need for gimmicks, no need for giveaways, just remind them that if they want more of your content, there’s an easy way for them to get it.

If you do all of these things and you’re still not seeing your follower count increase over a couple months, then it means you’re missing the final component…

#4 Character

Be yourself…just better.

You’re not Ninja, you’re not Dashie, you’re not Pewdiepie… so why would you try to be them on your stream?

This is one of those mistakes that too many people make early on in their streaming career. They imitate what they see other streamers do thinking that’s how to get views.

But you don’t like different streamers because they’re all the same, you like them because they each have their own personality, humor, and way of interacting with chat.

That’s why putting your own spin on your stream is one of the best things you can do.

You don’t want to be entirely cartoony, but you also don’t want to act the same way you do in normal life. You need to find a balance.

If you’re big on funny voices, do funny voices. If you like puns, make stupid puns as often as possible.  If you tell good stories, tell your best stories to your chat.

You don’t have to be perfect, but you need to start separating you the person, from you the character you play when you stream. By starting to experiment by emphasizing attributes that are already part of who you are, the faster you will find your character.

Conclusion

There is no shortcut to success for streamers, but if you can build a consistent audience, who follow you because they like who you are and what you play, you’ll be ahead of 99% of the people who have ever tried to stream.

If you try any (or all) of the steps above, you might just convince me to follow you!