How to Build a Brand on Twitch [10 Top Tips]

Between short attention spans and all the different channels out there, Twitch followers can come and go like Monopoly money–you can be filthy rich one moment and bankrupt the next. Sure, there may not be a one-stop solution out there to build a sustainable brand identity for online gaming. But there is an undeniable need to highlight individuality if you’re looking to run a successful channel. 

The beauty of Twitch is that there’s an audience for every type of personality. Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, goofy or spooky, Twitch is as dynamic as the cast of Game of Thrones—the characters are always changing, but there’s always at least one you can relate to! That being said, every successful Twitch user shares solid brand-building techniques to develop their gaming niche.

For all of you aspiring professional gamers who want to know how to build a brand on Twitch, look no further. We’re sharing some of the best practices to dive into the online gaming world. If you want to avoid a painful belly flop, take a look at these personal branding tips:

The first step in mastering Twitch brand building is to find “yourself,” so to speak. Sure, this may sound subjective, but becoming an influential streamer starts with confidence and conviction about any particular game. Whatever brand you aspire to create, one thing’s for sure: You’ll need to stay true to yourself and avoid trying to be someone you’re not. Ask yourself:

Next, it’s time to figure out if the topic you want your channel to be about is doable. What do we mean by “doable?” Basically, you want to know if the topic will line your channel up for success. To figure this out, make sure that an audience actually exists for your topic. Otherwise, you can forget about getting any views or subscriptions. You should also look into a few other factors:

• Competition: Make sure that other streamers are covering your topic and actually performing well between views and engagements. If nobody is even discussing your area, then the topic is probably not popular among fans.
• YouTube channels and blogs: Typically, if other channels cover the same topic, then it’s most likely a good topic for you to run with. It’s also a prime opportunity for some multichannel marketing once you’re sharing content.
• Forums, message boards, SubReddits: When there are people across the internet talking about your topic, then you know there’s a genuine interest to stoke.

This step is super-important if you want to target your audience effectively. Let’s say you’re a music aficionado with a Grand Theft Auto obsession. Luckily, there’s plenty of online content about this topic! In the end, your topic’s viability will guide your ideas about your target audience.

Once you feel strong about your passion and topic, it’s time to tackle the target audience. As demonstrated by top Twitch streamers, like Ninja and auronplay, your target audience should guide pretty much everything you do over streams, from content creation to live chat discussion themes. You need to get to know your target audience if you want to speak their language, so here are some handy sources of information to look at for info:

Equipped with the right topic, target audience, and personal reflection? Then it’s time to consider your overall brand-building strategy. Start with the best username for your channel. This type of thing matters on Twitch. Usernames should be short and concise but memorable, typically between twelve and fifteen characters.

Keep in mind that it’s difficult to change your Twitch channel name after it’s set up, so choose something that will age nicely. Changing it later will undoubtedly cause you to lose some followers. Other things to consider when creating your brand image include: Color palette, typography, core message, and your general style. 

You also need to keep SEO in mind when you’re putting your Twitch brand together. Look into some of the keywords and hashtags that are going to boost traffic and customize your channel to take advantage of them. But go easy—if you’re too heavy-handed it will show, and your tone of voice won’t be authentic.

By this point, you’re probably ready to actually get on with it. While there aren’t any official Twitch branding guidelines, nobody wants to follow an incomplete profile. Cover all of your bases by incorporating the essential stuff such as:

• Logo: No brand is complete without a unique and memorable logo. On Twitch, these come as either initials based on your stream name, or a pictorial graphic/icon. Even this needs to look good and needs some thinking about, so make sure whatever you choose looks good across the platform.
• Profile picture: There are two main options here: a face picture or a logo. Some people think showing their face helps build a personal connection with streamers, but a logo might be stronger for brand recognition. Go with what feels right for you.
• Channel banner: For channel banners, you need to think about how they’ll appear on mobile devices as well as desktops. Generally, banners are more visible on mobile screens while desktop devices have video reels sitting over them. You don’t want your banner to be distorted, stretched or warped, so go with a 1200x480px image.
• Twitch panels: You can think of Twitch panels as quick, go-to resources for visitors to interact with your brand. These include: about me, social profiles, channel rules, schedule, subscription methods and benefits, merchandise, donations, and sponsors. Make these work for you and they’ll make your channel a better place for your visitors, too.
• Welcome video: Complementing all of this should be a welcome video that will greet visitors, grab their attention, and introduce your brand. Let them know in your own words what to expect on your channel!

Next up for our Twitch branding guidelines is to create visually appealing graphics for your channel and live streams. Everything from alerts to live stream graphics is another chance to showcase your personality and make your channel stand out. Take advantage of these brand-building graphics to improve your subscribers’ experience:

• Overlays: Overlays like webcam frames and chat boxes rest on top of your streaming footage. Overlays need to reflect your overall brand image. And keep in mind that these are also useful for blocking out sensitive information in chats or maps. It’s best to keep them simple and clean because an overwhelming overlay will distract viewers from your content–the exact opposite of what you want.
  
• Stream screens: Need to run to the bathroom during a long screen? That’s no excuse to drop your brand standards. Rather than just showing an offline message when you’re away for a few minutes, this is another chance to display your brand and plug your social media profiles to boost engagement with your other social media channels.

Alerts: Branded alerts are a great way to get viewers to follow, subscribe, or donate to your Twitch channel. Take advantage of notifications because they’re yet another tool for getting your branding out there.

When it comes to your channel’s format, consistency is key. Your subscribers and growing fanbase will appreciate an easily recognizable format and will be more likely to tune into your live streams if you consistently put out what they like and a schedule of when it’s out. Remember: Your viewers know what they like, and they like to know when it’s on.

 If you understand channel analytics, you’ll be way better equipped to grow your stream and personal brand on Twitch. Otherwise, you’ll likely have a tough time distinguishing between what works and what doesn’t. This will make it much harder to narrow down your content to just the good stuff.

When all is said and done, the final takeaway from this article should be to embrace kindness and humility in every Twitch interaction. This should be at the core of your brand  and your channel rules, and is also reflected in the Twitch Brand Safety Score, which automatically evaluates the “friendliness” of every streamer. A good channel can build a really friendly, inclusive community of loyal followers, and they’ll be much more happy to stick around if your channel is a friendly place.

If you want to have more than just five minutes of fame for your professional World of Warcraft career, keep these strategies in mind to give your Twitch channel the best chance at success. 

There’s a lot of competition out there, and a lot of content producers talking to nobody. Successful Twitch producers use a combination of their own creativity and the right tech to ensure the highest-quality content and maximum engagement in their live streams. Get your brand right, get your content right, download Voicemod to help you, and you’re sure to be one of them.