On Friday at 11:30AM, Dragon Con’s Digital Media Track presented a lively panel on Twitch with tried-and-true content creators giving their best advice on how to set oneself up for “Steaming Beyond Video Games” successfully. Here are their best tips and tricks:

1. Adjust your set-up to your environment. If you’re streaming from outside, there may be wind. If you’re drawing, you’ll have to consider how lighting will throw shadows on your work-in-progress. If you’re streaming in public, background noise will be an issue. All these things, and more, will reveal themselves the more you stream, and they will help you adjust your format (e.g., a pre-filmed video with a live voiceover versus video and voice in real time) and understand what equipment you’ll need. But don’t go overboard on day one.
2. Equipment matters but start small. Start with your phone and/or computer and go from there. You’ll likely need multiple cameras, maybe a few microphones, some sturdy tripods, and specific software. But until you get a feel for how you’re content presents live, don’t buy anything big. There is a lot of equipment to choose from, so take the time to understand the needs for your content and format. And research what exists, including the free stuff out there.
3. Know your community. Explore what’s out there already and how people are doing it—for example, watch other streams of Legos being built or other graphic artists creating in real time. See how their audience reacts and interacts so that you have a baseline of expectations for determining your own vibe, whether it follows the trends or deviates in small ways. 
4. Practice. Practice. Practice. This may seem like a no brainer, but talking to yourself with confidence and style, not knowing if anyone is listening, is a skill. Record yourself to learn your tics and improve how you engage when you don’t have another person to feed off. Use a focus–like a stuffed animal—to help you maintain contact with the camera and don’t be afraid to be yourself.
5. Be creative to drum up interest. The titles of videos or streams don’t drive people to watch; hashtags and thumbnails do. Use thoughtful and captivating ones, things that grab attention, so someone stops and goes, “Let’s see what this is about.” 
6. Network. Network. Network. This will help you find both guests and community, whether by location or content, that you can connect or collaborate with. Twitch has its own meetup groups and many places, like Atlanta, have local streaming groups that meet regularly. See what exists in your area and don’t forget, conventions are also a great way to network.
7. Give yourself space and grace. Don’t force yourself to stream if you aren’t in the right headspace—mental health is important so take care of yourself. Make time to do your hobby or art without the pressure of streaming, or avoid burnout by create a schedule, like streaming seasonally, or doing 30-minute streams instead of an hour. There are no rules, so make ones to fit your life and capacity mentally, emotionally, physically, or even financially. 
8. Success is relative, so have fun and experiment. Algorithms change quickly, so don’t chase them to get more viewers. Instead, define success on your terms, whether it’s making money, developing friendships, connecting with like-minded folks, or spreading awareness about an obscure hobby. This is for you, not Twitch.

Good luck out there!