Key Takeaways
Benefits for Streamers: Utilizing content marketing can expedite the process of finding and connecting with your ideal audience, making your streaming efforts financially sustainable.
Strategic Approach: Instead of relying solely on long streaming hours, use content marketing to complement your streaming, creating multiple quality content pieces rapidly.
Key Platforms for Streamers:
YouTube: Repurpose stream segments into engaging clips.
X (Platform for Direct Interaction): Share personal moments and gaming opinions.
Podcasting: Utilize for its networking potential and unique engagement.
Instagram: Connect personally with the audience, despite diminishing organic reach.
TikTok: Leverage its large organic reach for diverse content sharing.
Maximizing Content Opportunities: Identify and utilize content creation chances within streaming sessions, turning them into multiple forms of content across various platforms.
Content Production Workflow Example: From a single streaming session, create multiple forms of content (long-form, social media posts, short-form clips) for different platforms, potentially yielding significantly more content pieces than average streamers.
What is Content Marketing?
Content marketing stands as the most potent force in the marketing arena.
At its core, content marketing involves publishing content with a marketing objective. This strategy is so effective it eliminates the need for direct selling.
You simply offer value, and if you have a product, customers naturally gravitate towards it.
Take streaming, for instance. The primary goal is to entertain. If viewers enjoy your stream, they’ll likely follow or subscribe.
This is the essence of content marketing: providing immense value that prompts an organic response from the audience.
In this piece, I won’t lecture on being a great streamer. Instead, I’ll focus on how to harness content marketing to broaden your reach and connect with your ideal audience.
Content marketing can be taught, and it’s a valuable tool for growth.
How Content Marketing Can Elevate Your Stream
Content marketing can accelerate the process of finding your audience.
Whether streaming is a side hustle or a full-time job, one of the goals is often to make it financially sustainable.
The pace at which you reach your goals depends on your strategies.
You’re already dedicating countless hours to streaming, so why not aim for quicker success?
Consider the saying, “death by a thousand paper cuts.” In this analogy, each ‘paper cut‘ is a piece of content, collectively leading to your ultimate streaming success.
It might be a clunky analogy, but I’m sure you get my point.
You could stream for 16 hours a day, hoping one major piece of content daily will catapult you to success.
Or, you can adopt a more strategic approach, using content marketing to complement your streaming efforts.
Content Marketing Strategy for Streamers
Becoming a successful streamer is no small feat, requiring mental fortitude and significant effort.
Your passion is a key advantage, especially during those long streaming hours.
Implementing a content marketing strategy maximizes the value of your streaming content.
For effective content production, focus is essential.
Consider these elements in your strategy:
- Streaming Schedule
- Content Creation Schedule
- Content Publishing Schedule
- Content Marketing Channels
Since content creation is time-consuming, it’s wise to fully utilize the content produced during streams.
Avoid overthinking or striving for perfection.
The idea of ‘perfect’ content is a myth; chasing it is inefficient.
Aim to create multiple, decent-quality pieces rather than fixating on a single ‘perfect’ one.
Quality matters, but so does speed.
Quick content creation not only enhances your productivity but also sharpens your skills, eventually turning you into an efficient content creator.
Content Marketing Channels for Streamers
In this section, I’ll highlight content marketing channels popular among successful streamers and those that are perhaps underused.
I’m focusing on channels where:
- Gamers typically spend time.
- Evergreen content thrives.
- Popularity is surging.
- The goal is to maximize content creation with minimal effort.
YouTube
YouTube is an obvious choice for streamers.
You’re already creating a wealth of video content. Why not repurpose it on YouTube?
Besides being a social media and entertainment platform, YouTube is also a search engine where people seek solutions.
Extract segments from your streaming sessions and upload them.
Think your stream lacks interesting content? Think again.
How-to’s, funny moments, reactions, skill shots, fails, let’s plays, walkthroughs, reviews, rants – your streams are likely full of these engaging snippets, regardless of the game.
Don’t overthink it. Let your audience choose what they enjoy.
Tip: Note down interesting moments during your stream for easy clip retrieval and minimal post-production before uploading to YouTube.
X
X is an excellent platform for streamers to connect with their audience. It serves multiple purposes:
- Offers a glimpse into your life outside of streaming.
- Provides direct interaction with your audience off-stream.
- Allows you to announce upcoming streams.
- Lets you share your thoughts on gaming news.
- Facilitates connections with other streamers.
For instance, streamers like @LIRIK and @Asmongold utilize X effectively.
Lirik shares game opinions, stream highlights, and even personal moments like cat pictures.
Asmon engages in discussions on World of Warcraft, shares personal snippets, and enjoys posting memes.
There are no fixed rules. Share what feels right to you.
Remember, authenticity sets you apart from other streamers. Don’t box yourself into what you think your audience expects. Just be yourself.
Podcasting
Podcasting is surprisingly underused in streaming and gaming, as well as other industries.
The popularity of podcasts is consistently growing, and they’re not fading away anytime soon.
They offer the convenience of consuming content while multitasking.
With a podcast, you have limitless possibilities.
It could be a game-specific podcast or a more general one, depending on your streaming style.
Options include having varying guests, co-hosting with other streamers, or going solo.
For instance, Bluddshed, a Diablo streamer, hosts a Diablo-focused podcast, The Bludd Heart.
Another notable example was the Co-Optional Podcast by the late John “TotalBiscuit” Bain, alongside Jesse Cox and Dodger, featuring weekly guests.
Podcasts can even be integrated into your streaming sessions, inviting fellow streamers for a casual chat.
This informal approach resonates well with the streaming audience, as it’s both unique and engaging.
The key advantage of podcasts is their networking potential, opening doors to collaborations more effectively than standard streaming invites.
Instagram is a mixed bag for streamers.
Its organic reach is diminishing, making audience building a challenging task.
Still, it’s not impossible, but it requires active engagement with the community.
Instagram can be a low-effort platform for connecting with your audience on a personal level.
Stream clips can be repurposed with added context in the descriptions.
Streamers like Sodapoppin use Instagram sporadically, sharing personal moments and humorous content.
Ninja effectively utilizes Instagram to promote his streams and share his life beyond gaming.
This approach demonstrates the platform’s potential for personal branding and audience connection.
TikTok
TikTok has significantly risen in popularity, boasting about 1.5 billion users. It’s a misconception that the platform is just for the younger crowd. In the U.S., 60% of active users are aged 16-24.
Adults are increasingly joining TikTok, replicating trends seen on Facebook and Instagram.
TikTok’s advantage lies in its imbalance between content consumption and production, leading to greater organic reach.
Many have quickly amassed larger followings here than on other platforms over years.
You don’t need to conform to TikTok trends like dancing or lip-syncing.
Post content like stream highlights with popular music to engage your audience.
This platform allows you to do ‘your thing’ and still reach a vast audience.
If you’re hesitant, spend an hour or two exploring content from other gamers and streamers.
Given its unparalleled organic reach, TikTok is worth considering for content creators.
Maximizing Content Opportunities for Streamers
Let’s explore how streamers often miss numerous content creation chances.
Imagine a typical streaming session and identify potential content opportunities.
This isn’t about specific games or genres. It’s about recognizing and utilizing moments within any stream.
Assuming you have a podcast, let’s use it as a part of this exercise.
The focus here is not on the specifics of the stream but on how to spot and capitalize on content opportunities as they arise.
Example: Turning a 6-Hour Streaming Session into a Content Goldmine
You’ve just wrapped up a 6-hour streaming session, which included your typical activities and a special 1-hour podcast with a fellow streamer.
Now, it’s time to turn this into a content creation frenzy.
Step 1) Long-Form Content Creation
First, extract the 1-hour podcast segment.
If the conversation flowed well, no edits needed. Otherwise, trim awkward silences quickly (remember, speed is key).
Upload this to your stream highlights, YouTube, and podcast platforms.
Content count: at least 3
Step 2) Social Media Promotion
Create a compelling image with you and your guest, and share it on Twitter and Instagram.
Keep Twitter posts concise, but elaborate a bit in your Instagram description, highlighting key conversation points.
Content count: at least 5
Step 3) Share Your Opinions
From the discussion, pick an intriguing opinion about your main game or a trending topic.
Share this view on Twitter without any visuals.
Content count: at least 6
Step 4) Medium-Length Content
Find a highlight from your stream – a tough move, a helpful chat interaction, a funny moment, or a rant.
Say you found a 7-minute clip.
Upload it to your stream highlights and YouTube.
Content count: at least 8
Step 5) Short-Form Content
Identify two standout moments under a minute each from your session.
Upload these clips as-is to your stream clips.
Content count: at least 10
Step 6) Adapting Clips for Social Media
Take the same clips, add captions if relevant, and optionally adjust for vertical format.
Post them to Twitter and Instagram (with longer descriptions on Instagram).
Content count: at least 14
Step 7) TikTok and Instagram Stories
Finally, ‘TikTok-ify’ these clips.
Add popular beats and fine-tune the production.
Upload to TikTok and your Instagram stories.
Final content count: at least 18
This strategy could yield 15-17 more pieces of content than the average streamer.
I’m confident it will significantly boost your reach and accelerate your streaming success.