livestreaming tips

5 YouTube Live Streaming Mistakes You Must Avoid

Growing your streaming channel and developing your brand can be hard enough as it is. And a single live streaming mistake can undo all your efforts! Thus, dodging them is the best way to move ahead.

Turnip

25 Dec 2020 • 4 min read

Remember when PewDiePie shared a video of two Indian men with a sign “Death to All Jews”? 😲 If that wasn’t horrific enough, a scandal broke out much later when those men rendered an apology and admitted that the YouTuber had paid them for pulling off this schtick.🤯

The result? YouTube and Disney Digital Network severed their ties with the streamer and blacklisted him. And of course, he faced severe backlash from activists and audiences for his rampant racism and antisemitism.

This instance is a classic example of what could go wrong when you assume the role of a public icon. Such a catastrophe was easily avoidable and unwarranted. On that note, today, we will be discussing a few of the common YouTube live streaming mistakes that you can avoid:

1. Not Talking While Streaming

We get it: silence is golden 🤫… But not when you are streaming!

If your audiences can hear the crickets chirping during the live streaming event, you can expect the same dead silence in your live game streaming career.

One of the gravest YouTube live streaming mistakes is staying quiet. Some streamers may take it as far as not even smiling on their stream!

Amongst the several factors that attract viewers to the live streaming event, entertainment reigns supreme. Think about it, if two players are equally competent at playing a game, which ones would the audience prefer - the quiet one or the one who is narrating their experience or sharing some insights on the game? Of course, the scales would tip in favour of the latter!

Whether you wish to adopt a talk show host approach while chatting up your viewers or go down the stand-up comedy route, the point is to keep your audience entertained.

Talking to the air may seem awkward at first, but it is well worth the effort!

2. Poor Audio or Video Quality

As live streaming technology matures, you can no longer afford audio and video glitches. Typical audio and video issues include:

Audio too high or too low
Buzzing or humming sounds
Background noises
Lobby music overpowering your voice
Audio-video lag
Low frames-per-second (FPS)
Poor video resolution
Too many graphics and overlays

Such problems could arise out of incorrect streaming software setup. So the golden advice would be to run quick tests before you start live game streaming.

Remember, the audience suffers from a short attention span, and you only have a couple of minutes to grab their eyeballs before they get bored of you and switch to another channel. What you need is a reliable, high-quality stream to avoid such live streaming mistakes.

If you're choosing to stream mobile games, try using Turnip mobile app which provides 1080p live streaming with internal audio support.

3. Being Underprepared

One part of the preparation deals with the setup and testing, which we have already discussed above.

Another part of the preparation involves the actual planning of the live streaming event.

Given that there is an abundance of competition in this area, “winging it” will not take you very far. You need to ensure that you are delivering top-notch content each and every time.

For starters, you can read up on the game and try out all the basics before you start live game streaming, especially for a brand new game. Do keep in mind that hardcore gamers can smell any kind of BS from a mile away. So be wary of making any incredulous claim during the game, or they will rip your throat out!

Next, you need to promote the crap out of your live streaming event even before it takes place. Head over to all your social media handles and make announcements to update all your regular viewers. Posting regularly about the stream can fetch you more viewers as your followers share the news.

4. Playing Oversaturated Games

Believe it or not, but the top 5% of LoL streamers occupy nearly 90 to 96% of the live game streaming viewer base on Twitch. Similarly, Fortnite has reached its saturation point where the average concurrent views per channel is a mere 14-16 for every month!

Clearly, some games offer more potential than their counterparts, and choosing a saturated game is one of the deadliest live streaming mistakes. So, if you are a new streamer, it would be best to stay away from these wildly popular games, at least until you have established yourself. Rather than drowning in a sea of streamers, you can choose a niche game with fewer live streaming events and a strong following. Here are a list of games you can try to live stream!

However, if you do feel ambitious and want to carve out a spot for yourself in the saturated game segment, up your live game streaming content’s entertainment and production value and invest in sound live streaming technology to stake your claim.

Regardless of the game you play, keep your eyes on the prize - your channel’s growth and monetization.

5. Staying Inconsistent

Live game streaming is a long-term commitment. One of the biggest live streaming mistakes that streamers make is losing steam and fading out in the process. One day you are live game streaming three times a day and the next radio silence for weeks!

Sure, you envisioned higher engagement and more viewership (cue: “So no one told you life was gonna be this way *clap clap clap*) but good things take time. And going off your schedule will only hurt your popularity.

If you genuinely wish to form a long-lasting relationship with your audience (even if there are two viewers, one of which is your BFF and the other your mom), you need to be on time. Unexplained absence, showing up late, or sheer distraction will make people lose their interest in you.

Conclusion