One of the most difficult parts of becoming a Twitch affiliate is averaging 3 viewers. Trust me, I’ve been there.
In this article I wanted to go over things you can do to help you average 3 viewers on Twitch so that way you can receive the coveted invite to the Twitch Affiliate program.
How To Get 3 Average Viewers On Twitch
1. Invite Friends And Family To Watch Your Stream
This one is so obvious that sometimes people miss it because it is so obvious. Why not invite your friends and family to watch a couple of your streams?
Depending on the size of your friend group, this alone may get you to 3 average viewers. And they don’t even have to be active in your streams. They can just lurk in the background and they will still count as a viewer.
Now I understand this option won’t work for everyone. Some of us don’t want others to know that we are streaming and that’s understandable.
But inviting your friends and family to watch your streams could be on of the quickest and easiest ways to average 3 viewers on Twitch.
2. Remind Viewers Of Your Goal
If you tell people who do visit your stream your goal, they will be more likely to help you. Remind them that even if they can’t stick around to still to still leave the tab open and lurk.
You can even create a !lurk command so that way people can let you know that even though they are not active in chat, they are still there lurking in the stream. I show you how to add a lurk command in my video below.
Remind people to watch your streams. Remind them to follow. All these things go a long way. Trust me.
3. Play Smaller, Less Saturated Games
This one is crucial. I think the main reason that streamers have such a hard time averaging 3 viewers on Twitch is that they play games that are way too saturated.
A saturated game means a game that has tons of streamers streaming it. Examples of such games are Fortnite, Apex Legends, Warzone, and League of Legends.
Any game with a few hundred, or a few thousand streamers streaming it would be considered a saturated game. When you are a small streamer who is just starting out you should avoid these games.
The reason these games are so hard to get viewers with is because Twitch’s algorithm favors viewers in a stream. Those with more viewers get pushed to the top while those with less viewers get pushed to the bottom.
So if you have 0 viewers, and there are 1,000 people streaming Fortnite, that means that people will have to scroll through 1,000 streams in order to find your stream. Not very likely.
It’s better to stick with games where your stream can be placed on the first or second line of streams that way it is easier for people to find you.
For example, I used to stream a game called Muck. It usually had around 100 viewers total and so my stream was usually on the first row of streams and I was able to get a fair amount of viewers this way.
Stick to niche games like Muck and you will find that people are much more likely to visit your streams.
4. Have A Schedule
I can’t stress this enough. You NEED a schedule as a streamer, especially as a small streamer. You don’t have a massive following where people will Tweet and Re-Tweet when you go live.
So people who actually want to support you need to know when you will be going live so they can stop by. You need to become a part of peoples’ routine.
Going live at random times just won’t work when you are starting out. In fact, it usually doesn’t work even when you have been streaming for a while so just don’t do it. Find a schedule and stick to it.
And if you want to know how to add a schedule to your Twitch channel then check out my video below.
5. Stream At The Right Times
Now along with creating a schedule, you need to try your best to stream at the right times on Twitch. You will want to try and stream when most of the big streamers are not streaming.
This will usually be the early mornings and weekends. Do your best to stream during these times so that way your competition is greatly reduce.
Of course, for many people these times and days are not possible and that is totally understandable. The most important thing is just streaming.
If you want a more detailed breakdown of which days and times are best for streaming then check out my article here.
6. Set Up An Automated Reminder
Did you know that you can set up an automated reminder on your stream to remind your viewers of different things?
You can remind them to follow, to sub, or in this case you can remind them to watch the stream or lurk to help you hit your average viewer goal. And the best part is it reminds them automatically without your having to do anything.
Setting up a reminder is super simple if you use Cloudbot, Streamlabs own chatbot. I go over how to set up Cloudbot in this video below. Check it out if you use Streamlabs and want to set up a reminder on your stream with Cloudbot.
7. Engage With Your Viewers
The more engaged people are with your stream the more likely they will be to stick around. And the more people that stick around the more average viewers you will have.
Being engaging as a streamer seems obvious, but you would be surprised how many streams I see where people are just literally CHILLIN. They are laid back, gaming, and are paying absolutely no mind to what is going on with their stream.
This is not a good way to keep people engaged and won’t help you to retain viewers. Some things that will help keep your viewers engaged are talking with them, playing games with them, and using Twitch extensions.
For more Twitch streaming ideas that are sure to help you keep your viewers engaged check out my article here.
8. Network With Other Streamers
Networking is something that nobody likes doing, but it is a pretty crucial part of content creation. Believe it or not there are other small streamers just like you who are also working towards 3 average viewers.
Find these people and discuss ways in which you can work together to both achieve your goals. This could be watching each others streams, auto-hosting each other, or anything else that helps both of you drive views.
Great places to find streamers to network with are Twitch and Twitter. Stop by the channel of a small streamer or look for small streamers on Twitter and see how you can work together to achieve your goals.
For a more in-depth guide to networking on Twitch check out my article here.
9. Use Twitter And Instagram
What does using Twitter and Instagram have to do with growing a Twitch stream? Well surprisingly the best places to grow a Twitch stream are not on Twitch.
Twitch is notorious for having very poor discoverability and so many streamers choose to use social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram to grow their following and then get their following to watch their streams on Twitch.
You can really use any social media platform you want to, but the main social media platforms that streamers use are Twitter and Instagram. It seems like that is where all the gamers are at.
Use a social media platform that you feel comfortable with, create content and use that platform’s algorithm to grow, then get your followers to watch you on Twitch. It really is that simple.
Upload On Youtube
Youtube is another platform that has much better discoverability than Twitch does. This is why so many Twitch streamers create Youtube channels.
Youtube does a good job of pairing users with content that they want to see. And if someone sees your video and likes them, they may just decide to give your stream a visit.
And even better since, they have already seen some of your content they will know what to expect and will be more likely to stick around and add to your average viewer count.
In my own experience I have had several people visit my stream because they found my Youtube channel. Youtube is a powerful tool and you should utilize it as a small streamer.
Make TikToks
Again, just like the last two, it’s all about the algorithm and the discoverability. It is much easier to grow on TikTok than it is on Twitch.
People can find your content much easier on TikTok than Twitch and so it makes since to create content on TikTok. Create TikToks, build your following, then send those people to your Twitch stream. That’s how you do it.
And follow my TikTok here if you haven’t already. I post some sweet gaming clips that I think you will like.
Be Entertaining
Similar to being engaging, you must be entertaining as well. This means that when you stream you should have high energy, your gameplay should be interesting to watch, and there should be no awkward pauses.
Now what exactly it means to be entertaining will vary from streamer to streamer. Some viewers like the craziness, others like a more mellow and relaxed stream.
Decide what you audience wants and then do your best to give that to them. And if you don’t have an audience to judge from, see what other streamers are doing and get ideas from them that you can implement in your stream.
When your viewers are entertained they will be more likely to stick around and watch your streams. Why would someone stick around a stream that is boring right?
For more tips on how to be entertaining as a streamer, check out my article here.
Stream Consistently
This is a very underrated, but necessary tip for getting to 3 average viewers on Twitch. You must stream as consistently as possible.
Now streaming consistently does not mean 7 days a week, 10 hours a day. It just means that you stream a few times a week, for a certain amount of time, and that people can rely on you to be there.
Taking long breaks from streaming can really set you back, even as a big streamer. When you take breaks it is sad to say, but people forget about you. They move onto other streamers and they may never return.
Right now I stream Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for about 2 hours each stream. It’s not a lot, but I am consistent and I have people show up to my streams early because they know they can count on me to be there.
If you stream 7 days in a row, then take a week off, then 3 days, then another week off people will get tired of that very fast. It gets old and they will find a new community where there can hang with people consistently.
It’s like a friend who is always cancelling the plans you have together. Do you like that? Of course not and neither does your community. So be reliable and be a streamer/community that your supporters can rely on.
Oh, and if you do need a break that is ok too. Just make sure you are up front with your community.
Use Creative Titles
Step one of getting 3 average viewers is actually getting people in your stream, and creating creative titles will certainly help you do this.
As a small streamer you should be putting effort and though into your titles. Think of what you can say in your titles that will make people click on your stream.
For Twitch title ideas and tips check out my article here. And if you want to know how to change the title of your stream then check out my video below.
Improve Your Streaming Quality
Lastly, improving the quality of your stream can definitely help you to retain viewers. Think about it, how long would you watch a stream with a mic that kept screeching? Or a video quality that was extremely poor?
This is not to say that you need to go out and buy the top of the line streaming equipment, but I do recommend that you at least have a quality mic. Most streamers will tell you, and I agree, that the most important piece of streaming equipment is a mic.
People can handle poor video quality, but a bad mic is a deal breaker for most viewers. With that being said, if you are looking for a good mic at a great price then check out the Blue Snowball iCE Plug ‘n Play USB Microphone on Amazon.
This mic is one of the most affordable mics on the market and is perfect for any streamer who is just starting out. When you are new to streaming I don’t suggest you blow all your money on fancy equipment.
All that nice equipment won’t bring viewers in like you think it will. Instead, invest in quality, affordable equipment and become a better streamer before you make any major upgrades.
With that being said, having a decent stream quality can go a long way in helping you to reach your goal of 3 average viewers.
If you want to know more products that I recommend for new streamers then check out my article here.
Now let’s talk about some commonly asked questions regarding Twitch and their average viewers.
Does Twitch Count Yourself As A Viewer?
Twitch does count yourself, the streamer, as a viewer in your own stream. This is why your viewer count will start at one, even if you don’t have anyone else in your stream. This is an important thing to consider when you are calculating your average viewers or total viewers on Twitch.
How Long Does It Take To Get 3 Average Viewers On Twitch?
It takes most streamers 1-2 months before they begin to average 3 viewers on Twitch. This is because it takes most streamers time to set up their streams, decide what they want to stream, and then grow their audience.
However, the time it takes to get 3 average viewers on Twitch will vary from streamer to streamer. Some streamers are able to average 3 viewers in less than a week while for others it may take a a few months or a year.
The most important thing is to not give up. If you are passionate about streaming then you should constantly search for ways to improve your streams and find ways to keep people watching your streams.
If you want even more tips for getting more viewers on Twitch beyond your initial 3 viewers then check out my article here.
And if you want to learn more about how live views and average viewers are calculated on Twitch then check out my article here. I go into much more detail about how views on Twitch are calculated and counted.
For even more streaming tips and how-to content check out my Youtube channel here. And if you want to check out my streams then stop by my Twitch channel here.
Eric streams 3 days a week on Twitch and uploads weekly to Youtube under the moniker, StreamersPlaybook. He loves gaming, PCs, and anything else related to tech. He’s the founder of the website StreamersPlaybook and loves helping people answer their streaming, gaming, and PC questions.