When trying to grow your Twitch streams, there are plenty of stats to keep in mind. These could help you track your channel’s popularity over time. But what are live views on Twitch? And how can you turn these into followers? In this blog post, we’ll show why live views are important for your long-term growth.
What Are Live Views on Twitch?
Live views are how many people are watching your stream at that moment. This is visible below the stream itself as a red number. It even includes people who aren’t signed in.
Your live view count is different from the total number of views. This is how many people (users or otherwise) watched a stream overall. Your total views are visible in your analytics after a stream ends.
While the count is generally “live,” Twitch reports a delay of up to a few minutes. This means it’ll take time to see if something drives people away from the broadcast.
Adding to this, Twitch counts any real viewers playing the stream. They technically don’t have to be watching. They can mute or even minimize the broadcast. Twitch will still consider them to be a live viewer.
Top Reasons Why Twitch Live Views Matter
If you have a high live view count, your profile will see a wide range of benefits. According to the site itself, there are 105 million monthly Twitch viewers on average. Here’s why you should try to reach as many of them as possible while streaming.
- Popularity indicator: These stats are a live indicator of if your Twitch channel is able to get new viewers. This can show your stream is getting a push from Twitch’s algorithm.
- More engagement: Your live viewers may include a lot of lurkers. Even so, more views will mean more comments. Your Twitch chat will soon be full of real, engaged viewers.
- Monetization: A lot of brands are slowly looking toward Twitch as a new market. If they see you get plenty of live views, they might sponsor you for mid-game ad reads, which can be a great way to make some money on Twitch.
- Social proof: People with a lot of views simply look more impressive. This can help you come across as an expert. More and more people will trust you as an authority.
- Live feedback: Your views will show you if people like your content in real time. If you’re seeing people click away, for example, you’ll know what to change for next time.
- Growth potential: Going back to the site’s algorithm, Twitch boosts streams with a lot of real live viewers. This is how a lot of major streamers found their audience.
Viewer Count vs. Users in Chat: What’s the Difference?
In addition to its live views, Twitch also has a Users in Chat stat. This is how many Twitch users are connected to your stream’s chat. It displays this as a list of users.
Interestingly, this isn’t the same as how many signed-in users are on your stream. Someone can simply close the chat to remove themselves from this pool. However, the Twitch chat is open by default. As a result, these stats offer the easiest way to track your viewers.
You can view the list of users by clicking Community, which is just above the chat. These people always have Twitch profiles. This makes it possible to turn them into followers if you haven’t already done so. As with your live views, this takes a few minutes to update.
Retaining Your Live Views
You naturally want as many concurrent viewers as possible. This will maximize your potential as a streamer, and possibly help you unlock Partner status. This requires an average of 75 or more viewers across several streams.
Your goal should be to make people stick around once they join your stream. You can do this by engaging with your viewers. This keeps the stream interesting and gives you a chance to show your personality. You’ll then be able to stick out among the sea of Twitch streamers.
A consistent broadcast schedule is also quite helpful. If people know when you’re streaming, it’s possible they’ll make time to watch your stream. If they don’t, they might just catch the replay or not bother watching at all.
Getting More Live Views: Tips and Tricks
Growing your viewers on Twitch takes time. If this doesn’t work for your timetable, don’t resort to bots. These fake viewers won’t give you real engagement. This will stick out to real viewers, as well as the site itself. You could then risk losing your whole channel.
You must put genuine effort into your streams. This is what will make people stick around, leave comments, and even follow you. All of these “signals” tell Twitch to promote your stream.
To do this, optimize your broadcasts. Make sure you have a high-quality overlay, and that you’ve got a suitable channel description. It’s also good to play popular games you enjoy that aren’t yet oversaturated on Twitch.
It’s also worth duplicating the stream on other social networks, such as TikTok or YouTube. Even if this doesn’t boost your Twitch stats, you’ll connect with people on other platforms. They might even decide to keep up with your stream on its original home.
How To Turn Views Into Followers
Once you get more views, you’ll want them to follow you. This isn’t always possible, however. A chunk of your regular viewers might not even have accounts. But you should still work to turn even casual users into Twitch followers.
Engagement is, once again, the key here. Responding to chat messages often shows you value your viewers’ comments. This can inspire them to keep up with future streams. Even something as simple as casually telling people to follow you could also make a difference.
It’s also good to mix up your stream types. For example, you could run a Just Chatting stream to connect more directly with your viewers. Above all else, be yourself. This authenticity is what will keep people coming back to watch more streams.
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If you’re wondering, “What are live views on Twitch?” you should try boosting your stream stats. With the right online services, you can find real viewers who engage with your latest broadcast.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as live views on Twitch?
Anyone watching the stream will count as a live viewer. However, the number isn’t always going to be accurate. It can take a few minutes to update, meaning it isn’t always “live.”
What is the difference between live views and unique viewers on Twitch?
Live views can come and go as the stream goes on. If someone leaves and then visits your stream again, this will count as two live views. Unique viewers are the number of overall people.
Can you buy live Twitch views?
Yes, plenty of services offer Twitch viewers with instant delivery. However, many of them will use bot accounts. This won’t help your account much; you should only buy real viewers.
How many views do I need to be an Affiliate?
You only need an average of three viewers per stream to be a Twitch Affiliate. To upgrade to the site’s Partner system, you must have 75+.