Get them involved and see your channel flourish.
Once you are streaming regularly and have found some viewers, you will feel the need to engage with them to improve your content and make your audience feel at home. This is the start of a very long relationship and if not done right, it will fail to blossom.
First, we must remember there is no “No fix plan that fits all” in building the relationship. The goal should be fixed, that is to increase viewer participation. The more your audience expresses and engages with you, the better is your progress. In a very short time and after an eventful streaming journey, you will find that you have created your living and thriving community.
Let us begin now with the strategies that can help you nurture and increase viewer participation.
The audience is the end and the object of the speech.
The success of any communication depends on recognizing and valuing the audience. Experts know that without the audience's engagement, their message, no matter how well-crafted, will fall flat. The secret lies in Understanding the Audience's Needs and Interests. In the process, you will learn how they are similar and what makes them unique as an individual. Every one of them brings a distinct set of needs, preferences, and expectations.
Conduct research or surveys to reveal insights about their demographics, interests, pain points, and motivations.
Dale Carnegie, a pioneer in public speaking and interpersonal skills, often stressed the importance of respecting the audience. In his widely recognized book, "How to Win Friends and Influence People," he says: "You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you."
The second principle that works in encouraging the viewers to be active in the community is sharing what you know. The knowledge that you have uniquely gathered due to your experience gathered while working hard for it. That is the secret sauce that keeps the conversation flowing. At the heart of every community lies a deep knowledge that they share.
The important thing here is how you distribute and deliver this knowledge. Medium as well as the style of sharing adds flavor to it.
Medium: Recognize your audience's background, interests, and knowledge levels. Content should then be tailored to meet the audience where they are, avoiding excessive lingo for novices or over-generalized for experts.
Style: Utilize storytelling, real-world examples, and case studies to make the knowledge you’re sharing more relatable and easier to understand. An engaged audience is more likely to grasp and retain information.
Alan Moore in his graphic novel, “Promethea” mentions:
Promethea: "Knowledge isn't something we should hoard or keep to ourselves. It’s a gift, meant to be shared with the world, to enlighten and inspire. Each of us has something to teach, and all of us have something to learn."_
Mystical Guide: "Indeed, Sophie. The more we share, the more we grow collectively. Knowledge is not diminished by sharing; it is amplified. From ancient wisdom to modern discoveries, every piece of knowledge helps weave the tapestry of our collective understanding."
Promethea: "But what if people aren't ready to accept the knowledge we share? Sometimes the truth can be overwhelming or challenging for them."
Mystical Guide: "Not everyone will indeed be ready or willing to accept new knowledge. But that should not deter us. Our role is to be patient and persistent. We plant the seeds of wisdom, and in time, they will grow. Some may grasp it immediately, while others may need time and experience."
When it comes to live streaming, fostering a sense of collaboration with your viewers can significantly enhance engagement and participation. Viewers who feel that they are active participants rather than passive observers are more likely to interact, share your stream, and return for future broadcasts.
In February 2014, an anonymous Australian programmer created an experimental live stream titled "Twitch Plays Pokémon" (TPP) on the Twitch platform. The unique aspect of this stream was that it allowed viewers to control a game of Pokémon Red through the Twitch chat. Viewers typed commands like "up," "down," "left," "right," "A," and "B" directly into the chat, which the emulator translated into in-game actions.
The key here is real-time interaction.
One of the greatest advantages of live streaming is the ability to engage with your audience in real-time. Utilize the chat to communicate with viewers, answer their questions, and respond to comments. Acknowledge individual viewers by name to create a personal connection and show that you value their input. Make joint decisions about the future of the stream through polls or surveys.
Incorporating chat games into your live stream is an excellent strategy to boost viewer participation and create an engaging, dynamic environment. Chat games are interactive activities that viewers can participate in directly through the streaming platform's chat feature. These games can serve multiple purposes: they entertain, build a sense of community, and keep viewers actively involved throughout the live session. Here's how to effectively integrate chat games to encourage viewer participation:
Adding an element of surprise to your live stream can captivate your audience and keep them engaged. Surprise elements can come in many forms, including unexpected announcements, unplanned guest appearances, exclusive giveaways, and impromptu activities. These surprises create excitement and anticipation, making your live stream memorable and encouraging more viewer participation. Here's how to effectively incorporate surprises into your live stream:
Try this: In the middle of your live stream, you might suddenly announce, "We’re giving away a free one-year subscription to our service! To enter, type 'Giveaway' in the chat now."
This is the most important strategy to encourage viewer participation in your live stream. People simply are attracted to quality. It is not easy to attain but can be achieved by iterations. Remember “Quantity is required to achieve quality”, so repeat, test, and re-test.
A high-quality stream can significantly enhance viewer engagement and interaction.
Apart from all the above tips, tools and guidance the best way to bring more engagement is opting for a multi streaming platform. You don’t need to install any software or require technical expertise as Yostream offers a user-friendly interface where you can start streaming like a pro in a few clicks. You can customize your stream using interactive features like custom logo, theme, background, overlays, audio-video files, banner, etc. You can also harness the power of multistreaming to reach maximum audiences on different platforms simultaneously.