The assumed glam and fame are the sweetest attractions when it comes to choosing to become a streamer. Yet, the behind-the-scenes reality has considerable hurdles, from constantly looking for ways to remain relevant in the industry to overcoming negativity and toxic comments.
After all, viewers hiding behind anonymity might not be singing praises. In fact, overcoming negativity and toxic comments is something all streamers must go through.
Let’s discuss gaming streamers’ more realistic daily lives, pressures, workloads, and ways to stay motivated amid anonymous trolls.
Pressure to Stay Relevant
On the surface, viewers can’t see the backstage work streamers perform before starting their actual show. In fact, the most successful streamers constantly look for room for improvement, be it their equipment or gaming style.
The pressures come from the industry itself and their fellow streamers. After all, if they don’t adjust and accept the latest trends, they risk falling short and losing subscribers.
Furthermore, while it might not look like it, streamers spend a significant amount of time thinking about the following goals:
- Keep their subscriber count growing and figure out why people unsubscribe to their channels.
- Boosting viewer engagement is crucial, and streamers need to consider different interactive elements (emotes, unique chatters, etc.) for this.
- Creating a successful content schedule and finding the best times to attract the most viewers. Additionally, changing your schedule can be challenging due to various life events or unplanned incidents.
- Keeping content quality high regardless of external or internal conditions. Stream viewers do not care if you have had a bad day. Still, you need to engage and keep a positive atmosphere.
Generating Funds and Improving Quality
Staying motivated to continue streaming highly depends on streamers’ financial goals. For some, connecting with like-minded people and building a small but positive community might be more of a hobby. Others might aim higher, wishing streaming could become a solid income source. Yet, juggling the different monetization strategies and meeting limits to pursue them can be tiring.
Another aspect of game streaming is ensuring top-notch audio and video quality. If people are just starting out, affording professional equipment can take time. Thus, getting help from your community via donations is always reassuring.
And thanks to modern solutions, streamers can even enjoy cashless community donations. Instead of asking for money, streamers can set up options to support them in other ways.
Why Streamers Drop Their Careers
Streamers face other hurdles besides the pressures of aiming for perfection and consistency. According to one account from a former streamer, getting more viewers and popularity might not be as pleasant as it seems.
A bigger audience can increase the pressure, like engaging with your fans. Playing and reacting to dozens of comments can be tiring. If you focus on gaming more, you might appear rude or unfriendly to people tuning in.
Furthermore, streamers usually notice more trolls and rude commenters as their audience grows. Weeding out all negative energy in your streams can be difficult, and moderators or bots might not catch everything. Moreover, if streamers post on-demand videos, they can find plenty of criticizing comments about themselves.
The key goal is to shake it off and dissociate from such comments. Yet, focusing on the positive can be difficult; the bad might overshadow the good things.
Tips for Dealing With Toxicity and Growth
Rome wasn’t built in a day. So, give yourself time to figure out the best way to deal with all the obstacles you might have as a streamer. Here are some recommendations to continue doing what you love despite the problems you face:
- Appoint moderators and use bots to eliminate negative comments and toxic people. Also, certain chat rules should be established that every new viewer sees before joining. Don’t hesitate to kick them out if they fail to follow them.
- It’s best to decide on the boundaries regarding your audience. After all, many viewers expect to become your friends and hear about your personal life. If this makes you uncomfortable, draw a line regarding what you are willing to share.
- Getting obsessed with follower counts or engagement rates is very easy. Yet, let yourself relax and learn how to celebrate even small milestones.
Conclusion
Becoming a game streamer is not all roses. Sometimes, like any career or hobby, you must overcome specific challenges. The key is seeing value in what you do, and gaming can not only be financially rewarding.
It’s a way to connect with others and turn your leisure time into a more productive venture. Regardless, it’s not worth it if you experience severe anxiety or feel stressed about keeping up with other streamers.
