Things they don't tell you about streaming

  • Here are some things I wish I knew before I started streaming.
  • PUBLISHED: 24-May-2025
  • PAGE VIEWS: 16

  • This post was written by :-

    CodeWithTD

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    Doras: https://doras.com/td

Things they don’t tell you about streaming

If you search on YouTube, you will find a lot of videos about how to stream, how to grow your channel, and how to get more viewers. Most of these videos are pretty much the same and offer very similar advice.

If you are looking to start streaming, I would still recommend watching them, but I feel like streaming is like driving a car. You can watch all the videos you want, but until you actually get behind the wheel and start driving, you won’t really know what it’s like.

5 Tips for starting to stream

Here are 5 bits of advice I would give to anyone looking to start streaming.

These are things I wish I had known before I started streaming.

However, like anything, take them with a pinch of salt - what works for one person might not work for you, but if you can at least follow the advice I give you, it might just give you a little head start.

Start as a Viewer

Streaming isn’t easy. It’s important you understand that before you even begin to start. You will have to put in work to grow a community.

The best way to learn how to stream is to integrate yourself into a community. Don’t spend all your time watching big streamers; find small communities and get involved. This will not only get you some name recognition, but it will also help you learn how to interact online with other people. Even as an English speaker myself, there is still a large proportion of people who are not native English speakers within the communities I am a part of. This can make it hard to communicate, and you will need to learn how to do this.

It will also give you an idea of what is out there and the things you want or don’t want to do as part of your own stream. If you know what you like as a viewer, you can better understand what your viewers will want when you begin streaming.

Stream within your budget

Having a good setup is important, however, it’s more important to stick to a budget. You don’t want to spend all that money to realize that streaming isn’t for you.

There are plenty of things you can do to make cheap equipment work. For example, you can use your phone as a webcam, or use a cheap microphone with filters to help clean it up, in free software like OBS.

There are plenty of resources out there to help you get started without spending a lot of money. It’s also worth noting that many of the free software options that are available, and that can be a good starting point. Many bots/tools are free, and many of the OBS plugins are also free, so don’t go out there spending money on things you don’t need like StreamLabs or XSplit.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

It’s important to remember that you are not the only person on the platform, and there are plenty of places you can get help, the resources page is one of them. Many communities will give you the support you need to help you get started. You obviously have to be open to such advice, but you will be surprised how many people are willing to help.

They might help you with your audio, your delivery, or just general support for programs such as Streamer.bot or OBS. It’s important though to ask—whichever cliché you prefer: “The only stupid question is the one not asked”, or “Ask a question, fool for a moment; don’t ask a question, fool for life.” Either way, ask, because nobody wants to struggle. Just make sure you say thank you at least.

Don’t have too many rules

I know this sounds a bit counterintuitive, but hear me out. You want to have rules in place to help keep your community safe, but you also don’t want to have rules that are so strict that they make people feel like they can’t be themselves. You want to find a nice balance to create a space where people can be themselves and everyone feels comfortable.

I would recommend having a basic 5-rule set in place when you first start, but this should be something you change as you grow. This will allow your community to naturally grow and evolve while staying safe.

As an example, you could have something like this:

In fairness, in my own stream, my rules are a bit different because I very rarely game, and I offer streamer support, so people will talk about their own streams frequently. Personally, I have zero issue with self-promotion. I do believe being able to discuss streams allows everyone to grow.

Here are my rules:

🛑 Stream Rules 🛑

  • Freedom with Boundaries: Talk about almost anything, but no hate speech, discrimination, or being a dick.
  • Respect My Coding Style: I code my way for a reason—either it’s what I know or what works for me. Suggestions are fine, but don’t preach.
  • Chill with Self-Promo: Feel free to mention your stream, but no begging for follows or viewers.
  • Rule Breakers = Ban: Break the rules and you’ll be banned. However, you’ll get a fair hearing if you choose to appeal.
  • Have a Laugh, Be Cool: We’re here to have fun. Don’t ruin the vibe.

✅ Keep it relaxed. 💬 Keep it real. 🎉 Keep it fun.

This rule set matches the stream I would like to deliver. You will need to find your own, but going too hard too quick will limit growth.

Have No Expectations

I think it goes without saying, when you start streaming it has to be a hobby.

If you go in with the intention to be the next big thing, the likelihood is you will be disappointed. I am not trying to tell you not to strive for a goal, but you have to be realistic when you first start. Most will tell you that even being partner now feels like an unrealistic goal, myself included.

However, in my just under 5 years on the platform, I have seen too many people say they are going to do X, Y, and Z. Then after 9 months, they give in because they are not where they want to be. I’ve even seen this happen with people who have a concurrent viewership of around 25…

That sounds crazy to me. Like I said, I will have been doing this 5 years in September, and I am not even around 10 average viewership. That could be for many reasons. In that time I’ve struggled to stick to a schedule, and now my content is a little niche, but we can explore those reasons another time.

My point is: “It is what it is.” I stream and do this stuff as a hobby. For me, it’s about the fun. That is where you need to start. Once you start growing, then set yourself targets and develop your own path to Partner, Full-Time Streaming, or whatever you want to achieve.

Final Thoughts

Streaming is fun, but go into it with an open mind.

If it’s not for you, then that’s okay. You can just enjoy hanging around communities and become a big part of those communities just by being a viewer.

However, if you do decide to give it a go, educate yourself and take it slowly. If you are lucky, you will enjoy it no matter how big or how small you are. The journey of meeting some awesome people along the way is what makes streaming so beautiful. So go forth, create content, and most importantly, have fun!