Is Just Chatting Good for Small Streamers? + 11 Helpful Tips on How to do a Just Chatting stream

Just Chatting is undoubtedly the most viewed category on Twitch. It is the comfortable sweet spot on Twitch where you can find people streaming anything and everything.

If you see stats around the viewership for Just Chatting, it has taken the #1 spot among all categories on Twitch during the pandemic. In any given month, the viewership of Just Chatting ranges from 300k to 400k. No doubt, every new or small streamer wants to take a share of that pie.

Graph of Twitch Just Chatting Viewership
Is Just Chatting good for small streamers: The monthly viewership of Twitch Just Chatting is on a growth curve. Source: TwitchTracker

This leads to the million-dollar question, is just chatting good for small streamers?

Is Just Chatting good for small streamers?

Just Chatting category can seem daunting or tough for a small streamer because you need an audience to keep the conversation alive. If you are planning to join the Just Chatting bandwagon, make sure you have a small pool of at least 5 people in your chat or are self-dependent to keep the questions or topics coming regularly.

So to answer the question, is Just Chatting good for small streamers? Well, it is tough and the odds are stacked against you, but there are obviously tips and tricks that you can implement to become successful in this category.

Before we look at the tips and tricks, let’s try to find out just why is Just Chatting tough for small streamers. It will help us to ascertain the roadblocks before jumping into the category.

Why is Just Chatting tough for small streamers?

Here are a few reasons related to why is just chatting tough for small streamers:

  1. High Competition – There are a lot of streamers in the just chatting section, the chances of you getting found on Twitch alone are slim. There are countless dead bodies hidden down the page and nobody wants to scroll so much to find content.
  2. Constant Engagement Needed – Just Chatting section is meant for chatting and if you don’t have enough people to chat with, it can get boring, and not many people will stick around. Usually, a small streamer has fewer viewers hence not much activity, responses, or questions can be expected from them.
  3. Lack of Direction – If you go in unprepared and without a proper topic or content in mind, your viewers might get confused and not know what are you doing there. You have to be specific and also let your viewers know, which is difficult when you are starting out.
  4. Untested Content– Since you have fewer viewers who watch your streams, you do not know very well whether the content you have selected will work or not.

These are some shortfalls you can expect as a small streamer, but now let’s look at whether and how you can grow as a Just Chatting Streamer.

Can you grow as a Just Chatting streamer?

You can definitely grow as a Just Chatting streamer! It is surely one of the most engaging forms of entertainment among all other categories. To do so though, you have to be passionate about the things you are sharing with your community and also be able to communicate properly using your own personality style.

If you are looking for some Just Chatting Ideas to get started then look no further. I have put together a list of cool ideas that you can try in your next stream.

I have also put together a list of 11 helpful tips on how to do a Just Chatting stream. Read below to know more and grow your channel to success.

11 helpful tips on how to do a Just Chatting stream

I have put together a list of 11 helpful tips on how to do a Just Chatting stream. These are some tips you can keep in mind and implement that will also help you grow in this category.

  1. Be aware of current affairs – You have to be aware of what is happening in the community that you are part of, be it games, tech products, politics, travel, or anything. You should be on top of trends or changes that are happening currently. This allows you to share your opinion and respond to any of your audience’s questions.
  2. Imbibe curiosity and eagerness to know more – To be curious is being human. Even if you are not aware of the latest and greatest, you should always show curiosity about things that matter to your community. The best scenario is to stream and quench your curiosity along with your audience. But be smart about which rabbit hole to chase and not get lost in traps and unsuitable things to stream.
  3. Be prepared – Being prepared about a topic is the best thing you can do to your stream. If you are planning to stream and watch YouTube videos together, it is a good idea to gather a list of your favorite videos that you can share with the audience instead of asking directly from them. If you are making a tier list with your audience, it is always good to do the homework and collect the items that you need to place in the tier list.
  1. Listen to your audience – The chat section for a big streamer is faster than an F1 race. But when you are starting out as a small streamer, it is good to connect individually with your audience and give them your sweet-sweet attention. Everybody loves attention and it is a tried and tested technique used by many streamers to grow their channel. So, this tip applies especially to small streamers.
  2. Learn from the best in business but don’t directly copy – This is a no-brainer, but small streamers tend to ignore this or, even worse, directly copy the style of their favorite streamer. When you are learning from the best Just Chatting streamers like xQC, MoistCr1tical, Ludwig, etc., be sure to take note of the cues like attention to the audience, how are they keeping the questions coming, content type, etc. Avoid copying their personality or style of speaking, a unique personality definitely helps in the long run.
  3. Get your own audience – Sometimes trying that extra bit hard to promote your stream goes a long distance. Even before your first stream, dip your toes into a little Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, YouTube, Shorts, Reels, and what not, out there. Gather interest in your content, and use the traction to promote your channel and your next stream. See who turns up and from where. It is a good idea to tell your friends to join in as well. The more the merrier.
  4. Schedule your stream in advance – It is always good to let your audience know what you are streaming and when. It will give your audience a chance to come prepared as well. Sometimes, the best reactions and content come from the chat section.
  1. Your personality matters – Your audience tends to stick around if they like your personality. Take advice from your friends and family and see how you can improve your personality to better connect with your audience. You can even consider taking acting classes to hone the right expressions and make them a part of your personality.
  2. Create your own hook – Hooks are important and can create a lasting impression in your audience’s mind. For example, Ludwig shouts “Boyss” at the start of his stream, PewDiePie has his Brofist, etc. These hooks are generally placed at the start or at the end of the video. Your audience will catch on to it quickly and whenever you say it, they will remember what to expect or how to respond. As a small streamer, it will also help incite and build a community feeling amongst your audience.
  3. Narrate your thoughts – A Just Chatting streamer knows how to keep it engaging throughout the stream. You should be able to speak continously even without cues or material. One way to do that is to narrate whatever you are thinking, this helps the audience to know your thought process and also keeps them engaged. Make sure to have some filters on what you speak as the mind tends to drift constantly.
  4. Avoid long silence while streaming – Don’t get lost in your thoughts and forget to chat with your audience. A new watcher only sticks for 15 seconds on a new stream to check whether it is interesting and worth their time. If you have long gaps and sit in silence, many who would join midstream might find it boring and leave after 15 seconds.

In conclusion

Twitch’s Just Chatting category is here to stay. Chatting and hanging around with your favorite streamer is fast becoming a day-to-day activity. A lot more people are now consuming news and other popular facts through their favorite streamer and want to know their opinion on them.

But as a new streamer, the answer to the question, “is Just Chatting good for small streamers?”, might not be easy on the ears. It is tough in the beginning in this category, but once you start streaming it gets easier, and by following the tips above, Just Chatting might become your new best friend.

Cheers and Happy Streaming!