how to become a successful streamer

How Hard Is It To Become A Streamer? (A Successful One)

By:Lorenzo |Updated: May 17, 2021

Streamers are some of the most popular people on the planet.

They can make a living by entertaining their audience and playing games that they enjoy.

But how hard is it to become a streamer?

This article will break down all of the steps you need to take to become one.

We'll discuss what you need, how much money it costs, where your audience comes from, and more!

TL;DR: How Hard Is It To Become A Streamer?

To become a streamer, it's extremely easy.

Simply set up your stream using OBS, set up your phone as a face cam, and start streaming.

However, to become a successful streamer is a different story.

There are many strategies you have to implement to grow your following successfully.

Many of these strategies are outlined in our beginner's guide on how to become a streamer.

So exactly how hard is it to become a streamer?

Getting into streaming is straightforward, but to make a living off streaming you need to build your channel right. If you stick to a schedule, market yourself well, interact with your community often, you can grow your stream within a couple of years.

That's right, years.

You are essentially building your own personal brand on a platform, so just like any business - you need to put in the work.

What Do I Need To Become A Streamer?

How hard is it to become a streamer?

Setting up your stream isn't hard, you just need the right equipment.

You can see our guide on the best streamer gear and see what popular streamers are using nowadays for a high-quality stream.

To start a stream, you will need these essentials:

A computer - This is where you'll do all of your streaming from. Your computer needs to have enough power for the games that you want to play on stream, and run multiple different software at the same time too.
The best internet connection possible - You need a strong connection to show what's happening on-screen without any lag or buffering issues occurring.
An upholstered chair or something similar to sit in while doing streams - This will help prevent back pain over time because sitting hunched over a desk isn't healthy!
A webcam - This is what you'll use to show your face on stream, and it's also helpful if you want to do interviews with other people during a stream as well! You can use your smartphone or an actual webcam for this.
Headphones or earbuds - This will help sound quality for the viewers since their speakers won't have any background noise coming through at all.
Accessories like mic stands, blue screens, green screens, etc - Are used to promote an interesting experience for the viewer while still having a professional focus of attention on yourself. These can be found easily online!

If you game a lot, you will most likely have most, if not all of these things.

When starting, you won't be needing amazing gear.

Rather, stick with what you have for now and as you grow you can upgrade your setup.

Also remember, you need the right streaming software.

The streaming software I recommend is OBS (Open Broadcaster Software).

There are a couple of others out there but OBS is what I've seen to be the most popular.

How Long It Will Take To Become A Successful Streamer?

It all depends on how much time you put into it and if you have the right mindset.

Depending on your personal situation, it could take anywhere from a few weeks to about two years.

However, this is just an estimation based on someone with no background in video editing or production whatsoever.

If you plan to get more serious about streaming you will need to start syndicating your content into other platforms.

That includes creating a compilation of shorter clips and editing them, then uploading it on YouTube and other social media platforms.

Like I said earlier, this is essentially a business, so you will need to go through a learning curve and teach yourself a few skills.

These skills will include:

Streaming consistently, on a schedule
Syndicating your clips onto other platforms
Learning how to build a personal brand
Interacting with your viewers mid-stream
Learning how to monetize well
Learning how to brand
Learning how to edit clips and videos

And that's just to name a few, the list goes on as you grow and expand your brand.

What's great about this is that you can use these skills to start a new career in the future.

There is a rise in people creating their own content from home, hiring out people online, so if you decide that streaming isn't for you, maybe another career path is.

What Are The Chances Of Becoming A Successful Streamer?

The chances of becoming a successful streamer are slim.

There is no way to know how your content will be received, and there is also the possibility that you'll have to make changes to grow an audience.

I've seen streams where people uploaded their own music or had friends on as guests - all things that were not part of their initial plan for success, but can help you gain traction at the start.

According to a study done by Stream Edge Analytics, more than 95% of streamers will fail to become successful on the platform.

They had used a small sample size of 100, and tracked their progress, here were the results:

Group A (43% of streamers) continued streaming with the same results.
Group B (54%) has stopped streaming altogether.
Group C (Only 2 streamers) has nearly 20% growth in average viewers.
Group D (Only 1 streamer) had more than 25% growth in average viewers.

So ask yourself, will you be in Group A or B, or are you willing to do what it takes to be in Group C or D.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Money Does A Streamer Make?

This is a hard question to ask since there are many variables to be considered when it comes to someone's net income.

The amount of income you can generate from streaming can be determined by the number of subscribers you have, and the number of views you can daily.

If you want to get some ballpark figures, you can check out our guide on the average twitch streamer's salary.

Is Becoming A Streamer Worth It?

If you are willing to dedicate time and effort to streaming, then it is worth the investment.

You have to treat streaming like it's a business, not just a hobby.

In reality, building a business from the ground up is hard, and there is a massive learning curve you have to go through.

But if you enjoy what you're doing, and are willing to put in months or even years to achieve it, then yes - it's definitely worth it.

How To Become A Streamer On PC?

To stream on PC you need a computer that can handle multitasking, I would recommend getting the following:

CPU: Ryzen 5 3600 / Intel i5-9600K Or Higher - Allows your computer to run fast and efficiently.
GPU: GTX 1660Ti Or Higher - Allows you to play your games at a high frame rate.
RAM: 16GB Or Higher (Corsair Vengeance Is A Great Option) - Allows you to run multiple software without lag.
Monitor: 120Hz Or Higher (Acer KG241Q Is Recommended) - Allows you to play games with minimal input lag.

Then you just need to download OBS, set up your stream and you're good to go.

Conclusion

If you want to start streaming but don't know where to get started, we have everything you need.

We dove into what equipment is necessary for streamers and how much time it will take before becoming a successful streamer.

Keep in mind that the amount of time varies from person to person. The most important thing is that if you are committed to growing your channel.

If you have started your stream, be sure to link in the comments your stream so we can give you a follow!

If you've gotten some value out of this article, feel free to come back to it, and share it with your friends.

Happy streaming!