Published: 2023-11-29
Written by: Jessica Wilkins
4 min read
Learning how to network the healthy way can lead to a lot of opportunities. But how can you do that on Twitch?
In this post, I will talk about how I network on Twitch and how you can do it too.
Twitch is a streaming platform where people can stream themselves playing games, coding, cooking, or anything else they want to share with the world. During the live stream, you can chat with the streamer and other viewers and subscribe to their account if you wish.
A lot of programmers will use it to conduct interviews with other programmers or to stream their coding. Some companies will have their developer relations team stream on Twitch to talk about their products.
There are thousands of Twitch streamers that range from people just getting started in programming to veterans with 20+ years of experience. Some of the more popular streamers have thousands of followers and hundreds of people watching their streams at any given time.
But most tech steamers will only have a few dozen people watching their stream at any given time. This makes it easier to get to know the streamer and other viewers.
A great way to start connecting with people is to start watching programming streams and commenting in the chat. So what are some things you can chat about?
You can ask questions about the code they are writing or about the tools they are using. If they are talking about a topic you are interested in, you can ask them to share links to articles or videos they are referencing.
It is okay if the streamer doesn’t respond right away because they are probably juggling a lot of things on the stream. But sometimes, other viewers will have answers to your questions and join in on the conversation.
Also, if someone has a question that you know the answer to, feel free to answer it. This is a great way to show your expertise and help others.
I was just in a stream a few minutes ago and we were sharing links to articles they were mentioning and talking with each other in the chat. A few developers even exchanged contact information so they could continue the conversation later.
My advice would be to start with smaller Twitch stream accounts where you enjoy their content. Start to get to know their schedule and start showing up regularly in the chat. This will help you get to know the streamer and other viewers.
You will also start to see the same viewers show up in the chat. Over time, you will be able to start building relationships with them and continue the conversations outside of Twitch.
This option requires you to have a Twitch account and be committed to streaming regularly. But if you are up for the challenge, this is a great way to network with other developers.
Pick topics that you are passionate about and start streaming. You can stream yourself coding, talking about a topic, or interviewing other developers.
Share your stream on social media and invite your network to join you. You can also share your stream in other Twitch chats if the streamer allows it.
It will probably take a while to build up your audience, but if you are consistent, you will start to see people show up regularly. Make sure to focus on truly engaging and authentic content and not just trying to get more followers. That is going to be the best way to build your audience.
If you are interested in getting started, then I would suggest reading through an intro article or watching a YouTube video on how to get started. There are dozens of great resources showing you the ropes from those who have been doing it for years.
I have found all of my programming streams through Twitter. Someone from my network will share a stream they are doing or someone else’s stream that they are watching. I will usually hop in there and see if I like the content.
Then I will follow the streamer and add their schedule to my calendar. I will also retweet their stream so my network can see it too.
There are many different ways you can grow your tech network and Twitch is just one of them. I have found it to be a great way to connect with other developers and learn new things. 😀