Definitely yes! It does.
It is difficult to give universal advice that will help everyone. But some things, after all, we can recommend.
Just as the choice of the retail store location is a key decision for business success, the timing of the stream is key to the growth of the streamer's popularity.
Let's delve into the theory a little, analytics, and hypothesize about when it's the best time to stream. Perhaps we can find periods of time when the number of viewers far exceeds the number of streamers.
Turning to Twitch's peak viewing time statistics, you should calculate two key values:
- What is the peak viewing time?
- How does peak viewing time relate to the number of streamers broadcasts?
Let's delve into the data. Let's use an independent statistics service: https://twitchtracker.com/
Activity graph of streamers and viewers
This graph shows the ratio of peak views (green graph) to streamers (blue graph).
According to this graph, the lowest number of views is at 3:00 AM. About an hour later (i.e., 4:00 AM) is the lowest number of active streamers.
The peak viewing time for Twitch's core audience is at 4:00 PM. The audience is just at the peak of its activity.
Also, the number of streamers on this graph begins to gradually increase, and if you analyze the graph of streamers and views more closely, you can make two conclusions.
The most competitive period, when the number of streamers remains stable or continues to grow with falling viewer volume, lasts on average from 4:00 PM to 2:00 AM.
An interesting period when the number of viewers grows faster than the number of streamers! And it falls at the time from 5:00 AM to 10:00 AM. That is, according to our hypothesis, streamers who start their broadcasts in this period can hypothetically get more potential viewers than at a later time.
After 10:00 AM, more and more streamers compete for fewer viewers.
However, this theory is based on overall Twitch stats. It does not take into account important factors such as:
· The language of the audience you are streaming to;
· The games (content) you want to stream;
· Without taking into the content your competitors make.
It's important to consider what content your competitors or top streamers in the category you're streaming are doing. For example, when there is a major Dota 2 tournament, 70% of that game's audience will flock to the channels that broadcast the tournament. If you run your "Dota streaming with friends" at the same time, you're likely to be without the lion's share of viewers on that day.
Also, if your category has big streamers with huge online viewership, try scheduling the stream so that it starts near the end of their broadcast. When the big streamer finishes broadcasting, some of his viewers will start to flow to other channels in the category. This is where you get them. In theory.
Consider the peak hours for the games you play
Different games have different peak hours. Some games are for younger or older viewers. Other games are more popular in different countries. Keep this in mind when planning your streaming schedule.
Let's summarize all the above:
· Study your statistics, don't be lazy. There is a lot of useful information there that you will definitely need to determine the peak of viewer growth.
· Follow the top streamers in your game category. When a big streamer broadcasts in your game category, it moves the game higher in the catalog. And the higher the game, the more chances you have those new viewers will check the streaming list view tab.
· Make a game schedule for yourself, post it on your social networks, and follow it. It's a discipline for you, and your regular viewers will get in the habit of being directed towards your streams.
