Questions for a new gaming channel!

[pcgamergirl]

I'll just dive right into the questions!

1. Do you think streaming is vital to growth for a gaming channel? I don't stream yet and never really have (though I am set up to do it). Is that something I should definitely be doing, or doesn't it matter?
2. How important is it to just go straight into the gaming and keep introductions VERY short (i.e. like no intro screen, just get right to it with a sentence or two of intro on the gaming itself) and maybe make an outro screen in lieu of an intro one?
3. Should newer channels definitely keep gaming videos under 15 minutes?
4. If the above is the case, should I post more often? I can easily record and edit an hour's worth of gameplay and voiceover in the matter of a couple of hours, but currently I post only once a day, five days a week. I worry that by doing this, by the time I finish posting the gameplay (of the full game), the game will no longer be relevant by the end. For example, I recently finished a series of five video lets plays of the game Perception, which took me a week and a half to post, b/c typically I'll play/post a couple of games a week (but again, only one video a day - so I'll post say Perception MWF and another game on TTh). Today, the ending of the game's video was posted, but by this point, people already seem to have lost interest.

Input would be useful! Thanks!

 

[PopsLetsPlay]

I honestly think if someone wants to watch a game..they want to watch it. 15 minutes flies by so quick in my opinion. I try to post 30 minute videos or, what i'll do is set a goal of what i will accomplish in an episode, and end it when i accomplished that goal.

I'm not sure if streaming is vital for growth for a gaming channel.. i just stay on social media and get myself out there. Even though i am still small, i seem to be steadily growing more week after week.

As far as introductions. YES. i checked my analytics from my earlier videos and people will literally leave in the middle of an into screen LOL. Jump right into that game, don't waste any time! If you want to make an introduction, do it while you are ALREADY PLAYING the game lol

 

[pcgamergirl]

I honestly think if someone wants to watch a game..they want to watch it. 15 minutes flies by so quick in my opinion. I try to post 30 minute videos or, what i'll do is set a goal of what i will accomplish in an episode, and end it when i accomplished that goal.

I'm not sure if streaming is vital for growth for a gaming channel.. i just stay on social media and get myself out there. Even though i am still small, i seem to be steadily growing more week after week.

As far as introductions. YES. i checked my analytics from my earlier videos and people will literally leave in the middle of an into screen LOL. Jump right into that game, don't waste any time! If you want to make an introduction, do it while you are ALREADY PLAYING the game lol

Good to know. I've been toying with the idea of getting rid of my "official intro" all together, and just jumping right into things like so many of the already-established game channels do, so I may try to start doing that with next week's videos and see what happens to my retention rates. Because I've noticed that, like you, people will often drop off my video either before or during my intro (which is 10 seconds long).

 

[Coshi360Gaming]

I'd say the longer the better but try not to go over 40 minutes. Youtube's current #1 factor is total watch time so if you can get people to watch through longer videos it can be good for getting your videos to start ranking and being suggested. As for streaming it isn't vital but Youtube have been putting livestreams on the front page of youtube a lot lately and streams are good for gaining loyal fans. If you do think of streaming I would start out by streaming to both youtube and twitch at the same time using the website Restream.io. If you ever get to the point of becoming a twitch partner though streaming on youtube at the same time will break Twitch's Partner Terms of Service so at that point you would have to choose which platform you want to stream on.

 

[Gaijillionaire]

I can only answer for number 3. Go long. Even if people don't watch to the end, overall watch time is the most important thing. If you stop at 10 or 15 when you could do 30, you're hurting yourself

 

[KatyAdelson]

I moved this to the strategy / technique advice forum. ^_^

 

[pcgamergirl]

Thanks for all the responses, guys! Y'all have given me plenty to think about. I think I will try streaming once a week, maybe on the weekends, and see how that works out for me. Now to find a stream-y game...

 

[Toast Gaming]

Here are my personal opinions on your questions:

1. I do NOT think that streaming is vital for a gaming channel. I don't stream (yet at least) and have been happy with my growth. Sure it could potentially be helpful but I certainly wouldn't say it is a vital component to having a healthy gaming channel.

2. This is more personal preference than anything. A long intro (say 15 seconds or more) isn't going to be very beneficial since many people may not sit through a long intro but something short, around 5-10 seconds or less shouldn't be a problem. Something short and sweet is a good way of showing some initial branding. As for an outro, I think they are beneficial if you use them properly. Use it to the best of your ability to fit in some end screens and remind people to subscribe. While mine is far from perfect, if you watch any of my recent videos and skip to the end you can see how I use it to incorporate those elements.

3. This really depends on your audience as well as the type of games and style of video. Commentaries should usually be less than 15 minutes unless you have a particularly complicated topic to speak of. Gameplay videos I would also keep on the shorter side so that people don't get easily bored, at least until you've grown a larger base that you know will sit through most of them. Attention spans on YouTube are small. A shorter but more entertaining video is going to be more beneficial to keep your audience engaged than a longer but more mundane one.

4. This depends on a lot of factors. More frequent uploads isn't always a good thing - it can go either way. I personally upload 2 videos per week which works well for my audience. It is a sustainable schedule for me and allows my audience to know when they should expect to see new content. I could probably get more views with more videos, but my quality would suffer.

Ultimately there are a lot of variables and all gaming channels are different. They key is finding the right balance for you and your audience. Hope this helps!