Though you may be focused on all of the things that come with going live, hitting the “Record” button on Streamlabs Desktop is one step you shouldn’t skip. There are a lot of things you can do with your live stream recording, all of which can help drive traffic to your channel, increase your potential opportunities, and help you become a better streamer. 

Grow Your Following

It can be said that to grow on Twitch, you need to grow off of Twitch. The same is true if you stream on YouTube Live, Facebook Gaming, or Trovo. Though it can seem like a daunting task, the more platforms you share your content on, the better. Take some time to discover which platforms align with you and your brand, whether they be TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, or even a personal blog. Eventually, you can develop a quick system for sharing your VOD footage that works for you.

Share to YouTube

Kill two birds with one stone by uploading your VOD to YouTube so it can live there permanently. YouTube’s sophisticated algorithm will continue to recommend your videos to viewers, potentially building your live stream following over time. Before you go live, think about your stream goals and work up a potential YouTube title that you can use as a baseline to guide your stream. Maybe you’re doing a speedrun or other fun challenge that could make for an intriguing YouTube video. The more you consider what type of YouTube video you want to publish, the smoother your stream will go.

Ideally, you’ll want to share an edited VOD (no YouTube viewer wants to sit through a “Starting Soon” screen or chit-chat that doesn’t relate to the video). Video Editor is a free video editor that works through your browser (no extra software to download) and is super simple to use. Publish directly to YouTube without downloading the edited video to your computer, saving you time and hard drive space. Editing VODs can be time consuming but the end results are definitely worth it.

Pro Tips:

• Record yourself doing an intro and an outro with a call to action to like, subscribe, comment, and follow you on your Twitch/YouTube Live/etc. channel. Reuse these on each VOD to save time.
• Create a hotkey in your Streamlabs Desktop software so you can easily split your recording for easier editing later. You can also add a “clip” and “chapter marker” buttons to a Stream Deck if you have one. 

Share Clips to Instagram, TikTok, YT Shorts, etc.

Clips are great for sharing to your Twitch channel. Not only are they perfect for showcasing fun moments on stream, you can compile them into an intro/”Meet the Streamer” video to show potential viewers what your channel is all about. But are you using your clips to their full potential?

If you don’t regularly share your clips to Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, now is the time to start. You can use Cross Clip, a free tool that lets you edit and format your Twitch clips to portrait-style videos. You can also post behind the scenes content, reminders for your upcoming streams, product reviews, and more. The popularity of short-form content platforms like TikTok and Instagram isn’t going away anytime soon, so the opportunity to build a strong following is definitely there for ambitious streamers. 

Audience Retention

Not all of your viewers have the opportunity to catch you when you’re live. By posting your VODs, you’re making your streams available for your audience to watch whenever they want. Though Twitch keeps VODs for 60 days for Partners, Affiliates can only store VODs for two weeks and other broadcasters have an even shorter window (just seven days!). Even 60 days isn’t long enough, because many viewers love to rewatch their favorite creator’s content months or even years down the line.

Increased Engagement

Though chatting with viewers in real-time is a huge part of your job as a streamer, some people prefer to watch streams at their own pace. Certain viewers like to leave comments after they’ve fully digested the content and can’t fully engage during the limited time of a live stream. Having your VODs available on YouTube with a discussion thread in your own Discord server is a great way to keep the conversation going.

VODs as YouTube videos are also highly shareable, giving your viewers the opportunity to share your content with their friends. YouTube Shorts and TikToks created from your Twitch clips are also perfect for sharing. More eyes on your content means higher potential for followers, subscribers, sponsorships, and more. 

Monetization

Speaking of sponsorships, having a wealth of content to present to brands you’re interested in working with will go a long way. Use data from your channel and various social media platforms to create a media kit, which you can send out upon request. While some brands might be okay with sponsoring your live stream, others will have preferred platforms like YouTube or Instagram where they want to focus their marketing efforts. Recycling your recorded streams as YouTube videos and short-form social media clips allows you to build a robust online presence with minimal time and effort. Furthermore, if you want to explore the lucrative possibilities of UGC (user-generated content), you’ll need an account on a platform like TikTok or Instagram.

Hone Your Skills

While you likely spend a significant amount of time leveling up your gaming skills, how often do you work on your streaming skills? Things like on-screen presence, multitasking capabilities, and simply creating a stream people want to watch are vital to your success as a creator. Watching your recorded VODs from time to time allows you the opportunity to review, reflect, and decide what you need to work on. It can also be interesting (and inspiring) to watch your recordings from past weeks or months to see how you’ve grown as a streamer. Feel free to share your VODs with trusted friends, family members, or other streamers in your network for constructive criticism.   

We hope this article has encouraged you to record your live streams from now on. Remember, your VODs won’t do you much good if you just leave them sitting in a folder on your desktop. Tools like Streamlabs Desktop, Video Editor, and Cross Clip will help you get your content out into the world and into the arms (or…eyes) of viewers who want to see it.