With a live platform like Twitch, things will go wrong at one point or another. If you are streaming consistently, you can expect multiple hiccups in a stream. However, these mess-ups can sometimes lead to some hilarious moments. Having a few Twitch fails throughout your career on Twitch isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Twitch fails can be a positive thing for your channel and increase audience engagement, which will lead to increased loyalty and subscriber counts. While it might seem counterintuitive sharing fails on your stream with your audience, it could help your channel.
What is a Twitch fail?
First, let’s take a look at what would be considered a Twitch fail. Twitch fails are failures captured on stream. Most of the time, they are funny and at the expense of the streamer. A classic example of a Twitch fail would be a group of moderators at a live Twitch gaming event, and they’re unaware the camera cuts to them. They then proceed to stare blankly and awkwardly at the camera for several seconds. This isn’t the only kind of Twitch fails; countless clips serve as fails. Essentially, anything that doesn’t go according to plan is viewed as a Twitch fail.
Many Twitch fails happen in game, like a streamer getting killed because of a distracting donation or losing an essential item because their chat gave them bad advice. However, Twitch fails often happen outside of games as well. Streamers have countless times read off donations from users with names that make Bart Simpson’s prank calls seem amateurish. Then some streamers make mistakes like falling when dancing, dropping their food or having an awkward conversation off stream.
Why would sharing your Twitch fails be a good thing?
Now, you might be wondering why in the world would you want to bring attention to your fails on stream. You are also probably thinking the embarrassment would end up hurting your channel because it makes you look unprofessional; however, in most cases, that isn’t the truth. At the end of the day, people consume content on Twitch, and any other similar platform, for entertainment. Granted, your Twitch fails are likely funny and will get people laughing. By embracing the fact that you are human and can have a laugh at yourself, it will create a fun environment that people want to be a part of.
Now, we aren’t saying that you need to share all of your embarrassing moments. If the clip and the reactions to it make you feel bad or uncomfortable, you shouldn’t force yourself to share it to make your audience laugh. However, if you think that you can have a good laugh with your audience about the moment, then share it.
The more fun you have with your audience, the more engaged and willing to keep tune in your audience will be. However, that’s not the only benefit you can get from sharing your Twitch fails. Often, Twitch fails spread across multiple platforms, and people who weren’t aware of your stream will become aware after seeing the clip. If the clip makes them laugh, they might even check out your stream and become a loyal viewer.
Who has benefited from sharing their Twitch fails?
Ludwig, a fast-rising Twitch star that’s easily amassing 10k+ viewers per stream, started to gain popularity after streaming Pogostuck: Rage with your Friends. Many consider the game one of the hardest games in the world. Throughout the game, there are numerous sections that send the player back to the beginning of the game, resulting in some heartbreaking yet hilarious moments. Ludwig, though, had a unique instance where the game glitched as he paused. The glitch resulted in his character starting back at the beginning of the game as he screamed in utter horror. This clip is his most viewed clip on Twitch and YouTube, resulting in him getting massive exposure on both platforms.
Another streamer that used one of his fails to boost his audience’s engagement is professional gamer Hungrybox. On stream, he took the time to show off a pizza he just got. As he was tilting it to show the camera, the pizza slid out of the box and onto the floor. Embarrassed and shocked, Hungrybox walked off-stream. He later reshared the clip and encouraged his audience to make memes about the incident. This resulted in higher engagement on his social platforms.
Leave certain streams in the past
Now, as we mentioned before, there are times when you shouldn’t be sharing fails. If the fail results in you feeling bullied or made fun of, you shouldn’t share it. You shouldn’t put yourself through negativity for views. You need to be comfortable with sharing the clip first and foremost. Second, if the clip is offensive or goes against Twitch’s policies, it’s best to leave that one in the past. People make mistakes on live streams and sometimes say things inappropriate or hurtful in the moment. Also, any clip that paints you in a bad light when taken out of context shouldn’t be shared.
Using laughter to increase success
No matter how hard you try, there will always be hiccups in a stream. The best way to handle this fact is not to take yourself and your stream too seriously and to laugh with your audience. It will create a funny environment where people can feel relaxed. It also gives them a more emotional connection because they’ve had a moment where they’ve laughed with you, not at you. Fails come with the job of being a streamer; that’s a given. How you react to them is up to you.