Blogging has become a very saturated market, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t space for you to become a success – especially if you are a gamer. The gaming industry is thriving, and to be a part of it can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience. How do you start a gaming blog and become a streamer, though?

Get your setup and social media profiles sorted

All gamers need a setup that will withstand the games they play and the right technology that’ll help them stream seamlessly. Having the right hardware will improve the quality of your content and make your streams much more enjoyable to watch.

You can stream from a variety of platforms; choose between a gaming PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One or Nintendo Switch. Being a gamer probably means you have some of these consoles already.

Being an entry-level streamer means you should have a budget and stick to it. You may want to purchase the most expensive equipment, but if your stream fails to pick up, your money will have been invested poorly. Start by purchasing a microphone and webcam and some good lights like a ring light from Amazon.

This can be expensive, and as you progress and become mid-level or even a professional streamer, you may need help bridging the gap when it comes to updating your equipment. Contacting Cash Lady for information on how you can be accepted for one of their payday loans is a great way to buy new equipment that will help you bring a return on your investment.

When you become more known in the community, some of the best equipment to invest in is an Elgato Key Light Pro Game Streaming LED Panel Studio Light, an Elgato Stream Deck, and a high end, standalone microphone that has an anti-vibration stand for improved audio quality.

Once your setup is complete, you will need to have a few platforms to promote yourself. Twitter is the best means of getting noticed, and the gaming community is huge here. Engage with peers, retweet other streams and join the conversation. By making connections through Twitter, they will tune into your streams, promote them, and become an ambassador.

You will also want to invest in an Instagram, a Facebook page, and also have a YouTube and Twitch channel – the last two being where you will stream your videos from and link your Twitter to when you are live.

Build a website and update it frequently

Having your own website for you to upload regular and relevant content is a great way to gain traction and increase your popularity. Your blog can feature upcoming releases, reviews, but also updates on your gaming life. For example, have you attended any gaming events like Insomnia or CDL?

If you want to know how to create a profitable blog, you can always read the following guide.

Be unique but have a niche

There is room for a lot of originality when it comes to blogging and the gaming community. Firstly, you will want to think of a unique gaming name, as this will become a persona of sorts. Play around with your given name and see whether you can make it somewhat relatable to the content you will be creating. Your persona will need to be consistent across all your channels so make sure it is one that you believe in and can work with well.

Being unique doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stick to a niche, however. Having a niche means you will appeal to a section of fans – for example, if you love Pokémon and want to stream you playing the latest games, this should be stuck to. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t produce other content, but the majority of your streaming should be relatable to Pokémon.

Head to the Business Insider for information on the biggest and most popular channels on Twitch. By doing so, you can see what they are doing right.