In January 2016, Kate Stark made a New Year's decision: to create more. For most, these words sound too vague. But Kate, who studied theater, before leaving university after her first year, was stuck at work as a bartender. Therefore, she wanted to feel more satisfied.
Streamers is the best profession
Already in 2018, the girl celebrated the two-year anniversary of becoming a Twitch partner, where she worked full time. And she was not even included in the list of 1000 best streamers at that time.
What is her key to success besides her charming appearance? Diversification. Kate masterfully uses available sources of income to guarantee payment of her bills and do what she likes: communicate with people who like her and who like her. Stark dispelled all myths about streamers, saying that their activities really matter.
How to Become a Twitch Regular Partner
When Kate launched her first broadcast, she had 10 viewers. This is more than most beginner streamers. Up to this point, she already had several YouTube subscribers who joined her on Twitch. Some of them listen to her to this day. The girl had no secret tricks that she could share when it comes to expanding your audience. Kate, however, described which actions, in her opinion, are most important in achieving success.
How Kate moved from working as a bartender to streams
At first, the girl did not know whether this activity would be anything more than a simple creative move. When the audience on her channel increased, she realized that she could work as a bartender for fewer hours, so that more time remained on the broadcast. When the stream brought a certain income equivalent to her salary for a shift in the bar, Kate reduced working hours and sat at the computer longer. The girl used this method until then, until she became a permanent partner of Twitch in September 2016.
“Switching to live streaming was the best decision I've ever made. Having made my choice, I went to Twitchcon in San Diego for four days. I made the first deal as a streamer. That would be what I wanted to do. Since then, I have been working this way every day and, frankly, I wouldn’t exchange it for anything, ”Kate said.
The girl liked meeting other streamers at the congress. Listening to their stories and finding out what their life is like, Kate realized that she needed to continue to communicate with the audience and maintain a good relationship with her.
How the streamer spends time
In fact, Kate does not go on a long vacation. Sometimes she goes on trips, for example, on an excursion to Disneyland or a three-week walk in Scotland.
“I uploaded the video every day,” Stark admitted.
She uploaded as many vlogs to the channel as she spent days on the trip. Despite this, the girl managed to lose about a third of her audience.
Subscriptions on Twitch can fluctuate greatly due to the fact that it does not automatically renew for free. When you do not release a broadcast every day, people forget to extend it. You have to put up with the fact that you will lose subscribers if you just want to take a break from streams for at least one day.
Instead of focusing on bad news, Kate focuses on things that she can control. For example, the distribution of time every day.
“I think people don’t understand that when I sit in front of the camera, play games, this is a small part of my work.People don’t see what happens behind the scenes, ”Kate admitted. “They don’t see me giving such interviews.” Few people know that I need to catch the broadcast to another streamer. They don’t know about meetings, sponsorships and emails - that’s all I’m working on throughout the day. ”
Every week, the girl spends time answering emails, contacting a business manager about sponsored content, and discussing the necessary moments with her community and beyond. This is not counting communication with other streamers, maintaining relevance in social networks and the correct distribution of the load so as not to damage mental health.
Kate's Sources of Income
The girl claims that relying on only one Twitch subscription is incorrect, because the income from this can vary greatly, which means she will need to spend more time at the computer, talking with viewers. Therefore, the girl uses several sources of income:
- Twitch Subscriptions. This is an easy way to make money by broadcasting live. However, this does not guarantee stable income growth. Kate found that her audience decreased by several hundred people while she was at half-time. In the end, the cost may be more than profit.
- Patreon. This platform allows Stark to sell his own creations to fans.
- Sponsorship. Kate has a business manager who contracts with companies who want the girl to broadcast games. They offer her opportunities based on her interests. Kate may agree with them or refuse if he considers it necessary.
- Remuneration from the audience. Another source of income for Kate are rewards from her viewers. People who watch her broadcast can donate any amount of money to her.
- Affiliate offers. Sometimes a girl can recommend goods that she herself has tested and considers good to her subscribers. If someone buys a product by clicking on her link, then she receives a small percentage of the sale.
What does Kate do on Patreon
The girl does what her fans like: handwritten postcards, exclusive Discord channels, new music on Mondays and games.
“I'm a big fan of handwritten mail,” Kate admitted. “But I rarely get it.” When they send me something similar, I rejoice, like a little child. Now people are used to receiving e-mail. When they see a bright, cheerful postcard with good wishes, their day becomes better. ”
Stark writes postcards for his fans for $ 25 or $ 50 a month. Her idea was taken positively. According to her, the cost of sending postcards sometimes reaches $ 120 per month, but this is not so much to thank the most devoted fans.