Streaming and web design are two different disciplines that people don’t necessarily identify together. Yet, undeniably, both are greatly intertwined.
A streaming platform, no matter how well designed, is nothing without actual streamers creating the content and attracting loyal viewers. While streamers, no matter how talented, can’t attract audiences without having a well designed platform to onboard them.
From the relationship between these two different but related fields above, it is clear to see that there are quite a few benefits that can be enjoyed when one is sound in both areas.
Now by this, we don’t mean that every streamer should be a great web designer. What we’re saying is that a little knowledge of web design goes a long way in helping streamers give better experiences for their viewers, while appearing a lot more unique and appealing in the process.
All of this tends lead to a highly successful streaming career, which, after all, is whatever streamer desires.
3 Key Web Design Tricks for Streamers
Luckily, for streamers to maximize the benefits web design has to offer, they don’t have to know every single thing about the field. A few tips and tricks here and there can go a long way in helping streamers achieve the ultimate objective – which is to stand out, be more attractive, and give their viewers a unique experience that they won’t be able to forget for a while.
Below are some of the simple but efficient web design tricks that every streamer should know. A bulk of it is for twitch streamers, but we give examples for other platforms too where they apply.
– Screen Customization
Screen customization is one of the most popular kinds of customizations for streamers. If you have ever come across a streamer with screen customizations, but you have no idea how they did it, you’re in the right place.
First of all, there are a few different kinds of “screen” customization. The first one is customizing the frame that appears around your screen while streaming, while the second is customizing the actual screen where your webcam live images are shown.
Customizing the latter is usually advantageous when you happen to not be streaming, for whatever reason. You can set it so that, whenever you’re away, in place of your broadcast the screen is customized to display other options.
This helps keep your users’ attention, and holds it until you’re available again.
Other screen customizations for streamers include specifying the frame aspect ratio, and whether or not your broadcast is animated or static.
All of these can go a long way in helping you appear more appealing and even more professional to your audience, but of course you must be careful to not over do it.
Whether you’re customizing the screen, frame, or animation, the goal is to add enough to be unique but not too much to appear overzealous.
How to Customize Your Streaming Screen
First of all, to choose your webcam frames, you’ll have to create a source image or webcam graphics. Creating your webcam frame graphics should be super easy for those who are already familiar with basic graphics design.
Even for those who are not, getting ready-made templates and making necessary tweaks should be quite easy. Once this is done, all you have to do is find the section that says “source box” in settings, click the plus (+) sign, and add your new source image.
Again, this can be an animated display or static, it is all up to you. Static frames are better for regular streams, while animated frames may be more appropriate for highly energetic ones.
– Streaming Profile Customization
Lots of streaming platforms give streamers the ability to customize their profiles because they know just how important this simple process can be. They’re so important, in fact, that streamers who fail to take advantage are automatically putting themselves at a strong disadvantage.
Profile customization allows you to beautify your profile page by adding attractive design elements, breaking down key information into panels and elegant sections, and telling your visitors exactly what you have to offer – in a way that isn’t boring and bland.
On some platforms, streamers can also use the opportunity afforded by profile customization to upsell new products to their viewers. You can also use them to redirect new followers to your personal website, social media platforms, and pretty much anywhere on the internet that you want them to visit.
How to Customize Streaming Profile
Luckily customizing a streaming profile is quite easy. For streamers on Twitch, profiles are usually customized using panels.
Panels are quite straightforward in conception, but streamers have gotten really creative in making wonderful designs with them. To embed your panels, all you have to do is go to your “About” tab, click “Edit Panels”, and upload your panel file in PNG.
This step is pretty much universal for all streaming platforms. You design a handful of graphics design sections using visual elements, go to your About page, and upload your appropriate image. Some platforms like Chaturbate, the adult streaming website, only accepts HTML links to your design.
Luckily, there are helpful websites like Designurbate where you can easily get design template files, customize them to reflect your details, upload to generate your HTML link, and export to your profile in no time at all.
– Notifications & Overlay Customizations
Stream alerts are important visual elements during any streaming session. Alerts appear whenever users interact with your stream, or when you gain subscribers, followers, donations etc.
You can also make use of an event overlay, which is a board where certain information like your most loyal supporters are listed.
Some of the biggest streamers around make use of them, and the new ones are taking note too. In fact, if you’re a new streamer just starting out, an event overlay customization like this may be one of the things you need to stand out fast.
Apart from being visually unique and attractive, it also appeals to fans and audiences, because who wouldn’t like to see their name displayed in a stream. It shows them how much you appreciate their support, and incentivizes them to do even more down the line.
How to Customize Notifications & Overlays
To get started with alert customizations for Twitch, you will want to go with the One-Click Setup on StreamLabs or StreamElements. All you have to do is download appropriate design files for your new alert, select your streaming software, copy the browser source URL when you’re done, add a new source on your streaming software, and under the “browse source” option, paste your copied URL.
– Web Design Tricks for Streamers in a Nutshell
As we’ve seen above, you don’t necessarily have to be a web design guru to make necessary tweaks to your streaming appearances.
Even without any prior knowledge of web design, you can follow the steps we’ve highlighted above to beautify your in-stream notifications and overlays. What’s more you can also make your profile appear a lot more beautiful, and use it to pass across important information and upsell items to your followers.
Lastly, using the tip above, you can customize your screens, by not just adding frames around the edges of your broadcast display, but even customizing the screen itself to display other things when you’re away.
Putting all of these to use can be all you need to impress your existing viewers, make them more loyal, and gain tons of new ones in the process.
