Chapter 5: The Importance of Channel Panels

Panels are one of the most important aspects of a livestreaming channel.

Take into concept that your streams themselves are the doorway into your home when you're live.

And like a home, when a new guest comes in they can tell a lot about you based on how you decorate the place.

So lets start this chapter off with what's most likely that a very new streamer will do, given the amount of times I've stopped by one's chat to see their content.

Keeping all the boxes packed after moving in.

Like irl, it can be very understandable when one has first moved into a new house.

Getting adjusted, finding time to unpack, maybe you want to get your utilities up and going before you fully get things put where they need to go (example here being learning OBS and your other streaming essentials as stated in part 1).

Again, understandable.

But eventually? Guests could take those boxes being packed still as a sign of laziness.

The same applies here and you of course don't want to keep it that way longer than necessary.

A blank channel= lots of still packed boxes, and its more common than one might think for channels who have some awesome content and personality to get avoided because they honestly didn't have the channel set up with info. It's something seemingly so minor, yet also one of the most destructive things an aspiring stream can do to their channel.

This could be due to possibly going the route of waiting for someone to ask about them while live, which while plausible in regards to a more intimate approach (not that way, get your mind out of the gutter) it can turn viewers away before they even give the stream a chance.

Even worse, some streamers don't bother setting up panels because they don't care about their viewers getting to know them nor getting to know their viewers. They just want the follows.

You won't always be live and in those times? Vods aside, which your viewers would still have to spend extended amounts of time watching to learn about you? They have to rely on the info on your channel to gauge if you're someone they should take interest in watching.

You can throw out great content and leave it open to viewers to ask you questions when you're live, but that is best saved for Q&A streams aforementioned in part 2 compared to your viewers having info quickly available without having to ask for it.

Irl, someone may be skeptical about entering a house without knowing anything about someone. That applies here and this is made even more important if you don't have a webcam or even a mic starting off.

If your viewers are seeing a empty channel with no facecam and just your voice (or a lack of that as well) then you have to change that.

Not every streamer (especially those starting out) will be the Picasso of panel posting and I know from experience. My first night on Twitch in 2016? All I had on my profile was a selfie to show what I looked like with some text about a few games I played, my height, and my dog.

On Mixer? It took me a while to figure out the panel system on there, so I just posted a few lines of text and a link to my Twitter at first. I eventually learned to make my own panels which I admit are mostly basic, though not as bad as they used to be. I like them and they serve their purpose.

Now bear in mind that just because I said I made my own panels, that doesn't mean that creating your own is the only option. If anything you have several.

First off, you can take advantage of your particular streaming site's function for typing text on your channel. It's a very minimalist approach but having something on your profile to build off of over time is better than nothing.

Though when I say something? I mean something of substance.

Some channels may think that posting 'I like tacos' or even a single cuss word and leaving it at that is funny, and I kid you not when I say I've seen some channels with 'bios' like such.

And some of those same channels also are also the type to take out their frustrations on other streamers who they think are 'stealing their viewers' because no one is watching them.

So while you may like Mexican noms, and I myself am a connoisseur of quesadilla/partaker of tacos? I can assure you that unless they may be grabbing you a snack through Treatstream? Your potential viewers don't care about that nor your fluency in f-bombs.

Because just like keeping those boxes packed? People can consider such an approach (And I use the word 'approach' very lightly) lazy and not the showings of a streamer who is taking livestreaming seriously.

Stating your first name, a small list of what you enjoy playing, and what consoles you play on may be minimal in delivery, but is much better than something that gives no firm info on what the viewers are there for aside from your chomping of chimichangas.

A viewer interested in you is going to want to know about you and what games they'll get to watch you play. If you have other types of content such as cooking and drawing you may do? Post that also.

If anything, it may be more than enough for some people even if just a temporary placeholder to start off with until you get further along and either make your own panels or find someone to build them for you. This brings me to your next option.

Fiverr and Nerd or Die (< I suggest bookmarking those links, though I would also suggest such for most other links I have posted so far or will later) are two great examples of sites you can check out for paid commissions and free+paid graphics respectively.

Even though I've made my own artwork, I myself have considered having emotes created through Fiveer at some point, and in regards to Nerd or Die or other free panel sources? Don't feel like it makes your channel generic if you take the freebie route with the same ones that lots of others may use on their page.

If anything, it gives you a chance to put funds towards things you may not have such as a mic/lighting/camera with opportunity to get a commission later.

Panels are important, but so is upgrading your live audio/video as well when you can. Another bonus to the free route is that it gives you a chance to understand how to use panels and overlays as well as know what layouts work for you instead of dropping money on something excess.

Those options aside? Lets say you have artistic skill to where you can make your own channel designs.

I would suggest a small watermark in a discreet spot that 'trademarks' your panels but doesn't draw much attention, because from experience? There are people who'll yoink your panels, which is only made worse if it was a commission.

In regards to the latter? Giving a shoutout to the artist on your profile is suggested as a sign of thanks, but its also is a good idea in the event that the panels show up elsewhere without the permission of you or the artist.

Overall? You paid money and they offered a paid service for exclusive work, so its not fair to either party if someone takes it for free.

A good idea in regards to that is to commission panels that include your own channel branding in a way that functions as a large makeshift watermark (ie. If I had someone make a bio panel for me that included a chibi avatar of me in my mask with my channel name). This makes it impossible for them to use it for themselves without editing the branding out which in itself would ruin the panel.

Speaking on panels? More home furnishing examples.

Well organized, messy, lots of furniture, minimal furnishing.

All of this applies to your stream channel in a similar manner in that it can play a factor in viewership just as having nothing posted can.

There's of course a balance to be found based on what kind of streamer you are and what you want your viewers to know, as well as any partnerships (unlikely starting off, but listing such anyway), teams you're a part of, etc.

A rule of thumb would be that you want your viewers to have info available, easily readable without an overwhelming amount to read, with links to your social media (if any) available as well.

Messy panels all over the place like unconscious thugs after a Netflix Marvel series hallway fight? You don't want that nor too many panels to where your viewers have to keep scrolling and scrolling to read excess information that's irrelevant to a streamer's channel.

Example of excess info? Posting multiple pictures of you and friends or pets is something obviously suited better for Instagram or Facebook. Some streamers however have a second video feed for their cats and dogs so if you want your viewers to see your furbabies? You can take that route at your leisure.

PNG files with a transparent background of proper size and placement with a bit of info about you, your stream setup, schedule, rules, and social media links are the main basis of what to focus on. You upload these directly from your PC to your Twitch channel.

You of course also want to have badges and such for partnerships you may have with referral links clickable on the logo.

An example pulled from my Twitch channel, which was one of my more recent layout's before I left.

This includes clickable panels for my social media, where my viewers could tip me/buy merch from my Redbubble store, as well as my Amazon wishlist (and Amazon Blacksmith extension which showed my PC build), spaces for my bio (with clickable links), channel rules, info on perks for subscribing to me, and links to my website where viewers could read my channel commands for my bot.

I tried to give a decent balance of text and images in hopes that's it wasn't too overwhelming for those who visited my channel. Some streamers have more on their pages, some have a more minimal approach.

Obviously, I want to say to not feel discouraged by how my channels looked here if you're a new streamer with nothing on yours yet.

As I said before, I used to have a much more basic layout going for me and even though I'm happy with what I had here and what I have now on my Glimesh channel? I've seen streamers with much better layouts. I'm proud of what I put into it though given I made all my own panels including the artwork above my bio.

There is nothing wrong with slowly building it up and as I've said, there are artists out there who can and will be more than happy to create a set of panels for you based on your specifications.

It may not be a free route thus you'll likely have to pay them unless its a friend who'll do it for free, but streaming is something that WILL cost you money anyway, be it equipment, new games to stream, giveaways, etc. If anything? Commissions are actually one of the cheapest things you may spend money on even with the vast importance of having them on your channel.

So depending on your equipment starting out? It wouldn't hurt to put a few funds towards channel art. It benefits both you and your viewers moving forward as well as helping out the artist.

It's a no brainer that if you are going into this with a decent webcam, mic, and lighting in tow and your PC is capable of streaming just fine? Commissions are your next stop.

And if you need to invest in those three important pieces of streaming gear before you can hire someone for artwork? In part 12 I show how to buy each decently cheap so that you can put more money towards paying someone to spiff up your channel.

I keep mentioning paid commissions because it guarantees panels that are unique and personalized to you, which of course means they are one of a kind and cater to your brand so that your channel stands out more.

That being said, there's no shame in asking someone for help with panels especially when there are lots of partnered streamers who've had someone else put their panels together, be it from not having the artistic know how to do so, or simply not having the time.

Your channel will look different from mine, and you may have less info than myself, maybe a bit more.

Your panels may look much better than mine as well and as long as it works for you and your visitors? That's what matters.

Just like new equipment means more to learn and practice with, the growth of a streamer's channel, be it sponsorships, team memberships, branching out to other social networking sites, etc means more info to share, as well as a need to know how to make that info look presentable on the channel.

You may list everything with a need to scroll down somewhat further, or like me you may try to find means to make things more compact as you go along.

Just remember that however you build your house? You want it to be something comfortable to your viewers when they come spend time with you as well as beneficial to you in your own layout of streaming fengshui.

This goes in line with the house metaphor that started this, in that you want to be that neighbor in a suburb who lets his personality shine on that first impression instead of seeming bland.