Making money playing games is a tempting proposition for most players. That’s because you can spend time enjoying your favorite titles while earning simultaneously.

However, there are some fundamentals you need to get right to gain a good following. Here’s what you need to know about starting your own gaming channel.

1. Pick a Title to Focus Your Content On

There are many games you can play to make content. And while you can create videos for just about any title, it’s best to stick to one title when you’re new. That way, players of a specific game title will know who to turn to when looking for content.

Also, you don’t have to choose an AAA title when picking a game. After all, while AAA games typically have a large player base, you’ll also have to compete against more creators. If you choose a niche title with fewer players, but you create strong content, you increase your chances of becoming the go-to channel for the players of that specific game.

Nevertheless, whatever game title you choose, you should enjoy the game you choose. Otherwise, you could burn out or be unable to create interesting content.

2. Plan Your Content

When you’ve decided what game to cover, it’s time to plan the videos you’re going to upload. With the number of creators online, creating a haphazard library of playthroughs and commentaries won’t cut it if you want to grow your channel. You should post consistently as well, as people are always looking for new content.

Walkthroughs

This content type is usually the easiest way to start your channel. If you’re playing a new game, you can create a walkthrough that shows players and those interested in buying the game what the game’s story is about.

While some may say that playing through the game is enough for a walkthrough, you must ensure your video stays interesting. You can do so by cutting out boring parts and focusing on the storyline. Or you can insert commentary between cutscenes.

It all depends on how you want to do it, but the important thing is that your personality should shine through your videos.

Tutorials

You can also focus on this content type, especially for complicated and tricky levels. You’ll gain many followers by creating tutorials, especially players who are stuck on a specific challenge or level.

Alternatively, you can create guides that help other players improve their gaming performance, like how to tune cars in Forza Horizon 5 or what are the best character builds in Apex Legends.

Highlight Reels

This is a good option if you want to start with short clips. You can create sub 1 minute clips that show funny or impressive scenes in the game you choose. This short-form content type is great for creating TikToks and Reels to introduce your channel. From there, you can dive deeper into your long-form videos.

Live Streaming

Live streaming your gameplay requires little effort from you, but it’s also the least effective way of getting followers. Unless you have entertaining banter during gameplay or you’re absolutely destroying a popular eSports team, people wouldn’t usually watch your stream. After all, why should they watch you when they could play the game instead?

3. Have the Proper Gear

Of course, creating gaming content requires some equipment. While a gaming computer and a way to capture your screen are non-negotiable, there are other equipment you will need for your videos.

Microphone

If you’re uploading long-form videos, you’ll eventually need a microphone to add voice-over content to your videos. When your followers watch your videos, they most likely wouldn’t want to read captions. Instead, they’d want to hear your voice as you explain what’s happening on the screen.

Camera and Lighting

Some gamers hide their face, but if you eventually decide to reveal yourself, you’ll need a decent camera. The built-in camera on most laptops usually won’t cut it, so consider investing in a proper webcam.

Of course, you also need to have decent lighting. The light coming from your ceiling or desk lamp isn’t enough to provide decent illumination. You usually end up with weird or harsh shadows that distract your viewers. So, if you want to look nice on screen, consider getting a ring light or other LED lights.

4. Capture Your Screen

Whether you’re streaming your game or recording it for a later upload, you must capture your screen so you can share it with the world. There are two ways to do that: you either use your gaming computer or use a secondary computer to record your display.

Use a Screen Recording App

If you don’t have a second device, you’ll need to use a screen recorder to record your screen. Luckily, OBS Studio provides a powerful yet free way to do so. You can use it to record or stream your monitor, so it works for whatever type of content you make.

However, its main downside is that it consumes resources on your computer. So if you’re playing a resource-intensive game like Tomb Raider or Call of Duty, you might get frame drops or lags during gaming.

Get a Capture Card

Those who’ve recently upgraded their gaming rig and still have their old computer lying around can use a capture card to record their game. These are affordable devices that accept video input, which it then converts to data so that another computer can receive it.

This is a preferable option as your gaming computer’s resources focus on the game you’re playing, and the streaming/recording app doesn’t compete for computer power.

5. Create Your Brand

You must have a brand or personality when it comes to your videos. That way, your followers will know who you are and easily recognize your content.

One way you can do so is to create a standard intro and outro for your videos. You can also keep a standard format when creating overlays for your content, so any on-screen elements your viewers see remain consistent across all your content.

6. Pick Your Platform

There are several platforms where you can upload gaming videos—Twitch, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, the list goes on. While you can cross-post your videos to different platforms, it’s wise to stick with one, or at least create unique content for each.

That’s because you don’t want to confuse your followers by appearing across different platforms. It’s best to pick a service that will host all your main videos, as your followers will typically go to that platform if they’re looking for your content.

Furthermore, some of these platforms compete with each other. They’re always looking for loyal creators who release original content on their respective channels. So, if you consistently create and upload original content on a specific channel, this increases your chances of getting into their paid programs.

7. Know Your SEO

As many creators are vying for attention on video platforms, you must familiarize yourself with SEO to get your videos on top of search results. While SEO cannot substitute for high-quality content, it does help to get your content out there.

One way you can improve your SEO is to look at what people are searching for and then base your content around that. Take the time to create interesting thumbnails, as it allows your video to pop out among the hundreds of similar videos that appear in a platform’s search results.

8. Things to Avoid

You might run into copyright or demonetization issues every now and then, especially when you’re new. So, to avoid any headaches, keep these things in mind.

Familiarize Yourself With Fair Use and Copyrights

Several platforms mute audio when it detects copyrighted music playing in a video. To avoid this, you should be aware of the music playing in your game. For example, titles like Grand Theft Auto 5 or Forza Horizon 5 have in-game radios.

While the game has paid for the rights to use the music in their games, the rights do not extend to you as a creator. That’s why it’s essential to keep the in-game radio turned off during the game. This might even extend to a game’s intro, like Burnout: Paradise, where Guns N’ Roses’ Paradise City plays in the background as the game loads.

Don’t Get Demonetized

Each video platform has a guideline on community standards, and you should be aware of it. This is especially true if you’re playing realistic games that feature blood, gore, or sexual content. If you create content that goes against these standards, you might get suspended or banned from the platform.

Start Off Your Gaming Channel on the Right Foot

One of the best things in life is to be able to do what you’re passionate about while at the same time earning from it. So, if you’re a passionate gamer, you can turn that into real cash by knowing and delivering what your audience wants.