A guide to hosting a great subathon
If you mix two phrases collectively to make a brand new phrase, you’re making a portmanteau. For instance, when combining the phrases ‘phone’ and ‘marathon,’ you get the portmanteau ‘telethon.’ The time period ‘subathon’ is a portmanteau as properly, mixing the phrases ‘subscribe’ and ‘marathon.’
Subathons have grow to be fairly standard within the period of streaming. Whereas the time period isn’t within the dictionary simply but, it’s a widely known time period in streaming communities. On this article, we are going to outline what a subathon is. We’ll additionally aid you get began if you wish to host your personal subathon.
What’s a subathon?
Just like a telethon — an occasion on TV the place individuals donate cash over the cellphone for a trigger — a subathon’s major objective is to get individuals to subscribe to the channel internet hosting the occasion. In fact, there must be some incentive to get individuals to subscribe. So, each subscription obtained provides extra time to the stream. For instance, if a streamer is internet hosting a subathon the place one subscription provides 5 seconds to the timer, and so they obtain 10 subscriptions, 50 seconds are added to the stream’s runtime.
Most streamers host a capped subathon, which suggests there’s a restrict to how lengthy the stream can final. This prevents the stream from happening previous the streamer’s consolation zone. Nevertheless, there are a couple of courageous streamers who’ve performed uncapped subathons. At present, the streamer GhostInTheMachine holds the report for the longest subathon stream, having streamed for 76 days straight.
Why host a subathon?
Whereas subathons are numerous work, they’re extremely efficient at driving up subscribers. In 2021, Ludwig Ahgren hosted a 31-day subathon and gained over new 240,000 subscriptions, turning into probably the most subscribed streamer on Twitch of all time. Whereas not all subathons yield the identical success as Ludwig skilled, they’ll undoubtedly incentivize viewers to subscribe just because they need to see how lengthy the stream can go.
How you can host your personal subathon
The important thing to internet hosting an amazing subathon is preparation. When you can, in principle, run a multi-day stream on a whim, we don’t suggest it. Right here’s a information that will help you get began.
1. Get organized
Earlier than you begin streaming, it’s worthwhile to plan out your subathon. First, resolve on the place you’re going to stream. If you have already got a most well-liked streaming platform, then use that one. In case you’re not sure the place to stream, Twitch, YouTube or Fb are nice choices.
You additionally need to set up a Subathon Timer. The Subathon Advanced timer works nice. You may customise how a lot time every sub provides to the time and set a restrict for the way excessive the time can go. You will want both a Streamlabs or StreamElements account to make use of it.
2. Market your subathon
Clearly, you need to announce that you simply’re internet hosting a subathon upfront. This can give individuals sufficient discover and unfold the phrase about your stream. In case your stream is gaming-focused, put up it into gaming boards. Additionally, make sure to put up on all of your social media accounts and point out it a couple of instances on streams main as much as the subathon.
In different phrases, go away some public to salivate. Simply don’t announce it too far upfront. In any other case, the hype may die down.
3. Have a goal objective
A serious downside many streamers run into when internet hosting a subathon is just not having sufficient content material to fill the time. That is comprehensible, particularly if the subathon is a multi-day stream. When you don’t must map out every little thing you’re going to do, it might be good to have a couple of concepts you may fall again on.
4. Work out what you’ll do throughout your subathon
It by no means hurts to offer your viewers extra incentives to subscribe. Have a goal subscriber objective that can reward your viewers in the event that they hit it. It may be something from giveaways to challenges, like consuming a sizzling pepper.
6. Keep wholesome
Whereas subathons will be nice on your channel, they are often bodily and mentally draining. Meals, water, train and sleep are all essential to your well-being. In case you put any of them on the backburner, not solely will you are feeling crummy throughout your stream, your stream’s content material will endure. Folks can inform if you’re not engaged.
Having pre-made meals prepared or ordering out can work. When you have the means, you may arrange a secondary stream location in your kitchen and host an intermission cooking stream.
In case you’re doing a multi-day stream, you’ll need to sleep sooner or later. Most streamers will arrange a mattress behind their stream room and sleep reside on digital camera. To maintain your viewers engaged via the night time, you may play music or have your moderators converse via the night time.
Good luck!
Subathons are laborious work, however with the correct preparation, they’re potential. It’s vital to know your limits and to start out sluggish. You may all the time do a single-day subathon and see the way it goes. Your well being and sanity ought to all the time outweigh a couple of additional subscriptions.