Despite continuing to stream, you may find that the number of subscribers isn’t increasing. Even the play counts aren’t growing, and comments are sparse. Many individual VTubers are grappling with such frustrations.

When you’re putting in so much effort but not seeing results, your confidence and motivation gradually wear down, right? But don’t worry. There are common points where many people stumble.

Most of these issues can improve with just a little ingenuity or reevaluation.

In this article, I will explain the main reasons why individual VTubers struggle to grow and some improvement methods that can be implemented starting today. I will share tips to help take your current streaming to the next level as simply as possible.

Why are Individual VTubers Struggling to Grow? 5 Common Causes

No matter how hard you try to stream, the numbers just won’t budge. The reason is not a lack of talent. There are several commonalities that many individual VTubers face when hitting a wall.

Let’s start by organizing five causes as clues to reevaluate your activities.

Not Differentiating (Similar to Other VTubers)

The most common scenario is creating content that ends up being quite similar to someone else’s. There are already many VTubers streaming popular game commentary and chatting. If you get lost in the crowd, no matter how hard you try, you may not catch anyone’s eye.

For instance, even when handling the same game, simply being inventive with your “commentary angle” or “character’s personality” can significantly change the impression you make.

Be mindful of the points that make listeners feel, “I want to watch this person’s stream.”

Ambiguous Worldview and Character Settings

Another common reason is that the character and worldview are vague. Even if you have impressive settings in your self-introduction, it’s not uncommon for such elements to not be utilized in your stream’s content.

For example, if you go by “a researcher from the future,” but your streams only consist of everyday chatting, the setting won’t have any effect.

The worldview should be a “framework for your identity” rather than a “restriction to conform to.” By maintaining consistency in your character for viewers, you can create a much stronger impression.

If you’re interested in how to determine or create a VTuber character setting, take a look at this article.

How to Determine a VTuber Character Setting? A Beginner’s 5-Step Guide

Low Streaming Frequency and Continuation Rate

If the number of streams is low, it becomes difficult to increase exposure, and viewers may find it hard to develop a viewing habit. However, the frequency itself does not determine your ranking.

YouTube and Twitch algorithms primarily focus on “watch retention rate,” “click-through rate,” and “viewer satisfaction.” Nonetheless, regular streaming helps increase opportunities for viewers to tune in.

Rather than striving for a perfect stream, it’s better to first decide on a “frequency you can maintain without strain.” Even short streams, if done consistently, surely lead to results.

It’s also effective to incorporate strategies to engage viewers in the first 30 seconds and improve thumbnails and titles.

Lack of Quality in Equipment, Sound, and Model

If the sound is muffled or your voice is too quiet, your dropout rate will likely increase. Viewers judge whether they feel comfortable within seconds of opening a stream.

If you feel that “my voice might be hard to hear,” take a moment to review your mic settings or the background music volume.

Moreover, the appearance of the avatar and streaming screen also influences impressions. While it doesn’t have to be flashy, organizing colors and text alignment can dramatically enhance visibility.

First, work on balancing your mic level and background music, and try to develop the habit of monitoring with headphones. Revising the basics is more effective than making a large investment.

Weak External Promotion Through SNS and Collaborations

No viewers even when you stream.

In such cases, many overlook their “outreach ability.” It’s difficult to get discovered solely within YouTube; creating a presence on social media is essential.

Announcements of streaming schedules, posting highlight videos, and interacting with other VTubers. These everyday communications bring in the next viewers.

Finding partners for collaborations allows sharing of fans, broadening your activities. Official YouTube also encourages cross-promotion such as sharing stream schedules and announcements.

Start by having the “courage to reach out” to others.

Just reevaluating these five areas can change the numbers.

In the next chapter, we will explore how to overcome these struggles by discussing strategies that individuals should take, considering differences with corporate entities.

Differences Between Popular VTubers and Individuals | What Corporations Do Well That Individuals Struggle With

Even though they are both VTubers, have you ever wondered why some individuals grow so much faster?

In reality, there’s a stark difference in the environment between corporate VTubers and indie ones right from the starting point. Let’s break down those differences.

Differences in Initial Recognition and Exposure Opportunities

Many corporate VTubers undergo promotions long before their debut.

Official channel reveal streams and collaboration announcements with other talents create a system that allows for broad recognition immediately after debut through official promotions and collaboration slots.

On the other hand, individual VTubers start from scratch. No matter how appealing your content may be, you need to be discovered first.

To overcome this initial hurdle, there’s no option but to build up small exposures through short videos, social media promotions, and interactions with other streamers.

This doesn’t mean you’re at a disadvantage from the beginning—it’s simply a longer path to recognition.

The Presence of Support Teams for Planning, Editing, and Promotion

Corporate VTubers are supported by many staff members.

Managers who manage streaming schedules, editors who polish videos, PR staff who plan merchandise and collaborations, it’s truly a team effort. Thus, the environment is organized for them to concentrate on streaming.

In contrast, individual VTubers need to handle everything themselves. They have to plan content, create thumbnails, promote on social media, manage archives, and even create highlight clips post-stream.

While it may seem overwhelming, it also means there’s a high degree of freedom. The ability to experiment quickly is a unique strength of individual VTubers.

If you can develop good habits, you can operate like a small management team alone.

Collaboration Systems and Community Growth

One of the strengths of corporate VTubers is collaboration with their peers. Collaborations within the same agency are easy, and interactions among fans are lively. The overall popularity enhances each individual’s recognition.

Individual creators must seek out collaboration partners and reach out.

Initially, you might feel hesitant, but once you engage with another VTuber in the same position, a new world opens up.

By overlapping fans, you reach new demographics, which also encourages continued activity. The ability to create opportunities for collaboration is a crucial weapon that individual creators should possess.

Revenue Structure and Activity Policy Flexibility

Corporate VTubers typically have a system where the company covers the costs for activities, equipment, and production environments in exchange for a portion of the revenue.

Additionally, there are guidelines for content and speech, which impose a certain degree of constraints.

On the other hand, individual VTubers bear all costs and risks alone. This allows them to freely decide on their streaming themes and activity styles. Whether it’s games, chatting, singing, or planning, they can pivot in any direction. The revenue when numbers grow belongs to them minus minor platform fees.

Understanding that freedom and responsibility are two sides of the same coin helps maintain a clear direction for activities.

A Model that Individuals Can Mimic from Corporations

Despite the differences in environment, individuals can reference corporate success strategies.

For instance, creating a system where you publish your streaming schedule in advance allows viewers to look forward to your next stream.

Maintaining consistency in thumbnails and titles helps leave an impression as a brand. Furthermore, planning the flow of content in advance can help streamline the pacing of the stream.

All of these can be implemented starting today. The key is to deconstruct the premise that you’re supported by a large group and recreate it in your own way.

By gradually building these elements, you can create an impactful presence that stands up against corporate entities.

In the next chapter, I will introduce specific steps for individual VTubers to actually move their numbers, considering these environmental differences.

Let’s organize which order of improvements can yield the best results.

Solve the Reasons for Lack of Growth! 5 Steps

When numbers aren’t moving despite continuing to stream, you might indiscriminately try various improvement strategies. However, getting the order wrong can lead to wasted efforts.

Here, I will list the steps to break out of the stagnation phase. Take your time and tackle them one by one, as that’s the shortcut.

STEP1 | First, Improve the Sound and Pathways

The first aspect to address is sound and pathways.

No matter how good the project is, if the voice is hard to understand or there’s background noise, viewers will leave. Audiences are more sensitive to unpleasant sound than to visual imperfections, so fixing the audio is the quickest way to improve.

Adjusting your mic settings and the volume of background music, along with reducing ambient noise, can substantially improve impressions.

Also, make sure to refine your stream description and pinned comments. Clearly presenting your profile, next streaming schedule, and social media links makes it easier for first-time viewers to move on to the next step.

Announcing live streams in advance and linking social media are methods officially recommended by YouTube.

Start by creating a situation where people who discover your stream can smoothly transition to their next action.

STEP2 | Reassess Your Content and Streaming Frequency

Next, focus on improving your content and pacing.

Continuity and experimentation are crucial for growth. Rather than trying to aim for perfection from the start, trying small tests and adjusting based on feedback will lead to quicker development.

If a particular project garners positive responses, it can become a regular series.

Rather than simply increasing the number of streams, establishing a regular schedule that you can maintain easily is far more effective for building viewership.

Also, actively posting short videos or highlights can help. Short videos have a linking feature that guides viewers naturally to longer streams or live content.

However, be aware that URLs in the description or comments of short videos may not be clickable, so creating pathways in your channel top or description section is also effective.

STEP3 | Redesign Your Worldview and Strengthen Your Character

Now that you’ve organized these elements, it’s time to reevaluate your core.

If the consistency of your worldview and character is lacking, your messages will be harder to remember.

First, think of a catchy one-liner to describe your character. Examples could be “disillusioned working adult gamer” or “laid-back voice late-night streamer.”

Next, clarify the three key elements of your character (profession, personality, values), so that you can naturally weave them into your streaming talk. Doing this will ensure consistency in your thumbnail colors and title word choices.

Focusing on unifying impressions rather than mere appearance is the best shortcut to being remembered.

STEP4 | Build Relationships with Fans

In the end, every stream relies on relationships between people.

Your response to comments, after-talks, and interactions on social media help build trust with your fans through small exchanges.

Posting thoughts after streaming or introducing listener-created content, or even just responding with simple reactions can greatly reduce the distance.

Creating a small community through Discord or X (formerly Twitter) is also effective.

It’s important to be conscious of creating a space for shared enjoyment rather than just unidirectional communication.

STEP5 | Make Breakthroughs Through Collaborations with Other VTubers and Streamers

The final step is connecting with companions.

Collaborations can be a great opportunity for intersecting fan bases and broadening your viewership.

Start by reaching out to other individual VTubers in the same genre. Simply playing games together or sharing chat topics can create fresh dynamics.

As you conduct more collaborations, your skills in planning and conversing will naturally improve.

When reaching out, be sure to thoughtfully propose ideas that align with their activity pace and vibes. The key to success lies in cultivating enjoyable content for both parties.

For details on how to conduct collaborative streams, check out the article below.

【Beginner’s Guide】 How to Collaborate as a VTuber, Including OBS Setup and Invitation Methods

Even small opportunities can lead to sudden fame through collaboration.

When improving your streams, remember not to try and change everything at once.

By referring to this order—sound, content, worldview, interaction, collaboration—you’ll likely increase the chances that your numbers and reactions will start to change.

Learn from Popular Individual VTubers! What Those Who Have Grown Did

“How can individuals grow, too?”

When pondering this, the best references are those who have already achieved results. Even if the environment or genre is different, successful individual VTubers exhibit common behavior patterns.

Here, let’s organize easily reproducible ideas based on the tendencies of those who have actually grown.

Types That Leave an Impression Through Character Setting and Talking Style

Some VTubers thoroughly refine their characters’ personalities and maintain consistent energy and speech patterns across all streams.

As a result, audiences find their “uniqueness” strongly imprinted in their minds, and when invited to collaborate, they are remembered as key contributors who bring excitement to the space.

What is common among this type is that they utilize their settings not to confine themselves but to be “remembered.”

If viewers can sense the essence of the character in their talks and reactions, impressions are layered with each stream.

Types That Transformed Their Expertise into Projects

Another VTuber leveraged their gaming expertise into event management and commentary, broadening their activities to “create engaging environments.”

Not only did they showcase their skill as a player, but by creating projects that excite the entire community, they gained recognition from many.

The key here is not merely to display expertise but to create “engagement that others enjoy,” focusing on this perspective.

By recognizing your strengths as the individuality of your channel, you can create consistency in projects and be more memorable to fans.

Types That Expanded Their Reach Through Versatility and Connections

Some VTubers are combining multiple genres, such as singing, illustration, and chatting, effectively connecting different fan bases.

Diversity expands reach, while connections carry the message further. It’s sensible to design roles separately, avoiding overexertion. Consistent outreach and interaction support wide-ranging activities.

Through replies on social media or interactions during collaborations, they build relationships that make people think, “I want to do something with this person.”

When expanding genres, aligning thumbnails, titles, and banners in appearance helps make the channel more memorable.

Additionally, collaboration is a shortcut to reaching new communities. Utilizing functions that invite collaborators in videos can increase exposure points on both channels.

Further, regularly posting announcements, polls, and engaging in brief interactions helps grow viewer relations into a community.

These accumulations are essential elements that lead to stable activities.

Three Common Points Among Growing Individual VTubers

While the introduced types differ in direction,

they share a foundational way of thinking in their actions.

1. Centering on Their Area of Strength
   They don’t get swept away by trends but deepen and express their strengths.
   
   
2. Continuously Validating and Improving
   They enhance their projects by observing play counts and viewer reactions.
   
   
3. Actively Engaging with Others
   Through collaborations and interactions on social media, they expand their fan base.

None of these actions require exceptional talent to get started.

Begin by testing your strengths in small doses and continuing while observing feedback. Even popular VTubers weren’t perfect from the start; they’ve developed their identities through trial and error.

The streams you do today might lead to significant differences months later.

In the next chapter, I will introduce how to evaluate whether to continue striving even when efforts do not yield results or consider pivoting in your activities.

What to Consider When You Still Aren’t Growing

No matter how creatively you innovate, the numbers might not budge as you hope.

Such periods will inevitably visit any streamer. There’s no need to rush. What’s important is how you “continue” and “reevaluate.”

Here’s a list of perspectives to consider during stagnation.

Three Indicators to Reevaluating Without Halting Activities

Before quitting your streams, take a calm look at the numbers.

Even if it seems like things aren’t improving, there may be points that can be adjusted.

Particularly, pay attention to the following three aspects.

1. Watch Retention Rate (Where are You Losing Viewers?)
   If there’s a sudden drop in the first half, it’s a sign to reassess your introduction’s pacing and topic engagement. By checking through your management interface, you can pinpoint specific dropout points for each video. After analyzing, merely adjusting the length or structure of your introduction can increase the likelihood of viewers watching until the end.
   
   
2. Click-Through Rate (Attractiveness of Title/Thumbnail)
   If videos aren’t played, it may stem more from presentation issues than content issues. CTR can fluctuate significantly based on exposure, but having a rough understanding of suitable ranges can help with decision-making. Compare against popular videos in similar genres and adjust words or compositions.
   
   
3. Subscription Rate (Are New Viewers Sticking Around?)
   If viewers watch videos to the end but don’t subscribe, innovating in the call-to-action at the end and the structure of links in the description can foster improvements. In addition to using end screens, including pathways to the next video in the description or pinned comments will ensure guidance remains even if viewers have hidden settings. Moreover, checking the growth of subscribers per video and categorizing viewers can reveal where retention is happening.

Reflecting on these three aspects weekly can clarify where the challenges lie in your streams.

It’s important to focus on “which aspects are stagnating” instead of merely “not growing.”

Consider Resetting Your Activity Style

If there’s no change even after reevaluating the numbers for some time.

One option is to boldly reassess your activity style.

Changing your streaming times, speaking styles, themes, or title creation can alter which viewer demographics you reach.

For example, there have been cases where someone who streamed chatting at night switched to morning streams and began resonating with viewers who matched their daily rhythm.

When changing time slots, it’s advisable to use YouTube analytics’ “Audience Tab” report to test out what timings work best for your channel.

Changing your environment can reveal possibilities that were previously unrecognized.

Instead of continuing out of habit, hold the courage to implement slight changes.

Timing to Consider a Pivot

If, after maintaining activity for a certain time, there’s no sign of improvement, you might consider the moment to “continue” or “pivot.”

To assist that judgment, consider the following three aspects.

• Is Streaming No Longer Enjoyable?
  If you’re not finding joy in it anymore, it may be more beneficial to take a break instead of forcing yourself to continue.
• Is the Feedback Static Despite Repeated Improvements?
  If numbers remain flat but comments or fan enthusiasm are rising, they indicate ongoing success.
• Is Your Goal Becoming Vague?
  Take a moment to consider if it’s not numbers, but “what you want to convey” that is becoming unclear.

After sorting through these three points, “changing your direction” or “redesigning your activity theme” could allow you to progress to the next stage.

Instead of stopping entirely, there’s always the option of changing your approach and continuing.

Timing to Consider Joining an Agency

When feeling the limits of being solo, many consider joining an agency. However, there’s no need to rush into a decision.

While joining an agency can certainly mean receiving support, it changes the degree of freedom in activities and revenue distribution rules.

If you’re considering it, keep the following points in mind.

• Does Your Direction Align with the Agency’s Policy?
• Are Past Achievements and Support Clearly Defined?
• Are Contract Conditions and Revenue-Sharing Ratios Acceptable?

“I feel limited as an individual” or “I’d like to reorganize my environment and take a fresh shot”

Such moments may hold value as one option to consider.

Conclusion

What’s essential for individual VTubers to grow is not just momentum, but “design,” “continuity,” and “interaction.”

When these three align, activities begin to take shape bit by bit.

• Design: Decide on How to Present Yourself Before Acting By clearly defining what kind of atmosphere you want to create and who you want to attract, you establish consistency in your outreach.
• Continuity: Focus on Growth Rather than Just Numbers Rather than fixating solely on play counts or subscribers, using your improvement against yesterday as a standard becomes easier to maintain.
• Interaction: Foster Connections with Fans and Peers Deepening relationships through comments and collaborations supports activities and creates new opportunities.

The more you stream, the more your unique qualities will inevitably shine through.

There’s no need to rush; as long as you continue at your own pace, those efforts will resonate with someone.

Please take this article’s contents as a reference.