Mobile & Vertical Streaming: How To Optimize Your Stream Overlays & Layout

You Should Be Streaming In Vertical - plus Vertical Overlay Sizes

1. Mobile Overlays: The Vertical Format

You're working in a different format when starting to mobile stream. The overlays that you use in 16:9 for desktop streaming will look completely different in the standard mobile format of 9:16. We're literally flipping them around.

Things you want to keep in mind when you are setting up overlays for mobile streaming:

  • We're in a long and thin world now, to put it simply. And you have very little space to make everything work.
  • You will be stacking on mobile, creating boundaries in a very small space to showcase all your overlays, scenes, alerts and more.
  • Get to know which areas on your vertical stream that will cause clipping and avoid them.
  • Choose a hierarchy that works. Usually a central-to-top video area with alerts and lower thirds at the bottom.
2. Don't Overcrowd Your Overlays

Hierarchy established, overlays slotted into place, content visible - check, check, check. Next?

  • Minimalism. You do not want to overload that tiny screen with different elements. Be selective about what you choose to display.
  • Clean and simple, complimentary mobile streaming overlays that section areas clearly.
  • You have about 7 inches of screen to work with, make them count with picking the most engaging visuals such as camera borders and alerts that will increase viewer interactivity.
3. Readability Is Key

Tiny screen, tiny font. No one wants to have to squint to read it. Your font choice is going to be more important than you think, as well as the contrasting colors you use to display it. Again - 7 inches! You don't want to miss out on potential revenue because no one can read your Goal Widget.

  • Make sure you can read the font - swirly, swoopy, intricate fonts may well be an unwise choice for mobile streaming.
  • Text on items should be sized appropriately for you to be able to read them clearly. Test this!
  • You want clearly contrastable colors displayed on backgrounds. This will markedly increase the ease that text is able to be read with ease.
  • Icons are your friends. They say a lot in a little. Recognizable icons are a great tool to employ when mobile streaming to save space.
4. Smaller Files = Smoother Stream

You want to use overlays that are made for mobile streaming. Smaller file sizes, smoother colors (black and white are actually great for mobile streaming), short animations.

Preferably you should pick up a stream overlays package that includes purpose made mobile stream overlays. You can find a selection of overlay packs that include mobile stream overlays in our GETREKT Elements store.

5. Test. Test again. Test Some More.

This might be the most important part of mobile streaming.

  • Test everything. And test it again. Check alerts and fonts and animations. See how smooth your stream is.
  • Do this on each platform. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, OBS, Streamlabs, and the Twitch mobile app.

Your overlays are one of the first things that your viewers see upon arrival to your stream, show them that you have a professional broadcast that you have put time into, cementing that your efforts are worth watching.

6. Create Your Brand Across Platforms - Desktop & Mobile Streaming.

Whether you are exclusively mobile streaming or you're taking all platforms by storm across the vertical and desktop spaces - create a stream brand that fits you.

  • Choose a theme, color palette and other elements that fit together seamlessly.
  • Find a stream pack that includes everything you need to work across Twitch, YouTube, Kick and more. It is the easiest way to make sure that all your modular elements match.
  • Make sure that your stream overlays package includes mobile formatted overlays.

TL;DR

This mobile streaming guide should help you out with getting started! Getting the right sizes is step one, and then grabbing a high-quality and purpose built stream pack for mobile streaming and other platforms is the right way to go. You can upgrade with GETREKT's overlays. We have tons of options for desktop and mobile streaming in our Stream Overlay Packages on the Elements store.

Want more information about sizes for desktop streaming on Twitch, YouTube and Kick? Head over to our guide - Twitch Panel, Banner and Screen Size Guide

You can find more streaming tips and guides on our Blogs & Guides pages.

Make sure to join the Elements Community Discord for exclusive news, releases, support and more.

Enjoy your weekend gamers,
Em

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