Influencer-Marketing-Trends-Twitch-InfluencersFor brands looking to connect with the notoriously hard-to-reach and sought-after demographic, men between the ages of 18 and 34, Twitch presents the perfect opportunity to do so. With over 140 million monthly unique viewers consuming 44 billion minutes of content per month, Twitch continues to attract talented gamers and video content creators.

While the demographic is typically known for being brand-averse and quick to dismiss advertisements on other channels, the same behavior doesn’t hold true on Twitch. If a brand is relevant to a viewer and if the brand can authentically and thoughtfully find a way to interject a livestream, the majority of viewers don’t see it as invasive. In fact, according to Twitch, 82% of Twitch users say sponsorships are good for the gaming industry, and 80% are open to brands sponsoring Twitch streamers and esports teams.

Twitch for Marketers: How Twitch Influencers Can Drive Value in Your Next Influencer Marketing Campaign

What is Twitch?

Twitch is the leading live streaming platform for gamers and video content creators. Viewers can watch their favorite Twitch streamers do anything live – from painting, cooking, podcasting, camping to e-sports. Users subscribe to a streamer’s channel, tune in during scheduled sessions and consume hours of content, making Twitch an ideal platform to partner with creators if your target audience is on it.

For brands whose audiences are on Twitch, partnering with the platform’s top streamers/creators presents an opportunity to reach an increasingly difficult demographic in an environment that values loyalty, truth and authentic connection. Where Twitch is centered around live interaction, marketers can partner with creators to host/co-host streaming events, to answer questions and to speak to product promotions (think: AMAs, Q&As), making product recommendations more authentic, interactive and in-real time.

How Popular is Twitch?

Who Uses Twitch?

What Trends are Influencers Seeing on Twitch?

  • Non-Gaming Influencers are Having a Moment: As the competition among streaming services platforms heats up, Twitch has started spotlighting creators who are streaming content in other, non-gaming categories (i.e., fitness, beauty and cooking) to appeal to a wider audience and show people that it’s not just a gaming platform. At the start of 2020, the platform put fitness streamers on the homepage to appeal to all the #NewYearNewMe’s out there.
  • Prioritizing Authentic Engagement Over Vanity Metrics: Similar to the shift away from vanity metrics on other social media platforms, Twitch is focusing on prioritizing authentic, in-stream engagement. Most recently, the platform integrated Channel Points, a customizable loyalty points program that lets streamers reward followers (i.e., setting background music, choosing the next channel they host) and Hype Train, a feature that is unlocked when enough subscriptions or engagements appear in a certain amount of time.
  • There is Lots of Whitespace for Brands: Streamers on Twitch rarely see creative brand integrations, most brands who do “partner” with streamers just have a logo on the screen during a stream (similar to a brand sponsoring a Nascar driver). Brands on Twitch should not be afraid of having a low view count compared to other platforms – what makes Twitch unique is how much more engaged viewers are than users on any other social media platform who may passively scroll past a. post. Brands have the opportunity to partner with Twitch streamers to really understand what resonates with their audience and how they can become involved in a stream in a creative, non-intrusive way. There’s minimal brand adoption right now which makes Twitch a perfect social media platform to activate creators on for brands whose target audience is on the platform.

What’s Coming Next for Influencer Marketing on Twitch?

  • Exclusive Deals with Top Talent: As the competition among streaming service platforms continues to heat up, leading platforms such as Twitch, YouTube, Facebook and Microsoft are turning to exclusive deals with gamers to lock in top talent.
  • Watch Parties: Twitch has begun testing a feature called “Watch Parties,” which allows streamers the ability to stream content from Amazon Prime to their Twitch channel and chat about the content – in-real time.
  • Twitch Studio: The company’s first-ever broadcasting software has arrived – and it’s better late than never? The software, aimed directly at new streamers, is designed to make it easier for emerging creators to get started with streaming from their PC, hiding the traditional multi-step process it takes to stream and the complexities that come with it.
  • Coming Soon to an Apple TV Near You: In September 2019, Twitch released a public beta of its Apple TV app through Apple’s TestFlight program, giving users a change to try out the service before it goes live. Features include the ability to watch both live and pre-recorded videos as well as the ability to participate in the on-screen chat.

 

How to Activate Twitch Influencers to Launch Influencer Marketing Campaigns

  1. Influential streamers can be sponsored by a brand to shout-out products, conduct product demos, reviews, un-boxings or giveaways, plus organically feature a product during their live stream on Twitch.
  2. Streamers will leverage the Live Chat to engage with their audience in real-time, answer questions, and create authentic, live engagement around a brand sponsorship and product.
  3. Streamers will utilize additional integrations within Twitch to ensure a brand is properly and clearly recognized as a sponsor and will help drive awareness, traffic and sales. Integrations include, but are not limited to:
    • On-Stream Logos: Branded images streamers place on the stream during sponsored content so that Twitch viewers can easily see the sponsoring brand.
    • Info-Section Graphic: Branded graphics streamers place in their info section during sponsored content, which can be hyperlinked, allowing viewers to easily find a website.
    • Chatbots: “Robot viewers” that automate monotonous tasks for steamers to serve sponsored links to viewers with “chat command,” or a triggered pre-set bot response.
    • Title Text: The description set by the streamer, viewable below their stream. The title should include #ad or #sponsored during sponsored content to comply with FTC guidelines.
    • In-Stream CTA: Require streamers to feature or announce sponsorship or product during the first few minutes of the stream, and a few times throughout the stream for optimal exposure and familiarity.
    • Social Shares: Sponsored social media posts are a great way to ensure your sponsored content reaches a streamer’s entire network of fans and followers.

 

How to Execute an Influencer Marketing Campaign on Twitch

  1. Establish Goals: Align on the brand’s goal with their presence on Twitch (i.e., awareness, engagement, sales) and the type of streamer and content to align with these goals.
  2. Set Budget: Establish the budget for the influencer strategy and incentives based on the reach and level of integration the brand is interested in achieving.
  3. Streamer Selection: Select influencers with streaming styles that align with the brand’s desired content, typically a “variety streamer,” someone who streams various games, and the specific campaign requirements and goals.
  4. Stream Content: Activate influencers to create live content on their streams. Provide total creative freedom to streamers, keeping in mind the live-nature of the platform that influencers’ fans are used to.
  5. Measure Results: Measure performance from streamers participating in the campaign available form Twitch’s robust analytics offering. A Twitch video is live for 60 days after being published, so it’s important to keep this in mind when evaluating campaign performance.
  6. Re-Activate: Continue to activate high-performing influencers on Twitch to establish long-term partnerships and authentic brand recognition for fans and followers who tune in on a regular streaming schedule.

For more tips on how to activate Twitch influencers as part of your next marketing campaign, book a demo with one of our expert strategists.