{"id":59741,"date":"2021-02-02T11:20:56","date_gmt":"2021-02-02T17:20:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.cpanel.com\/?p=59741"},"modified":"2021-02-02T11:20:56","modified_gmt":"2021-02-02T17:20:56","slug":"twitch-and-your-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devel.www.cpanel.net\/blog\/business-knowledge\/twitch-and-your-business\/","title":{"rendered":"Twitch And Your Business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>We have all become very familiar with live video over the last year. Whether you love or loathe video meetings, there\u2019s no denying Zoom and its peers kept the world turning in 2020. But meetings are just the tip of the live video iceberg. Last year, people watched over <a href=\"https:\/\/twitchadvertising.tv\/\">600 billion minutes<\/a> of live video on Twitch, a platform that has rapidly become the live streaming venue of choice for influencers and businesses alike.&nbsp;We even use Twitch for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpanel.live\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">our cPanel LIVE broadcasts<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019re going to explore what Twitch is and how businesses can build a Twitch community, engage with customers, and market their company.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is Twitch?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Twitch is a live video streaming platform. Creators stream video and audio to viewers, who interact with each other and the creator on an instant chat associated with each stream. The platform, which has been owned by Amazon since 2014, was founded in 2011 as a special-interest streaming service for gamers to live broadcast gameplay and audio commentary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today its reach goes far beyond gaming and esports. It hosts content on a broad range of subjects, including music, lifestyle, entertainment, DIY, cooking, technology, and general interests. In contrast to traditional YouTube video hosting and social media services like Instagram Stories, immediate audience interaction is key to live streaming\u2019s appeal. It\u2019s all about the live experience and real-time engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Twitch is particularly compelling to businesses focused on reaching a younger demographic. It receives <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twitch.tv\/p\/press-center\/\">26.5 Million daily visits<\/a> and hosts over 400 million unique streams each month. Over 70 percent of users are under 35, and 41 percent are younger than 24. Because of its gamer heritage, the platform\u2019s demographic mix skewed heavily male, but by last year 35 percent of its audience were female, and there are many female creators among its top-performers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Do Businesses Grow their Twitch Community<\/strong>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are three primary ways businesses can leverage Twitch to increase brand awareness and build a community:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Branded content.<\/li><li>Influencer sponsorships.<\/li><li>Display advertising.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Branded Content on Twitch<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps the most impactful way for businesses to use Twitch is the creation of branded content. Successful streamers host original and entertaining live streams in a variety of formats. Some of the first businesses to appreciate its potential played to the platform\u2019s strengths, hosting gameplay streams and tournaments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More recently, Twitch has become the go-to platform for digital events, from conferences to meetups to talk shows. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses moved to a digital streaming model for events they would once have held in a live venue.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Twitch can also augment current audio and video content strategies. Live streaming adds another dimension to podcasts, webinars,&nbsp; how-to and support videos, educational content, interviews, and roundtables. The \u201clive\u201d aspect is anxiety-inducing for many of us, but the upside is access to a massive user base and input from a highly engaged community.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Branded content created while streaming can be repurposed. The platform saves videos for later restreaming, and they can be exported and uploaded to your other platforms, including YouTube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sponsoring Twitch Influencers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.twitch.tv\/creatorcamp\/en\/get-rewarded\/sponsorships\/\">Influencer sponsorship on Twitch<\/a> works in much the same way as on Instagram. Brands identify influencers\u2014streamers with a significant following in the relevant niche\u2014and sponsor their streams. In return, the influencer highlights the brand\u2019s products. They may also highlight the brand via their other social media platforms.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although the follower counts of the most popular streamers are smaller than their YouTube equivalents, influencer marketing on the platform is effective because it encourages interaction between streamers and followers, helping to build a more trusting and engaged relationship.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As you might expect, game studios like EA are among the most active influencer sponsors, but companies as diverse as <a href=\"https:\/\/bleedingcool.com\/games\/kfc-partners-with-twitch-for-a-playerunknowns-battlegrounds-event\/\">KFC<\/a>, Nissin Noodles, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.modash.io\/blog\/looking-into-sponsoring-twitch-streamers-everything-you-need-to-know\">Mastercard<\/a>, Turtlewax, and Chipotle have sponsored influencers and game tournaments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Advertising on Twitch&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/rnWVd_a5LVU0DKk1sYV9QwDI11h7OfDaVIgRBw322IZdjNrXWSJCiz6R7AQVHw0W1oZQadOpyYwIQc6cqfNkG4tOp3_oZYklONgKWWQJ_PqBQwGiafpC1Y-Eno0dhyumlo-qoV97\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Twitch offers various ad options via its in-house advertising platform, including both on-page display ads and unskippable video ads. Ads can be targeted to specific communities, and they are displayed on all channels to which users don\u2019t have a paid subscription.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Tips for Effective Twitch Branding<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As with all brand social media strategies, it\u2019s essential to understand the platform\u2019s quirks and characteristics. Here are our top five tips for growing a brand community on Twitch:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Respond to your viewers: <\/strong>&nbsp;Interaction is a key aspect of streaming culture. You can\u2019t expect to find an audience if you broadcast without taking the time to engage with viewers. When you stream, make an effort to respond in real-time to the chat.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Avoid the hard sell: <\/strong>Prioritize entertainment and education in your streams. Twitch users aren\u2019t opposed to sponsorships and advertising when they are associated with streamers they trust, but they don\u2019t respond well to branded streams dominated by sales and marketing content.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Know your niche: <\/strong>Twitch isn\u2019t the right venue for every company. It\u2019s a powerful community-building platform for brands targeting young, irreverent, and technically savvy people. If that doesn\u2019t fit your company\u2019s profile, other platforms might be a better investment, as we\u2019ll discuss in the next section.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Stick to a schedule: <\/strong>Twitch is primarily a live-streaming platform. It\u2019s not like YouTube, where you can watch uploaded videos whenever you want. You and your community have to meet at a predetermined time. If you\u2019re consistent, followers will integrate your stream times into their schedule.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Invest in decent equipment: <\/strong>Cheap earbuds and your laptop\u2019s built-in webcam might cut it for Zoom meetings, but streaming audiences won\u2019t stick around for low-quality audio and video. Buy a decent microphone and camera.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, don\u2019t forget to promote your streams on other social media platforms. Twitch is hugely popular among some groups, but there\u2019s no guarantee that all of your customers are users.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Alternative<\/strong> Live Streaming Platforms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Twitch is the largest video live streaming service, but it\u2019s far from the only one. Depending on your brand, its products, and your existing social media following, you may find it easier to build a community on one of these competing platforms:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/intl\/ALL_uk\/howyoutubeworks\/product-features\/live\/#youtube-live\">YouTube Live<\/a> offers the same basic functionality, but with the opportunity to reach YouTube\u2019s more extensive and varied audience.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Facebook Live is the social media giant\u2019s built-in video streaming platform. It\u2019s well integrated into the News Feed and, as you\u2019d expect, prioritizes live interaction with followers.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Instagram Live is part of the image-sharing app\u2019s Stories feature. It\u2019s not as configurable or feature-rich as Twitch, opting instead for a low-friction streaming experience.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Live streaming is a daunting prospect for many, but if you need a platform to help your business build and support a loyal and engaged community, Twitch could be just what you\u2019re looking for.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As always, if you have any feedback or comments, please let us know. We are here to help in the best ways we can. You\u2019ll find us on <a href=\"https:\/\/go.cpanel.net\/discord\">Discord<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/forums.cpanel.net\">cPanel forums<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/reddit.com\/r\/cpanel\">Reddit<\/a>. Be sure to also follow us on\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/facebook.com\/cpanel\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/cpanel\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a>,\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cpanel\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Twitter<\/a>, and of course <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twitch.tv\/cpanel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Twitch<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We have all become very familiar with live video over the last year. Whether you love or loathe video meetings, there\u2019s no denying Zoom and its peers kept the world turning in 2020. But meetings are just the tip of the live video iceberg. Last year, people watched over 600 billion minutes of live video [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":77,"featured_media":65673,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[285,289],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-knowledge","category-general-knowledge"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Twitch And Your Business | cPanel<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/devel.www.cpanel.net\/blog\/business-knowledge\/twitch-and-your-business\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Twitch And Your Business | cPanel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We have all become very familiar with live video over the last year. 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