Since recent years, the gaming sector has been one of the most exploited by influencers to generate income through their content. YouTube has always been the preferred platform for gamers; however, content creators have begun to migrate to Twitch, a much cooler space in which influencer marketing agencies have their sights set. So that, we’re going to show you how to make money on Twitch!
Today, Twitch is the world’s most popular live streaming platform for gamers. However, the content of the channels is not limited only to gaming; other types of topics such as gastronomy, science, cinema, or music also have their place. Therefore, in this post we are going to explain the different possibilities of monetization that exist in the streaming platform so that you can take full advantage of these new trends.
Ways to make money on Twitch
The Twitch Affiliate Program is a way for the Twitch platform to recognize the effort and talent of top-rated players as they watch their community grow. To join the Twitch Affiliate Program, you have to meet some requirements, such as having at least 50 followers and 500 minutes of broadcasting in the last 30 days.
Through this program, users can monetize in several ways:
- Subscriptions
Streamers can have subscribers to start earning income on their channels. We recently learned that the prices of Twitch subscriptions have been adjusted considering the cost of living of the place of residence of each subscriber. Local subscription prices help creators grow their community and revenue as more viewers become followers. The idea is that creators and viewers can continue to develop communities anywhere in the world. This price adjustment applies to the following types of subscriptions:
- Level 1, 2 and 3 subscriptions
- Community gift subscriptions
- Individual gift subscriptions
- Multi-month subscriptions
- Donations
Donations have always been a source of income for content creators, regardless of the platform the content is broadcasted or created on. Specifically, on Twitch there are 2 ways to make donations: through platforms connected directly to the streamer’s PayPal account or through “bits”, a virtual currency that simulates the value of 1 cent. For example, if you receive 100 bits, you will have $1 in your streaming dashboard.
- Advertising
Advertising within Twitch has always been a somewhat controversial topic, but the truth is that affiliates earn a portion of the revenue generated by the video ads played on their channel. It consists of placing an ad for a brand Twitch has an agreement with, and this is reproduced in the middle of your streaming, interrupting the transmission for X number of viewers.
Before, you had to manually place the ad by pressing a button, but recently they have discovered a way to automate the command with “timers” provided by some web pages, so that it is fully automatic and much more profitable. Affiliates can determine the duration and frequency of ad breaks through their dashboard.
How to make money on Twitch through sponsorships
Every content creator with a significant following on their social media has received a sponsorship offer at least once. Sponsors are brands or companies interested in a content creator showing their image to represent it, creating a personal brand with the company.
Sponsorships can be of various types. For the smallest streamers, they are usually sponsorship, which is based on sending products or providing services for free to the streamer so that he can show them in his live, such as giving him a gaming chair or a keyboard. On the other hand, there are paid sponsorships, depending on the niche and the number of followers, the “fee” or payment is higher or lower. Normally, with big content creators a mix is usually made, sending products for free in addition to a payment.
YouTube as a complement to Twitch
Finally, we find YouTube as a source of income. In addition to being a platform from which you can redirect a large audience to Twitch, it also has its own ad-based monetization system. Streamers often use YouTube to upload the best moments of their live shows, that is why in addition to bringing new people to your shows, it can also provide you with a kind of passive income from the monetization of the videos.
Types of streamers on Twitch
First, to start monetizing your content on Twitch, you have to be an affiliate. There are 3 types of streamers:
- No contract: when you start broadcasting on Twitch, you can’t monetize your content straight away, as you have to meet a series of requirements before you can join the Affiliate Program.
- Affiliate. Once you meet the following requirements, you will be notified via email to become part of the program:
- Reach at least 50 followers.
- Have broadcasted at least 500 minutes in the last 30 days.
- Broadcast on 7 different days in the last 30 days.
- Have an average of 3 simultaneous viewers or more in the last 30 days.
In a period of 30 days, you will be able to start generating income thanks to your lives. At the same time, you will be able to receive “bits” donations, generate income from ads in your live shows and, most characteristic of Twitch, offer paid subscriptions to your viewers. Subscription earnings are shared with the platform, so half is for the streamer and the other half for the platform (approximately).
- Partner. The type of streamer who has been creating content on Twitch for a long time and meets the following requirements:
- You must complete the “Path to Affiliate” task and become an affiliate.
- You must create a good community and have about 75 active viewers on average in each stream.
- You must stream at least 12 different days per month.
- You must stream for at least 25 hours per month.
Once you meet these requirements, you can send a request to the Twitch Partner team by making a short presentation of your channel and content so that they can assess the option of offering you the partner contract. If they accept the application, they will offer you a better contract than the affiliate one, in addition to placing the verification “tick” next to your name on your profile.
How much does a small streamer make on Twitch?
But the real question is, how much does a relatively small streamer make on Twitch?
Whether you are a partner or an affiliate, you can earn money, and that depends on your audience. For example, there are streamers that have an average of 50 viewers, are partners and generate, to say a figure, $300 per month. However, there is a possibility that an affiliate streamer has an average of 100 viewers, and for X reason does not meet the requirements to be a partner, but still generates more than a streamer that is a partner.
The thing is that earnings can vary and considering that Twitch pays you when you exceed an income of $100 (if you do not exceed them that month, they will be added to the following month in a cumulative way until you get them), it can happen that one month you do not receive an income, and the following month you receive $500.
But, to make an average, an affiliate streamer, with an average of 100 viewers and 30 paying subscribers (or with the prime subscription), and that streams daily, generates, counting solely on the Twitch monetization, approximately $150-200 per month.
But, as we have said before, a large portion of a streamer´s earnings do not come from Twitch; you must count the donations (which depend on your subscribers/viewers) and the sponsors, which are usually the main source of income for a content creator.
If we had to say a specific figure so that you get a general idea, a small streamer with a Twitch monetization of $200 per month, plus donations and a sponsoring brand, can generate $500-1000 if he is consistent, generates daily content and works with brands.
Therefore, partners and affiliates have the same options, with the difference that being a Twitch Partner gives you more freedom to customize your channel, as well as some other advantages. In addition, Twitch partners are more respected in the industry and tend to have it easier to find collaborations and sponsors.
The easiest way to get influencers to promote your brand on Twitch is through an influencer marketing agency. Whether the target market of your company is focused on gaming, or if it is focused on any other niche, it is time to start expanding your strategy to new channels. Do you dare to carry out a campaign on Twitch? Let us know in the comments.
