Originally a gaming platform, Twitch dominates this market with a 72.3% share. It is far ahead of YouTube Gaming and Facebook Gaming. Thanks to the presence of a very engaged community, the platform offers many opportunities for brands. Big companies like Samsung and Adidas are already there.
Launched in 2011, the streaming platform Twitch has undergone a meteoric development within ten years. The year 2020 marks a turning point in its development. In the context of a pandemic, the public has turned to live streaming to pass the time during lockdown. The platform recorded more than a million unique French visitors every day during this period. In 2022 it was identified Average of 31 million visitors per day according to stats. These numbers largely justify marketers’ interest in Twitch.
What exactly is Twitch?
twitch is a streaming platform in connection with the broadcasting of video game sessions. Internet users go there to see how players participate in tournaments or challenges. The concept is similar to broadcasting a sports game on television. The difference lies in the opportunity to be part of a community. Users exchange ideas, analyze a session in a fun atmosphere.
Twitch was launched in June 2011 in the United States by Justin Kan. The platform quickly had a hit that caught Amazon’s attention. The latter acquired it in 2014 for $970 million. In June 2022, Twitch reached an unprecedented peak number of concurrent viewers. More than 3.3 million internet users watched the Ibai channel live. In France, Aminematue, Squeezie, Inoxtag, Michou, Gotaga, etc. are the most well-known streamers based on their target audience.
For several months, Twitch has been trying to diversify the content it offers. In addition to video games, other topics such as sports, painting, cooking, reality TV, etc. are also invited to the platform.
The various terms used on Twitch
Twitch uses its own vocabulary. Before rolling out any strategy on the platform, the marketing team should know the basics.
streamers
This term refers to the content creator. The latter broadcasts live performances on its channel for free. The streamer can have the status of a partner or affiliate. The assignment of this status is based on several criteria predetermined by Twitch such as the number of followers, the number of viewers, etc.
Fan
This term has the same meaning as in traditional social networks. The follower is a person who follows a channel. The latter will receive a notification as soon as their streamer starts a broadcast.
Viewers
A user does not have to be a follower to watch a stream. A viewer refers to a person watching a video.. A high viewership means the stream is popular. This is an important indicator for measuring a marketing campaign on the platform.
sub
This concept distinguishes Twitch from other social networks. The sub designates the remuneration system on the platform. Streamers make money by sponsoring subscribers. The latter pay the money by subscribing to a subscription on a specific channel. The amount is 3.99 euros per month. In return, the subscriber benefits from targeted access to old lives, special emoticons, etc.
How is Twitch different from other social networks?
Since the introduction of the mobile version, using Twitch has become more democratic. The application was recorded more than 100 million downloads since its inception in 2017. If Twitch appeals to users so much, it’s because of the variety of social ecosystems it offers.
Fresh and natural content
On YouTube, content creators have to follow strict rules to grab the attention of netizens and keep them on the video. To do this, they have to grab attention from the first second with short and dynamic content. On Twitch, the practice is very different. If they are broadcasting live, Streamers have complete freedom. They first engage with viewers before starting a session. It broadcasts live at their pace. However, one life can last for hours.
The community dimension
During the live stream, the streamer discusses with internet users. They can also initiate discussions among themselves. The topics are not only limited to video games, the community can also deal with other topics. Participants feel included in this highly engaged community.
Additionally, a follower who follows a streamer on Twitch is more likely to discover them on other social networks as well.
What marketing opportunities are there on Twitch?
Twitch is among the top 3 most popular social networks for young people. In fact, 70% of viewers are between the ages of 16 and 34. For a brand, this represents an opportunity to reach a young audience.
A passionate community
Platform users are very loyal. They spend an average of 95 minutes a day there. Over and beyond, more than 50% of them dedicate 20 hours of their time per week.
These users form multiple communities that share the same focus of interest. They are usually grouped around one or more streamers who deal with similar topics. Each community represents an audience that a brand can address directly.
Reach audiences resistant to traditional advertising
For a brand targeting a young audience, communicating on Twitch represents a better alternative to traditional media. With 70% of users aged between 18 and 34, the platform makes it easy to reach this age group. Samsung is the perfect example. The South Korean giant has been running pre-roll ads on Twitch. He managed to grab the attention of 84% of internet users by the end of the video.
Get an edge over your competitors
Like other social networks that are still in their infancy, Twitch represents the new haunt of digital marketing. The platform has seen rapid development for good reason. In 2022, more than 140 million unique visitors will travel there up from 55 million in 2015.
Compared to traditional social networks, few companies take advantage of the marketing opportunities on Twitch. Therefore the prices are still competitive.
Use influencer marketing
On Twitch, influencer marketing is the most effective strategy. This is accomplished by the collaboration between a brand and a well-known streamer. With good reason, a streamer builds a relationship of trust with their community. The commitment is therefore much higher.
The most famous example is the partnership between Adidas and Domingo. The brand has launched several creative campaigns related to sports. This is the case of “Le 1944”, where the streamer follows the route of the Normandy landings on foot. Everything takes place live for two hours.
