Twitch Influencer Marketing Strategies for GenZ

Over the years Twitch has become a youth marketing mainstay with 3.5 million live viewers in 2021. It used to foster a large community of video gamers, but recently the platform enjoys a growing number of different content.

This has opened doors for marketers and various content creators to grow their audience and monetize Twitch’s generous income streams. Let’s delve deeper and see how Twitch has grown so popular amongst the younger generations and how Twitch streamers can utilize different marketing strategies to grow their channels.

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Twitch as a Streaming Platform

A few years ago, Twitch was not your usual go-to platform for digital marketers when thinking about video games and esport streaming. But over the years, it has evolved into a site that deals with almost everything from indie musicians to entertainers and various video content creators. 

However, Twitch is relatively new and unlike other online video sharing or social media websites. Content creators are obliged to go live since they’re unable to pre-record videos or have sponsored posts. On the bright side, this gives a great opportunity for marketers to promote giveaways, shoutouts, and unboxing videos through their channels or other influencers. 

One can leverage this newness and act as an early bird to carve out a piece of Twitch’s audience if the marketing is done right.

Why is Marketing more important on Twitch than ever before?

It comes with little surprise that Twitch can be a literal goldmine for brands targeting a Gen Z audience, primarily those interested in gaming. Video content is a growing trend, with live video standing at the forefront. Even Twitch itself explained that the majority of their viewers engage with streamers on a daily basis and are mostly recurring visitors who support their favorite streamers monetarily. 

There is also a Twitch affiliate marketing platform that offers various subscription levels with a  50% deduction fee. Affiliate marketing is at the heart of every business that wants to brand itself and associate its sales strategy. This gives more reason for video streamers to promote their videos.

Of course, there are certain limitations, meaning a content creator must obtain at least 50 followers, 8 hours of streaming on a regular basis, and average a consistent viewer count.

And let’s not forget the bits, cheers, donations, and other monetization methods that attract so many young gamers and video streamers. Unlike Vimeo and Youtube, viewers can directly award their favorite content creators. The amount of money a popular streamer can make through various sources is really staggering.

Leverage Twitch for Marketing Growth

The golden rule that brings most successful Twitch streamers at the forefront of their audience is the fact that they prioritize entertainment first and advertisement second.

While Twitch offers great monetary benefits through its affiliate program, bits, cheers, and donations, it can only be achieved through an engaged audience. 

Building up your channel and getting followers is the first priority for any content creator. For starters, this can be done in many ways.

Find your niche and relevance

First and foremost, one must figure out their niche and their brand. The platform tends to skew towards a more male viewership, although women are gaining an increasing presence. Not only more growth amongst female users on Twitch in 2021, but female personalities and celebrities have also gained prominence. 

When we look at the majority of Twitch’s viewers, it is important to address the fact that gaming is still at the forefront. If video gaming is not a preference it is advisable for any online marketer to pick a popular game or something related to video gaming with their merch. Monster Energy does this pretty well with their appearance and sling “Game like a Beast” that resonates with its audience. A large majority of Twitch is host to viewers aged between 13-24 who spend 90 minutes a day on the platform. Catering to their needs is what makes and breaks a marketer’s campaign and influence.

When looking for a niche on Twitch, every influencer needs to have a marketer’s mindset to push out content that is action-packed. There is a search for engaging and vibrant content where viewers can further enhance their interaction with their favorite streamers, artists, or entertainers.

When targeting a platform with a majority of Gen Z viewers It’s important to promote intriguing and thrilling content that moves away from the traditional television-style that this generation may find outdated and dull.

Network with Influencers

It’s important to keep in mind that interaction is everything when it comes to Twitch live streaming. Twitch viewers keep the chat window open throughout the stream.

The platform’s main advantage lies in its unique features like the chat, channel points, predictions, and raids. 

This allows an authentic interaction where the viewers feel a part of the community and experience live-action firsthand. This is where influencers came into play. 

Popular streamers like Ninja, Tfue, and Rubius are entertaining tens of millions of followers. Meanwhile, these huge streamers are in the big league there are dozens of others who know their audience and can help popularize certain products or services through unboxing videos or free giveaways.

Advertising on Twitch

Traditional advertising is a thing that we can see on television is a thing of the past when it comes to Gen Z. Why? Apparently 40% barely even watch traditional TV and even fewer would turn to radio content. 

Similar to Google Adsense, Twitch offers companies many traditional methods for advertising. These options include banners, takeovers, and mid-rolls. The most effective ads are the ones that have been placed in the middle of a content creator’s stream. This is because unexpected ads that pop up are usually frowned upon especially on a platform where dynamic content gets halted. 

Many companies like Gilette, KFC, and UberEats are already promoting their brand through some of their influencers and ad placements. And they know how to make use of this dynamic advertising.

Traditional advertising methods like banners, takeovers, and mid-rolls,  in the gaming-related industries but if you really want to make an impact, you need to partner with an influencer or brand.

The key takeaway for brands is to think about interaction. When it comes to advertising on Twitch the best course of action is to either build an audience or leave the heavy lifting to influencers. In the latter case, marketers have to make sure that their brand campaign resonates with the ecosystem of the influencer’s channel. 

Conclusion

Twitch is a host to a young audience that’s not afraid to engage with new products and brands. As Gen Z grows and more kids mature into teens, they will most likely adapt to other forms of entertainment than the previous generations and it shows. As Twitch grows its market and its video streamers expand further away from regular gaming, there will be a booming need for marketers.

Twitch marketing is still at an infancy stage. So anyone entering it has a higher chance of reaching the younger generations who are looking for new ways for entertainment.

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