Twitch is the live streaming platform par excellence. It is the most used in the world and has the potential that your business can take full advantage of to position itself among your target audience. If you want to know how, keep reading.
140 million users. Over 2 billion hours of viewing every 30 days. Those are the numbers of a platform that is already gaining ground beyond the gaming world. A platform that you can also take advantage of for . But what is Twitch? If you need a compass on this topic, you are in the right article.
The platform hit the jump during the pandemic. In February 2020, it had 3.75 million active channels and, in June, up to 7.4 million. That is, it grew by 200% in just four months. When we think about what Twitch is, we usually link it to gamer streamers, but today it is expanding into other areas such as recipes and live shows.
Twitch allows you to monetize the content you upload and enjoy other accounts for free. Whether you want to understand what Twitch is for streaming or with an entrepreneurial eye, you’ll find useful information in this guide.
A couple of clicks away from connecting with the world: what is Twitch and how does it work?
Twitch is a platform, that is, live broadcasts. It is the largest in the world. You can access it from your cell phone or from your computer. In addition to looking at the content, you can interact.
Its origin was more associated with the broadcasting of video game games but, as said before, it is going further and further. Now you can find music content, lifestyle, talks with athletes, etc. This expansion of its “channel guide” is linked to the fact that, in 2014, Amazon bought the platform.
Its exponential growth put it above all streaming platforms. In Q3 2021, for example, Twitch accounted for 70.5% of total viewing hours, well above Facebook Gaming and YouTube Gaming Live.
You already know what Twitch is. Now how does it work? Streamers (those who make the transmissions) retransmit their video game games or other content in real time. On the other hand, they interact in a chat with their viewers.
Create and be part of communities: what is Twitch for?
Within the definition of what Twitch is, there is also a key to answer. What is it really for? The answer will vary depending on what you want to do on the platform: stream? view? Obviously, you can do both.
If you want to join Twitch to create content, the platform will allow you to do so in a very simple way. You need a good computer that doesn’t skimp on hard drive memory, a microphone, and a camera. These elements are what will allow you to be live and start creating your community.
You have analytics for your channel that will give you information about your streamings. This data can be from the source of traffic to demographics and number of views. With all the data, you can refine your content according to who you want to reach and .
You can also view only content. In that case, when answering what Twitch is and what it is for, we would tell you that it offers you a wide variety of channels of various content.
The best? You can access for free. You will find everything: art, music, video games, sports. If you want, you can subscribe to your favorite channels and make a financial contribution to those who created it.
And no, it’s not like TV. It is much better. You can join the chats of the live broadcasts. A chat in a live broadcast allows you to converse with those who are watching it and with who is doing it. This reinforces the sense of community.
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But as in any community there are certain rules. In this sense, it is important that you know what banning is, whether you are going to watch or create content. Those who violate the rules of coexistence, such as hate speech or bullying, may be banned from Twitch from the account, from participating in chats or following certain channels.
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How to use Twitch? What you need to know to take advantage of the platform
When we talked about what Twitch is, we saw that there were at least two ways to use the platform. To view content and/or to create it.
We have to make the same distinction to see how to use the platform, since the pages and options to consider are not the same.
Use Twitch to watch content
With your account ready (if you don’t have one, don’t worry, we’ll see how to create one shortly), you’re all set to browse the site. We are going to tell you the key functions and buttons that you do or do have to use.
If you’re opening the Twitch home for the first time, it’ll ask you to choose your interests and offer you some accounts to follow. Pay attention to the home and the other options that appear:
If you click “Browse”, you can search for game or channel accounts that you want to start following. In your search, you can surf between categories or other tags.
💡 Important fact: from each channel, you will know who is in charge of the stream, number of viewers, and category, you can also follow them. You can also have your favorite channels at hand, they will be pinned on the left side of the Twitch page. There will also be those recommended by the platform.
If you’re already participating in a live broadcast and want to continue browsing Twitch, you can. This can be seen in PIP mode, which means that the video remains in a floating window while you explore what other features the platform has.
In addition, on the home page you will find other options besides “Explore”:
- The crown icon, you can see what rewards Twitch gives if you move to Amazon Prime.
- The bell, on the other hand, will notify you if you have notifications.
- With “Get bits” you will be able to acquire bits to reward your creators of choice.
- In the icon of your profile, you access the entire menu about your channel and settings about your account.
Another important point is that, although watching the videos is free, if you subscribed to a channel paying a monthly fee, you have benefits. Depending on the type of subscription you choose, you will be able to see content without ads, access exclusive broadcasts, talk privately with the creator, and more.
Using Twitch to create content
What is Twitch for those who create content? All. Making live broadcasts is much easier than on any other streaming platform. Later we will see how using software can help you make the task even easier.
Now let’s focus on what Twitch is for streamers and what options it has. First, you need to set up your channel. How? Using the “Control Panel”, which you access by clicking on the icon of your profile that we saw in the previous section.
In the “Control Panel” you will be able to do actions such as completing the information of your transmission and giving it a title. In addition, you can configure live broadcast notification, choose categories, tags and languages and view statistics.
You can also track the achievements and upcoming goals of your channel by clicking on the extensions section in the left menu.
In the “Events” section, Twitch gives you the option to create events for your channel. You can even share them with whoever you want through social networks. It will help you reach more people.
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If you go to “Activity”, all the activities that you created or modified in your channel are concentrated there. In “Analysis”, you will be able to access the statistics of your channel including information about payment periods of your channel and a breakdown of income.
Also, if you still don’t know how to broadcast, in “Tools” you will get the most used applications.
Finally, in “Videos”, you will have all the data about your audiovisual content. If you want to see your broadcasts, create highlights, add a message to your videos or organize them, it’s the ideal option!
How to create an account on Twitch?
We have already seen what Twitch is, what it is for and how to use it. But, to put into practice everything that was explained, you have to make an account. It is important that you know that by signing up you are agreeing to Twitch’s terms and services. But first things first: .
Once you’re there, click “Sign Up” at the top right of the page. Then fill in the required fields.
The user that asks you is the same that you are asked for in any other social network when you create your account, . That is, it is the name with which users will find you and search for you. If you don’t have a definite idea, don’t worry, later you can modify it.
It also asks you for a password that has to be strong, they insist a lot on this, if it’s weak, they won’t let you register. In addition, you have to fill in your date of birth and you have the option to complete your registration with your cell phone number or e-mail.
Depending on the option you choose, a code will be sent to your phone or to your email to complete the registration. When you have it, enter it where indicated. And ready! You already have everything to start exploring the platform.
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Earn income from what you are passionate about: how to make money with Twitch?
It is a fact that, with , generating income is possible. In the case of Twitch, there are several ways to do it. But there is a first step which is to become an affiliate on Twitch.
This is what will allow you to monetize your channel. To be an affiliate, you have to meet a series of criteria such as reaching 50 followers, broadcasting for 8 hours and broadcasting on 7 different days.
One step further is to join the Twitch Partners program. What is it to be a Twitch partner? It is to enjoy benefits such as monetization and tools to grow your channel such as personalization.
In order to apply, you have to meet a series of criteria in this case are more difficult to achieve. You will find: transmit 25 hours in the last 30 days and have an average of 75 viewers.
With that said, let’s look at the monetization options in both cases:
- Channel subscriptions: it is a monthly payment made by the audience to streamers. They range from $1.99 per month to $10 or $15 for 6 months. That is, if they subscribe they can…
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