This is how you make money with Twitch!

• #How To
• #Influencer
• #Social Media

Earn money as a streamer? Here’s how.

Twitch was founded in 2011, and today it is one of the largest and most important streaming platforms. There are over 3 million streamers on Twitch, most of them in gaming. But many also use the chat function, where they sit in front of the camera and talk to each other via chat. For a period of time, it was even possible to host karaoke parties in the stream. Due to the Corona pandemic, Twitch 2020 became increasingly popular. More and more social media stars are active on the platform and thus also contribute to the rising popularity. So why not earn money by streaming? We’ll reveal what opportunities there are for this in the following.

For reasons of better readability, we have decided on our blog to use the generic masculine for personal names. This is done completely value-free and has only editorial reasons. All forms of language naturally apply to all genders.

What are the ways to make money with Twitch? 

Influencer Marketing

As with all social networks, creators can also enter into paid partnerships with companies on Twitch. Classic sponsoring involves companies contacting the creator and paying him or her to advertise their products in the stream. Creators are not dependent on actual sales, but receive a fixed, previously agreed amount. They should always mark the collaboration with a “product placement” insert. The greater the creator’s reach and the higher the user engagement, the more money can be earned through influencer marketing.

Affiliate programs 

Anyone who has streamed a total of 500 minutes on seven different days in the last 30 days, has had at least three simultaneous viewers and has already collected 50 followers can become an affiliate on Twitch. With Amazon’s affiliate program “Amazon Associates”, creators can earn additional money. They create affiliate text links for specific products available on Amazon and add their associate tracking ID to the end of the link. When a user then clicks on that link, the streamer receives a commission not only for the promoted product, but for all products in the cart. This is particularly worthwhile for expensive technology.

Game sales

Twitch is a platform that is primarily used by gamers to share their gaming experience with others. So it’s not far-fetched that gaming companies are interested in selling products via Twitch. Affiliates therefore have the opportunity to advertise games or paid extra content.  The purchase offer is located directly on the channel page below the video. The streamer receives a commission of about 5% per sale. The viewers of the stream not only support the creator with a purchase via Twitch, but also receive a reward in the form of a Twitch Chest, a kind of virtual badge, for purchases of $4.99 or more.

Twitch Partner Program

After a streamer completes the “Path to Affiliate” archive, there is an opportunity to advance to Twitch Partner. To become a Twitch Partner, Creators must have streamed 25 hours in the last 30 days, those 25 hours must be accumulated on at least 12 different days, and the Creator must have an average of 75 viewers per streaming. However, meeting these requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the partner program. Each request is reviewed individually by Twitch over a period of up to 7 business days. However, the waiting time is worth it. A partnership offers some (financial) advantages.

Advertising

If Twitch perceives the creator as a lucrative partner, they place ads on the channel. The creator can earn money from the ads shown and determine how often and how long mid-roll ads are shown during the stream. It is possible to show approximately four advertising blocks per hour. Creators receive 2-5$ per 1,000 viewers. However, creators should be careful not to scare away their viewers with too much advertising.

Paid subscriptions

As a partner, creators on Twitch can market their stream as a paid subscription. Half of this so-called “subscription fee” is assigned to Twitch itself and the other half to the creator. However, in order for users to be willing to accept such a paid subscription, the creator must grant them certain benefits, such as certain privileges in the chat or inclusion in exclusive events. With the incentive of being closer to the creator, true fans are quite willing to pay.

Bits

Like TikTok, Twitch also has its own currency, the Bits. The principle is similar: users can buy Bits for real money and donate them to creators during the stream to cheer them on. For users, using attention-grabbing bits as animated emoticons in chat means that they receive recognition in the form of badges or leaderboards. It also earns them streamers’ endorsements and certain advantages at e-sports events. The higher the number of bits, the bigger the animated emoticons. 100 bits currently cost 1.47€. Creators can, however, set themselves from how many bits a cheer message can be sent in the chat. This measure is useful to reduce spam.

More options

Independently of the Twitch platform itself, there are other ways for creators to earn money with their streams. For example, they are also free to accept donations from their viewers via Paypal or other platforms. Platforms like Patreon, which allow streamers to generate revenue via monthly subscriptions, are also particularly popular. In return, paying users usually receive extra content, such as behind-the-scenes insights, or are allowed to make certain game requests. In addition, creators can upload their streams to YouTube. With YouTube advertising, revenues increase even more.

Conclusion

With the increasing popularity of Twitch, it is understandable that creators feel the need to earn money with their streams. Twitch itself divides its creators into two categories according to their reach: affiliates and partners. As an affiliate, you already have the opportunity to earn money as an influencer through paid collaborations, links or game sales. For affiliates, Twitch runs ads, they can monetize their subscriptions or convert bits from their viewers into revenue. The best example of a streamer successfully making money on Twitch is our exclusive blogger Rene Schmock. However, he too would agree that earning money should never come first for a creator, but the fun of it.