Make Money Gaming with Twitch

make money gaming with twitch

Are you the kind of person who finds themselves playing games for long periods of time?

Do you have a passion for it?

With gaming becoming more and more popular with each generation, imagine if you could take the time you spent at your keyboard or with a controller in your hand and turn it into cash as well.

With Twitch, this fantasy may just become your new reality. Here is how you can make money online with Twitch.

What is Twitch?

Established in 2011, Twitch was launched as a live streaming platform that was geared towards gamers of all kinds.

To date, there are millions of broadcasters who display their unique activities for people to watch all over the world. Videos can be as short or as lengthy as the streamers like and can be about any style of gaming they prefer, whether it be tabletop, web-based, console-based, etc.

what is twitch

Twitch has also partnered with major gaming companies to host worldwide gaming and esports that are exclusive to them alone.

Setting Up Your Twitch

join twitch

So, you’ve decided to take the plunge and begin streaming your gaming.

The first thing you must do is set up an account through Twitch.tv. You’ll have to come up with a username. This can be straightforward like your name or it can be a play on words or a nickname.

Whatever you choose, it should be something that you can associate with and that will be unique to only you.

Then, you’ll finish adding in additional information (passwords, birthdays, emails, etc.) and after signing the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, you’ll be ready to go.

Now it’s time to share your profile with friends, family, and on your social media!

How to Build an Audience

Now that you’ve made the platform, it is time to get some people to notice you.

As you start streaming, people will find you by looking for similar interests. Make sure your videos have the appropriate titles and hashtags so it will appear at the top of the search findings.

Another way is by engaging with your audience while you stream. Welcome new viewers by name when they arrive and thank those who become subscribers as well. Make sure to also take into consideration any requests or suggestions they send your way as well, but always remember this is your platform and your content.

Don’t allow the audience to rule you.

Be Consistent

The number one rule in having a successful Twitch stream can be summed up in a single word: consistency.

Keeping a regular streaming schedule and making sure your content stays within the areas that you are trying to promote can help make sure that those following you remain. You don’t want to confuse your fanbase by altering what you are doing and jumping to something new. It’s okay to try other things but try to keep them in the same realm of gaming.

If your platform is tabletop gaming, keep with the different kinds and don’t suddenly shift to console games.

Network with Other Gamers

Twitch is a streaming service for the individual, but it is also a community of like-minded people and to build your brand you need to reach out to fellow gamers to try and get your name out to their fanbase as well.

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Collaborate on projects, challenge them to gaming fights, and other things that will bring your fans to their stream and in turn their fans to yours. By reaching out to those who are already established as successful streamers, they can help answer any questions you may have as they have already gone through it and are great resources.

Promote on Social Media

Being a success on Twitch isn’t enough to build fan bases likes of other famous Twitch streamers. You need to be able to reach your audience through every possible means. That means building your brand on all social media platforms.

Build your brand on Facebook, Twitter, and every means in which you can interact with your followers one on one. Engage them in any way you can but be sure to circle it back to your Twitch stream as well to ensure that those who have found you on these platforms know of your work and how to find it.

Be Really Good

No matter what it is that you decide to do on the platform, make sure that it is something you are good at doing.

build twitch audience

People will not wish to spend their time and money to patron someone who fumbles around with what they are doing or spends most of their time trying to go through the tutorials. If you are an excellent aim on shooting games, be proud and show off your skills. If rolling the dice is more your style, be sure to show off you best sets with each roll. Whatever it is, make sure you show your best side.

Be Entertaining

Being good at something isn’t just enough.

You need to make sure that you are able to keep the eye and interest of those who visit your stream and who will pay good money to watch the content over and over again. Try to be as engaging as you can. Talk directly to the audience as though they are sitting in the same room as you. Or, perhaps allow yourself to be a little uncomfortable and try being silly.

tim the tatman twitch

Comedy is one of the best means of attracting viewers. Perhaps, if you are a bit of a scaredy-cat, make a particular playlist of yourself sitting in a dark room and taking on some of the scariest games out there. People will enjoy watching you jump, and it will only encourage them to contribute funds to ensure you keep going.

Listen to your audience to find out what they want to and know where to take your content in the future.

How to Make Money with Twitch

There are several ways to make money with Twitch.

You can get it directly from your fans by donations or subscriptions, or you can get it by partnering up with other companies and promoting their goods while receiving a sum of money for doing it.

Here are all of the ways you can build an income with Twitch.

Donations

Twitch is a community of people who like to support each other and help those with similar passions to keep doing what they love.

One way they can do that is by offering donations to the people they watch. This donation can come in several different forms. Sometimes it can be physical items that the streamer may need, like equipment or presents. Other forms are monetary donations. This money is allocated to the streamer to use on things they may need or provide them with a stable income.

The more followers you have, the more likely you can receive these things and could turn your gaming into a lucrative career.

Affiliates

With Twitch becoming very popular, several companies are turning to it to promote their company. One way they are doing that is by partnering with streamers to show off their products to their fanbase. In return, the streamers will receive a kickback as an incentive.

The companies that use this method of advertisement can be any kind. From food to electronic goods, they can entrust their products are getting in front of many different consumers of all ages. And the commission the streamers get may vary but can be very profitable

Subscriptions

For those who are seeking to use Twitch streaming as their primary source of income, the option of donations is a great idea, but not the most stable.

The amounts you will have will always depend upon the charity of others. Unless your fans are providing a steady flow of money, you can expect that one day the, as they say, ”well will run dry”.

subsribe to twitch

To fix this problem, you can offer a subscription plan in which people can pay a monthly amount to be allowed access to your videos early, perhaps even participate in a live stream, or have access to exclusive content just for them. Make sure to make the price worth it with what you offer to your fanbase.

Sponsorship

Unlike an affiliate agreement in which you earn money by broadcasting their goods, sponsorship doesn’t require quite as much work but will come with the chance of an even higher pay grade.

Companies will pick you to advocate their products as you use it for your streaming. They may also require you to display their logos, add sales banners to the broadcast, or even give away some products as part of a contest, but this is a continuous stream of money that can be guaranteed upon as opposed to donations or even affiliations. Depending upon your popularity on the service, sponsors may reach out to you directly to discuss a partnership, but if you are still new you may have to do the leg work and reach out to them yourself.

Attending events, conventions, and even tournaments can help you get into the room with those who may make your Twitchy dreams come true.

Tournaments

With gaming becoming very popular, so too has become gaming tournaments. Everything from combat games to esports now has some kind of competition where people who are fans of the game can get together to test their skills and who really is the grand champion to them all. These tournaments used to be a hushed matter, but now Twitch has begun streaming these events for all to see and watch no matter where they are in the world.

twitch gaming tournament

There are even commentators who will review those participating and cover the gameplay much as they do at other sporting events. This is a wonderful way to help promote yourself to fans who may not have found your channel yet, but there is also a cash prize that can be won. This money can sometimes be life-changing and, if invested into the channel, make your streaming service expand further than it has ever before.

Merchandise

With a fan base built, you will want to continue to promote your brand and help others to promote it as well.

This can be easily done by selling merchandise that bears your brand, logo, or even your very image. Once you know what to use, there are different ways to display it: hats, shirts, bags, face masks, stickers…the list goes on and on.

By selling this to your fans, you will not only earn money from each sale but also have them work hard to advertise for you whenever they wear it out and about. Plus, as they find others wearing your merchandise, it will help them to come together as a community, not just online.

Twitch Partners

A Twitch Partner is unique in that they don’t just stream gaming content, but also music, talk shows, and just about anything else that can be imagined.

These are people who are truly committed to streaming and are ready to rise to this level. They have expanded their brand far beyond just what they began with and have built a multi-outlet brand. To qualify, you must stream for at least 25 hours, over 12 days, with an average reach of 75 viewers within a 30-day time period.

Only then can one rise to the level of Twitch Partner.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a number of great ways to make money with Twitch. If you are passionate about gaming and enjoy creating a community, then you may be the perfect gamer for a Twitch channel.

Just be consistent, create entertaining streams and you will grow as fast as a weed!

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