Gaming Careers

Twitch is set to push more ads on creators, with new notifications showing how much you could be earning by running ads during your streams. But is this a good opportunity to boost income, or could it drive viewers away? 💡 Why Is Twitch Pushing Ads So Hard? Twitch relies heavily on ads for revenue, but many streamers feel ads disrupt the viewer experience. However, Amazon’s pressure on Twitch to become more profitable could be driving this push. Recently, Twitch has introduced cost-saving measures like layoffs and Enhanced Broadcasting, which allows streamers to handle transcoding themselves via OBS. Viral Thacker, Twitch’s new head of ad sales, has been hired to revamp the ad system, signaling that ads are becoming a bigger part of Twitch’s future. 📈 How Will This Affect Your Stream? Twitch’s notification system will show creators how much they could earn by running more ads, but this comes with both pros and cons. ⬆️ The Upside: - Ad Revenue Boost: Running ads could increase your earnings, especially if you’re not currently using them. - Transparency: Twitch’s new notifications will provide insights into ad revenue, helping you make informed decisions. ⬇️The Downside: - Ad Fatigue: Viewers often don’t like being interrupted by ads, which could lead to lower engagement or viewers leaving your stream. - Small Earnings for Small Streamers: Many smaller streamers feel that running ads isn’t worth it, as the revenue generated is often minimal. 🎯 How to Make Ads Work for You If you’re considering running more ads, here are some strategies to keep in mind: ❌ Disable Pre-Roll Ads for New Viewers Running a 90-second ad break disables pre-rolls for 30 minutes, and a 3-minute ad break disables them for an hour. This can improve the experience for new viewers while still generating revenue. ♟️ Use Mid-Roll Ads Strategically Run ads during natural breaks, like loading screens or between matches, to avoid interrupting key moments. 🗣️ Communicate with Your Audience Be transparent with your viewers about why you’re running ads. Let them know ads help support the stream and disable pre-rolls for new viewers. 🤔 Should You Embrace Twitch’s Ad Push? While running ads may not make sense for smaller creators, Twitch is under pressure to become more profitable, and ads will likely play a bigger role moving forward. Ultimately, the decision to run more ads depends on your goals as a creator. If you’re focused on maximizing income, Twitch’s new notifications could be helpful. But if you’re focused on building a loyal community, you’ll need to carefully consider how ads fit into your strategy.

Twitch is stepping up its game regarding transparency and clarity around its rules. The platform launched a new feature called Enforcement Notes, designed to make its Community Guidelines easier to understand and follow. ❓ What Are Enforcement Notes? Enforcement Notes are additional clarifications and specific examples added directly to Twitch’s Community Guidelines. These notes aim to explain how Twitch’s existing rules apply to new trends, behaviors, or even viral “metas” on the platform. If a particular trend starts pushing boundaries or causing confusion, Twitch will now publish a note under the relevant policy to clarify what’s allowed and what’s not. 🤷♂️ Why This Matters for Streamers Twitch has acknowledged that community trends and social media discussions can lead to confusion about what’s acceptable, so these notes are meant to provide real-time guidance. In fact, we’ve seen plenty of grey areas in the past where streamers weren’t sure if their content was breaking the rules or not. Here are some examples of past Twitch metas that caused a lot of confusion: • Skin Gambling: When streamers started gambling with in-game skins (like in CS:GO), it wasn’t immediately clear how this fit into Twitch’s gambling policies. • Hot Tub Streams: The “hot tub meta” sparked debates about whether sitting in a hot tub while streaming violated Twitch’s guidelines. Eventually, Twitch had to create a separate category, but earlier clarification could’ve helped avoid confusion. • Censorship Bars: Some streamers used creative methods like censorship bars to cover up parts of their body or content, pushing the boundaries of Twitch’s guidelines on nudity and sexual content. • Artistic Nudity: Streams featuring artistic nudity (like body painting) walked a fine line between art and violating Twitch’s Nudity policies. • Restreaming TV Shows: During the “TV meta,” streamers began restreaming full TV shows, leading to questions about copyright violations. With Enforcement Notes, Twitch will now provide real-time examples and clarifications when these trends emerge, making it easier for streamers to know whether their content is within the rules. 🔎 Where to Find the Notes These notes are found in the Safety Center under the Community Guidelines section. Twitch has already added a bunch of new examples and clarifications under various policies, and they’ve consolidated a lot of older, stand-alone pages into one place to make it easier to navigate. 📢 Final Thoughts Twitch has faced its fair share of bad PR whenever new metas or trends emerge, and news outlets frame them as being allowed by the platform. This kind of coverage can paint Twitch in a negative light, especially when it seems like the platform is slow to respond. With Enforcement Notes, Twitch now has a way to quickly address these situations, closing loopholes and clarifying what’s acceptable before things spiral out of control.

YouTube is rolling out some updates to Shorts, and starting October 15, 2024, creators will be able to upload Shorts up to three minutes long. This is a response to requests from creators who wanted more flexibility to tell their stories. Here’s a quick rundown of the key updates: 🕒 3-Minute Time Limit: Creators can now upload Shorts that are up to three minutes long, giving a bit more room for storytelling. ▶️ Streamlined Shorts Player: More space is now given to the content with outlined icons and compressed descriptions. 🗂️ Templates for Remixing: YouTube is adding a template feature that allows you to easily remix and recreate popular Shorts. Just hit the "Remix" button on a Short and select "Use this template" to jump on trends quickly. 🔀 Remix YouTube Content: Soon, you’ll be able to pull clips from across YouTube directly into your Shorts, including music videos and other creators’ content. These updates are aimed at making Shorts more creator-friendly. The longer time limit offers some flexibility, but it’s still a far cry from TikTok’s 10-minute option. The remixing tools will help creators hop on trends faster, but they’re similar to what TikTok and Instagram Reels already offer. If you’re a streamer, these updates can work hand-in-hand with Twitch’s recent improvements to its clip editor. Twitch now allows creators to easily convert clips into vertical format and export them directly to platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts. This means you can take those epic moments from your stream and share them across platforms with just a click. For streamers who are active on both Twitch and YouTube, this integration makes it easier to repurpose content and reach a wider audience without much extra effort.

TwitchCon San Diego 2024 just wrapped up, and it was packed with big announcements that streamers and content creators will want to keep an eye on: 📱Twitch Mobile App Gets Major Upgrades With 70% of new viewers finding Twitch through the mobile app, it’s no surprise that Twitch is doubling down on improving the mobile experience. • Easier Navigation: You can now open your followed channels with a swipe, and sorting your Following list is simpler. • Picture-in-Picture Prioritization: The stream you’re watching will stay in focus while you browse for more content. • Autoplay Control: You’ll soon have the option to turn off autoplay if it’s not your thing. • Thumbnails on followed channels. • Easier access to followed categories. • Resume VODs from recently watched streams. 🎬 Clips: Easier to Find, Share, and Create Twitch is making it simpler to capture and share those epic moments from your stream. • Clip Carousel: After each stream, you’ll see a carousel of the best clips, ready to be shared on social media. • Search & Filter: Find clips by title, creator, or date. • Mobile Portrait Clips: Create vertical clips directly from the mobile app. • Clip Notifications: Get alerts when someone makes a clip of your stream so you can share it immediately. 🤝 Shared Chat: A New Way to Collaborate Twitch is making it easier for communities to come together with Shared Chat, a new feature in the Stream Together toolkit. Up to 6 creators can combine their chats when streaming together, allowing their audiences to interact in one unified chat. • Merged Chats: Messages from all participating channels will appear in one chat. • Moderation Tools: Mods can oversee all messages across channels, with the ability to issue timeouts and bans. • Safety Features: Users banned from any channel in the collab can’t send messages during the Shared Chat session. • Expanded use for IRL streaming and Discord collaborations in the future. ✨ Enhanced Broadcasting: 2K Resolution and Dual-Format Streaming Twitch is stepping up its broadcast quality game. Starting in 2025, streamers using Enhanced Broadcasting will be able to stream in 1440p (2K) resolution. This will roll out in select regions first, with more to follow. Additionally, Twitch will introduce dual-format streaming, allowing you to stream in both vertical and landscape modes simultaneously. This means viewers will get the best experience, whether they’re watching on mobile or desktop. ❌ Changes to Strikes and Enforcement Twitch is adjusting its approach to strikes to make things clearer and less harsh for minor infractions. • More Transparency: For violations in Chat, you’ll now receive the exact excerpt where the violation occurred. Eventually, Twitch will also provide clips for infractions during live streams or VODs. • Expiring Strikes: Starting in 2025, strikes will expire over time, depending on the severity of the violation. This should reduce the risk of long-term bans for minor issues.

Twitch recently introduced a new feature that allows viewers to share clips from your stream directly to their TikTok and YouTube accounts. The idea is to help streamers grow by exposing their content to new audiences. There’s been plenty of discussion online about whether this feature is something streamers should enable or if it could end up being more harmful than helpful. Some argue it’s a great way to get free exposure, while others are concerned about losing control over their content. So, should you enable it? Let’s break it down. 📈 How This Feature Could Help You Grow • Free Exposure Without Extra Effort: One of the biggest advantages is that it allows your content to reach new audiences without you needing to lift a finger. Viewers can share clips directly from your stream to their social media accounts, giving your content a chance to go viral on platforms like TikTok and YouTube. • Build Stronger Community Engagement: Letting your viewers share clips from your stream can foster a deeper connection with your community. Viewers feel like they’re contributing to your success by promoting your content, which can increase loyalty and engagement. • Simple Clip Creation & Sharing: The feature makes it incredibly easy for viewers to grab a moment from your stream and share it with their followers. If you’ve linked your TikTok account to your Twitch Channel Page, clips shared on TikTok will automatically tag your TikTok handle, making it even easier for viewers to find you on other platforms. 😬 Why You Might Be Hesitant • “People Are Making Money Off My Content?!”: It’s understandable to feel protective of your work, and the thought of someone else profiting from your content can be frustrating. However, many top creators argue that the exposure is worth it. The more people sharing your content, the more eyes on your brand. In the long run, the benefits of getting your content in front of new audiences far outweigh the short-term loss of control over monetization. • Hashtags Aren’t Enough for Real Growth: While your channel name is included as a hashtag, this might not be enough to drive meaningful traffic to your Twitch channel. A stronger approach would have been to watermark the clip with your channel name directly in the video, making it more visible and harder to miss. • Limited Editing Tools: The editing tools available for this feature are very basic, which means that the clips shared won’t stand out much compared to the highly polished, engaging content that already dominates platforms like TikTok. This could make it harder for your clips to compete for attention. • Lack of Control & Potential for Negative Exposure: Once a clip is shared, you lose control over its presentation and interpretation. Viewers might share clips that don’t represent your stream in the best light or take moments out of context. Worse, clips could go viral for negative reasons, attracting unwanted attention or comments.

Twitch has rolled out new updates to its Ads Manager, giving streamers more control and transparency over how ads are managed on their channels. If you’re a streamer looking to maximize ad revenue while keeping your viewers happy, here’s a breakdown of the key changes and what they mean for you. 🆕 What’s New? The most significant update is the introduction of an ad density slider. This new tool helps streamers adjust how many ad minutes they want to run per hour. The slider also provides clear feedback on what level of revenue share you’ll unlock and whether your settings will disable pre-roll ads for incoming viewers. For Twitch Partners, revenue estimates previously part of the Ads Incentive Program (AIP) are now integrated directly into the Ads Manager. This means you’ll get monthly revenue projections based on your past ad performance—no extra steps required. Both Partners and Affiliates can now automatically earn 55% net ad revenue by running at least 3 minutes of ads per hour. There is no longer a need to opt into the AIP. 🔑 Key Features to Explore Here’s a quick rundown of the features you’ll want to pay attention to: • Ad Density Slider: Easily adjust ad minutes per hour and see how it impacts revenue and pre-roll ads. • Automatic Ad Length & Frequency: Let Twitch choose the optimal ad settings for your channel based on demand and seasonality. • Chat Countdown Timer & Auto Snooze: These features are neatly organized under Advanced Settings and help you run ads without disrupting key moments, like Hype Trains. • Pre-Roll Removal: Run 3 minutes of ads per hour to remove pre-roll ads for 60 minutes, improving the experience for new viewers. 🎛️ Lack of Control Some streamers have voiced concerns about the types of ads shown on their channels. One streamer, for example, was upset when their stream was used to promote a crypto project that didn’t align with their values. Additionally, some streamers have brand partnerships with specific companies and don’t want to risk promoting competitors through ads they have no control over. 🫵 What Does This Mean for You? If you’re a streamer looking to maximize ad revenue, these updates are a step in the right direction. The ad density slider and integrated revenue estimates make it easier to understand how ads will impact your earnings and viewers' experience. Plus, the ability to disable pre-rolls with 3 minutes of mid-roll ads per hour can improve the experience for new viewers. However, if you prefer more control over when and what type of ads run on your channel, you might find the current system limiting. The lack of flexibility in scheduling longer, less frequent ad breaks and the inability to filter out certain ad content are still major pain points for some creators.

❓ Why Are Streamers Coming Back to Twitch? When YouTube began signing big names like Ludwig, TimTheTatman, and DrLupo to exclusive livestreaming contracts, it seemed like a major power move against Twitch. YouTube was already a powerhouse in video content, and the platform seemed poised to challenge Twitch’s dominance in the livestreaming space. However, as these contracts expire, a noticeable trend has emerged: many streamers are either returning to Twitch or opting to multistream across platforms. LilyPichu and Swagg switched back to Twitch almost immediately after their YouTube contracts ended, whereas TimTheTatman and DrLupo, who spent three years on YouTube, started multistreaming on both platforms. 🤔 So, Why the Return to Twitch? There are a few key reasons why streamers are heading back to Twitch: 📺 Viewership: For many streamers, Twitch offers better viewership numbers. Streaming for the first time on both platforms on September 1, TimTheTatman’s Twitch stream attracted over 31,700 viewers, around 10,000 more than on YouTube. 💰 Monetization: Twitch's monetization options appear more lucrative for some creators, primarily through subscriptions. TimTheTatman shared that he gained 6,500 subscribers in one day on Twitch, nearly half of what he had on YouTube after much more extended periods. 🗣️ Chat Experience: Twitch's chat culture is a significant draw for both streamers and viewers. The interactive chat on Twitch is often cited as far superior to YouTube's, creating a more engaging experience for everyone involved. 🏋️♂️ YouTube's Strengths Despite the mass return to Twitch, YouTube isn't necessarily failing. The platform still boasts impressive numbers, particularly in non-English speaking regions. YouTube’s global reach is undeniable, especially in regions like Asia, where platforms like Twitch are less dominant. For example, VTubers and major events on YouTube can draw in massive peak viewership, sometimes surpassing Twitch’s biggest moments. Minato Aqua, a popular VTuber, recently peaked at 735,000 viewers during her graduation stream—a number that would be difficult to achieve on Twitch. Moreover, YouTube’s algorithm can help livestreams gain massive visibility, leading to some of the largest peak viewerships in the industry. This makes YouTube an attractive option for big events or highly-produced content. 🔮 What’s Next? It seems like the era of huge money exclusivity contracts may be coming to an end. With Twitch’s CEO Daniel Clancy stating that exclusivity deals are no longer part of their business strategy and YouTube not renewing many of these contracts, the landscape is shifting. These contracts, whether on YouTube or newer platforms like Kick, were primarily focused on initially attracting users to the platform. Now that the dust has settled, many streamers are reassessing where they can best grow their audience and income.

Twitch just rolled out its latest Patch Notes for August 2024, and there are some significant changes you’ll want to know about: 🔔 Subtember Returns (With Some Changes) Subtember is back, but this year, it’s starting early and running from August 29th to October 1st. - All Month: 25% off 1-Month + 3-Month Subs. -All Month: 30% off 6-Month Subs. - Sept 12-17: Cheer 300+ Bits, Get 10%+ Bonus Bits. - Sept 26-Oct 1: Gift 5 Subs, Get 1+ Bonus Gift Sub. Subtember is a great opportunity to encourage your community to subscribe or gift subscriptions. Even though they will be getting more for less, don’t worry—you will still be getting the same payout as a full-priced subscription. 📱 Mobile Sub Price Increase Starting October 1st, Twitch is increasing the price of subscriptions on mobile. The higher price on mobile is largely due to the fees charged by app stores, which Twitch says they need to pass on to maintain the same revenue share for streamers. The price increase follows a similar hike on the web, which Twitch claims has resulted in streamers earning more overall. However, some streamers have reported a drop in recurring subs and gifted subs since the web price increase. Twitch also ran an experiment offering discounts on gift sub-bundles in 40 countries. The results? More gift subs were purchased, and streamers made more money overall, but the discounts were shared between Twitch and streamers, which might not sit well with everyone. 👈 Nudges Experiment: A Pause Before You Post Twitch is testing a new feature aimed at reducing harmful chat messages. If a message you’re about to send could be considered offensive or disrespectful, a popup will ask you to pause and reconsider before sending it. The aim is to decrease harassment and promote more positive interactions in chat. The feature is still in the experimental phase, so it is unclear whether it will be rolled out widely. 🎬 Clips: New Sharing Options Twitch is giving streamers more control over how their clips are shared. Streamers can now enable or disable the ability for viewers to post clips directly to their own TikTok or YouTube channels. Your Twitch channel name will automatically be added as a hashtag in viewers' posts, helping you reach a broader audience. 🛡️ Safety & Moderation Tools A new machine learning model is being tested to flag users who might be there to cause trouble, beyond just ban evaders. You can also now test your AutoMod settings by sending a sample message to see if it gets flagged. 📢 Ads Manager Gets a Facelift Twitch is rolling out a new version of Ads Manager aimed at making ad management easier. The new design brings all key features to a single page, making it easier to navigate. A new slider lets you easily adjust the number of minutes of ads you want to run per hour. The interface also shows how this affects your revenue share.

📢 Twitch's New "Drop Ins" Feature: Game Changer or Gimmick? Drop Ins is a new feature within Twitch's Stream Together that lets streamers "drop in" on each other's live streams without the hassle of pre-planning. ⚡ Here’s how it works: 1️⃣ Check Availability: While streaming, you can see if your followed channels or other streamers are available for collaboration. 2️⃣ Knock to Join: If they are available, you can "knock" on their door. They will receive a private notification and can choose to let you join. 3️⃣ Audio & Video Setup: Once accepted, you can easily set up audio and video through OBS or other streaming software. 🙅♂️ The Catch: No Permanent Opt-Out While the feature seems promising, there is a significant drawback: No permanent opt-out. You can only pause the feature for "1 Hour" or "This Stream." It automatically turns back on for every new stream, effectively forcing its use. This could lead to unwanted interruptions, even with the ability to pause requests temporarily. 🌟 Key Features Drop Ins offers various features to manage your collaborations effectively. You can easily accept or decline collaboration requests directly from the notification and control who can request to collaborate with you through your Favorites settings. Twitch has also integrated safety features such as moderation, request cooldowns, reporting, and channel block/ban features to protect against harassment. 🤔 Final Thoughts Twitch seems adamant about making the Guest Star/Stream Together/Drop Ins feature a major part of streaming on the platform. They've been putting significant developer resources into this feature for a few years, and it still seems limited in use across the platform. Will Drop Ins be the feature that pushes more streamers to use Stream Together? Who knows, but it certainly looks like Twitch wants you to use it with its limited ability to be disabled permanently.

❓ Why is Twitch Still Losing Money? In 2014, Amazon made a bold move by acquiring Twitch for nearly $1 billion. Fast forward a decade, and the livestreaming platform still hasn't turned a profit. Despite explosive popularity and millions of daily visitors, Twitch remains unprofitable, as highlighted by a recent The Wall Street Journal article. 📉 Declining User Spending and Engagement Documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal reveal that Twitch’s biggest spenders are tightening their wallets. Coupled with a slowdown in new user growth and engagement, the platform’s financial outlook appears bleak. A recent Q2 report from Stream Hatchet shows: - Twitch's market share of hours watched dropped from 70% in Q2 2023 to 60% in Q2 2024. - YouTube's share grew from 17% to 23%. - Kick now holds 5.5% of the market share. The shift indicates that Twitch is losing ground to its competitors. 📦 Amazon's Long-Term View Despite these challenges, Amazon maintains a long-term perspective on Twitch. A spokeswoman emphasized Twitch’s ability to attract hard-to-reach audiences and expressed confidence in its potential. However, the platform's business model remains challenging, with high costs associated with enabling tens of thousands of simultaneous livestreams to be viewed around the world. 📈 Small Streamers Gain Viewership The Stream Hatchet report further highlights that the top 5% of streamers by hours watched now account for 86% of the total market share, down from 98% in Q2 2019. This indicates a more diverse market for smaller streamers. 🔮 Twitch's Response and Future Plans Twitch is not sitting idle. The platform is seeing success beyond video games with its Just Chatting category, where creators discuss various topics with viewers. Additionally, Twitch's sports, travel, and music sections are growing. The company is also working on improving its mobile experience to drive shorter and more frequent user sessions. A new app redesign featuring a discovery feed filled with short snippets from creator livestreams has just been released. 🎮 Esports and Event Highlights Despite its financial woes, Twitch remains a key player in esports. The Stream Hatchet report notes that the League of Legends 2024 Mid-Season Invitational was the most-watched event of Q2, boasting almost 70 million hours watched. 📊 Twitch Trends and Stats As a reminder, you can see a month-by-month breakdown of all kinds of statistics for Twitch, including average viewers, streamers, languages, hours watched, and much more on our dedicated Twitch stats page.