Earn Money with Twitch? This Is How It Works!

Admittedly, it sounds tempting to earn money from your own computer at home with your personal hobby. Full-time or part-time does not play an important role at first. In the golden age of the Internet many things are possible. Career profiles have developed of which no one would have believed 25 years ago that they would ever exist. No matter whether they are successful influencers, YouTube stars or ambitious (pro) gamers, they use platforms to share content with their fan base. YouTube is probably the best known representative, but the video platform Twitch has also established itself.

We’ll show you how to turn your hobby into a rewarding source of income with Twitch.

Twitch or YouTube? These are the differences.

Of course you ask yourself which platform makes more sense for you. But first of all: Twitch and YouTube are basically two different concepts. The main difference is the provision of content. YouTube focuses primarily on video-on-demand content, which means: shoot, create and upload video. Twitch, on the other hand, reaches viewer numbers mainly through live broadcasts. That’s why Twitch is particularly suitable for the eSports sector, but also for gamers who want to prove their skills in front of an audience. In the past, the portal was mainly aimed at this sector. But today it’s different. The channels are therefore just as diverse as the topics provided by the users on the video platform – bluntly and unedited. Just very close to the viewer, who meanwhile also has the option to contact the streamer via chat. It is also possible to feed both channels in parallel.

Gaming to make money

At Twitch there are different models to earn money with your own live streaming content. The supreme discipline is to get hold of a partnership with the video platform. So far, out of more than 2 million active streamers, only about 20,000 channels have reached this status. The prerequisite for this is an elaborate application process, combined with staying power and plenty of stamina. Once you’ve done it, you can play short commercials at any time during your stream, whenever you like, and you’ll get a share of the revenue. In addition, viewers can choose the quality they want to watch.

But there are also other ways to earn money with Twitch. On the one hand through the classic advertising model, Affiliate Marketing, donations from viewers, subscriptions and of course through sponsoring & merchandise.

Targeted advertising

What would television be without advertising? Exactly this instrument is also used for twitch channels. Similar to Google Adsense on websites, advertising in the form of banners, videos and ads is displayed on your channel – per 1k views you can expect revenues between 3 and 10 euros, depending on relevance. The best part is that you don’t even have to lift a finger for this, because advertising becomes a self-runner. So it is even possible to tailor the advertisement to your target group.

Recommendation and sponsoring

You can place referral links in your Twitch profile without any Twitch partnership. The best way to do this is to think about which products and services fit your channel and look for external affiliate partners, such as Amazon & Co. Most of the time you can register directly or ask the respective company. By providing links created specifically for you, affiliate programs can track the activity emanating from your channel. If a viewer clicks on the link and purchases the product, you’ll get a share of the revenue – some companies even interact with the link. The more viewers there are on your channel, the more likely it is that someone will be interested in a product you are promoting. Companies may even approach you with a high reach and offer you sponsoring. But be careful here, because behind supposed sponsors black sheep can hide, which lure the viewers to questionable sites. At the end the coup falls back on you.

Call for donations

A certainly good and easy way to generate revenue is to get donations from viewers through different providers like Streamlabs or TipeeeStream. Simply create an account with the respective provider and include the link in your Twitch profile. The viewers can then click on it and send the streamer a cash gift via various payment methods. Normally, the community is very grateful for useful tips and the transfer of know-how. Of course, it can also happen that well-off people watch and a large sum is collected ad hoc – but here, too, nothing is left to chance. Good preparation and knowledge should be available.

Subscriptions

Anyone who maintains their own channel has the option of making this available at a charge. This means that your viewers pay a fixed amount (about 5 Euro per month) to get access to your content. Since Twitch also wants to earn money from this, you get about half of the revenue credited to your account. However, you should also offer your subscribers something in return, such as participation in fan games or raffles. Think of something great, because beware, the shot can quickly backfire.

Merchandise & Product Placement

You have probably already noticed the letter “P” in a stream or in a television program. Behind it hides the label for Product Placement. Of course you can also earn excellent money with it. Once you are known like a colourful dog, you will not be able to save yourself from inquiries at all. Companies want you to advertise their products in your stream by using them during streaming – be it a headset, a mouse or a PC or Merchandise in the form of T-shirts or the like, to avoid the penalty of surreptitious advertising, mark your stream with a “P”, and there are various overlays. But don’t worry, until it’s time, you have your hands full.

Stay on the ball

The most important thing to make your hobby your profession is continuity. Of course, this also applies if you just want to earn a little extra. A certain regularity is the A & O to keep your viewers happy. Of course, this also means that the higher your reach, the greater your responsibility. Therefore, always be aware that you can no longer pursue your hobby in the same way as before. Therefore, always stay on the ball and always offer your viewers a certain added value.