Twitch TV is an alternative to traditional television. If you are looking for an alternative form of entertainment while spending your time on the internet, it is likely that you have heard about various streamers that are making money on Twitch TV.
The platform has grown significantly. If you compare average numbers, it had about 900 thousand in 2018, and the average jumped to about 3 million in 2021.
Sure, the pandemic had something to do with these numbers, but even before the pandemic started, it was pretty clear that Twitch TV was on the rise.
Because of the change in consumer behavior and what they seek in entertainment, entertainers found that creating Twitch TV channels and monetizing them is a good form of income.
If you are someone who is thinking about starting their own Twitch TV channel, knowing how to monetize it is one of the priorities. Of course, you will first need to grow your channel and attract viewers because the money comes with them.
Custom Merchandise
Let’s start with custom merchandise. It is no secret that various content creators like to make merchandise and sell it to the viewers. Some even make Patreon pages and include the merchandise in one of the tiers to reward supporters.
Selling merchandise directly is not that hard these days. You do not have to invest in manufacturing equipment or worry about logistics. No, custom t shirts printing, as well as custom printing of other available merchandise, has never been easier.
You will need to find a reliable designer, though, especially if the plan is to create new merchandise regularly.
YouTube
YouTube videos are a great way to add an extra bit of income. The content you create on Twitch TV can be turned into videos for YouTube. It is common for streamers to create a YouTube channel and post stream highlights.
It is also worth noting that a YouTube channel is not an extra stream of income. There is usually no overlap between one’s YouTube and Twitch TV audiences, meaning that you can attract more viewers from YouTube and grow your Twitch TV channel further.
Donations and Bits
Donations are perhaps the most straightforward way to make money as a streamer. Viewers who like your content will donate money to support the channel.
Most streamers have a text-to-speech system set up on their Twitch TV channel. Most donations include a message, and having a bot read it out loud further incentivizes donations because both the streamer and other viewers will hear the message.
Bits are worth a mention as well. They are a virtual currency that viewers can purchase and spend to cheer the streamer. One bit is worth $0.01, which might not seem like a lot, but the amount builds up over time.
Subscriptions
Twitch TV partners can grow the channel not just from followers but also from subscribers. It is a means of monetization.
Of course, viewers expect that there is something in it for them if they subscribe to the channel. One thing that stands out the most is the subscriber-exclusive Twitch TV emotes. One’s chatting experience improves a lot when you can spam fun and entertaining emotes.
Some streamers also treat subscribers as friends. If you are a subscriber, you might get access to the streamer’s Discord channel or even a chance to play video games together with them.
A lot depends on a channel’s policy, but if you want to monetize the content and attract subscribers, you should think of ways to reward them.
Sponsorship Deals
Sponsorship deals are pretty simple. If you are a streamer on Twitch TV, it means that you have an audience.
It is not a stretch to suggest that Twitch TV streamers are similar to influencers. As such, brands are likely to get in touch with you and ask for a sponsored stream where you promote their goods or services.
The deals vary from various health products to video game accessories. The important thing is to make sure that you are not collaborating with some shady company. Doing so would be risky to your channel, so do your research before you agree to a sponsorship deal.
Ad Revenue
Running ads hinders one’s viewing experience, and it is no secret that consumers move away from traditional television precisely because of advertisements.
Nevertheless, it is still popular to run ads among streamers. Twitch TV has also implemented a system that prevents ad blockers from disabling advertisements. So the revenue comes even if a viewer tries to circumvent the ads.
Keep in mind, though, that running ads too frequently will backfire. Ideally, you want to have ads up when you are taking a short break from streaming and will return in a few minutes or so.
