A lot of people these days are interested in streaming, and Twitch gives an opportunity to not only have this activity as a hobby but also earn your living. Despite what many people think, Twitch is not limited to just gaming, as you can also create a different type of content on the platform. In this guide, you can find out some of the best ways to make money as a streamer on Twitch.
What are some ways to earn income on Twitch?
By joining the Twitch Affiliate Program, users on the platform can monetize their streams. One thing to note is that it is necessary to have at least 500 minutes of streams in the last month and 50 followers or more. Monetization happens in the following ways:
Donations
Twitch allows users to make money through donations in two ways: receive them directly to your PayPal account or in the form of ‘Bits,’ which is a currency created on Twitch.
Subscriptions
Another way for streamers to earn an income is to get people to subscribe to their channels. Creators offer different levels of subscriptions depending on the bonuses they offer to viewers and this is definitely one of the best ways to generate income.
Advertisements
Ads are considered quite controversial when it comes to their use during streams. Those who have joined the Affiliate Program have an opportunity to decide on the frequency of ads during streams and also their duration. It is important that ads don’t interrupt the streaming experience too much, as viewers won’t stick around.
Sponsorships
Getting sponsorship offers from different companies and brands is another common way for Twitch creators to earn their income. There can be different types of sponsorship depending on how many followers a user has and their content. Smaller creators may get some products sent to them to show during streams while large creators can expect to get paid for mentioning some services, brands, or products.
YouTube
YouTube is a significant part of generating income for many people streamers. Once you finish a stream on Twitch, you can upload some moments to YouTube. If you get enough views, uploading such videos will bring you some income and also act as one of the ways to promote your Twitch channel.
Regardless of the chosen methods, you should focus on getting your name out there if you want to generate a decent income. Doing this on your own can be quite difficult because of the competition, so you can increase your exposure by using a specialized service, such as StreamSkill.
What types of streamers are on Twitch?
All the different streamers on Twitch can be divided into these main categories:
Streamers without contract
All the beginner streamers fall into this category, as you should meet some requirements to qualify for the Affiliate Program.
Affiliate streamers
If you want to join the Affiliate Program, you should follow these requirements:
- More than 500 minutes of streams in a month.
- 50 followers or more on your channel.
- The average number of viewers should be three or more in a month.
- At least 7 broadcasts on different days in a month.
Once you have spent a month on Twitch by following these requirements, you will be considered qualified for the Affiliate Program.
Partner
Becoming a partner is a step up from the Affiliate Program. The requirements for this program are the following:
- You have to be an affiliate.
- You should stream for a minimum of 25 hours a month.
- It is necessary to have 75 or more active viewers on every stream.
- You should stream 12 days or more a month.
If you meet such requirements, your next step is to send a request to be able to join the Twitch Partner program. For Twitch team to review your request, you should provide a presentation showcasing your channel. If you are accepted, you will also get a verification tick on your page.
How much can you earn on Twitch?
This is undoubtedly a complicated question, as it all depends on the people who watch your content, how willing they are to donate, how many subscribers you have, and more.
Even a small streamer on Twitch can earn hundreds of dollars if they have some dedicated viewers who have become subscribers. For instance, you may be getting about 50 views on each stream and get about $300 a month.
If we were to come up with an average income, a streamer that has 30 subscribers, uploads videos every day, and gets about 100 views on streams can expect to receive about $200 a month through Twitch monetization. The number can be significantly higher as income can come from other sources, such as direct donations and sponsorships. In this way, a streamer with this number of followers and views can earn up to $1000.
Earning money on Twitch requires dedication, but it is worth it if you are willing to put in some work.