The Twitch.tv platform, unlike classic social networks that most of us work with on a daily basis, has its own cultural specifics and is made special by the type of content found on it. This is because it focuses primarily on live-streaming, i.e., broadcasting content live directly to your screens. So-called "streamers" create media content here which they distribute over the internet using streaming technologies and software for viewers who are interested in the content.

Once upon a time, there was Justin…

Twitch.tv, in its youth Justin.tv, was created for sharing one's personal daily life in a live stream. This idea belongs to its creator Justin Kan (did he really name the social network after himself?), who during the creation and implementation of the project decided that he would literally wrap a camera around his head and document his life in real-time – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for everyone.

In 2007, Justin was the very first channel on this platform (no one else could register), but soon after, the iron curtain fell and countless user-created channels appeared where they streamed and started creating user-generated content (you can also read about 😉 UGC on our blog).

Currently, Twitch.tv is the most successful live-streaming platform in the world, with a market share of 73%. In 2023, viewers watched a total of 21.4 billion hours of live content with 240 million unique monthly visitors. In the Czech Republic, the figure is smaller, with 45,000 unique monthly viewers. Statistics show that 3 billion people in the world are gamers (i.e., 40% of the entire population) – With such a number, it is no wonder that brands want to capture some of the attention for their campaigns on this platform, which is primarily aimed at gamers.

How Twitch.tv hits the target audience

In what form is marketing found here? One answer could be the unskippable ads that annoy us all so much. This time, we can find them directly in live broadcasts, where the platform's algorithm throws custom-tailored ads at us that we have to sit through to continue watching our desired content. Advertising here is also clever, and it is relatively easy to hit the target group of consumers who should be served the given ad. Speaking of serving – let's say you are watching a stream about cooking. It is therefore very likely that an ad for a new frying pan will be appropriate for you. Or you are watching a stream about computer games – an ad for a new gaming PC may not fall far from the tree either. However, just like on other social networks, banner ads, affiliate programs, and influencer sponsorships appear here too. If you would like to advertise on Twitch.tv using typical ads, you need Amazon DSP to set up the campaign; in any case, this service is not available on the Czech market. Therefore, we cannot set up campaigns directly, and instead, it is necessary to contact Twitch directly to create a private agreement.

Advertising here is unique

But why is Twitch.tv such a uniquely attractive platform for marketers? We have already hinted at and revealed it here, but let's look at it in more detail.

Each streamer builds their own community of people who watch the content because of their interests – whether it is the aforementioned cooking, art, or the most popular and main reason for the existence of Twitch.tv, playing video games. Every streamer always has direct contact with the target audience, which may share similar interests with the content creator. At the same time, unlike television or classic YouTube videos, viewers have a greater opportunity to express themselves and communicate with the streamer in real-time without having to wait for a text reply back, which majorly increases user engagement. It's like if Rey Koranteng and Lucie Borhyová could read and react to the views of TV viewers during their news broadcast live from the TV Nova studio. However, these interactions are key on the platform and thanks to them, Twitch.tv takes a different direction, differentiating itself from other social networks.

The Twitch.tv community is a potential source for marketers to get in touch with Gen Z, with 41% of users aged 16-25 and 32% aged 25-34 (together making up 72%). This unique combination of elements brings brands a special environment in which to make an impression.

Source: Streams Charts

Take off your rose-colored glasses

High engagement, an accessible target audience, and an easy reach to younger generations can give brands the feeling that Twitch.tv is precisely the platform to put their efforts into and try to break through, but there are also barriers here to watch out for and consider when deciding whether to utilize this untraditional platform in your marketing strategy.

Brands often have to work directly with streamers when creating sponsored content due to the complex targeting on Twitch.tv, which depends more on the streamer as such, rather than just on the content the viewers are watching. This can be more expensive, more labor-intensive, and results can vary significantly depending on the streamer's influence and authenticity.

Also, Twitch.tv users are generally more resistant to traditional ad formats. Since the content on the platform is long and live, ads can feel disruptive. Many viewers also subscribe to Twitch Prime or directly to streamers to avoid ads completely. Because users are focused on live content, they are less likely to leave the stream to explore advertised products or services. As a result, while impressions may be high, actual click-through rates and conversions can be low. Last but not least, it is important to keep in mind that the majority of advertising on Twitch.tv comes, as already mentioned, from influencer partnerships rather than traditional ads. 

A creative approach to campaigns

If a brand does decide to create a campaign that includes influencer partnerships, their approach to campaigns is more creative compared to classic collaborations and takes into account the communities they are trying to engage and best connect among other streamers. Collaborations are primarily entered into by gaming companies, technology firms, or companies with dietary supplements and energy drinks. Brands can use branded extensions, product placement, sponsorship of specific events, or the creation of their own tournaments and challenges for the community, banners placed directly on the stream, and other overlays containing brand elements tailored directly to the content found on this platform. Unlike paid advertising, this form of collaboration with a streamer guarantees constant brand exposure to viewers, rather than just a 10-second spot. 

RedBull brand product placement in the form of a mini-fridge and drinks, placed in the commentary studio of a prestigious tournament in the video game Valorant.

DHL banners appearing on the bottom of the ESL Pro League world tournament stream in CS2. You can also notice 1xBET as an official betting partner.

A World of Warcraft gaming show and quiz hosted by SecretLab as part of the Race to World First, where guilds of players compete against each other. Other partners include Alienware and Monster Energy. We can notice Coinbase banners and product placement – a chair, a laptop, and cans in the background.

Louis Vuitton, RedBull, Spotify, Coca-Cola… And Komerční banka?

What we can draw inspiration from are past events in which both global and Czech brands have participated. Before we delve into Czech waters, let's look at the biggest ones that moved the world of Twitch.tv.

Many different tournaments are held on Twitch.tv every year. One of the biggest belongs to the Riot Games brand with the League of Legends World Championship. Their most interesting sponsors include Louis Vuitton, Mercedes Benz, or even Tiffany & Co.

The League of Legends World Championship tournament recorded 205 million followers worldwide and 6 billion hours watched in that year.

Amazon Prime Gaming was their most mentioned sponsor at the tournament, appearing in the chat over 35,000 times. Daily throughout the tournament, viewers could Win limited-edition game items and merch just by typing "!prime" to enter the raffle. For League of Legends, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co. decided to create buzz by designing the tournament cups for the winners.

At the top ranks of individual streamers, we must place the Spaniard Ibai Llanos Garatea, who annually organizes the amateur boxing event La Velada del Año and has been broadcasting it on his channel since 2021. The third edition kicked off with massive sponsorship from RedBull, Spotify, and Coca-Cola. The event was exceptionally successful for Twitch.tv standards and was watched by 3.7 million Spanish-speaking people at one moment, along with viewers in a giant arena with a capacity of 70,000. Compared to other world events, these numbers are small, but they show us the interesting growth of the community and reveal a certain potential for the platform in the future. For brands, Ibai is the perfect streamer to collaborate with on Twitch.tv, thanks to his superb ability to involve the entire community in the event and host viral streams himself with heavy production and studio quality – a real money maker. You can watch an interestingly edited documentary by Ibai in your free time here.

You might also have heard the term "Cinkačka" (ringing sound) here in the Czech Republic as part of the campaign by Komerční banka and Mastercard, named Cinkačka IRL. In collaboration with 6 Czech streamers, the brands organized a tournament in offline and online games, where streamers could win prizes worth 300,000 CZK for their viewers. The only condition for a viewer to win a prize was to download the KB+ app and set up an account with a card.

Marketing on Twitch.tv can be an opportunity for brands to reach a specific and loyal community, but at the same time, it requires understanding the unique dynamics of this platform. It is important for brands to approach Twitch.tv as a space where they can create genuine value-added experiences for viewers, where collaborating with the right influencers can lead to higher engagement and better results.

If you are thinking about whether to invest in this platform, it is good to consider its specifics and not forget that success here depends on your ability to engage in live communication with viewers… 

Or you can leave it to us and we will help you. 🐻