Twitch is a dynamic and lively streaming platform with a primary focus on all things gaming. Whether you're into live gameplay, talk shows, artistic creations, or musical performances, Twitch has something for everyone. With its bustling community of gamers, content creators, and fans, it's a lively hub of gaming culture and a fantastic place to connect with like-minded people and grow your following.
Twitch is an exciting platform brought to you by Twitch Interactive, a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc. Launched in June 2011 as a branch of Justin.tv, Twitch allows you to enjoy live streaming or on-demand video content. The most popular games, as determined by the Twitch community, are prominently displayed on the homepage and encompass a wide range of genres, including RTS, fighting games, racing games, and first-person shooters.
Twitch rose to prominence, leaving its original platform in the dust. By 2013, the site was attracting a staggering 45 million unique viewers, and by early 2014, it was a top contributor to internet traffic in the US. This success led to a rebranding of its parent company as Twitch Interactive and the eventual shuttering of Justin.tv. Amazon saw how promising Twitch was, thus it bought the platform in 2014 for a very impressive amount: $970 million! This opened the door for Twitch to integrate with Amazon Prime and expand its offerings, like game purchases through streams and commission opportunities for streamers. The acquisition of Curse, a provider of online video gaming communities, in 2016 further solidified Twitch's place as a leader in the gaming world.
As the pioneering live streaming platform for gamers, Twitch has continued to attract more viewers and streams alike since its launch. In 2015, the site boasted an impressive 100 million monthly viewers and maintained its dominance in the US with the help of the pioneering streamers on the platform who cross posted content like “Subscription for my Twitch channel” all around the web. As Twitch reached 3 million monthly streamers and 15 million daily active users in 2020, the fame and success of the platform only grew. Its partnership program with over 27,000 partner channels in 2018 further solidified its place as a go-to destination for gaming content. While competitors like YouTube Gaming came and went, Twitch remained a staple for gamers and content creators alike.
Twitch is the homepage of gamers from all around the world. From intense esports tournaments to personal streams from gamers, and engaging gaming-related talk shows, there's always something new and exciting to discover. If you want to watch something exciting and interesting, you can view some of the speedrunning streams on the platform. You can find a list of the most popular games being streamed on the platform on the main page. Currently the following games are Twitch hits: Hearthstone, Fortnite, CS:GO, League of Legends, Overwatch, and DoTA 2. With over 356 million hours of gameplay being watched, Twitch has solidified its place as the leading platform for all things gaming.
Twitch has expanded its content offerings beyond just gaming. In 2013, some performances from the San Diego Comic-Con were shared on Twitch as livestreams to increase the popularity of the platform. In 2014, Steve Aoki’s live performance at an Ibiza nightclub was streamed live on Twitch as well and brought in numerous new subscribers. Twitch officially embraced music streaming in 2015, launching categories for radio broadcasts, music production, and even a live stream of the Ultra Music Festival in Miami. In October of that same year, Twitch launched "Creative," a category dedicated to showcasing artistic and creative works. As part of the promotion of Twitch Creative, episodes of Bob Ross’ “The Joy of Painting” were streamed back to back on the platform for eight days.
Do you want to grow your follower base on Twitch and carry your channel to a bigger league? With millions of daily active users, Twitch is a hotbed of gaming and creative content, making it the perfect place to connect with an engaged and enthusiastic audience. Promoting your Twitch channel is essential to grow your fanbase and increase the engagement rate of your streams. That is why you should be actively seeking ways to promote your Twitch streams whether you are new in the game or an experienced streamer with an impressive following. In this article, we'll delve into the world of Twitch promotion, sharing tips and best practices for growing your audience and taking your stream to new heights. From social media marketing to networking with other streamers, we've got all the basics covered. So, buckle up, grab your mouse and keyboard, and let's get started!
