Not gaming alone! What's happening on the world's #1 streaming platform

Mordor Intelligence analysts predict that the average annual growth rate of the streaming industry over the next 4 years is estimated at 9%? How did that happen?

We are witnessing a paradigm shift in consumer preferences

The time of unquestioning dominance of gamers is coming to an end. IRL-streams - stories from real life - are coming to the forefront. Millions of hours of viewing are devoted to "chatty" streams of interest to the broader public. Streamers began to talk to viewers about everything: cooking, sports, travel.

The "everything about everything" format itself, in a short and interactive form, is a natural feature of Generation Z, actively present on the same Twitch. In essence, the Zumers set the agenda for communications, choosing mixes of the most diverse interests, often radically opposed conceptually.

The need for non-standard content popularizes, including thrash formats. For example, a number of streamers airing on the Twitch platform make money even from "slumber parties." One of the most notable examples of the format's success is the streaming of Los Angeles resident Asian Andy, who earned $16,000 in one night. The point of the broadcast was that viewers prevented Andy from falling asleep by sending in donations that activated a bot that played loud extraneous noises.

Another striking case from March of this year: Ludwig Ludwig Agren organized a streaming marathon run by his own viewers. According to the terms of the broadcast, each paid subscription to the channel lengthened the broadcast by 10 seconds - in 5 days there were more than 50,000 subscriptions, which together with donations brought Ludwig more than $150,000.

The streaming communication field is getting cleaner

The growth in the number of content formats could theoretically lead to a proportional increase in the number of materials from unscrupulous streamers. However, the evil has not won yet.

A good example is Twitch, which introduced strict rules of conduct on the platform. For example, uncontrolled swearing at cyber teammates and ordinary viewers was banned. Control over the copyright for music on the background of the streams was strengthened. Particular attention was paid to the sexual objectification of the female gender.

The stories of streamers forkgirl and Alinaarose are illustrative: the former was banned for body art in the frame and the latter for licking microphones on air. At the same time, the platform also controls the issue of inciting religious and national hatred.

Another filter to clean up the streaming environment is tracking bots. In early 2021, Twitch - using machine learning technology - detected an increase in fake activity and collected data on 7.5 million accounts with bot followers and bot viewers.

Streaming is getting commercialised

Streaming platforms have cleared so much that big brands are swarming in.

Such giants as Mastercard, Louis Vuitton, Axe, Cisco, Red Bull, Mercedes, and many others began to integrate into streaming.

At the same time, brands are driving the development of the entire industry by trying non-standard promotional schemes through broadcasts. At one of the latest League of Legends championships, Mastercard's partnership integration found a place in the textures of the game - near the sign showing the growth of player advantage after the battle with the main monster.

In addition, it is important to understand that the number of brands wishing to develop online integration through streaming services continues to grow. Brands are also seeing growth in the non-gaming sections of the platforms.

Against this backdrop, the proactivity of the streamers themselves is important and they should definitely think about how to monetize their own channel. Brands are open to collaboration, but the need to generate new tools and mechanics for interaction with viewers has not been canceled.

And yes, the platform for the brands and streamer to meet is closer than it seems. Uplify is already successfully bringing brands and streamers together through an automated live promo placement platform. In other words, brand managers pull up on Uplify, search for streamers relevant to their companies' interests, and the system automatically recommends the best candidates. Streamers study the proposals and, if they're happy with them, respond and start promoting brands on their own channels.

The topics touched upon are only part of the list of phenomena that are making the streaming industry move forward. Stay tuned for more trends.