Streamers feel strongly about the platforms that they use to broadcast their gaming content. When streaming video or Vegas casino online games, you want to find the right platform from the beginning because once you build up your audience, you don’t want to move to another platform and start from zero.
If you’re getting ready to set up a streaming channel, or considering migrating from the platform on which you are already streaming, how do you make your choice?
Considerations
The importance of choosing the right platform for your content cannot be over-emphasized. Over the last decade, live video streaming has become a prime source of digital content. Advertisers are well aware that live video reaches more people than most other types of media. Statistica reports that, on average, people watch 23 minutes of video on their computers every day and more on their mobile devices.
Gamers who learn how to live stream their content effectively and efficiently are highly sought-after by brands who have deep pockets for this type of marketing. Some of the considerations that you should think about as you choose your platform for live streaming include:
- Type of Content – You can stream gaming on almost any streaming service platform but some platforms offer special tools and features that make it easier for you to engage your audience while you stream
- Support – Before you decide on your platform, consider which provides provide maximum engagement and presence for your brand. Different platforms draw different audiences so you should research which audience is drawn to which platform as you move ahead with your decision
- Reliability – Even in today’s wired world, some platforms experience periodic lapses. Check the reliability of the streaming platform that you want to use and make sure that there aren’t added visuals or numbers of people watching the stream.
- Monetization – You can broadcast great content 24/7 but if the platform doesn’t have a monetization model integrated into it, your chances of earning money from your streams are limited.
- User-Experience – Once you learn the basics of how to live stream, it’s not complicated. But some platforms make it easier to live stream than others. Not every platform supports every live-stream software. So check out the different functionalities of the various platforms before you get started. There are generally options to try them out for free and practice within a closed group so you can see which one works best for your tech skills and experience level.
- Visuals – Each live streaming service allows for a different type of visual experience. Some have text runners, some allow screen sharing, some have the options for virtual backgrounds, logo headers, music, etc. You don’t need to take advantage of all possible visual elements but, for those that you believe will enhance your feed, you need to get the right platform
Platforms
Some of the main gaming platforms include Twitch, Facebook Gaming and YouTube Live. Each has its own set of pros and cons. A review:
Twitch
Twitch is the oldest video game streaming platform. It offers an easy way for streamers to get started in the world of live streaming and it’s the platform where most streamers of gaming content start out. Many of today’s top gaming streamers continue to prefer Twitch because it’s still the most recognized video game streaming platform – there is an average of 1.8 million viewers on Twitch watching gaming content at any given time.
Twitch is best for esports and gaming celebrities and streamers who are looking to expand from a smaller platform. The platform makes it easy to monetize your content and actively pursues new revenue channels with which Twitch streamers can partner and make money. Most Twitch streamers say that they find the subscription model to be simple to use and effective for long-term earnings.
Some of the difficulties with Twitch involve the difficulty in getting rid of trolls on the streams as well as the lack of platform moderation tools. Also, because it’s THE platform for gamers, some new streamers say that, for players who haven’t built up a strong presence already, it can be difficult to get noticed.
YouTube Live
YouTube Live is great for streamers who focus on pre-uploaded video content and influencers who add different types of content to their gaming streams and like to upload additional content. The majority of the popular YouTube channels – the biggest and most recognized video platform in the world – are gaming channels.
Gamers like YouTube Live because the platform encourages variety – in addition to gaming streams, streamers can add content such as coding tutorials, reviews and even non-gaming content like cooking and relationship advice. YouTube viewers have come to expect such varied content so streamers feel comfortable with those types of deliveries.
The Super Chat is a good way to monetize and engage with the viewers and the Stream Now tool makes it easy to set everything up. YouTube Live videos come up most frequently in search engine searches.
Yet YouTube Live isn’t for everyone. You need to know how to promote yourself well in order to maximize the platform. If you’re planning on gathering audiences overseas, you need to be aware that YouTube is one of the most blocked websites in the world. A lot of the monetization efforts revolve around donations and most viewers don’t respond to requests for donations.
Facebook Gaming
Facebook Gaming is the new kid on the block for game streamers but the massive social network in which it integrates makes it a powerful platform for gamers who want to reach large audiences and enjoy advanced monetization tools. The reach of the social network is one of the platform’s main advantages. Anyone with a social profile or page can create a broadcast that will then be shared to other groups, pages and personal feeds.
Facebook Gaming is proactive in drawing in new gamers and new viewers by offering free game options for casual players. It’s also possible to create and manage championships on the social network platform. Facebook Gaming features an intuitive mobile broadcasting feature.
The Facebook Gaming app is a stand-alone app so players who don’t want it to integrate into their personal profiles or other Facebook activities can keep it separate. That way you only receive notifications about your own personal favorite gaming events and don’t have to worry that all your friends’ games will show up on your feed.
Facebook Gaming makes it easy to interface with the platform. At the top of your screen you’ll be able to see a list of games and streamers that you follow while a click on the ice cream cone-shaped icon on the bottom will guide you as you explore other games and personalities.
Some quirks of Facebook Gaming include the inability to create tournaments other than on a desktop and the lack of access to VR games from Oculus – even though Oculus is Facebook’s sister company.
If you’re getting ready to get into gaming streaming, check out your options before you make you invest time and money in a streaming platform.
