What Marketers Need to Know About Twitch: A #CMWorld Twitter Chat with Jason Schemmel

After hearing Jane Weedon’s keynote at last year’s Content Marketing World, I knew it was time to take a deeper look at Twitch. Weedon, director of business development at Twitch, said content on the platform is still gamer-centric. But now focus is being put exploring additional interests the community has.

So should your brand consider livestreaming on Twitch? We knew there was one person in the #CMWorld community that could help us figure it out. Jason Schemmel is Social Media Manager at HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Outside of his day job, he enjoys going live from his personal Twitch channel and is building a community website for streamers.

There are a lot of things to consider before streaming live on platforms like Twitch. How can it be built into your content marketing? What equipment do you need? Should you work with influencers? We had a great conversation with Jason and our chat participants, breaking it all down. What follows is a brief look at our discussion. Want to see all seven chat questions and the responses that were shared? Be sure to take a look at our Twitter Moment.

Twitch is widely known to be a platform for gamers. What if your brand’s focus is not a popular topic on it? Should you continue to explore the platform? Are there industries that better lend themselves to livestreaming on Twitch than others?

Some are better than others, yes. But there’s plenty of opportunity for brands to get their name out there on Twitch:
– Streaming in one of the non-game categories
– Interact with a streamer’s live channel
– Sponsor a streamer
– Sponsor a streamed event
– Advertise#CMWorld

— Jason Schemmel – Speaker & Podcaster #GSDChat?️? (@JasonSchemmel) January 22, 2019

a2 IMO Brands using Livestreaming should be on the platforms that support their target audience. #CMWorld

— Debi Norton (@BRAVOMedia1) January 22, 2019

A2. It really comes down to your target audience and what they use. Some industries work great on #Twitch and some may not. Do the research ahead of time to ensure you’re using the right live video streaming platform to reach your audiences. #CMWorld

— Patrick Delehanty (@MDigitalPatrick) January 22, 2019

A2 – I would not force my way onto Twitch if I felt uncomfortable… There is way to interact without streaming… Engaging, social listening, influencer mktg #cmworld

— Jason A. Wheeler – MARKETING (@WheelerCFB) January 22, 2019

Impromptu livestreams can sometimes end in disaster for marketers. How can you prepare for your live video without coming across overproduced?

A5 #CMWorld It’s like @Nascar. All the technical stuff better be out of the way when that green light goes on! pic.twitter.com/siXkLV27Sp

— Dan Willis (@MLLNNLmotivator) January 22, 2019

A5) Do a practice run. Record yourself doing a practice “livestream” but treat it as live. See how it goes. Review it. #CMWorld

— Amanda Subler (@AmandaSubler) January 22, 2019

A5: Having a simple plan for a livestream can be really helpful. Rather than a stiff and overproduced script, having an agenda can help everyone stay focused on the goal of the livestream and chatting about the “What If”‘s beforehand can help alleviate stress.#CMWorld

— Click Ctrl Marketing (@ClkContrl) January 22, 2019

A5: Know what you’re going to talk about, but don’t overthink it. As cliche as it sounds, be your true, authentic self. Viewers would rather see someone genuine that fumbles from time to time than something robotic and overly rehearsed. #CMWorld

— Tamara (@itstamaragt) January 22, 2019

What brands have you seen leading the way on Twitch? Let us know in the comments below.

A content marketing conference would make the perfect backdrop for a livestream. CMI will be in San Diego this April for ContentTECH Summit. Discuss with like-minded marketers how to manage, deliver, and scale your content. Sign up today with discount code SM100 for $100 off Early Bird rates.