Social Media Marketing Through Twitch Communities
As social media continues to expand, Apple’s famous statement, “There’s an app for that,” remains true. Regardless of the user’s interest or the company’s audience, there is a niche platform uniquely designed to cater to their needs.
While the top social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and X have something for everyone, words can be lost in the abundance of information that fills the sites. On niche platforms, a community can be created around any interest from video games, hobbies and just sharing life updates in a new and unique way. This community-centric approach fosters a sense of belonging often lacking on mainstream platforms, making users feel more connected and engaged.
With the ever-expanding social media landscape, companies find creating interactions with their target audience on mainstream sites increasingly challenging. The sheer volume of content and difficulty standing out highlight the importance of exploring alternative methods. In this context, niche platforms offer a seamless transition, empowering companies to share a common interest with their users and create meaningful interactions, instilling confidence in their marketing strategies.
Twitch, a live-streaming platform, has quickly emerged as a niche space for video game fans. Streamers provide gameplay commentary while viewers connect in a chat on the sidebar. Many influencers who already have a following on other sites, like YouTube, also have a strong Twitch community. Despite being considered a niche social platform, Twitch boasts a massive audience, with 140 million monthly users (GRIN, n.d). There are many ways that brands have been able to infiltrate the platform as it continues to grow in size and adapt to changes in the social media landscape.
One significant advantage of marketing on niche platforms is the opportunity to network with influencers. Twitch, for instance, does this through sponsorships. This approach empowers companies to leverage the influence of these streamers, creating an engaging marketing experience. The live nature of the platform allows for real-time interactions, instilling confidence in the authenticity of the reaction to the content (Jones, 2024).
EA, a video game company that has produced games for all interests, has worked closely with streamers over the years to promote new games and updates. One of their greatest successes in recent years was the release of Apex Legends, a free-to-play shooter released in early 2019 (Thier, 2019). The studio sponsored some of Twitch’s top influencers to play the game for the week of its release while live-streaming on Twitch, and it quickly gained over 25 million players in its first few days (Thier, 2019). This success story on Twitch is a testament to the potential of niche platforms to drive significant results for businesses.
Over 40 percent of Twitch’s audience is between 20 and 29 (GRIN, n.d.), creating a strong platform for businesses connected to this age group. PepsiCo is one of the companies using the younger generation’s interest to its advantage. The company has sponsored streamers and events and has even created its own ESports competitions on Twitch. When asked why PepsiCo is so focused on the platform, Paul Mascali, the company’s head of Gaming and ESports, said: “With the engagement they get, when we find the right influencer-brand fit, it’s great for us and their communities. When we find the right brand fit, we have them talk about them, and that becomes a powerful marketing avenue for us.” (Wood, 2022). Unlike other companies, PepsiCo has realized the strength and influence that the streaming community has on Gen Z, an age group becoming only more powerful in the economic space.
Twitch, its streamers, and marketing companies have created a blueprint for social media marketing on niche social platforms. Working directly with creators can provide a sense of community, an aspect that most platforms are built on. Especially on live-streaming sites like Twitch, the community is the backbone of success.
The relationship, however, must be mutually beneficial. That is why understanding your audience and the audience on a niche platform is crucial to achieving marketing goals. Every brand has an opportunity on Instagram or Facebook, but not all can thrive on Twitch. There are many niche platforms, meaning research is imperative for marketing on smaller, community-based sites.
For users, a community can bring support, friendships, and discussion of shared interests (Ilieva, 2022). When these fundamentals are presented through a streamer on Twitch or another influencer on a niche social media site, those interested can feel a connection to other people involved. When these pieces are implemented, it creates an opportunity for marketers to reach out and become another important part of the community, just as EA, PepsiCo, and many others have.
References
GRIN Contributor. (2024, April 29). A complete guide to twitch influencer marketing. GRIN. https://grin.co/blog/twitch-influencer-marketing/
Ilieva, M. (2022, December 12). Council post: Building a community on social media. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/12/09/building-a-community-on-social-media/?sh=11c8a40d2338
Jones, A. (2024, February 7). The rise of niche social media platforms: Opportunities for Community Building. Kubbco. https://www.kubbco.com/blog/the-rise-of-niche-social-media-platforms-opportunities-for-community-building
Thier, D. (2019, February 13). Why twitch streamers are going to make a lot more money after “Apex legends.” Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2019/02/13/why-twitch-streamers-are-going-to-make-a-lot-more-money-after-apex-legends/?sh=523a99ee2459
Wood, C. (2022, November 16). PepsiCo’s strategies for marketing via online games and esports. MarTech. https://martech.org/pepsicos-strategies-for-marketing-via-online-games-and-esports/
