The digital content industry continues to grow even before the pandemic, and the global market size is projected to reach $38 billion by 2030.

In this post, Tachat Igityan, the founder of the destream platform for streamers, discusses various ways on how to make money as a live streamer or content creators.

Content Monetization Formats for Gamers and Streamers

The amount of money content creators can make depends on their followers, industry, niche, location, and level of engagement.

Major technology platforms, including YouTube and Twitch, struggle to keep content creators with them to drive engagement. However, these social media giants leave content creators with little to no direct monetization options.

Therefore, bloggers and content creators need to factor in hidden costs to understand the actual amount of money they can earn from donations, subscriptions, or any monetization program.

1. Affiliate and Partner Programs

The first step on how to make money as a live streamer is by joining the partnership program of your respective platform.

The most popular Twitch streamers effectively become full-time gamers, playing online for at least 40 hours per week and earning an average of $3000-$6500 per month, depending on their number of followers and sponsors.

To qualify for the Affiliate Program in Twitch, content creators must meet certain criteria, such as:

• Streaming for at least eight hours per day for seven days within the last 30 days
• Averaging at least three viewers per stream
• Increasing viewership to 50 followers

Once these criteria are met, Twitch automatically invites them to become Affiliates. These members can earn money from subscriptions, receive Bits, and generate revenue by selling games and in-game items.

When it comes to YouTube, they have its own Partner Program. Thankfully, YouTube has just renewed its YouTube Partner Program tailored for streamers. As of June 2023, a streamer must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the Partner Program:

• 500 Subscribers
• 3 Valid Public Uploads
• 3,000 Valid Public Watch Hours or 3M Valid Public Shorts Views

The YouTube Partner Program includes Super Chats, Super Stickers, Super Thanks, Channel Memberships, and YouTube Shopping as different ways to monetize content. Unfortunately, the latest Partner Program doesn’t include ads monetization.

2. Subscriptions

The second things on how to make money as a live streamer is by monetizing your fans through the subscriptions of membership feature.

Subscriptions provide recurring income for content creators. On certain platforms, bloggers can earn more money through subscriptions. For instance:

• On Twitch, streamers can add monthly subscriptions ranging from $4.99 to $24.99 to their channels and earn 50% of the revenue. Subscriptions are allowed for both Affiliates and Partners.
• The most popular Twitch Partners earn over 50% of the subscriptions to encourage them to stay on the platform.
• Subscription options are available only on the Twitch website and not on mobile apps or consoles, which is why streamers need to occasionally remind viewers to visit the website to subscribe.

3. Advertisements

Twitch and other platforms pay a flat-rate CPM (cost per thousand views) that varies depending on the time of year.

On YouTube, average channels can receive an average CPM of $18, which is equivalent to $3 – $5 per 1000 video views. Twitch pays an average of around $2 per 1000 views for an ad, and this monetization option is available only for Twitch Partners.

4. Affiliate Links

Many content creators earn income by joining various affiliate programs and adding links to their products or services in the channel description page on Twitch and in the chat. Twitch is a product of Amazon, which has one of the most well-known affiliate programs in the world.

5. Selling In-Game Items and Sponsorships

Lastly, Twitch Partners can sell games and in-game items and receive a 5% share of the revenue. When streamers play games with sellable items, an automatic sales box appears on the page below the video screen.

Viewers can click on the box and make purchases. Additionally, direct advertisers often target popular content creators, and brands like Wendy’s and KFC partner with major streamers to create successful marketing campaigns on Twitch.

Conclusion

By leveraging these monetization methods, live streamers can diversify their income streams and increase their earnings in the dynamic world of content creation.

It’s crucial for creators to remain vigilant and maintain a competitive mindset while setting goals. These strategies will help you navigate the landscape and strive for success as a streamer.

I hope these tips can assist you in soaring to new heights and becoming a successful streamer in the future.

The trend of video game streaming is growing rapidly, supported by numerous platforms that facilitate beginner streamers in broadcasting their gameplay live. Most of these platforms have main features for sharing gameplay in real-time.

Choosing the right live streaming platform is not an easy task. To make it easier for you to choose, here is a summary of the best live streaming platforms for new gamers in 2023.

1. Twitch

Twitch is a popular live streaming and video platform that allows you to watch game content of any kind. This platform can be accessed from Smart TVs, PCs, mobile devices, and other devices such as PS4, Xbox, NVIDIA Shield, and Chromecast.

Advantages:

• It has a real-time chat room feature for interaction.
• Free account registration, which can be created directly from Facebook.
• Premium accounts cost $4.99 per month.
• Ad-free.

2. YouTube Gaming

YouTube Gaming, as part of the YouTube platform, provides gamers with a great alternative to Twitch for streaming and sharing gaming videos. With a YouTube account, you have the freedom to stream games and engage with your audience. YouTube Gaming supports high-quality video streaming in 4K at 60 fps, and viewers can interact through the integrated chat window.

Advantages:

• Easy post-production process.
• Live chat feature.
• HD settings customization.

3. Kick

Kick is a streaming platform that offers a similar experience to platforms like Twitch, YouTube Live, and Facebook Live. It allows viewers to subscribe to creators’ channels, send tips, and engage in high-definition live streams.

Advantages:

• Diverse content options from various creators.
• Interactive features for real-time engagement.
• High-quality live streams.

• Subscription and tip systems to support favorite creators.

• Opportunity to provide feedback and contribute to platform improvements during beta mode.

4. Younow

Younow is known as a social live TV platform that helps streamers to broadcast videos live from webcams and smartphones. This platform also provides interactive features for communication with followers or new friends.

Advantages:

• Easy interaction and content promotion.
• Available for free.

5. Bambuser

Bambuser helps users to live stream impressive videos directly from DV cameras, computer webcams, and smartphones. Bambuser can be used for live video streaming to platforms like Myspace, WordPress, Twitter, Facebook, and more.

Advantages:

• Social media-friendly.
• Free live streaming.
• Online storage, sharing, and geotagging features available

6. DaCast

DaCast is known as the first popular live streaming platform used by professionals. This application supports 24/7 connectivity. It is commonly used for large-scale meetings or conferences.

Advantages:

• Offers classic video streaming features.
• Webcasting capability.
• Simpler interface.
• Starting price for DaCast is $25 per month.
• No advertisements.

7. Livestream

True to its name, Livestream is a live streaming platform that supports input from cameras, smartphones, webcams, and camcorders. This platform offers a wide range of media players, video tools, sharing features, and embedding options, making it easy for you to connect with your audience.

Advantages:

• Live streaming with various hardware or software devices.
• Users can easily upload live videos from iPad or iPhone to popular websites like Twitter and Facebook.
• Basic package starts at $42 per month.

8. Brightcove

Brightcove is a live streaming platform often used by medium and global business enterprises. Brightcove expands its support to web mobile applications, iPhones, and iPads.

Advantages:

• Video management tools with video distribution options.
• Online library and social media sharing features enabled.
• Over 100 templates, playlists, and video import options available.
• Price range starts at $99 per month.

Conclusion

These platforms empower streamers to connect with audiences, share gameplay, and build communities. Overall, they provide accessible and diverse options for both beginners and professionals in the gaming world.

If you’re looking for royalty-free intro music for your live streams on Facebook, you need to be cautious about what music you play to avoid demonetization or being banned from the platform. How can you avoid copyright issues? Let’s find out here!

Can You Play Copyrighted Music on Facebook Gaming?

Unless you have written permission from the music owner, you cannot play copyrighted music on Facebook Gaming or other platforms. It is actually illegal. While streamers used to get away with it for a long time, the music industry has become more aggressive in enforcing costs over the past year, and platforms like Facebook Gaming have taken extra steps to protect themselves.

Although playing music in the background of your streams is important, you need to find royalty-free music that you can play without worrying about losing your channel in the end. This post will discuss some options where you can find music to entertain your audience.

How to Legally Use Copyrighted Music on Facebook

If you genuinely want to use copyrighted music on Facebook, you must go through the legal route. Find out who owns the rights to the music and contact them to figure out how you can use it in your streams. This can potentially be very expensive depending on the music you want to use.

Top Royalty-Free Music for Live Streaming on Facebook

While you can search for individual songs on the internet to create your own playlist, it’s very helpful if you can use a single source to find most of your music. Here are our top 3 recommendations where you can find royalty-free music:

1. Epidemic Sound

Epidemic Sound offers over 30,000 royalty-free music tracks in various genres. By using their program, you can download each track separately, making it easy to create your unique playlist or use parts of songs for YouTube compilations or highlight reels.

Their affordable personal package includes music for Facebook and several other platforms. The company offers a free 30-day trial, allowing you to see firsthand what the platform has to offer.

Epidemic Sound owns all of their music and adds new tracks every week. The platform works directly with each artist and composer in the long term (although they don’t require exclusivity). Since Epidemic Sound owns the music, you don’t have to worry about copyright strikes or takedowns.

They will make claims on accounts that upload videos without an active subscription, but they won’t make claims on accounts that previously uploaded content while having a subscription. You can easily link your channel to Epidemic Sound to avoid any claims.

2. Comma Music

Comma Music not only allows you to search thousands of songs by genre and style but also offers a student package. You can easily create playlists that you can use on Facebook and other websites during your streams or for traditional content creation.

Their music has been cleared for monetized content, so you don’t have to worry about DMCA claims. They work with top composers, allowing you to get next-level music that you and your community will enjoy in your videos. In fact, their music has been used in many famous brand advertisements or events.

They have several subscription packages available depending on your music goals and where you are in life. Sometimes they offer additional discounts if you agree to subscribe for one year or longer.

3. Artlist

With an Artlist membership, you can safely download unlimited music for your streaming needs. Trusted by many big companies, you can use Artlist’s music on various platforms, including Facebook Gaming and the social sites you use to develop your brand.

Artlist offers three different packages that allow you to access unlimited music while you have a subscription. Artlist will never claim copyright on any content you create while subscribed to their platform. They also upload new music every day, ensuring you always have something fresh to listen to or use on your channel.

With their Music and SFX package, you can download unlimited music and sound effects.

Conclusion

By using reliable sources for royalty-free music streamers can access a wide range of music tracks without worrying about copyright strikes. It’s important to note that playing copyrighted music without permission is illegal on platforms like Facebook Gaming. If streamers wish to use copyrighted music legally, they should seek permission from the music owners and potentially face associated costs.

As a beginner streamer, establishing a strong reputation is crucial for attracting collaborations and unlocking new opportunities in your streaming career. Here are some valuable tips to help you build a positive reputation and take your streaming journey to new heights:

1. First Step in Building Reputation for Beginner Streamers: Maintain a Positive Tone

It is crucial to adopt a positive and supportive attitude towards other content creators. Your words and actions directly impact your community and reputation, so set a positive tone and lead by example. Avoid toxic behavior and negative comments, as they can tarnish your reputation.

2. Avoid Controversial Topics

In the age of cancel culture, it’s important to think twice before getting involved in hot-button topics. Instead of chasing short-term influence, focus on remaining neutral. By avoiding controversial discussions, you reduce the risk of damaging your reputation and alienating potential collaborators.

3. Stay Neutral and Thoughtful

Understand the boundaries of neutrality and recognize when it can turn toxic. Sometimes, it is better to stay silent and choose your words wisely. This skill requires practice and demonstrates maturity both as a streamer and as an individual.

4. Think Before Commenting

While your opinion is valid, it’s important to consider the impact of your words. Express your thoughts openly but maintain respect for others. Avoid unnecessary conflicts and confrontations that could harm your reputation.

5. Recognize that Building Reputation for Beginner Streamers is a Long-Term Game

Remember that your reputation follows you throughout your streaming career. Whether it’s positive or negative, it can significantly influence potential partnerships and collaborations. Building a clean and reputable track record should be a priority, even for beginner streamers.

This aspect is often overlooked by inexperienced streamers, but as you progress in your streaming journey, you will realize the importance of having a solid and respected reputation.

Conclusion

Inexperienced streamers often overlook the importance of having a solid and respected reputation. However, as you progress in your streaming journey, you will come to realize the significance of building a clean reputation. By following these steps, you can establish yourself as a reputable streamer and open doors to exciting opportunities.