Hire an influencer on this lesser-used platform

With the diversification of #socialmedia platforms and internet properties, it’s become more critical for brands to cast a wide net to find their specific audience because people are everywhere but never all in one place.

Brands hang banner ads on as many properties as their budgets allow. Still, they struggle against the genuine phenomenon of banner blindness and technological impediments that block web users from seeing banner advertisements.

It’s increased the importance of brands growing their presence on social platforms, making funny videos for TikTok, or sharing silly jokes on Twitter in hopes of standing out in to stand out in a crowded arena fighting for people’s attention.

It’s good to tell people how great you are, but it’s better when someone else tells people how great you are, and that’s helped the rise of social media influencers.

Instagram, TikTok and YouTube #influencers are top of mind as influencer platforms, but this lesser-used platform will deliver more bang for your marketing buck.

Twitch, it’s not just for video games.

Yes, Twitch’s primary audience is gamers, and if you’re in the gaming space, Twitch as an influencer platform is old news to you. But if you’re not in gaming or just gaming adjacent, Twitch is an influencer platform to consider seriously.

The platform is experiencing massive growth, with almost 8 million creators streaming each month, which accounts for over one trillion minutes watched in 2022.

We’ll do it live!

With podcasts, TikTok, and YouTube, it’s easy for an audience to skip advertisements with a flick of their thumbs, and with ad-blocking technology, there’s a good chance they won’t ever see your advertising.

Netflix, Hulu, and others have made television appointment viewing a thing of the past, except for live events.

Live events are the premier advertising slot, as we see with the multi-billion dollar deals that professional sports leagues are signing with television networks.

Twitch is the live-streaming king on the internet.

Twitch streamers are responsible for 91% of all live minutes on the internet, and their audiences account for 63% of all live stream hours watched.

Who’s watching?

The Twitch audience goes beyond gaming. Yes, gaming is a significant portion of the audience, but their hashtag #IRL (In Real Life) is gaining popularity.

#IRL offers streams of chat, sports talk, nature programming, fashion, music performances, and even cooking shows.

The diversity of content has resulted in a diverse audience. For example, women account for 40% of the total audience, up from 19% in 2017. In addition, 70% of the Twitch age demo falls in the sweet spot between 20 and 39.

The audience is engaged; the live aspect and the encouraged interaction between the streamer and the viewer create a parasocial relationship that builds trust.

The trust created between the influencer and the audience means the ad reads, done in real-time, are more authentic and credible.

The Power of Amazon

Big brands are already experiencing success on Twitch; Gillette, Lexus, PepsiCo, and the National Basketball Association (NBA) have all invested in influencers on the platform. Politicians also use Twitch to reach voters, no longer consuming traditional media.

But when it purchased Twitch in 2014, Amazon made big plans and essential strategic investments to ensure the platform’s success as an outlet for advertising and cross-promotion of other Amazon services, such as its namesake retail platform and Prime Video service.

In 2021, Amazon ranked third in the USA digital ad market behind Google and Meta; however, in the second quarter of 2022, Amazon's growth topped 18%, accounting for $8.76 billion in revenue, beating both competitors.

Amazon has purchased the rights to the National Football League (NFL)’s Thursday night games and late-season Saturday night games for exclusive broadcasting on Amazon Prime and Twitch. The NFL is the big dog of live events for advertising and will bring more non-gamers to the platform, opening even more opportunities for influencers to build their channels and brands to work with those influencers to create a symbiotic relationship.

Navigating social platforms and finding the best influencer for your brand can be daunting, but Merchant North can help.

We are well-connected and will create the best strategy and find the right influencer to represent your brand. Make the call to Merchant North, and we’ll deliver a purpose-driven #influencerstrategy for #Twitch and any other platform where your brand needs a presence to reach the audience you want.

of #socialmedia platforms and internet properties, it’s become more critical for brands to cast a wide net to find their specific audience because people are everywhere but never all in one