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05. November 2021
Media Research & Development, Media Trends
Professionalization thanks to innovative ideas - Streaming on Twitch with vision

Professionalization thanks to innovative ideas: Streaming on Twitch with vision

Photo: Twitch Stream Logo © Adobe Stock

Text: Alexander Büsing

A major challenge in the streaming scene is the professionalization of the account. If streamers know which interactions were well received or learn more about their audience, then they can professionally expand their channel. But how can this be done?

Streaming professionally, what does this even mean?

In the eyes of many, streaming on Twitch is a matter of luck. Finding one’s own niche, catering to the right games and trends – growing. It takes innovative ideas to professionalize channels. Because, despite initial barriers being relatively low, there often is a lack of information and guidelines how to position one’s original content effectively and how to transform a casual stream into a professionally managed channel. Here you will find a step-by-step solution that is currently in development.

Moritz Steinbach

Marketing and Communications Analysis at Werk86 | Personal Background in Education, Pedagogy and Social Science | R&D Fellow. He developed his prototype after realizing that his target audience has increased difficulties in making strategic decisions around their channel because they lack necessary data and knowledge.

Step 1: Understanding the platform

The initial barrier with streaming providers like Twitch is low. With a few clicks, the profile is set up that links up the own channel. With a quick Google search you will find your first camera and microphone setup, a capture program for gaming footage, and you are ready to go. It is of course not without reason that the setup is so simple. Everybody should have easy access.

At least since 2020, the permanent numbers of the platform are continuously and solidly over 2 million monthly users. The recently published leak about the amount of payouts to successful streamers showed that it could be a relatively successful business model even for private individuals. For most people, of course, it is not – because the ease of access also creates an unmanageable abundance of competition. Markets like Twitch are short-lived and fast. Hypes go as quickly as they arrived and every month a few hundred thousand to millions of users and content creators are trying to stay relevant, position their content and be seen.

In this blog, we show how these findings and experiences result in an innovative idea.

Step 2: Finding needs and target audiences

For the most people who stream on Twitch, it is certainly a hobby. People that want to use the platform for regular production of original content however work toward expanding their channel, reach more followers and strife to one day be promoted by the platform itself. Moritz Steinbach knows the platform very well. He has been familiar with the gaming industry for many years and, in addition to recent trends, he particularly observes the challenges of streamers that encounter difficulties when trying to expand their channels.

R&D Fellowship

You have an idea how to solve a media problem? Then apply for the Fellowship and learn even more innovation methods.

Of course, when identifying the problem, he tried to pin it down with user surveys and encountered usual questions: “Which game should I cover next?” or “Do my viewers want to see more content about me or the game?” Finding answers to that is not that easy in this ever-changing market. A way or a tool to find relevant answers is needed. And this tool also had to serve to professionalize the channel in the long run.

Step 3: Developing solutions

After Moritz defined the problem and the target audience, he needed a solution. Which tool could he give to his audience to help them? In this case, without a doubt, a digital one. More accurately: A Tool for analysis that provides answers to the streamer’s questions and eliminates insecurities. Moritz’s prototype should primarily create one thing only: Read out interactions on popular Twitch channels to create early trend forecasts and statistics that help streamers to find their own niche by

  1. Understanding what works on other channels,
  2. Understanding their own channel and content
  3. Position their content more effectively

to reach the desired goal and to establish the channel professionally. The obstacles and challenges of the project now lay not in a definition of a strategic goal anymore, but in the development of a technical framework to make the prototype work as intended.

The prototype of Moritz: Figma. Allows Twitch streamers to connect their own channel, find games that are currently running well, integrate them into their content plan and use the analysis tool for long-term professionalization.

Development roadmap

Understanding the platform

Moritz has a personal approach: He has been familiar with the platform and the gaming industry for years. Since he is a twitch user himself, he understands the dynamics and trends of game releases and let’s play shows and can focus effectively on the next step.

Defining needs and target audiences

Combining his own experiences and user surveys he deduces the core problem: Options to professionalize the own channel on Twitch are lacking. This defines the target audience as well: Streamers in the field of gaming who grew due to early success and need to professionalize.

Developing solutions

Once the problems and target audiences are defined it is time to develop solutions. What might help the target audience to solve the problem? In this case the answer is clear: A tool that delivers answers to the streamer’s questions and eliminates known uncertainties. More insight means a more successful professionalization.

Overcoming roadblocks

No development runs smoothly or without a catch. Flexibility is key – and the ability to find quick solutions to problems if the project comes to a halt. Moritz encounters his first real problem when it comes to the actual coding. How can Twitch chats be mined effectively to extract the necessary data for his users. He needs the right code, but does not yet have developers on his team. There is a quick solution: GitHub.

Naturally, finding a developer is still the second step in his case. Regardless, it is important to know that in order to develop a prototype and realize your own idea, all you need is to find the problem, analyze the target audience and have a few Google and GitHub skills.

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Naturally, finding a developer is still the second step in his case. Regardless, it is important to know that in order to develop a prototype and realize your own idea, all you need is to find the problem, analyze the target audience and have a few Google and GitHub skills.

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