How to change twitch name

Guide on how to change your twitch name!

If you want to change your twitch name to something else then use these simple steps.

Step 1

Login to twitch and then go to the settings page via either clicking on your avatar picture on the top right of the webpage and then selecting "Settings".

Or

If your already logged into your account, you can go straight to the settings page by following this URL: https://www.twitch.tv/settings/profile

Step 2

Go to the profile settings, then click on the pencil icon in the username section.

Then a window will pop up which will allow you to change your twitch name to something else.

Enter in a new twitch name that isn't already used and press update to completed the process.

Addition notes:

• Make sure usernames do not violate specific registered trademarks.
  
• You can change your twitch name once every 60 days.
• The old channel will not redirect to the new channel's url.
• If your a partner, your old name will not be available to anyone else with exception to special circumstances.
• Twitch names, usernames maybe recycled if no viewing or login activity occurs for at least 12 months.
  

Can you lose affiliate

Becoming a Twitch Affiliate is a big achievement for any content creator on the platform. It provides numerous benefits such as the ability to earn revenue through subscriptions, ads, and donations. However, many streamers are unaware that this status can be lost if certain rules are broken. In this article, we'll discuss whether it's possible to lose your Twitch Affiliate status and the reasons behind it.

The simple answer is yes, it's possible to lose your Twitch Affiliate status. Once you've achieved this status, you need to maintain it by following Twitch's terms of service and your affiliate agreement. Twitch's rules are in place to ensure a safe and positive environment for everyone on the platform. Failure to follow these rules can result in the loss of your affiliate status.

There are various reasons why you might lose your Twitch Affiliate status. The most common one is breaking the rules listed in the terms of service and the affiliate agreement. Twitch's terms of service cover various areas such as harassment, hate speech, nudity, and sexual content. If you're found to have violated any of these rules, your affiliate status could be revoked. It's essential to familiarize yourself with Twitch's terms of service and abide by them to avoid losing your affiliate status.

Another reason why you might lose your Twitch Affiliate status is by being inactive for 12 months. If you haven't streamed on your channel for a year, Twitch may recycle your channel name, which means you'll lose both your name and your affiliate status. To avoid this, you should try to maintain a consistent streaming schedule, even if it's only for a few hours each week.

In conclusion, becoming a Twitch Affiliate is a significant milestone for content creators on the platform. However, it's important to remember that it's not a permanent status, and you can lose it if you break the rules listed in the terms of service or become inactive for 12 months. As long as you follow Twitch's rules and maintain an active streaming schedule, you can keep your affiliate status and continue to reap the benefits that come with it.

Who owns twitch

If you're an avid gamer, then you've probably heard of Twitch.tv - the world's leading live streaming platform for gamers. But do you know who owns Twitch.tv? If not, then you may be surprised to learn that it is actually a subsidiary of Amazon, which purchased the platform on August 25, 2014 for around $970 million dollars.

Since being acquired by Amazon, Twitch.tv has undergone significant changes. Today, it is run by CEO Emmett Shear and has its headquarters in San Francisco, California. The company is estimated to employ over 1,500 people, making it one of the largest and most influential live streaming platforms on the planet.

One notable synergy that has emerged between Twitch and Amazon is Prime Gaming. This service allows Amazon Prime members to gain access to exclusive content on Twitch, including free channel subscriptions to their favorite streamers. With a Prime Gaming subscription, members can also access special in-game loot at no additional cost, gift items to their friends through the Twitch Gift Chest, and use exclusive emoticons and chat badges. Additionally, Prime Gaming members can store their past broadcasts on Twitch for up to 60 days, which is significantly longer than the 14-day limit for non-members.

Another exciting development that has emerged since Twitch was acquired by Amazon is Watch Parties. This feature allows Twitch streamers who have Amazon Prime to broadcast movies and TV shows that are available on Amazon Prime Video directly on their channel. To participate in Watch Parties, viewers must also have an Amazon Prime subscription. This feature has proven to be incredibly popular, as it allows streamers to engage with their viewers in a new and exciting way, while also providing an additional revenue stream for Amazon.

In conclusion, while many gamers may not be aware of the fact that Twitch.tv is owned by Amazon, the two companies have formed a strong partnership that has resulted in a number of exciting developments for gamers. From Prime Gaming to Watch Parties, Amazon has leveraged Twitch's massive audience to create unique and innovative experiences that are changing the way we consume and interact with entertainment. Whether you're a gamer, streamer, or just someone who enjoys watching movies and TV shows, there's never been a better time to be part of the Twitch and Amazon Prime communities.

 

4,633,479 followers in one day....

How did a channel get 4,633,479 followers in one day on Twitch?

So Twitch has been having a lot of issues for the past couple of months with massive amounts of follow bots.  On August 19, 2020 a channel received the biggest amount of followers in one day on Twitch. Over 4.6 million follows which is a record for sure but unfortunately they are all bots.

Curious minds need to ask how is this even possible to occur on the platform? How can the system allow for 4.6 million accounts to all be able to follow one channel in one day with out setting some sort of alarm? Are these hacked twitch accounts that are being used?

We need some update on this from Twitch, hopefully we can get some sort of news in the not so distant future.  I purposely left the channel name out of this posting because they appear to be randomly targeted by whoever or whatever runs this follow bot operation.

A similar event happened a while ago with ASMR streamers which was posted here a couple of months ago. The stream that was affected was able to get the follow bots removed after a period of time. Hopefully this channel gets the same with Twitch investigating and removing the bot followers.

How to change the font size for twitch chat

If you need to make the chat room font size bigger, twitch has just added that option! Here is our quick guide on how to adjust the text size in twitch chat.

Step 1:

You can change the font size by going to the chat settings. Click on the gear icon located next to the purple chat button.



Step 2:

A pop up window will show with an option called "Chat Appearance", click on that preference.



Step 3:

Once you enter the chat appearance section, they will have a slider bar that lets you make the font bigger or smaller. It will show you a preview of how the font size will look just above the bar. Two additional options are also listed under the bar that lets you show a timestamp and another that makes the font colors into a readable

Livestreamfail subreddit promoting adblocking

The moderators at r/livestreamfail, a popular reddit sub has posted a guide on how to block twitch's ad system. 

At the time of this writing that pin post has been upvoted more then 16,500 times which will put it on the popular trending section of reddit.  This is a great way to create problems for Twitch, Twitch streamers and the streaming ecosystem.  

Twitch is a free video streaming service that needs advertising revenue in order to operate.

If everyone is using ad blockers what do you think the outcome will be for Twitch? Post your reaction in the comment section below!

 

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Also side note on r/livestreamfail - this is by far one of the biggest freebooter of Twitch streamers content on the internet.  They use the crowd sourcing power of redditors to find the best twitch clips and then have their automatic robot copy the clips from Twitch onto their servers which is a 3rd party website (livestreamfails dot com).  This also leads to youtube freebooters who then use this subreddit to get the best clips, put them into a compilation and post on youtube, which further causes problems in some aspects for streamers.

Some streamers love r/livestreamfail because its a huge traffic and revenue generator for their channel.  They will activity create "live stream fails" content so that it gets propagated onto this subreddit, which then gets picked up via the freebooting to 3rd party websites and youtube.  They don't care much about the copying of their content and believe its overall a positive marketing scheme. On the flip side you also have streamers who hate r/livestreamfail because of all the toxicity it can generate from its user base.

How to reset your dashboard using these simple steps!

So today I found myself looking at my twitch dashboard being all messed up.  They seem to have added a new panel called "Ad Manager" which then changed the default layout.  Here is how to fix it by using these simple steps.

Step 1

Go to your dashboard and then click on the pencil icon located on the top left of the screen.

Step 2

In the new panel that pops up on the side called "Edit Stream Manager Layout", click on the reset to default button and then accept.

Once you accept the change to revert back to default layout, it should be how it was before today's change. You can also customize the layout by clicking the add button to the panels you want to add. Also can rearrange the location of the panels by holding your left mouse button on the title section of the panel and dragging it to where you want it.

How to grow your youtube channel which then becomes a traffic generator for your stream!

Here are the biggest take away tips that I have uncovered from researching what makes youtuber's content more popular. I am going to keep this as simple as possible to save time. The general consensus is to replicate what other youtuber's have already done that is successful. They have discovered what the algorithm likes so you can copycat it.

Go look at a certain game, lets say Overwatch, find the biggest youtubers in that category and see their video feed.

• Check all their video titles
• Examine the thumbnails and how they placed the words, game characters and logos.
• Check the tags they are using on each video

Then replicate the same style, wording, thumbnails for whatever game you are going to primarily focus on. The game you are going to primarily in needs to be popular or trending in the general time frame that you are going to be creating and uploading videos onto youtube.  Older game titles or non trendy games can work but generally only work once your channel is already established with a high subscriber base.

• Colors in your thumbnail matter
• Facial Expressions in thumbnails also matter, that's why you see so many personality types with their mouths open like they are surprised.  This is all a marketing tactic gone overblown on youtube but work to draw in people who are browsing.
  
• Emotional based storytelling also very powerful
  

Another suggestion which is the core to building on just about any platform is to create content based on answering questions.  Find out what people are searching on for you niche and answer those questions.

• Use the ABC method and see what youtube autocompletes for ideas
• Example, go to youtube and type overwatch a  and see what the autocomplete show, then do overwatch b, and then overwatch c and so forth.

The ABC method will give you keywords of what exactly people are searching for on youtube.  Find which of these keywords produce the most amount of traffic and start to create video content based on answering that query.

User engagement is also a key factor in ranking your videos higher. One of the best examples is how black hat type watch a video fully and then rewatch it over again by dragging the view location indicator back to the start. Why would you think people do this? Well its because it will show to google that the watch time from a single viewer is 200% instead of 100%. And if you can replicate this x100 or "x" number times it will generally get your videos to always rank in the top spot for that keyword topic. Watch time engagement is more powerful then likes or comments but don't discount that from the mix. Every little bit counts and the more organic engagement that you can generatate per video the better.

Make sure to include your streaming channel link in the description or on a pin comment.  There is also on spot in the video channel page that allows you to insert links. Fill that out with your stream links, website and social media.

Any questions or comments about this guide? Fill free to post in the comments section below.  This is a preliminary guide which will be updated again in the future as ecosystem changes. Make sure to bookmark and share this out if you found it useful on social media, forums, discord etc.

Whats the current bitrate cap for streams?

The current bitrate recommendation for twitch streams is 6000 kbps. You can go higher to about 8000 kbps but risk getting source disabled if it becomes an issue on the network. Here are more details on various resolutions and bitrate settings for you to use on your channel.

x264 or Nvidia NVENC Encoding

• 1080p60
  
  • Resolution: 1920 x 1080
  • Framerate: 60, 59.94, 50
    
  • Bitrate: 6000 kbps
  • Audio Bitrate: 128 kbps
    
• 1080p30
  • Resolution: 1920 x 1080
  • Framerate: 30, 29.97
    
  • Bitrate: 6000 kbps or 4500 kbps
    
  • Audio Bitrate: 128 kbps
• 720p60
  
  • Resolution: 1280 x 720
  • Framerate: 60, 59.94, 50
    
  • Bitrate: 6000 kbps
  • Audio Bitrate: 128 kbps
• 720p30
  
  • Resolution: 1280 x 720
  • Framerate: 30, 29.97
  • Bitrate: 6000 kbps or 4500 kbps
  • Audio Bitrate: 128 kbps

• Rate Control: CBR
• Keyframe Interval: 2 seconds
• Preset
  
  • x264
    
    • Very fast to Slow
    • For this setting test out how far you can go with slow being the best but requires a lot of cpu power. If you set it to slow preset and notice your cpu spiking over 80%, it cant handle it, try medium, then fast, and lastly very fast.
      
  • Nvenc
    
    • Quality
      
• Profile: Main/High
• B-frames: 2
  

For OBS Users
Here are some screenshots showing the various location in settings that you need to update for resolution and bitrate.

In the output tab under settings for OBS, you can configure the video bitrate, encoder and audio bitrate.

For video resolution and fps configuration its under the video tab in the settings on obs.

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Here is a bitrate recommendation chart based on game type that I created a couple of years ago that still applies today.

High motion / FPS / First person games

Medium motion / RTS Games, usually has scrolling

Low motion / static action, turn based games

Note the colors and what bitrate is recommend for the game type. For some games with high action, we still do not have enough bitrate to stream at 1080p60 at very high quality.

How to link your twitch with prime gaming

Are you an avid Twitch user looking to get the most out of your gaming experience? If so, then linking your Twitch account with Prime Gaming is the way to go! Not only will you gain access to exclusive in-game content and free games, but you’ll also have the chance to support your favorite streamers with free channel subscriptions.

Here is a quick guide on how to link your Twitch account with Prime Gaming:

1. First, go to https://gaming.amazon.com/ and sign in with your Amazon Prime account.
2. If you already have Amazon Prime, click “Connect your Twitch account” and sign in to your Twitch account. Then, click “Confirm.”
3. If you do not have Amazon Prime, click “Start your 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime.” Sign in to your Amazon account, sign in to your Twitch account, and click “Confirm.” Review your information, and then click “Start your 30-day free trial.”
4. Once your accounts are connected, you can start enjoying all the perks of Prime Gaming! This includes exclusive in-game content, free games, and free channel subscriptions to your favorite Twitch streamers.

But what if you decide you want to unlink your Twitch account from Prime Gaming? No problem! Here’s how:

1. Go to your account on Amazon.com by visiting https://www.amazon.com/gp/css/homepage.html.
2. Under “Settings,” click “Manage Twitch account settings.”
3. Find the Twitch account you want to disconnect and click “Unlink account.”

That’s it! By following these simple steps, you can easily link or unlink your Twitch account with Prime Gaming. Whether you’re a casual or avid gamer, linking your accounts is definitely worth it for the exclusive content and free subscriptions alone. So what are you waiting for? Link your accounts today and start enjoying all the perks of Prime Gaming!

Follower Bots still actively working in 2020

Does twitch still have a follow bot problem in 2020?  Sadly yes, this is one of the ongoing issues on the platform that keeps popping up.  Due note this issue also happens on many other platforms with people all focusing attention on follower numbers which leads to people finding ways to exploit it via botting.

Recently a ASMR streamer noticed over night that their channel gained 104 thousand followers overnight.

Here is a screenshot showing the channel gaining 104,000 followers and some other metrics from previous days.

Very rarely does a channel receive this much followers in a single day. This generally only occurs during a high profile channel being launched or a special event. Another noticeable entry that the metrics show is video views. If 100k people really were all following the channel on that day, at least base minimum there would be alot more then 6k video views on that day.

In the past Twitch did some auto following via the on-boarding of new app users. Could this be some new experiment Twitch is running with users and having them auto follow certain channels? I guess time will tell if such a thing is occurring! 


Another interesting event also occurred recently on a similar category channel.  Here is the tweet with a video clip showing tons of host botting.

August 7, 2020

This maybe now more of a targeted attack against ASMR streamers on Twitch. Additional investigation is needed but this video clip is extremely interesting because of the shear amount of automated bot hosting occurring.

Insider's look into Bounty Board Rates

Curious to know what kind of rates Twitch's bounty board program provides to the top end streamers on the platform?  Well look no further, thanks to a streamer who is careless and shares this data we can come up with the general rates of bounty boards.

Here is what a streamer who generally averages 12,000 viewers gets for a 1 hour bounty board.

It lists 7,091 dollars for 1 hour which is about 59-60 cents per viewer if we assume 12,000 concurrents.

Here is another screenshot of the same streamer during a different period showing the actual bounty internal data.

On this panel it lists that they must average 10,675 concurrent viewers to get the max payout of 3,789 dollars.  This leads to around 35 cents per concurrent viewer.

Whatever way you look at it, this is a extreme amount of money for just 1 hour of streaming. If any gaming company or agency read this post and wants a opinion here is my own thoughts.  Don't pay for large streamers with big numbers, pay streamers who are in the range of 100 to 400 viewers. In my view these streamers are more likely to continue playing the game for a extended session.  Some may even start to stream the game regularly. A good example of this occuring is my own experience with receiving a Black Desert Online bounty.  Its a game I always wanted to try but never went into it until the opportunity with the bounty happened. I currently stream this game regularly on my twitch channel.

Upcoming game release dates 2020

Start planning for upcoming games early, get a hold of their release month and start to build content around whatever games you are planning to stream in the future. Being the first to develop guides and helpful information on upcoming games can help secure your spot on search engines in terms of ranking.

2020 Video Game release dates

• July
  
  • Trackmania
  • Little Town Hero
  • Marvel's Iron Man VR
  • Catherine: Full Body
  • Superliminal
  • CrossCode
  • Little Town Hero
  • Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2
  • Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing In Disguise
  • F1 2020
  • NASCAR Heat 5
  • Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris
  • Dweller's Empty Path
  • Death Stranding
  • Rocket Arena
  • Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town
  • Dragon Quest Tact
  • Superhot: Mind Control Delete
  • Death Come True
  • Ghost of Tsushima
  • Paper Mario: The Origami King
  • Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break
  • Carrion
  • Crysis Remastered
  • Tannenberg
  • Cuphead
  • Destroy All Humans!
  • Samurai Shodown NeoGeo Collection
  • Lost Wing
  • Lost Wing
  • Doraemon Story of Seasons
  • Hakuoki Shinkai: Ginsei no Sho
  • Hellpoint
  • Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme VS. Maxiboost ON
  • Root Film
  • Yakuza Kiwami 2
  • Yoru, Tomosu
  • Cat Quest + Cat Quest II Pawsome Pack
  • Fairy Tail
  • Lost Wing
• August
  • Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
  • Fast & Furious Crossroads
  • Horizon Zero Dawn
  • Hyper Scape
  • Risk of Rain 2
  • Collar × Malice: Unlimited
  • A Total War Saga: Troy
  • EA Sports UFC 4
  • Microsoft Flight Simulator
  • Battletoads
  • Cupid Parasite
  • Aokana: Four Rhythm Across the Blue
  • New Super Lucky's Tale
  • PGA Tour 2K21
  • Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time
  • Kandagawa Jet Girls
  • Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Remastered Edition
  • The Legend of Heroes: Hajimari no Kiseki
  • Moon: Remix RPG Adventure
  • Tell Me Why: Chapter One
  • Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions
  • Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars
  • Jump Force: Deluxe Edition
  • Madden NFL 21
  • Project CARS 3
  • Wasteland 3
  • Windbound
  • Serious Sam 4
  • Surgeon Simulator 2
• September
  • Ary and the Secret of Seasons
  • Crusader Kings III
  • MX vs. ATV All Out
  • Iron Harvest
  • Tell Me Why: Chapter Two
  • WRC 9
  • Doraemon Story of Seasons
  • Marvel's Avengers
  • NBA 2K21
  • Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
  • Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning
  • RPG Maker MV
  • Metal Max Xeno: Reborn
  • Tell Me Why: Chapter Three
  • BPM: Bullets Per Minute
  • Fight Crab
  • WWE 2K Battlegrounds
  • 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
  • Mafia: Definitive Edition
  • Re:Turn – One Way Trip
  • Umihara Kawase BaZooKa!!
  • Shantae
• October
  • Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
  • Star Wars: Squadrons
  • Ride 4
  • Dirt 5
  • FIFA 21
  • Robotics;Notes DaSH
  • Robotics;Notes Elite
  • Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
  • Spacebase Startopia
  • Transformers: Battlegrounds
  • The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV
  • Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster
  • Watch Dogs: Legion
  • The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
• November
  • Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia
  • Shadowverse: Champion's Battle
  • Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin
  • XIII
  • Yakuza: Like a Dragon
  • Assassin's Creed Valhalla
  • Cyberpunk 2077
• December
  • Jack Jeanne
  • Dragon Quest XI S: Definitive Edition
  • Who's Your Daddy? 

Full Game list from the epic games store
- This is the A to Z listing for all the games available.

How to get affiliate sponsors for your channel?

Twitch affiliate sponsors

How to get sponsorships for your twitch affiliate channel! One of the best and most easiest ways for a new twitch affiliate to get sponsors is to use the following platforms.

Game Key Distributions
Woovit - is a self service key distribution platform. This site is extremely easy to connect into via Twitch Login integration. It automatically pulls your stats from Twitch and populates it on their system.  You then can see what offers are available to you based on your metrics. They have many indy developers listed with basic requirements in order to get a free key for streaming. All in all one of my favorites to check into to see what new indie games are coming up.


Keymailer - key distribution platform.  Keymailer is most likely one of the top key distro out their for game influencers.  Its going to be harder for a new affiliate to get keys from here but its something to look forward to down the line if your channel grows bigger. NOTE: Keymailer may sometimes lists games to which they dont have any keys for but collect your requests in order to sell that to game publishers.

Noiz.gg - distributes keys, sponsorship opportunities.  This is a great platform that has many opportunities for paid sponsorships with games even with low CV amounts.


Arsenal.gg - analytics, key distribution platform.


Xsolla - keys, affiliate programs, performance-driven


Terminals.io - key distribution platform, PR




These are all the various key distribution platforms that I have signed up for and use to get sponsorship opportunities and free game keys for my channel on twitch. If you happen to know of any that are not listed and provide similar services, please fill free to comment below or message me so I can review it and add it to the list.

Sponsorships / Affiliate Programs

Listed here are streamer + gaming focused type of brands with affiliate programs and sponsorships.  Some of these are accessible to new affiliates, while others are for geared towards bigger channels and communities.  Check out their website for more details and what type of connections are available.

• AKRacing - gaming chairs, accessories
• Astro Gaming - audio systems, headsets and accessories
• AVerMedia - capture cards, microphones, webcams gaming audio
• Arozzi - chairs, eyewear, gaming desks, microphones and more
• Battle Beaver Customs - custom gaming controllers, DIY parts, prebuild controllers, refurbished controllers
• BenQ - projectors, monitors, led lighting, digital signage, accessories
• Cinch Gaming - custom gaming controllers
• Corsair - gaming gear, streaming gear, pc components, and more
• DXRacer - gaming chairs
• Fatalgrips - mice, keyboards, mousepads, gaming controller grips / cases / skins / accessories
• GTomega - chairs, cockpits, wheel stands and more
• Gamergoo - hand lotion
• Green Man Gaming - digital video game key seller
• HyperX - gaming headsets, microphones, keyboards, mice, memory and more
• Jinx - video game / tv tees, outerwear, toys, plush
• Netgear - wifi gaming routers and more
• Razer - gaming laptops, mice, keyboards, audio and more
• Thermaltake USA - Chassis, fans, aio liquid cooling, air cooling, mice and more

Additional notes:

Make sure to have a business contact email address on your twitch channels about section and on your other linked in social media profiles.  Many times sponsors maybe interested in working with you but no email address is provided for contact which leaves them to move on to the next channel.

Other things to take into consideration is your audience, your community and what your niche is and how a possible sponsorship can make sense for both you and them.  If you want to work with a brand and you think there are possible synergies, reach out to a PR contact for the brand.  It never hurts to ask and attempt to network.

What are the affiliate perks for streamers?

Twitch Affiliate Perks

If you're a Twitch streamer looking to monetize your content, becoming an affiliate can provide a range of benefits and perks that are not available to regular broadcasters. In this article, we'll explore some of the key advantages of becoming a Twitch affiliate.

Monetization Perks

One of the main benefits of becoming a Twitch affiliate is the ability to monetize your content in various ways. Here are some of the monetization perks available to Twitch affiliates:

• Subscriptions: With Twitch subscriptions, viewers can subscribe to your channel at various tiers, including Twitch Prime subs. This allows you to earn recurring revenue from your loyal fans. Additionally, subscribers get access to custom emotes and sub badges created by the streamer.
• Bits: Twitch's in-house tipping system, bits, allows viewers to cheer on your channel with virtual currency. This can be a great way to generate additional revenue while also encouraging viewer engagement. Additionally, Twitch affiliates can create custom bit reward tiers for their viewers.
• Ads: As a Twitch affiliate, you can run advertising mid-roll blocks with the push of a button on the dashboard. This can help generate additional revenue, but it's important to use ad breaks strategically so as not to negatively impact the viewer experience.
• Bounty: Twitch's bounty program allows affiliates to browse and accept sponsored opportunities from brands and game companies. This can be a great way to earn extra income while also promoting products that are relevant to your audience.

Video Perks

In addition to monetization perks, Twitch affiliates also enjoy certain advantages when it comes to video content. Here are some of the video perks available to Twitch affiliates:

• Transcoding: With higher priority access, affiliates can access transcoding options that allow viewers to adjust the video quality based on their internet connection. This can help ensure that all viewers have a smooth viewing experience regardless of their internet speed.
• ReRuns: As an affiliate, you can use Twitch's ReRuns feature to restream a previous session or VOD. This can be a great way to fill in gaps in your streaming schedule or provide additional content for your viewers. ReRun mode feature has been removed, you can still do reruns but you have to broadcast the video from your end.

In conclusion, becoming a Twitch affiliate provides a range of benefits and perks that can help you monetize your content and grow your channel. From subscriptions and bits to ads and sponsorships, there are numerous ways to generate revenue as a Twitch affiliate. Additionally, the video perks available can help ensure that your content is accessible to all viewers, regardless of their internet speed. If you're looking to take your streaming to the next level, becoming a Twitch affiliate is definitely worth considering.

Requirements to become a twitch affiliate

What are the requirements to become a twitch affiliate?

The base requirements needed to get affiliate on twitch is as follows.

• Reach 50 followers or more on your channel.
• Stream for 8 hours or at least 500 total minutes in the last 30 days.
• Stream on 7 different days in the last 30 days.
• Average of 3 viewers - includes hosts and raids but not 3rd party embeds

As you are progressing on the path to affiliate, you can check in your dashboard sidebar section called insights then achievements. Here you will find the progress section on how you are doing on the base requirements.



The easiest way to get affiliate on twitch is to follow my detail guide covering all the basic steps you need to take to get started on the platform.

What are the benefits of twitch affiliate?

Becoming a affiliate provides additional perks then a normal broadcaster on twitch.  Here are a few of the benefits:

Monetization Perks

• Subscriptions - allows you to get the sub button and viewers can sub to your channel via various tiers including twitch prime subs
  
  • Emotes - allows you to have custom emotes
  • Sub Badges - custom sub badges
• Bits - this is twitch's inhouse tipping system, viewers can cheer bits on your channel.
  
  • Bit Badges - custom bit reward tiers
• Ads - you can run advertising mid-roll blocks with the push of a button on the dashboard
• Bounty - allows you to browse and accept sponsored opportunities from brands and game companies

Video Perks

• Transcoding - as available with higher priority access 
• ReRuns - allows you to restream a previous session or vod

Can twitch streams be private?

How to make your twitch stream private?

You can't but you can use some settings to make your stream a little more hidden. First setting is to not set a category.  By leaving your category empty, the stream will only show up on the "live streams" directory section which is generally populated by every single other live channel on the platform.  So if your channel has low viewership, it will be somewhat harder to find.

Next setting is to enable sub only mod for viewing, this can be done in the dashboard under the edit stream button.



With sub only viewing enabled, it will make it harder for a viewer to continue watching the stream unless they are subscribed to the channel.

Can mods change title

Can twitch mods change titles?

Yes, a twitch mod for you channel can change a channels title, category, audience, tags and stream language settings. If you are a moderator with editor role and need to know how to do these sort of changes then following this short guide.

Quick Guide on changing titles and other information for moderators on twitch!

Step 1.
Go to the Mod View dashboard, by clicking on the mod view button at the bottom section of the chat.



Step 2.
On the mod view dashboard, click on the little pencil icon next to the streams title.



Step 3.
A pop-up window called Broadcast Options should be showing now with all the editable options blocks.  Top text box is for the stream's title, edit that or any of the other sections and then press done.

Just Chatting category becoming most popular on platform

How the "Just Chatting" category on the Twitch directory is becoming the top viewed and most watch hours then any other.

So it has been recently reported that for the past couple of months the "Just Chatting" category is getting the most watch time vs other directory slots on Twitch.

Here is a fresh look at some of the metrics on that from streamelements:

• Just Chatting
  
  • Hours Watched 86 million
    
    • Jan 2020
  • Hours Watched 167 million
    
    • June 2020
• League of Legends
  
  • Hours Watched 94 million
    
    • Jan 2020
  • Hours Watched 135 million
    
    • June 2020
• Grand Theft Auto V
  
  • Hours Watched 41 million
    
    • Jan 2020
  • Hours Watched 96 million
    
    • June 2020
• Fortnite
  
  • Hours Watched 47 million
    
    • Jan 2020
  • Hours Watched 95 million
    
    • June 2020
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
  
  • Hours Watched 7 million
    
    • Jan 2020
  • Hours Watched 76 million
    
    • June 2020

What exactly is happening in this directory to yield such growth vs the other gaming categories?

From my point of view is pretty simple, some streamers are purposely mis-categorizing their channels to be in "Just Chatting" vs the more correct category because it has more floating viewership and bigger potential to attract audience.

Here is a clip of Hikaru a popular chess streamer making a comment about another popular chess streamer and how it effects chess directory.


Back in 2018, Twitch created new tags & categories to better enable IRL channels to self categorizes and tag into more proper niches. Twitch's community guidelines state the following:

"Content Labeling

You are expected to accurately label your content to the best of your ability. When choosing a category or tag, please choose whichever best describes your content. Deliberate or extensive misuse of titles, tags, games/categories, or other metadata are prohibited." - source

Content mis-labeling is happening on mass, and is even being promoted by big influencers on Twitch as a way to gain more viewers.

Comment from discussion Hikaru's take on Botez streaming in Just Chatting over Chess categories.

This is a big problem, only getting worse as time goes on. Now the question is if Twitch is going to make any changes or start to enforce their community guidelines.

Can affiliates run ads

Can Twitch affiliates run ads?

Twitch affiliates have the opportunity to monetize their streams by running ads on their channels. Running ads can help generate additional revenue and support the streamer's content. In order to trigger an advertisement to run on your channel, you have to press one of the ad break buttons on the dashboard.

As a Twitch affiliate, there are different ad block options available to you, including:

• Run 30-Second Ad Break
• Run 60-Second Ad Break
• Run 120-Second Ad Break
• Run 150-Second Ad Break
• Run 180-Second Ad Break

It is recommended to run a 120-second ad break at least every 30 minutes of your stream session. This can help ensure that your viewers are not bombarded with ads while also maximizing your revenue potential.

Twitch affiliates also have the option to automate running ads via a chat robot with the command /commercial (time). However, it's important to make sure that your chat bot has the correct permissions to perform this action.

In addition to chat bots, there are third-party tools that can help automate running ads on your channel. One of these tools is called Chatty, which is a chat program that has admin tools that can auto run ads every x minutes. This can be a helpful option for streamers who want to focus on their content without manually triggering ad breaks.

It's important to note that while running ads can help generate revenue, it's important to balance this with the viewer experience. Too many ads or ads that are too long can turn off viewers and negatively impact your stream. As a result, it's important to use ad breaks strategically and ensure that they don't disrupt the overall flow of your content.

In conclusion, Twitch affiliates can run ads on their channels by pressing the ad break buttons on the dashboard. There are different ad block options available, and it is recommended to run a 120-second ad break at least every 30 minutes of your stream session. Automating ad breaks via chat bots or third-party tools can also be helpful. However, it's important to balance revenue generation with the viewer experience and ensure that ad breaks don't negatively impact your content.

Can you see who is watching?

Can twitch streamers see who is watching?

As a Twitch viewer, you may be wondering if the streamer can see who is watching their stream. The short answer is no, the only identity a streamer can see is the chat viewers who are logged in with a Twitch account. If you are not logged in, the streamer has no way to know it's you!

Twitch channels do receive some geographic location data in their analytics dashboard, which shows what country the viewers are from. However, this data is very general and doesn't provide any specific information about the viewer's identity.

In addition to location data, Twitch channels also receive some referral URL data from embedded players. This data provides information about how viewers arrived at the stream, such as through a link on social media or a search engine.

It's important to note that some streamers may include custom URL links in their profile section, which can potentially track a viewer's IP address. This is why it's essential to be cautious when clicking on panel links or URLs listed on the page to safeguard your privacy.

However, Twitch does offer streamers the ability to set up subscriber-only streams or channels, which require viewers to have a subscription to view. This means that the streamer would be able to see the identities of their subscribers who are watching the stream.

It's important to note that as a viewer, you have the ability to remain anonymous while watching streams on Twitch. You can choose to not log in with a Twitch account or use a username that doesn't reveal your true identity.

In conclusion, Twitch streamers cannot see the identities of their viewers unless the viewer is logged in with a Twitch account and participating in the chat. While some general location and referral URL data is available to streamers, this data does not reveal any personal information about the viewer. However, viewers should be cautious when clicking on custom URL links as they may potentially track their IP address. It's important to remember that you have control over your privacy as a viewer and can choose to remain anonymous while watching Twitch streams.

Are twitch mods paid?

A majority of the channels on Twitch that utilize moderators for their chats are not paid. Chat mods are usually long time viewers and supporters of the channel.  Some people view becoming a mod for a channel as a reward.



Due note their are special events and some channels that do paid moderators or give perks such as free game keys. It is recommended that some form of compensation is given to long term moderators of your channel. For my channel I have given games to a couple of my mods during the holiday season.

Twitch moderators, or mods, are typically volunteers who help to manage a streamer's chat and community. They are not paid by Twitch, but they may receive compensation from the streamer they are moderating for.

In some cases, streamers may choose to compensate their moderators for their time and efforts, either with a flat fee or a percentage of the streamer's revenue. However, this is entirely at the discretion of the streamer, and there is no set standard for how much mods should be paid.

It's important to note that being a Twitch moderator is typically a volunteer position that requires a lot of time and effort. Mods are responsible for enforcing chat rules, managing user behavior, and maintaining a positive and welcoming community. While they may receive compensation from the streamer they are moderating for, most mods do it because they enjoy the community and want to help the streamer succeed.

Are donations taxable?

Are twitch donations taxable?

Many streamers mix up "donations" wording with tips.  A streamer isn't a registered charity so using the wording "donations" is not correct, use "tips" instead. Make sure to consult with an accountant for all tax related issues and questions to get the best answer for the state you live in.

If you are a content creator on Twitch, you may be wondering if the donations you receive from your viewers are taxable. The answer is yes, any income you receive, including tips or donations, is generally considered taxable income by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

The IRS treats tips as taxable income similar to wages. This means that if you receive any income from Twitch donations, you are required to report it on your income tax return. This applies to all types of income, whether it is earned through traditional employment or self-employment.

It's important to note that many streamers confuse the wording of "donations" with tips. It's important to use the correct language and refer to tips as tips, not donations. A streamer is not a registered charity, so referring to it as a donation can be misleading.

When it comes to reporting your Twitch donations, it's best to consult with an accountant or tax professional to ensure you are properly reporting and paying your taxes. Tax laws can vary depending on the state you live in, and a professional can help you navigate any potential issues.

If you receive Twitch donations through a third-party tool or platform, such as PayPal or Streamlabs, it's important to keep track of all of your income and expenses. This will make it easier to report your income and ensure you are paying the appropriate amount of taxes.

In addition to income taxes, self-employed individuals are also responsible for paying Social Security and Medicare taxes, known as self-employment taxes. This means that as a Twitch streamer, you may be responsible for paying both income and self-employment taxes on your Twitch donations.

It's also important to note that if you receive non-cash donations, such as gifts or merchandise, these items may also be considered taxable income. You should consult with a tax professional to determine the value of these items and how they should be reported on your tax return.

In conclusion, any income you receive, including Twitch donations, is generally considered taxable income by the IRS. As a streamer, it's important to use the correct language when referring to tips, keep accurate records of all of your income and expenses, and consult with a tax professional to ensure you are properly reporting and paying your taxes.

Streamers served with DMCA notices for copyright music

Over the past weekend a big influx of DMCA requests have been served to Twitch.tv.  Many streamers both large and small have been given notices that they have clips on Twitch that contain copyrighted music.

📢 This week, we've had a sudden influx of DMCA takedown requests for clips with background music from 2017-19. If you’re unsure about rights to audio in past streams, we advise removing those clips. We know many of you have large archives, and we're working to make this easier.

— Twitch Support (@TwitchSupport) June 8, 2020

Here is a recap of events around this issue from the past to the present:

1. In 2014, Twitch created audio fingerprinting filters using a 3rd party to mute out copyright related issues from videos to protect Twitch, which also protects streamers engaged in using audio that they shouldn't be using.
2. Streamers who engage in using audio they shouldn't be using, thought they were safe.
3. The copyright agencies that use monitors found out twitch clips past a certain year didn't filter out audio such as videos do. So they used automation to scan old clips and find audio fingerprints that match their music database.
4. DMCA for old clips where then triggered based on fingerprint matching and sent to Twitch.
5. Twitch notified all channels of the DMCAs.
6. Many streamers who have been using copyright music are now deleting all their clips. Other streamers who are not up to date on all of this are just deleting all their clips as a safety precaution.

What is the take away from this weekends event for streamers?

It is pretty simple, do not use copyright content, music or audio that you do not have permission or license to use.

• Majority of all games have settings to disable music, get in the habit of doing this before you start any new game for streaming on the platform.
• Check with the games EULA/Youtube Policy/Video Policy to see if they have sections for streaming the game and monetizing it. Most games have this already inserted, but its always best to verify.  Also note, that EULA's can change, one day it maybe ok and another day maybe removed.
• Do not follow on what others do on the platform and think its ok since "everyone" is doing it. 
• Do not use any sort of main stream music in your broadcasts with out licenses or permission.
• DO NOT THINK JUST BECAUSE TWITCH AUTOMATICALLY MUTES YOUR VIDEOS THAT YOU ARE SAFE TO CONTINUE TO USE MAIN STREAM MUSIC OR OTHER COPYRIGHT STUFF IN YOUR BROADCAST. Read this line 3 times to get it saved in your head!

Need more info on copyright law? Check out this past Twitchcon panel that goes over all the basics formatted for streamers.

Additional Information from djWHEAT interview with Noah Downs:


Quote: "There is a company out there that is monitoring most streams on twitch" - "They have the ability to issue live DMCA's but just havent done it yet."

 

---

Update 11/6/2020

A lot more issues with DMCA and clips have been occurring on the platform. Many additional streamers are getting banned for clips from long ago stream sessions. And there is additional issues with clips supposedly not totally being deleted from the system that maybe getting detected even though streamers have been mass deleting clips and videos.

How to watch twitch on Roku, 3 methods available!

If you have a Roku device for your tv and want to watch twitch streams, here are 3 possible solutions to that problem! In this short guide we will be using unofficial apps that allows you to watch twitch channels.

First Method using access code

1. Open up your web browser, and go to the following url:
   
   • https://my.roku.com/account/add
     
2. Sign into your Roku Account
3. Then a text box will be available where you can input a channel, write the channel named Twoku
4. Warning window will appear, press OK to continue.
5. Press Yes to add channel to your Roku account.
6. Restart your Roku and you should then see Twoku channel which is a basic interface showing the Twitch directory, live stream list and streamer search.

Second Method via manual developer install

1. Enable developer mode for Roku
   
   • Full detail guide on how to enter developer mode can be found here: https://blog.roku.com/developer/developer-setup-guide
     
2. Login to your Roku via private IP address listed in step 1, example http://192.168.x.x
3. Use this repo zip and upload it into the Roku Development application installer
   
   • Repo file is from https://github.com/worldreboot/twitch-reloaded-roku
     
4. Press install
5. Once installed, you should be able to find a channel with a black roku dev graphic at the end of your channel list. Click on that and it will start up the UI that shows the Twitch directory, live streams and search function.

Third Method via Web Video Cast app

1. Start up google play in your Roku and search for web video cast
   
   • https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.instantbits.cast.webvideo
     
2. Install that app and then use it to browse twitch.tv
   

Drops

Twitch Drops is a feature that allows Twitch viewers to earn in-game rewards by watching streams of certain games on the Twitch platform. Twitch Drops are typically offered as part of promotional events or game releases, and they are a way for game developers and publishers to incentivize viewership on Twitch.

To participate in Twitch Drops, viewers need to link their Twitch account to the game publisher's account. This is usually done by going to the game publisher's website and following the instructions to link your Twitch account. Once your account is linked, you can watch eligible streams on Twitch to earn Drops.

The Drops that you can earn vary depending on the game and the promotion, but they can include things like in-game items, currency, or even access to beta tests or early releases. To receive the Drops, viewers need to make sure that they are logged in to Twitch and that their account is linked to the game publisher's account.

It's important to note that not all games or events on Twitch offer Drops, and eligibility requirements may vary. To find out more about Twitch Drops, you can visit the Twitch website or check the website of the game publisher offering the Drops.

Twitch drops is a way for game developers to reward viewers who are watching streamers showcasing their game on the platform. The developers have many powerful options and ways to utilize the drops system from Twitch. They can whitelist a certain list of streamers that will be drops enabled or have all channels that are broadcasting their game have drops enabled.  If they choose all channels, their game on the twitch directory will have a special symbol the upper corner.

Here is a example of what the game directory will show for games that are drops enabled for all channels.



For viewers to be able to get drops, they will have to link their twitch account with the game account. After viewing a channel for a certain time frame or if a streamer does something unique in-game, they will receive a in-game item.  Please note, drops system has many ways to reward, make sure to check with the game developer and ask the streamers on how the drop works for the particular game.


My opinion:
From a streamer point of view, drops for a game your streaming is a huge positive due to the potential to have audience stick. Drops is such a powerful loyalty gimmick, that top view count streamers can go into rebroadcasting past stream sessions and still hold their audience as if they were live.




This maybe one instance where "content isn't king, the gimmick is everything". Each time I check the game directory for "Legends of Runeterra," I have seen a streamer named DisguisedToast have around 25k to 30k viewers while listing in title as "rebroadcast." Hardly any other streamer on the Twitch platform gets 25k viewers as "Live" yet this channel has been doing it daily as "rebroadcasts".

Update 4/14/2020 - New drop feature for a game called Valorant has gone live on the platform for over one week now. Riot games has enabled drops for a tiny segment of twitch channels, in which viewers have a chance to get a key for the closed beta. Small pool of Twitch enabled drop channels and a small chance to get a key for the game has turned out extremely successful for getting high concurrent viewers for this event. One channel was able to peak around 311k viewers and many others are also showing extreme viewership numbers due to the drop event.

Many channels are also engaging in the "Live" but not live rebroadcasting in order to maximize their viewer numbers, subs, follower gains during this drop event.

I do find it really odd that Twitch has a built in system for ReRuns / Rebroadcasting content, yet anyone using that feature will not have drops enabled. So these Twitch streams are in a way exploiting the system by broadcasting live with old replay content in my opinion.

Important Update on Drops from Twitch Support!

✏️ We got a number of questions about this and wanted to clear things up. This update is focused on the abuse of rewards systems such as Drops, and does not impact other 24/7 or VOD streams not participating in a rewards system, like tv marathons or past gaming broadcasts. https://t.co/ccgipDJtF8

— Twitch Support (@TwitchSupport) April 30, 2020

Twitch has taken a stance against any channel that is doing Rebroadcasts as Live in order to abuse the rewards system.

Update 4/17/2022 - It appears that many channels are exploiting the Drops system again via running 24/7 live but with replay vod content, sleeping or other cloaky gimmicks.  Not sure what type of enforcement is happening on the backend but from my point of view, it seems like nothing is happening to combat against it. 

If you run 24/7 with vods during certain time segments and want to stay in the rules set for drops, you can disable the Drops system on your channel like I do for my channel.

To disable drops for your channel follow these steps:

• Go to dashboard
• Click on Viewer Rewards, then Drops
• At the top of the drops page, it shows a slider which can enable / disable drops

Additional information / guides on Twitch Drops: 

• Can you get twitch drops while muted?
• Can I AFK Twitch Drops
• Why won't my twitch drops work?
• New Twitch Drops
• Sea of Thieves Drops
• Lost Ark Twitch Drops
• Rust Twitch Drops
• How to see drops progress and claim

How to embed your channel on blogger!

Guide on how to embed your Twitch.tv channel on blogger.


This guide covers the basics of how to get the Twitch embed code and insert it into your theme on blogger.

Step 1.
Go to your channels page on Twitch and click on the share button (1) and then copy the embed stream code (2).



Step 2.
Login to your blogger, go to the blog you want to put the twitch embed player on and then click on "Layout".


Step 3.
Figure out which area you want to post up your twitch tv stream embed and then click on the "Add a Gadget" link. That will create a pop up with many different gadgets to choose from on a list.  The gadget you need to use is "HTML/JavaScript", press the + sign to add that to your layout.


Step 4.
Enter a title and then paste the stream code from step 1 into the content box. After that press the save button and you should be able to see your twitch tv embed on your blog.



Update 6/10/2020 - Step 5.
Twitch has updated their embed code, everything is generally the same except that there is a parent parameter. So you have to change "www.example.com" to the URL of your website or blog.