For this semester my focus will be on social media use for streaming on twitch and building a cross-platform following as well as artists who stream and use twitch as a source of commission income. I'll be posting five streamer's social media information that I feel fit my criteria well.
Critical Role
Critical Role began as just a group of voice actor friends who got together to stream their Dungeons & Dragons campaign on Twitch and the rest is, as they say, history. They have grown into an independent media company with various partnerships as well as a 501(c)(3) non-profit to help fund charities they care about. They took their surprise success and turned it into something that does good and helps others as they play and have fun.
Critical Role Social Media Presences
Critical Role uses their social media fairly often, uploading to their Youtube channel multiple times a week Instagram seems to get the least use and mostly gets crossposts from Twitter and/or Facebook. I believe Twitter may have the most interaction as it has the added benefit of retweets and likes to boost interaction. I was unable to find their social media links easily on their website, instead, I found them all attached to their Twitch channel.
(Last Post information as of 1:10pm pst 2/12/2021)
Youtube - Last Post 2/8/2021 || 1.16m Subscribers
Twitter - Last Post 2/11/2021 || 473k Followers
Facebook - Last Post 2/11/2021 || 196k Likes
Instagram - Last Post 2/11/2021 || 360k Followers
Twitch - Last Post 2/11/2021 || 675k Followers
Buffpup
Buffpup is an artist and variety streamer that I have been watching for the last few years on Twitch. They use their platform and commissions to pay their bills and do donation drives for various charities. They stream on Twitch Mon-Fri in the mornings with various content from PC games, VR games, Art commissions, Facerig Commissions (a facerig is in essence a webcam filter that you can make yourself), or whatever else they feel like sharing with their audience that day. They always bring a smile to my face.
Buffpup Social Media Presences
Buffpup uses their social media very often, keeping in touch with friends and viewers most often via Twitter. They upload recorded video compilations to Youtube of streams cut together once the hold on content is released by Twitch (Affiliate and Partner users are held to a contract specifying a minimum of 24-hours of content exclusivity).
(Last Post information as of 1:30pm pst 2/12/2021)
Youtube - Last Post 2/11/2021 || 1.04k Subscribers
Twitter - Last Post 2/12/2021 || 17.6k Followers
Twitch - Last Post 2/12/2021 || 16.5k Followers
Tik Tok - Last Post 2/11/2021 || 955 Followers
Briitybear
Briitybear is primarily a Sea of Thieves streamer and is partnered with both Twitch and Sea of Thieves and is able to do special cross-platform events to increase her views and engagement on Twitch. She hasn't built up a large enough following to effectively run any charity campaigns
Briitybear Social Media Presences
Briitybear uses her social media in a more personal way while keeping a focus on her Twitch content and Sea of Thieves/piracy as a whole. Her Instagram seems to mainly be used to post selfies used as an advertisement for her streams, I'm honestly a little taken aback by the lack of diversity in her posts on the Instagram grid.
(Last Post information as of 1:50pm pst 2/12/2021)
Youtube - Last Post 2/4/2021 || 863 Subscribers
Twitter - Last Post 2/12/2021 || 975 Followers
Twitch - Last Post 2/12/2021 || 14.7k Followers
Instagram - Last Post 2/12/2021 || 5.2k Followers
Pictobeam
Pictobeam is a bright spot in an often dark world. She is forthcoming with her health issues and is open with her viewers about why she is ending a stream early or unable to stream that day and I find that sort of transparency to be very brave and admirable. Pictobeam reminds her viewers and friends that it's okay to be sad sometimes because you are loved and you have people there to pick you up when you fall.
Pictobeam Social Media Presences
Pictobeam uses her social media to keep viewers abreast of her health and feelings and also to check in with those who watch her and make sure they're doing okay too. She spreads joy and love over her social media platforms to make people's days that much brighter.
(Last Post information as of 1:50pm pst 2/12/2021)
Youtube - Last Post 6/17/2019 || 22 Subscribers
Twitter - Last Post 2/12/2021 || 1.75k Followers
Twitch - Last Post 2/12/2021 || 6.5k Followers
Instagram - Last Post 1/26/2021 || 489 Followers
Shiabun
Shiabun is another variety streamer who often collaborates with Buffpup. His content tends to be a bit darker than Buffpup's and I feel like when you follow them both you get a really nice dichotomy of likes and styles.
Shiabun Social Media Presences
Shiabun uses his social media to keep in touch with his friends and viewers. It seems to me that for Shiabun a wide social media reach is maybe not his biggest goal, instead opting for more of a personal or community vibe.
(Last Post information as of 1:50pm pst 2/12/2021)
Youtube - Last Post 1/26/2019 || 677 Subscribers
Twitter - Last Post 2/11/2021 || 4.3k Followers
Twitch - Last Post 2/10/2021 || 14k Followers
Overall in my research, I have found that social media use varies greatly from person to person in the streaming world. Some users rely heavily on it to make an impression and others use it as an afterthought. This leads me to believe that at the moment in the streaming world there may not be any set expectations as far as advertising and growing via social media which makes my job both harder and easier as a social media manager for a streaming project on Twitch.
Due to there being no set standard I have to forge ahead and set my own path, occasionally stepping into the footprints of those with larger followings than mine to try and extend my reach like theirs. In an area without defined rules for success, you have to weigh each decision with more intent and be aware that your actions may fall flat despite all efforts. You have to keep moving forward even when the path seems impenetrable as there is no progress without effort.
Hi Emelie,
ReplyDeleteI like your overall blog page. I enjoyed reading it and I like how you organized your research. It's very detailed, something I should be done in the future. Thanks for sharing and Best of Luck to your career!
My apology, I misspelled your name. I was trying to edit it but Idk if I can still do so.
ReplyDelete