Live streams have quickly become a popular and profitable form of entertainment in the modern age of technology. What was once thought of as a niche hobby has actually jump-started a new avenue for content creators such as variety streamer Pokimane and World of Warcraft player Asmongold.
If this career is something that you are interested in pursuing, then the first thing you should establish is which platform you would prefer to stream your content on.
The two biggest live-streaming platforms for newcomers currently are Twitch and YouTube, as they are both extremely versatile in the type of content being produced. Unfortunately, the question comes down to which of the two is a better option for the modern content creator?
Read on to find out which platform is the best for you.
What Makes Twitch Unique?
Twitch is a great website for versatility as the top streamers play many games, or even watch videos alongside their chats. Some great examples include Sykkuno who mostly plays the video game Valorant, HasanAbi who creates political commentary streams, and QTCinderella who occasionally plays a game of chess.
What Are the Advantages of Twitch?
Personalization
Twitch allows for great personalization to each stream with the usage of specially designed stream overlays that creators can purchase directly from online shops, or have commissioned their favorite artist to make. These overlays can include digitally drawn “waiting” screens or camera frames.
Ease of Monetary Gain
Twitch also implements easy ways for their content creators to get paid, including an easy-to-use donation system for viewers to give monetary gifts to their favorite streamers. These donations come in the form of “subs” that range from $4.99 to about $24.99, and allow the viewers to gain access to member-only content for a monthly fee.
Bits are also another form of donation, but the streamer gains less money from donated bits than they do through subscriptions.
Why Do Some Streamers Refuse to Use Twitch?
Large User Base
Due to the amount of time Twitch has been on the internet, the website has amassed over 3 billion streamers, making it incredibly hard for you to get noticed amongst the more popular users. There is no algorithm to beat and your fame comes solely from how lucky you can get with your content choice and time of day.
Stricter Guidelines
Twitch also has strict guidelines that are hard to interpret, causing many streamers to worry about their income the moment they go live.
What Makes YouTube Unique?
YouTube is a great platform for video sharing, and they have recently delved into the realm of live-streaming. YouTubers’ popularity does not come from live stream views like Twitch, as they instead utilize the subscriber method. Some popular YouTube channels include Pewdiepie (110 million subscribers) and Mr.Beast (48 million subscribers).
Advantages of Using YouTube
Unique Algorithm
YouTube, unlike Twitch, has an algorithm that allows users to find more content similar to what they already enjoy watching. This means you are more likely to appear on someone’s recommended page if you are making content that they are already interested in.
Ease of Use for Creators
YouTube also does not require very much to start streaming on their platform, unlike Twitch. You can actually live stream straight from your cell phone and still interact with your live chat with ease. It will also be easier to clip VODs (videos on demand) and upload them directly to your normal YouTube channel.
Disadvantages of YouTube
Lower Quality Streams
For one, YouTube live streams tend not to be as polished as their Twitch counterparts. Due to how easy it is to just start streaming, you lose out on key features like a fully optimized and personalized overlay or specialized chat features.
Failure to Communicate
YouTube is also notorious for not responding to its users promptly, so if you need customer support you may find yourself stranded in an emergency with no one to assist you.
Final Thoughts
Both YouTube and Twitch are great platforms to start your live-streaming career on, but they don’t achieve the same things. If you wish to do live streams, but see yourself recording videos more often then sticking with YouTube will be your best bet. If you desire a polished stream and have a medium-grade computer or laptop, then stray no further than Twitch.
