For those not in the nerdy know, E3 (or the Electronic Entertainment Expo) is happening right now, with game developers and tech companies showing off upcoming products planning to be released next few years. But why are we talking about it? Once a super nerdy hobby people rarely spoke about in “polite” company, video games have become big business- and not just for the companies that make them. With Esports at an all time high in terms of viewership and syndication, even ESPN has jumped on the bandwagon – hosting (to name a few) the Overwatch League and League of Legend Tournaments.
And here I am remembering getting picked on for playing Pokemon when I was 12.
Before we press “A” to start, there are two major players to know about: YouTube (owned by Google) and Twitch (owned by Amazon).
But with all these eyes, comes new monetization opportunities (see: advertising). And, as with anything new, there are some challenges. Among those are: measuring KPI on livestreams, how to spot viewbotting and other fake accounts that inflate numbers, and developing ads specifically for livestreams. But there is also a lot to be made as Twitch viewers spend an average of 95 minutes a day watching. And most people who watch livestreams watch up to 20 hours a week. That’s a lot of KappaPride. 
But Gaming Content isn’t just livestreaming. After all, gaming video content got its start on YouTube. Over the years, gaming videos (i.e. videos of gameplay, tips and tricks, and discussions) have become some of the most popular on the platform, with 2 out of the top most subscribed YouTubers being gaming-based channels. In other words, gaming is an incredibly popular form on content on YouTube and probably only going to get more popular as the years go on.
Nowadays, video games are played by people from all walks of life and cut across age, class, gender, and ethnicity (to name a few). Many parents, who grew up playing the NES (remember those old rectangular controllers?), now spend quality time with their kids playing on their Switch. Family bonding at it’s finest – well, except in Mario Kart where all’s fair when someone has a blue shell.
Gaming influencers are a perfect place to start in order to reach a larger cross-section of people when you want to appeal to a wide audience. And those dubbed gaming influencers, both on YouTube and Twitch, are who you are going to turn to. No longer people just screaming at games into a camera (well, most of the time, anyway), gaming influencers are as varied as the games they play. Which can make it challenging to figure out where to even get started.
But, first, let’s break down gaming culture a little and the people who live within it.
Gaming Culture & Women
Think for a moment and imagine what a “gamer” looks like to you:
Probably a dude who’s super pale, unhealthy lifestyle, lacking in personal hygiene – just overall, an unmotivated, underachieving person. And women are normally seen as decoration or “eye candy.”
But defining an average “gamer” near impossible, as they are as diverse as any other community.
Women, in particular, are a growing demographic in gaming spaces. In 2016, 41% of women surveyed by the Entertainment Software Association self-reported to consider themselves a “gamer.” And out of those who play games, around 50% consider themselves to be an avid gamer, or someone who plays multiple times a week. There is a chance that these stats are lower than the true number. Many women do not self-identify as gamers, due to the negative view many have of the term, so if a study asks if they are gamers, many will still respond no.
In reality, there is no stereotypical face of gaming. Many gamers with a significant following on both YouTube and Twitch use each platform in different ways. So, marketers, when you’re reaching out, make sure to keep your options (and minds) open – you may be surprised by who you find.
YouTube is a place to upload and host video content permanently. Many of these videos are going to be curated content that can be easily shared across many platforms. They are also much shorter than an average Twitch stream, so tend to be focused on one topic or game. YouTube videos are also more likely to gain views over time, so they are more effective long term. So, if you’re looking to be featured in standalone content that’s dedicated to it or a serial sponsorship, YouTube is going to be the best place.
Twitch, on the other hand, is more focused on loooooong video (as in, several hours long). Audience engagement is the highest priority here, with quality of content not as important. Marketing on Twitch is uncharted territory so don’t be afraid to get creative. Some ideas worth thinking about are sponsoring a segment of a longer stream, organic integration into streaming content, and partnering with the streamer to have it embedded into the stream itself.
Pro Tips to Remember for Gaming Audiences
More Brands More Possibilities
Gamers are a diverse group of people, got it. Because of that, tapping into the avid and amateur gaming audience should be an important aspect of your strategy. For example, people who watch video game content on YouTube are 1.2x more likely to buy entertainment than the general population. They are also significantly more likely to buy tech products, than the average consumer. With many influencers already reviewing and recommending a variety of products, ignoring the gaming population in your strategy is keeping your product from a huge subset of consumers! 88% of current Influencers recommend on media & entertainment, and 83% on food & beverage products. Bottom line: don’t restrict yourself from working with gaming influencers just because they seem like they only promote games.
Circles of Influence
It’s always important to remember if your product would jive with the influencer you’re looking to partner with. This is especially true with for influencer who have made a living playing video games and have built communities around their channels. Many people play multiple kinds of games (RPGs, FPSs, Puzzle, and a whole host more – not sure what that alphabet soup means? Find us on social to learn more 😉 ), while others focus on tips and tricks for a single type of game. This tells us a lot about their audience. Some people watch for influencer personalities, others for the gameplay itself- and, many watch for both. The games themselves often create a community around them, and influencers who participate in these circles often hold sway in other circles as well.
These communities can span YouTube and Twitch, but also Reddit, forums, and even private group chats. And while the main topic of focus is the game, many people are also there to socialize and talk about their everyday lives. And where people are talking, they are sharing.
Talk the Talk
You know those communities I was talking about? There’s a reason for that! Many people who play games aren’t only just there for the game. Often, people are there to socialize with friends, because leaving the house is so 2001.
Working with an influencer to make a memorable moment means that it will get shared beyond their communities and potentially into other communities. Yes, this means other social platforms, but it also means private groups (anyone else getting F8 flashbacks?!).These groups talk about games but also share content they find entertaining, especially memes. Because if there’s anything gamers love more than games, it’s funny, weird, and meme-y content.
Not Only Gaming
What if you’re not sure your brand will fit in a gaming influencers’ scope? Is it still worthwhile to work with a gaming influencer? Surprisingly, yes! While gaming content may be the majority of content on their platforms, many creators do create non-gaming content on a regular basis. These videos can range from skits, to reviews, challenges, and even game content-related crafts! So, dive into a creator’s feed and go digging for all of the wonderful surprises lurking in the corners of their curated space!
Tips for Working With Influencer
By now you know that gaming influencers can be a wonderful way to connect with people, but there are quite a few intricacies to consider before heading down the digital path paved with memes, yoshis, Pacmen, and dangerous Destiny(s) :P.
To help you out, we’ve made a list of things to keep in mind when planning a campaign.
- Be conscious of voice and intent: Most gaming influencers are adults, and have mostly adult audiences. But some non-gamers still see gaming as a childish hobby, and are apt to treat gaming influencers as children themselves.
- Friendly Competition: Many people play games for the competition. Use that to your advantage and set up a campaign that has different groups working with and against one another. Or, even team up with 2 influencers and facilitate a (friendly) battle between them!
- Giving Back: Many gaming communities are well known for their charity drives, with some even host yearly (or monthly) charity initiatives. For example, the Overwatch community raised $12.7 million for the Breast Cancer Research Fund in just one campaign! For your next marketing campaign, try sponsoring a 24-hour livestream or charity drive with an influencer with the promise of a donation for that extra oomph.
- Providing Value To the Influencer: When you are making an offer to an influencer, be sure to provide something of value in return. It can be as varied as the number of influencers you work with, just make sure to make your influencer feel valued. They are adding value to your business, it would be wise to do the same to theirs.
- Budget: Set a budget ahead of time. Figure out how much you are willing to spend, either total or for one influencer, and then keep those figures in mind when sending outreach.
Or, if allllll of this is overwhelming you can always call LMS. We’re the experts when it comes to influencer marketing, whether they’re Instagram fashionistas or pro-gamers on Twitch. See what we’ve done in the past and drop us a line!
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