It’s been nearly a year of quarantine and social distancing and the change in social behaviors has been felt across every industry. For example, Twitch, a streaming service, logged 5 billion watch hours in Q2 and saw a 2,662% increase year-over-year. One of the most popular channels on Twitch presents a great opportunity for digital marketers.
Most Popular Twitch Channel
Just Chatting is the category dominating on Twitch. This is where live streamers talk about anything, even if there is a more specific channel available. In a July report by StreamElements, Just Chatting increased 94% in hours streamed from January to June and grew 175% year over year.
While most people are spending much of their time at home, many online users still want to connect with other people. Discussing recent events and interacting with like-minded users are some of the reasons behind the rise of the Just Chatting channel.
StreamElements notes in its report, “Because so many important topics surfaced this year, such as pandemic-related hardships, the Black Lives Matter movement, and heightened awareness of #MeToo in the gaming industry, Just Chatting enabled streamers to have deeper conversations surrounding these subjects.”
Aligning with Chats to Find Digital Marketing Opportunities
When habits change, brands must be aware so they can use those new behaviors in ad placements and audience targeting. Just Chatting could be an opportunity for brands to expand their advertising reach and multichannel digital marketing strategies. In 2019, approximately 41% of Twitch users worldwide were 16-24 years old, making it an efficient way to reach younger audiences.
Usually, Just Chatting runs unskippable, pre-roll ads. Useful for brands to reach audiences engaged with specific subject matters. Brands can observe the channels to decide which topics will interest their target consumer segments. Brands can also verify if the comments and tone are the right fit for their brand.
What’s The Takeaway?
We would love to talk, and it doesn’t need to be on Twitch.
