Twitch Ads Explained: Grow Your Brand with Streaming Ads

Twitch has become popular as a video game streaming platform, but things are changing these days. The platform has seen a rapid growth in non-gaming streamers. Brands now have a new opportunity to reach their target audience with ads on Twitch.

Music streaming, for example, has become one of the most viewed streams on Twitch as of 2021, with over 270 million hours of streamed music content. Other creators, from big brands to DIY entrepreneurs, are quickly catching up.

The growing platform has opened up new advertising platforms for brands to promote their products and services. But because they’re so new, Twitch ads remain uncharted territory for most.

In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to get started with Twitch Ads.

What are Twitch ads?

Twitch is a live streaming platform that attracts millions of users from all over the world. It allows users to live stream on any device and browse channels by searching for specific keywords based on their interests. Twitch takes a community approach to collaboration and brand promotion, even through ads.

Twitch ads are short, paid advertisements that appear before or during live streams. Ads that appear before live streams are called “pre-roll ads”, while ads that appear during streams are called “mid-roll ads”. Pre- and mid-roll ads on Twitch can be anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes long.

The platform currently supports seven types of Twitch ad formats: Homepage Carousel, Homepage Headliner, Medium Rectangle, Streaming Display Ads, Streamables, Super Leaderboard, and Twitch Premium Video.

Brands can also partner with Twitch streamers to manually run ads on their channels.

Why should you advertise with Twitch?

Here are five reasons why Twitch advertising should be part of your marketing strategy:

1. Reaching a Diverse Audience

Since Twitch is no longer exclusively a game streaming platform, the content has been divided into several categories. From music and sports to food and entertainment, Twitch attracts an average of 31 million daily users. This gives marketers a whole new diverse demographic.

2. The number of viewers on Twitch is increasing by the minute.

Twitch has seen insane user growth year after year. The platform’s user base has grown from 1.26 million in 2019 to 2.63 million in 2022 and continues to grow. Our Digital 2022 report also showed that 30.4% of internet users participate in live video on a weekly basis. If this trend continues, Twitch will become even more important for advertisers and creators alike.

3. Viewers love to support their favorite authors.

Most active users, if not all, are regular viewers of their preferred Twitch streamers. These loyal users would like to support their favorite channels and creators, but they are not always willing to pay for a regular subscription.

When Twitch viewers watch ads on their favorite creator’s channel, the creator gets paid and the user doesn’t spend a dime.

4. The platform is a real community

Streaming on Twitch is real-time conversations. Creators and viewers often interact and make personal connections while streaming. For example, a live football sporting event attracts like-minded sports fans. These viewers often share personal views and build mutual trust on the platform.

This results in a much higher engagement rate for the ads originally placed while the broadcast is still going on.

5. Now the competition is low

Because it’s so new, many advertisers tend to overlook the marketing potential of Twitch. This limits how they use the platform to reach their target audience in terms of content or the type of campaigns they run on Twitch ads. So even if you are in a competitive industry, you are fighting less competition here!

Available Twitch ad types

We mentioned that Twitch ads are now more native and intuitive to interact with. Here’s a look at the various Twitch ad formats that make this possible:

Carousel on homepage

Creators can use homepage carousel ads to promote their channel at the top and center of the Twitch homepage. They are useful for creators, not for brands.

These ads are presented as spinning carousels in which users scroll through the content.

Advertisement specifications: copying the description of the broadcast; maximum 250 characters.

Home page headliner

The headliner ads on the homepage appear behind the carousel ads. They can scale as screen resolutions and display sizes change.

Each unit is divided into three parts: two images on the left and right, and a middle part with a hexadecimal color code that can vary depending on the selection.

Ad specifications: Left and right graphics for branding – 450×350, up to 150 kb in size (to avoid overlap), JPG/PNG format with layered PSD. The hexadecimal color code (base color of the background) must be included in the filename or taken from a template.

Middle rectangle

The middle rectangle is an animation-enabled ad unit. These ads appear when users scroll through content on the Twitch watch page.

This format does not support videos, but it does support graphics such as images, GIFs, and other animated elements.

Advertising characteristics: dimensions – 300×250, maximum file size – 100 KB, file format – GIF, JPG, PNG, animation length – no more than 15 seconds or 3 cycles.

Streaming display ads

As the name suggests, display ads appear during live broadcasts. This is one of the most organic ads for attracting users and promoting your brand. This format also supports animated elements on top of videos.

Advertising characteristics: Dimensions – 728×90, maximum file size – 100 KB, file format – GIF, JPG, PNG, animation length – no more than 15 seconds or 3 cycles.

streams

Streamables is for mobile game brands. They help increase the viewer traffic of the displayed brand (mobile game, Twitch affiliate).

Once the user agrees, they watch a 30 second non-skippable video stream. They can continue watching the broadcast on Twitch by swiping up, or continue watching in their original app.

Ad specifications: Minimum width is 250 pixels with a dark background.

Super leaderboard

Leaderboard ads appear as banners at the top of the page while users browse Twitch for content.

This format also does not support video, but it does support graphic elements such as images, GIFs, and other animated assets.

Advertising characteristics: Dimensions – 970×66, maximum file size – 100 KB, file format – GIF, JPG, PNG, animation length – no more than 15 seconds or 3 cycles.

Premium Video on Twitch

Premium Twitch video ads are placed in the middle of the video (managed by the creators) and at the beginning of the video. They usually range from a standard 30-second video to a longer 60-second video (only in the middle of the video – for an additional fee). These are ads that cannot be missed, which makes them very attractive and visible.

Note. Pre-rolls appear before the start of the broadcast, and in the middle – during the broadcast.

Advertising characteristics: duration up to 30 sec. It is charged additionally for 60 seconds. The ideal resolution is 1920×1080, the minimum bit rate is 2000 kbps, the peak audio is -9 dB, the required video file format is H.264 (MP4), the frame rate is from min. 24 to max. 30 frames per second.

How to advertise on Twitch

Unlike Google Ads, TikTok for Business, or Meta Ads Manager, there is no dedicated DIY ad studio for Twitch ads. Instead, you must fill out the “Contact Us”form on Twitch.

When you’re ready to start advertising on Twitch, or need a quick overview of what it’s like, you can contact Twitch directly. You specify your budget range, industry, country, and more. You can provide more details about your interest in Twitch advertising so that the team can direct you accordingly.

After you submit the form, the team will contact you with the next steps to launch your Twitch ad campaigns. They can also help you understand Twitch ad cost and targeting in detail.

Best Practices for Twitch Ads

Twitch Ads is a relatively new concept to most, and there are a few examples to learn from. But we can help! Here are some of our top not-to-miss Twitch campaign building tips and tricks.

Start Small

If you’re new to Twitch and experimenting with ads, take your time.

It’s always better to test the waters before going all-in on paid advertising. Start with a smaller budget to see what strategies are working and how your audience is responding to your ads before scaling up your campaign.

Get to know the platform

Successful advertising depends on how well you understand the platform and how the ads behave. Be sure to carefully walk on the platform. Watch live, interact and get inspired by existing advertisers.

Start with shorter ads

According to research, short video ads perform better because they are less annoying to the user when interacting with the platform.

So stick to shorter ads and start with 1 minute ads per hour. You can gradually increase this number up to 3 minutes per hour (three one-minute announcements per hour). This tactic ensures that you are not forced on the community during a live stream.

Announce commercial breaks

Too many ads cause serious browsing interruptions – nobody likes that. If you are working with creators who run ads manually, make sure they inform the community about the upcoming ad break. This shows that you value the creator’s audience.

Post your ads

Another Twitch advertising best practice that we recommend following is spreading things. Ensure that when working with creators, there should be at least 15 minutes between commercial breaks for optimal viewing. It also ensures that your previous promotional message is well received and remembered.

Create compelling ad copy

Proper ad placement or type doesn’t matter if the ad text doesn’t draw attention. Your ad should include an eye-catching headline, brand name, offer text, and a call to action.

Make sure your ad gives your target audience the information they need. 61% of internet users are looking for information that allows them to make informed buying decisions.

Automate or delegate commercial breaks

It can be difficult for creators to run Twitch ads manually, which can also often lead to timing and targeting errors. Use an automation tool like Nightbot or Mootbot to better plan your ad campaigns. You can also suggest a contact person from your brand side to delegate this task for better results.

Create compelling ad designs

Make sure your ad doesn’t stand out for the wrong reasons. All assets, including graphics, images, and icons, must be of the highest quality and comply with the Twitch Terms of Service. Make sure your projects stay consistent across all streaming media, from mobile to desktop.

Most ad types, such as Super Leaderboard, Medium Rectangle, Streaming Display Ads, and others, do not support video. Do your research before creating animated elements you don’t need.

Listen to your audience

Understanding your target audience and their needs can help you hit the bull’s-eye with Twitch ads. This clarity makes it easier for you to create ads that resonate with your audience, helping to push them forward in the sales funnel.

Because Twitch’s audience is younger compared to other platforms, they tend to cling to changing trends. Twitch has reported that nearly 75% of their viewers are between the ages of 16 and 34. This is where the importance of social listening and monitoring comes into play to stay on top of what keeps them hooked.

Tools like Hootsuite Insights let you process millions of online conversations to easily spot trends and recurring patterns in your target audience.

Hootsuite Insights is only available for corporate users, but if you’re serious about learning more about your audience, this is the only tool you’ll need.

Make the most of your targeting options

While running ads at the top of the funnel to drive maximum traffic may seem attractive, narrower targeting can yield better results. Twitch offers great filtering options by gender, age, location, and more. This ensures that your ad reaches the target audience.

Find the right partners

Go beyond traditional paid advertising. Try connecting with partners or popular Twitch influencers to promote your brand on their channels. They can manually run your ads on their live streams and deliver promising engagement thanks to their established followers.

This is why brands often make collaborations with influencers a key part of their Twitch marketing strategies.

Track and optimize your ads

Twitch ads also require constant optimization just like other platforms. Make sure you keep a close eye on the performance of different ad campaigns and formats. Create a set cycle to optimize your ads in terms of placements, targeting, formats, ad copy, and time to get more ROAS from them.

Are Twitch ads the next big thing?

Twitch’s growing audience cannot be underestimated – it is estimated to reach 36.7 million users by 2025 in the United States alone. The growing number of users around the world and the growing trend of live streaming make Twitch a promising advertising platform.

Twitch doesn’t have a traditional ad-free studio yet; but the platform recently announced its Ads Manager tool to help creators plan and optimize campaigns.

If you already have an audience on Twitch, we recommend you take advantage of the first mover advantage and start experimenting with Twitch ads now.

Frequently Asked Questions About Twitch Advertising

How much does it cost to advertise on Twitch?

Twitch is very secretive about the cost of advertising on the platform. According to some reports, each ad impression costs between $2 and $10, which can vary depending on your target audience and industry.

How are Twitch ads paid?

The Twitch Ad Incentive Program (AIP) offers its creators a solid, fixed, ad-based monthly incentive. These predetermined payments are based on the number of hours of ad-laden streaming that the creator completes each month.

Can you advertise as a Twitch partner?

Yes, partners can earn revenue from all video ads on their channel’s live streams. You can now also run ad breaks to generate revenue during natural breaks in your live streams.

How much money do you make from ads on Twitch?

According to one Quora user/ Twitch streamer, Twitch pays its streamers roughly $3.50 for every 1,000 ad views.

How often should I show ads on Twitch?

We recommend hosting your ad campaigns on Twitch to provide a non-intrusive experience for viewers. You can schedule one 90-second ad every 30 minutes for optimal viewing without risking churn.