Although I no longer get the chance to game anymore, I still enjoy the occasional gaming video with interesting commentary on YouTube. The platform’s a great place to find game walkthroughs and gaming videos with the player adding a voiceover, commenting on unrelated topics like pop culture trends. This has made it one of the top platforms for gaming influencers to build an audience and deliver engaging content for viewers.

But this isn’t the only influencer marketing platform for gamers. In fact, options like Twitch are heavily focused on a gaming audience, which might make it a more popular choice for influencers in this niche.

That doesn’t cancel out the fact that YouTube is still a great platform for gamers to grow their influence. In this post, I discuss some of the best influencer marketing platforms for gamers and how influencers can monetize on these platforms. Let’s get started.

The Best Platforms for Gaming Influencers

Without further ado, let’s dive right into the topic. Here are some of the best platforms for gaming influencers, with a detailed breakdown of why they’re great.

Twitch

With 35 million daily active users, Twitch allows you to reach an expansive audience. It’s particularly great for gamers because the platform is exclusively dedicated to gaming-related content. This allows both Twitch influencers and brands to effectively engage a highly targeted audience that’s interested in gaming.

According to Statista, it also ranks as the sixth most popular social media platform among gamers in the U.S., with 29% of respondents using it. Influencers can make use of the live streaming features to facilitate real-time audience interactions through gaming streams and discussions.

YouTube

YouTube may not be a dedicated gaming platform, but it’s the most popular choice for gamers. According to the Statista report, 60% of video gamers in the U.S. use the platform. And with 2.49 billion users, it’s also one of the largest social media platforms, which allows brands and influencers alike to effectively reach a massive audience.

Although influencers can leverage the platform’s livestreaming features, YouTube is most suitable for sharing long-form gaming content and walkthroughs. The following video from Bind, where he tests an old MMO game, received over 4 million views in just three months. This is an excellent example showing just how much people consume YouTube gaming content.

Plus, YouTube also enables passive ad monetization, making it ideal for maximizing revenue.

TikTok

It’s easy to assume that TikTok is all about beauty and fashion, which means many influencers and brands alike are overlooking it for gaming-related content and promotions. But the Statista report found that it’s one of the top choices for video gamers in the U.S., with 37% of respondents using it, even surpassing gaming-focused platforms like Twitch.

Additionally, TikTok reports that 50% of the platform’s daily users watched gaming-related content in 2022. This amounts to over 3 trillion views. Moreover, 41% of users downloaded the game after seeing relevant gaming content on the platform.

So if you’re not using TikTok to share gaming content, you’re missing out. This is a rising platform for short-form viral gaming clips and trends, which could potentially attract viewers to long-form content and livestreams on other platforms. It’s also a great place to share brand sponsorship content that could engage relevant gaming audiences.

Kick

Kick is a fairly new platform dedicated to video live streaming. It was launched in 2022 and has seen massive popularity among users who are interested in content related to slots and casinos, but also sees plenty of views for other types of gaming content. 

The platform is ideal for gaming influencers who want to explore new platforms, especially with attractive revenue-sharing models. Kick shares revenue from subscriptions with creators, which makes it an appealing option for gamers looking to monetize their presence on the platform.

Discord

Discord is another platform that’s highly concentrated on gaming-related features. According to the platform, there are over 200 million people using it to hang out and play games with their friends. It’s also the fourth most popular social media platform among video gamers in the U.S., with 37% of them using it.

This allows gaming influencers and brands alike to effectively reach a niche audience, making it one of the best influencer marketing platforms for gamers. You can even set up your own server on Discord, where you can engage in real-time with your community, which will allow you to foster a loyal fan base.

Gaming

Facebook may have lost its appeal with younger generations over the years, but it continues to be one of the largest social media platforms. The platform is also stepping up its efforts to attract younger users with Facebook Gaming, which gives you access to games and features for engaging a gaming community. 

So it’s no surprise that 58% of video gamers in the U.S. use the platform, making it the second most popular choice after YouTube. Streamers and video gamers can share live and on-demand gaming content with their audience and even host or participate in tournaments with other gamers.

How Gaming Influencers Monetize on These Platforms

Gaming creators can use the platforms discussed above to monetize their presence through a number of ways, the most popular options being subscriptions. Let’s give you a detailed breakdown of the monetization opportunities for gamers.

Twitch Monetization for Gamers

Twitch offers an extensive list of monetization features for gaming influencers. 

• Subscriptions: Paid subscriptions and prime subscriptions are some of the most common ways to earn. Twitch streamers can also earn through gifted subs, where someone gifts a subscription to your channel to another user.
• Cheering: Cheering is another popular monetization feature, which allows creators to earn through cheers sent by viewers.

• Ads: Affiliates and partners can also monetize their channels through ads. 
• Game Sales: Another popular way for gaming influencers to earn revenue on Twitch is through commissions on game sales.
• Extensions: For affiliates and partners, it’s also possible to earn revenue whenever viewers perform an action requiring Bits within the Extension added to their channel page.
• Bounties: Additionally, you can make money through “bounties,” which are essentially paid sponsorship opportunities that you’ll find in your Bounty Board. Once you accept a bounty, you’ll need to meet the concurrent viewership requirement to receive the full payout.

YouTube Monetization for Gamers

Here are some of the most popular ways to monetize your gaming content on YouTube:

• Ad Revenue: Gamers on YouTube can earn money when viewers are exposed to ads while watching their videos. 

• Channel Memberships: You can also monetize your channel through memberships, which involve viewers paying recurring monthly fees to access exclusive perks.

• Brand Sponsorships: Additionally, you can earn money from sponsorship deals that you have with brands. This will typically involve creating content for the brand or featuring the brand in your video in exchange for a negotiated fee.

• Affiliate Marketing: Another popular way for gamers to make money from YouTube is through affiliate commissions. You get paid a commission for every purchase made using your affiliate link or code.

TikTok Monetization for Gamers

TikTok also offers plenty of monetization tools for gamers to earn revenue on the platform:

Gaming Incentive Program: One of the most popular ways for TikTok gamers to earn revenue is through the Gaming Incentive Program. This is a marketing tool that allows publishers to crowdsource gaming content from short-video creators. You get to earn cash rewards based on game links and video views generated through your content.

• TikTok LIVE: If you use TikTok LIVE to stream your gaming content, you can earn revenue from the virtual gifts that viewers send. These gifts can be converted into cash payouts, helping you effectively monetize your livestream content.

• Creator Rewards Program: TikTok also rewards creators for creating longer, high-quality videos through the Creator Rewards Program. If you get accepted to this program, you can get cash rewards from original videos that are longer than 1 minute.

• Creator Marketplace: Additionally, you can make money from brand deals and sponsorships if you’re a part of the TikTok Creator Marketplace. Potential brand partners can discover you through this marketplace and extend partnership opportunities.

Kick Monetization for Gamers

As mentioned earlier, Kick offers some attractive revenue opportunities for gaming influencers:

• Kick Partner Program: Streamers love the ability to earn revenue from the Kick Partner Program, which allows you to earn as you stream. Earnings are calculated based on the performance of your stream, although the exact rates aren’t specified.
• Subscriptions: Kick also lets you earn revenue through subscriptions, offering one of the most attractive revenue splits among influencer marketing platforms for gamers (95/5 compared to Twitch’s 50/50).
• Viewer Donations/Tips: Streamers on Kick can also make money through direct donations and tips from their viewers.

Discord Monetization for Gamers

With Discord, monetization opportunities are slightly more limited. But gamers can still make money through three main options:

• Server Subs: The most popular way for gamers to monetize their Discord presence if through server subs, which would allow community members to earn unique perks in exchange for recurring monthly fees. And the revenue split is just as attractive as that of Kick’s, with creators getting to keep 90% of the monthly revenue from subscriptions.

• Community Donations: Gamers can also directly ask their community members for donations and tips in exchange for rewards and server perks.

• Events and Tournaments: Some influencers may even host events or tournaments on their servers and collect money from buy-ins and tickets.

Facebook Gaming Monetization for Gamers

Facebook Gaming offers some of the most extensive monetization options among influencer marketing platforms for gamers:

Facebook Stars: Streamers who are a part of the Level Up program can earn money through Stars. Viewers can send Stars during livestreams, which you can then cash out once the total balance reaches $100. The revenue split is typically 70/30, but it may also vary based on the Star pack.

• In-Stream Ads: Gamers on Facebook can also generate revenue by placing ads in their livestreams and on-demand videos.

• Fan Subscriptions: Subscriptions are another popular way for gamers to earn money on Facebook. Fans get access to unique perks like exclusive stickers and badges, as well as sub-only streams in exchange for recurring monthly payments.

• Brand Collabs Manager: The Brand Collabs Manager gives you access to paid partnership opportunities so you can earn extra income from your Facebook presence.

Where Brands Should Invest in Gaming Influencer Marketing

For brands looking for the best platform to partner with gaming influencers, it’s important to consider the type of audiences that each platform attracts. Look into the types of games that users enjoy the most on each platform and how they align with your own brand. This will help you get a fair idea of which platform to use.

Additionally, you’ll want to focus on platforms that drive plenty of engagement even for sponsorships. TikTok and YouTube continue to dominate when it comes to this. But you can also experiment with other platforms to see what works best.

Regardless of the platform you choose, it’s important that you look for ways to effectively engage audiences so you can drive brand awareness and in-game purchases with the help of gaming influencers. Avoid taking a highly promotional approach as it could be off-putting for viewers.

Instead, opt to authentically engage them through game walkthroughs, tournaments, and engaging commentary in the streamer’s unique voice. Have them create content that showcases what it’s like to play the game or use your product in a way that feels genuine.

Take Your Gaming Influencer Marketing to the Next Level

Whether you’re a gamer looking to monetize your content or a brand that wants to partner with a gaming influencer, there are plenty of influencer marketing platforms to leverage. Each of the platforms discussed above offers various ways for influencers to monetize their presence and gaming content. 

This also means brands can look for opportunities to partner with gaming influencers through livestreams, brand sponsorships, and events or tournaments. Make the most of the tips and ideas shared above to take your gaming influencer marketing to the next level.