Online streaming is booming. You only have to look at the investment by Facebook, YouTube Gaming, and other major players to see that the future is rife with opportunity in the live streaming space. And at the forefront of these efforts for gaming: Twitch.

I’ve admittedly been lax in learning more about Twitch. I try to avoid being on camera whenever possible, and have allowed that aversion to justify being lazy. So when I recently got around to digging into it, I was really impressed to see what’s now possible. I’d always seen Twitch as a mostly passive medium; A basic chat room stapled onto a live video feed. I was quite impressed to see the level of interaction now possible through the use of the Twitch API and the help of the dedicated Developer Success Program.

A quick look at what I’ve found thus far:

User Generated Content

User Generated Content (UGC) is anything from wholly user-created and initiated (ex. fan art), to that content which the user creates using the tools you’ve explicitly provided for that purpose. User Generated Content features and campaigns are often seen as a compelling way to get players engaged, and when executed well can help extend the life of your product. It’s almost inevitable that with any successful game, someone will eventually pitch the idea of doing a UGC feature or social campaign. They’re a fun idea and have the potential for creating great marketing stories.

…They’re also an absurd amount of effort for often dubious ROI.

Creating content for social media is a daunting task. Every community behaves differently, and content that worked for one brand can completely flop when applied to another. The only real solution is to take an educated guess and create content that you think will resonate. From there it’s a process of throwing things at the proverbial wall, measuring success, and seeing what sticks. Getting started can be a struggle, so here are some quick content ideas that I’ve used in the past to help kick off brainstorming!

You’ve built a great game. You’ve created social share features that your audience will actively want to use. You’ve set up your official social media channels and have ensured that it’s easy for your audience to find them. You’ve scheduled in at least 15-30 minutes a day in which you’re going to interact with your community.

…So now what?

This past weekend I was running the Twitter account for the Wellington (NZ) Global Game Jam 16 account. As part of that process, I was monitoring #GGJ16 and a few other related hashtags. This allows me to start conversations with other jammers around the world, and is a fun way to see what everyone else is working on.

Shortly after kick-off, I started to notice a trend in some of the comments out there. Not from people who were participating, but from those that had decided to refrain. While I fully understand if people aren’t able to attend due to timing, I wanted to address a few of the more common reasons people listed for not participating.

A Quick Look at Twitch Integration

User Generated vs. User Driven Content

User Generated Content

Patreon Pick: Quick Content Ideas

Connecting With Your Fans: Part 1

Game Jams: Getting Past the Fear