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- 16 May
How to Get a Sub Button and Crush your Twitch Goals
- October 9, 2023
- by Liam Doherty
Getting a sub button on Twitch is one of the first major milestones toward becoming a professional streamer. While follows are useful for understanding your audience and gauging viewer interest, it’s subscriptions that allow your stream to become financially sustainable. With subs, you can monetize the effort you put into creating content and growing your community, taking streaming from a hobby to a career.
If you’re just starting out, you may have noticed that your channel only has a follow button. That’s because Twitch only allows viewers to subscribe to official Twitch Affiliates or Twitch Partners. Don’t give up! The steps to obtaining affiliate status are clear, though it’ll take some time and a bit of grit to fulfill all the requirements.
In this guide, we will cover all aspects of Twitch sub buttons, including how to get a sub button on Twitch and how much you can earn per subscription. We’ll also go over some tips that will help you increase your sub count and really launch your Twitch career into the stratosphere.
What is a Twitch Sub Button?
A Twitch sub button is a special button on your channel that viewers can click on to subscribe to your channel. Once subscribed, viewers can enjoy a plethora of benefits, such as ad-free viewing, emotes, exclusive rewards, and more.
Subscribers can choose from different subscription tiers – Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 – each with varying rewards. Tier 1 is the most common subscription plan and costs $4.99 per month.
How to Get a Twitch Sub Button
To become eligible for a Twitch sub button, you need to become a Twitch affiliate or partner.
The requirements for Twitch affiliate status are laid out clearly in the Twitch Affiliate Program FAQ:
- Reach 50 Followers.
- Stream for at least 8 hours.
- Stream on at least 7 different days.
- Have an average of 3 viewers in your streams.
All four criteria must be met within a 30-day period.
Once you meet the eligibility criteria, Twitch will send you an invitation to become a Twitch affiliate or partner.
How Much Do You Earn per Subscription?
Compared with other streaming platforms, Twitch takes a significant cut from streamers revenue. This can be especially off-putting with newer platforms such as kick only taking a 5% cut from streamers revenue. As an affiliate, you receive 50% of the subscription fee, while Twitch takes the remaining 50%. The earnings increase with higher subscription tiers. For example, a Tier 2 subscriber pays $9.99 per month, so as an affiliate, you would earn roughly $5 of that.
As a Twitch partner, you receive a higher percentage of revenue. The exact percentage depends on your individual contract with Twitch, but it usually ranges between 60% and 70% of the subscription fee.
How Do Subs Benefit Community Members?
Twitch subs benefit community members in several ways. Firstly, subscribers can enjoy ad-free viewing on your Twitch channel. Secondly, they have access to exclusive emotes, badges, and channel perks that non-subscribers cannot get. Thirdly, subscribers can participate in sub-only chat rooms, giveaways, and community events.
Subscribers also have the satisfaction of supporting their favorite streamers and helping them grow their channels. For streamers, subs are a vital source of revenue that can help them invest in better equipment, games, and content.
How to Get More Subs on Twitch
Now that you know how to get a Twitch sub button and how much you can earn, it’s time to learn how to increase your subs. Here are some tips to help you increase your Twitch sub count:
1. Increase Viewer Count
The more viewers you have on your channel, the higher the chance that someone will subscribe. We know — easier said than done! But at the heart of it, increasing viewer count is really just two things: 1) exposing yourself to new viewers, and 2) getting them to stick around.
One of the easiest ways to find new viewers is to experiment with what time you start your streams. Pay attention to how many random viewers pop into your stream and at what times; you want as many new people as you can get. We’ve got a great guide for finding the best times to stream on Twitch.
Now, think about your viewer experience. Random viewers become regular viewers who become followers and potentially subs. When a curious watcher comes to your stream, what are you doing to get them to stay?
Engaging with someone is the simplest way to draw their interest. When your viewer base is small, take the time to say hi! Small things like remembering the names of your viewers or asking them about their day go a long way toward making you a regular part of your viewers’ lives.
Lastly, remember that you don’t need millions of subs to make a career out of streaming. Find your audience, learn who they are, and develop your community. One of the most fulfilling parts of being a streamer is getting to know the community you’re building. Understand who’s watching and why, so you can better cater your content to the audience you have.
2. Remind Viewers to Use Prime Subs
Amazon Prime members get a free Twitch sub each month that they can use to support their favorite streamer. Remind your viewers that they can use their Prime subs on your channel and how it benefits you.
3. Play Games That Are Not Saturated
Popular games like Fortnite and Call of Duty have thousands of channels streaming them every day. To stand out from the crowd, try playing lesser-known games that are still popular but not saturated with streamers.
Watch out for trends on digital store fronts like Steam. This is a quick and dirty way to stay in-the-know about popular titles that may not be getting much exposure from the mainstream media. Just be sure to always pick titles that match your viewers’ expectations. If you’ve built a following playing mainly strategy games, it might not be right to focus your next stream on a visual novel, even if it’s currently trending.
4. Explain Benefits of Twitch Subs in Your Profile
Let viewers know the benefits of subscribing to your channel and how it helps you to continue creating content. You can add this information to your Twitch profile page or mention it during your stream.
Also, make sure your viewers know the benefits they get with a sub! Any bonuses, giveaways, unique emotes, or special sub-only events should be made as clear as possible.
5. Use Professional Stream Overlays
When trying to attract new viewers (and potential subs), first impressions mean a lot. Make your stream look enticing by using professional stream packages. As it becomes harder to gain a foothold in the streaming niche, having a professional & unique appearance helps you stand out in a sea of low quality streams. Once you’ve got some high quality stream overlays, the next step is showing them on stream by adding them to OBS.
6. Host a Twitch Subathon
A Twitch Subathon is a streaming event where you set a goal for the number of subs you want to achieve during the event. Viewers are incentivized to subscribe to help reach the goal, and in return, you offer exclusive rewards like giveaways, extra stream time, and more.
7. Create a Sub Goal
Setting a goal for the number of subs you want to achieve each month can help motivate you and your viewers to work towards that goal. Share your sub goals with your community and offer rewards for reaching them. You can give your goal counter a bit of class and polish with customizable made widget packs.
8. Incentivize Subs Using Twitch Alerts
Use Twitch alerts to give subscribers a shoutout during your streams or display their names on a leaderboard. This can make subs feel appreciated and motivate them to continue supporting your channel. You can learn more about how to set up and use Twitch Alerts here.
9. Create a Gifted Sub Leaderboard
A Gifted Sub Leaderboard is a public display of the top viewers who have gifted the most subs on your channel. It’s a great way to encourage gifted subs and reward viewers for their generosity.
Conclusion
Getting a Twitch sub button takes some effort, but the benefits make it worth the trouble. There’s all sorts of ways to make your stream more enticing to new viewers, from experimenting with stream times to engaging with your audience.
You can also visit Hexeum’s store for professional overlays, widgets, and design packs that will help your stream pop. So, roll up your sleeves and enjoy the process! Once you have a subscriber base, you can earn revenue, build a loyal community, and grow your channel. Good luck!
This entry was posted in Guides.
Liam Doherty
Liam Doherty comes from game development background, initially exposing him to the world of content creators. In 2017 he decided to dive headfirst into the creators realm, offering solutions for branding and creating better content.
