Twitch recently (in May 2018) announced that they have a closed beta for a Bounty Board. Today we’re going to talk about what it is and some of the positive and negatives of the program.
The next article will have an interview with a partner who routinely use the Bounty Board. There’s nothing like firsthand experience as a teacher.
Bounty Board Basics
First and foremost, check out the resource Twitch has for the Bounty Board. It’s currently only open to English speaking Partners but the waitlist is available to Partners and Affiliates. Also, it’s still in closed beta.
The Bounty Board is Twitch’s attempt to become the middleman in sponsored deals for broadcasters. It is an automated platform where you are presented with bounties that match your stream’s stats and normal game coverage. You accept a bounty, get a key for the game if you don’t have it, and monitoring bounty completion is automated.
While you are welcome to give your honest opinion of the game they ask that you don’t perform “needless bad-mouthing”. This is a reasonable requirement and is basic courtesy you’d likely undertake with a sponsored deal you tracked down. You can still criticize a game or suggest improvements but once you’re working for money you need to act somewhat professionally.
Subsequently, your payout is based on your best hour of stats for your duration of the sponsored stream. That little concession, that it’s your best hour of stats, is pretty awesome. It could mean that if you complete your bounty but are enjoying the game and building viewer momentum it makes sense to keep playing to up your numbers. I love that kind of win-win incentive. Your payout should be fairly clear ahead of time.
Other thoughts
First, this is a system that benefits variety streamers much more than mono streamers. Your community already supports you playing new games which means you’re much more likely to be able to rely on your average viewership numbers. Additionally, you may have more opportunities available to you.
Second, this is very convenient from a revenue and accounting perspective. Instead of having to issue invoices, chase down payment, and then make sure you account for it you should get all of your information in one spot. Plus, you don’t need to do payment issuing and collecting which can be a major pain.
Third, you need to think very carefully of if, how, and how long this fits in to your channel’s growth. If you try to take opportunities like this too early you might turn off viewers who would otherwise contribute to your long-term growth. You might stump yourself by reaching too high too soon. Second, if you’re someone who already has the opportunity to work with large agencies or has really good connections at relevant companies this might not add much. If you’ve already done the legwork to make get sponsored deals you may make more that way. If this does make sense for your channel now it may not forever. It’s on you to figure out that plan and you should set a process for regularly reviewing your monetization.
Finally, this can be a very convenient way for your community to support you without spending their own money. As long as you’re not abusing their viewership with games they wouldn’t otherwise enjoy you’re giving them more options.
Outside of my expertise
There are concerns for the Bounty Board that lie outside of my expertise but are something you need to look in to as a business owner.
First, what does the contract look like? Is it something that gives the companies offering sponsorship only what they need for this deal or does it give more? Are you risking the long-term ownership of your brand? What other terms or clauses might you need to be wary of?
Additionally, it could make sense to run the deals you’re being offered by other agencies. Yes, they’re potentially competition on those offers. However, they might be able to give you insights into what makes sense for a broadcaster of your size. You as the streamer gain when agencies get used to being transparent with their rates and terms. Make sure they’re adequately competing for you and not just lowballing you.
Conclusion
The Twitch Bounty Board is a really interesting idea. It seems as though it has the benefit of convenience; it’s on the platform you’re already on, you don’t need to do legwork to source deals, and it’s an automated system. However, as with most things Twitch it’s likely that their cut will be above industry standard. That’s not the worst thing ever but you need to consider whether their cut for the convenience is worth it for you. Additionally, this program might not be right for you. It could be that your channel’s not large enough yet, is too large, or a whole host of other reasons. You need to critically analyze the opportunity relevant to your specific metrics and long-term plan.
Don’t forget that when you’re making a momentous decision for your business you often need to consult with legal professionals as well. I am not one.
You don’t have to figure this out alone. This is what we do- help streamers make great money and business decisions. If that’s something that sounds interesting to you reach out me or schedule some time for a free consult. You can check out what I do here.
