Should You Live Stream on YouTube or Twitch to Make More Money?

YouTube or Twitch? It’s a tough question but one every streamer must ask. Twitch has tight-knit communities, but the content isn’t searchable. YouTube has a search function and an algorithm that never quits, but live streams aren’t the main appeal.

Nonetheless, YouTube may be the answer for creators who want to build a sustainable business. Big E, a full-time content creator, switched from Twitch to YouTube and discovered incomparable benefits. He had to stream daily for hours to stay relevant on Twitch. On YouTube, people discovered his content when he was offline.

“YouTube seems like the better marketplace to give creators tools to have financial freedom,” Big E says. “As a creator, you have so much freedom to test whatever you want to test for your community – Community posts, YouTube Shorts, live streams, YouTube Stories, so many things.”

5 Tips to Succeed as a YouTube Streamer

In this episode of TubeTalk, we chat with Big E to learn how creators can build a business streaming on YouTube. He talks about gaining over 25,000 subscribers, getting brand deals, and developing healthy habits as a creator.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

• The power of repurposing YouTube streams. If you have a bunch of live streams, you can chop up the best moments and cram them into one, regular video. You’ll get more views from the same content.
• The business opportunities for YouTube streamers. You can ask viewers to purchase your service or product via live streams. But don’t wait until you become an affiliate with brands or get accepted to the YouTube Partner Program. Start finding ways to add value to your audience and make money.
• Why Twitch streamers should also stream on YouTube. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. It’s not guaranteed, but streams on YouTube can gain thousands of views after airing, thanks to search features and the algorithm.
• The importance of never overpromising. If you want to offer a service on your streams, make sure it’s sustainable and scalable. Can you continue to provide the service if your streams reach 1,000 viewers? 10,000?
• How to use your interests to land a sponsorship or brand deal. What’s in your room right now? You can post reviews about products you frequently use, and that may attract brands. Or you can build a media kit and pitch brands yourself.

Big E has a gaming channel, so he shares his wins and failures through the lens of gaming. Still, his advice applies to YouTube creators within every niche.

“Learn to adapt,” he says. “Learn to go against the grain sometimes. I wouldn’t be having this conversation or had the chance to speak to YouTube Gaming last month if I hadn’t tested on YouTube. YouTube is a big playground right now. Play on it.”

TubeTalk is one of the most popular and listened-to podcasts in the online video industry. Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to TubeTalk on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode!

★ ​Apple​

★ Google​

★ Spotify​

You can also find the complete list of all the​​​ ​TubeTalk podcast episodes here!