As the Chief Marketing Officer of Twitch, Rachel Delphin has a front-row seat to the evolution of one of the most dynamic platforms in the digital space.
She’s been tasked in bringing the Twitch brand to life, fostering the creative passion and innovation that pulses through the platform’s community of streamers and fans.
“Everything we do stems from the creative passion and innovation of our streamers,” Delphin tells Mobile Marketing Magazine.
“My role is all about celebrating our vibrant, ever-growing creator community. They are the core of Twitch, fostering communities united by shared interests and forging incredibly tight bonds.”
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TwitchCon Europe: A celebration of community
According to Delphin, TwitchCon is one of the highlights of the year for streaming platform, bringing together tens of thousands of streamers and their communities for a weekend of fun and learning.
Describing the event as a convergence of digital-savvy audiences and key influencers, at this year’s event, the social media platform announced a raft of updates including bringing video to Stories and Stories to desktop, optimising clips for discovery and improvements to Stream Together to make it easier and more straightforward to use.
Delphin states: “From meeting streaming celebrities to exploring the expo floor and participating in interactive workshops, there’s something for everyone at TwitchCon.”
Looking ahead, according to the marketing boss, TwitchCon is set to become even more diverse as Twitch’s audience expands. Categories like music, lifestyle and sports are growing and Twitch is excited to provide more opportunities for these communities to thrive, she states.
Enhancing the mobile experience
The mobile experience is a top priority for Twitch, as it allows users to stay connected with their favourite streamers on the go.
Delphin highlights the redesign of the Twitch mobile app, including the introduction of the discovery feed, which was also announced at TwitchCon Europe.
“The discovery feed brings a scrollable feed of the latest relevant live streams and clips to users as their immediate experience, making it more immersive, faster and easier to connect with the content they care about,” she says.
“We are also adding new features to Stories to make it easier to share quick updates with communities beyond just streaming. This includes the ability to create and upload short video stories and key updates creators have been asking for, like pinch-to-zoom for photos.
“This will make the mobile experience more engaging for viewers and support streamers connecting with their communities, even if they don’t have time to tune in to a full stream,” she explains.
Bridging brands and influencers
According to Delphin, the company excels in connecting advertisers with a next-generation audience of Millennials and Gen Z.
She explains: “Viewers forge valuable relationships with their favourite streamers, and brands can benefit from the power of these bonds—found only on an interactive service like Twitch.
“From high-impact video and display ads to streamer-driven solutions, advertising on Twitch brings creators, communities, and brands closer together.”
She also cites authenticity and remaining consistent as an important trend to cater to these audiences.
She states: “It’s brands who understand the nuances of our communities who reap the benefits when they find clever ways to align their messaging and offer unique and down-to-earth experiences.”
Meanwhile, according to the streaming giant, supporting emerging influencers is also a “key priority”.
“Twitch is invested in educating streamers of all sizes by advising on how to earn more income, connect with new partners and brands and stay safe on our service by using best practices,” she states.
The platform also offers resources through Creator Camp, a dedicated resource for growing a successful community.
She adds: “Our goal is to create belonging by enabling streamers to build community. We equip streamers with the tools and services they need to share their passions and creativity.
“Twitch is invested in teaching and providing tools to streamers of all sizes, helping them to understand best practices to grow their communities, earn more income, connect with new partners and brands and stay safe on our service.”
Differentiating via community
However, what sets Twitch apart from other streaming platforms is its sense of community and belonging.
Delphin explains that Twitch is designed to facilitate real-time interactions, enabling streamers to build their communities.
She notes: “Our goal is to create belonging by enabling streamers to build community. We equip streamers with the tools and services they need to share their passions and creativity. Twitch is invested in teaching and providing tools to streamers of all sizes, helping them to understand best practices to grow their communities, earn more income, connect with new partners and brands and stay safe on our service.”
“Twitch stands in contrast to other services in that we encourage viewers to pull up a chair and stay for a while, invest time in a community, and ultimately create a sense of belonging and lasting bonds.”
Shaping community and content
Twitch is influenced by evolving gaming culture and trends, but it also shapes gaming’s place in culture, Delphin believes.
Celebrity attention has brought new dynamics to streaming. Delphin highlights Kai Cenat’s record-breaking stream with Kevin Hart & Druski, which drew 712.6K peak concurrent viewers.
“The message is clear: culture, streaming, and gaming go hand in hand, and Twitch is at the centre of how cultural figures are using streaming to reach new audiences,” Delphin notes.
“As we broaden our horizons past the gaming category, a host of other content topics and trends are also influencing the way we shape our community and service. While gaming remains a core part of Twitch, we also host a diverse array of content spanning Just Chatting, Sports and more.
“Twitch’s offering is continuously changing to align with what streamers need to facilitate engaging experiences for their loyal communities.”
She states: “By adapting our service to match these trends and creator needs, Twitch empowers brands to tap into highly engaged communities across all interests, pastimes and hobbies in innovative ways.”
Expanding global reach
With over 2.5 million people tuning in at any given moment and broadcasting in 35 languages, Twitch is a global service.
As a result, Delphin notes that Twitch tailors its marketing strategies to engage its diverse audience effectively.
“It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, and we ensure that we curate each marketing strategy to balance a brand’s message and target audience against what we know our creators and their communities will respond well to.”
She says: “Twitch is unlike any other service because it focuses on the live experience which is interactive and innovative. As such, our marketing strategies have to be equally compelling and authentic.
“We often say Twitch offers a sense of belonging and people come here for the community.
She concludes: “We want to help brands tell their story and create a space the community wants to be a part of, leveraging the unique, real-time engagement that Twitch provides.”
