Financial support is essential for streamers in supporting and building inclusive communities on Twitch. Currently, the primary financial avenues for streaming are subscriptions, donations and advertising.
Subscriptions and donations aren’t just a significant income source. They also influence streamers’ enthusiasm and brand, in part because the number of subscriptions and gifts reflects the quantity and quality of a fanbase grown through their own efforts (Sheng & Kairam, 2020). This in turn improves the feeling of community and the quality of their stream.
Advertising and company sponsorships also play important roles in promoting streamers and generating high-quality content (Whon, Freeman & Mclaunghlin, 2018) . Streamers can receive funding from both game companies as well as more general name-brand companies. The companies place advertisements during streams and pay streamers corresponding advertising fees. Game companies can also advertise games by paying streamers to play and promote them. With the funds, streamers can purchase better equipment, such as better microphones, cameras, and computers, which in turn improve the streaming quality and help the streamer attract new audiences while bettering the experience for their current audience.
All this financial support empowers the streamer with a sense of growth, satisfaction, belonging, and accomplishment (Sheng & Kairam, 2020). The feeling of growth and satisfaction are the two critical reasons for the streamers to start streaming more actively in the early stage. The sense of belonging and accomplishment drive streamers’ long-term motivations. With enthusiasm and inspiration, streamers are more likely to interact with followers and maintain their communities.
