The goal for many Twitch streamers is to become a Partner. Sure, you might stream for the love of the game. However, getting to Partner status gives you preferential treatment from the platform and more revenue opportunities. It isn’t easy to become a Twitch Partner, though.
Twitch has a series of requirements you’ll have to meet first. And even then, the workings of the Partner system can be a bit of a black box. If you’re trying to make it to Partner, here’s everything you’ll have to do, plus some tips on making it happen.
What are the Benefits of Being a Twitch Partner?
As a Partner on Twitch, you get several benefits. Like Affiliates, you get Channel Subscriptions and emotes, bits, and a share of ad revenue. However, you also get access to Twitch’s Partner-only features.
Partner benefits include free lifetime channel subscriptions for your chatbot and up to three friends and family members, extended VOD storage, and the ability to delay broadcasts — especially useful for competitive gaming streamers.
Twitch Partners also have access to a dedicated support team and may be invited to special events and opportunities like Partner Spotlights, Meet & Greets, etc.
What are the Requirements to Become a Twitch Partner?
To complete Twitch’s Path to Partner program and become eligible for Partner status, you’ll need to meet the following three criteria:
- Stream for 25 hours
- Stream on 12 different days
- Have an average of 75 viewers
You’ll need to meet the three criteria within the same 30-day period. These calculations exclude numbers from Raids and Embeds.
You can’t hack these numbers by having a more successful streamer Raid your channel. Raiding is a Twitch feature that allows a channel to redirect all of its viewers to your channel. You also can’t make partner by having your page embedded on a popular page outside of Twitch.
The only viewership numbers that count are people who tuned in specifically to your stream on web or mobile of their own volition. There aren’t any shortcuts here. Additionally, you need to make sure that your content conforms to Twitch’s Community Guidelines, Terms of Service, and DMCA Guidelines.
Lastly, Twitch wants to see that you can maintain the Path to Partner criteria consistently. There’s no specific criteria laid out for termination of the Partnership status. However, Twitch expects you to keep hitting those viewership and streaming time numbers as long as you have it.
Tips for Hitting Partner Status
There’s no easy path to hitting Twitch Partner status. In terms of engagement, there are a few general pieces of advice I can give.
First, be consistent. Becoming eligible for Partner already requires that you stream a lot anyway. Make a schedule and stick to it.
That isn’t to say that you can’t also hop on when you aren’t planning for it, though doing so might reduce your viewership numbers. You need to hit 12 days streamed in a 30-day period. That’s roughly three days a week minimum. If you can’t or don’t want to commit to that, you shouldn’t try to hit Partner.
Second, engage your audience. There is a practically endless amount of streaming content on Twitch alone. Playing a video game without talking to your chat isn’t going to get anyone invested in your channel. Whatever you’re doing, whether gaming, chatting, doing art, or anything else, you must speak with your viewers.
Third, try to find a niche. For gamers, the temptation is usually to try and stream the new big thing. But those games are likely to have a huge number of people streaming them.
You might find more success if you pick an older title that still has a fan base. If people go on Twitch to look for streamers playing that older title, they’re more likely to find your channel.
Is it Worth Becoming a Twitch Partner?
If you want to make streaming your day job, main hobby, or side gig, trying to reach Partner status is worth it. But if you’re not doing any of those things, you should consider whether it’s worth the hassle.
Becoming eligible for Partner requires that you stream a lot, and trying to hit consistent viewership numbers can be stressful. There’s no shame in streaming because you simply love streaming. It doesn’t have to be a job.
Remember, reaching Affiliate status is a lot easier than hitting Partner. To become an Affiliate, you only need to have 50 followers, eight hours of streaming across seven different days, and an average of three viewers. Becoming a partner grants you access to Twitch monetization tools like bits and subscriptions.
And Twitch is also making it even easier for everyone to use these tools. In a recent blog post, Twitch CEO Dan Clancy announced that subscriptions and bits will soon be available for all Twitch users from day one.
So, if you’re an irregular or infrequent streamer and you’re not trying to make a living from it, you don’t need to worry about hitting Partner.
Why Did Twitch Deny My Partner Application?
Twitch is upfront with users that being eligible for the Partner status does not guarantee you’ll get into the program. Unfortunately, Twitch’s internal decision-making process here is opaque.
For instance, when I was streaming actively, I applied for Partner status after surpassing all the requirements. Twitch still rejected my application and told me to try again later.
If this happens to you, keep trying. Twitch can deny Partner applicants even if they hit all of the requirements. In your rejection email, Twitch will explain why they chose not to accept your application. Take their reasons and notes and try to factor them into your stream. Often, the most important reason is consistency.
Twitch states that in addition to the base requirements, they also want to see at least eight individual streams that meet the minimum requirement of 75 average viewers per 30-day period.
That means if you’re hovering around 75, with a few streams above that and some below, you’ll probably be denied. In this case, you don’t have much recourse beyond continuing to grow and applying again.
Keep calm and continue to build your audience. Grow your number and give it another shot later.
