How to Create an Effective Streamer Team

The gaming industry is one of the fastest growing entertainment industries in the world. The gaming industry is constantly evolving, whether it’s the newest next-gen gaming console, the latest mobile game that everyone is addicted to or the increasing cultural influence of esports. 

The gaming audience is diverse, open to influencer marketing and presents many opportunities to gaming and non-gaming brands alike. One of the best ways to use gaming influencers is by creating a streamer team. A streamer team is a selection of influencers or gamers that livestreams on Facebook, YouTube or Twitch. 

We’ve looked at three brands that have developed streamer teams and how they use them.

The HyperX Heroes

HyperX have a team of 27 global streamers that form the HyperX Heroes from the UK, US, Canada, Brasil, Ukraine, China and more. These streamers are a combination of competitive gamers, celebrities, footballers and casual gamers. Their gaming skills cover first person shooter games, multiplayer online battle arenas, online multiplayer deduction games, strategy games, role play games and sandbox games. Featured Heroes include Pokimane, Valkyrae, Dele Alli, Gordon Hayward, JuJu and Lachlan.

HyperX predominantly uses its streamer team to create content on its own channels. On YouTube, HyperX uses streamers to share their favourite products, host Q&As and participate in fun challenges such as the Whisper Challenge. On Twitch, the HyperX Heroes takeover HyperX’s channel to host streams such as the “Battle of the Partners”, where prominent members of the streamer team battle against each other in entertaining games.

HyperX also uses its streamer team to push products. On the HyperX website, the HyperX Heroes are listed alongside the HyperX products that create their gaming set-up. To further this, HyperX have created Amazon storefronts specifically for their top influencers. Fans of HyperX and the streamers can see the full collection of gaming products the streamers use and purchase through the marketplace.

To entice streamers to join the HyperX Heroes, HyperX has a 4 tiered reward system. As opposed to sponsoring streamers, HyperX rewards them with exclusive HyperX prizes including a personalised HyperX illustration, affiliates, social and IT support and invitations to new product launches. With the promise of bigger and better rewards at each tier, streamers are incentivised to create more high quality content.

While HyperX uses its popular Heroes to create content on its own channels frequently, organic content from these influencers is rare. Once streamers have reached the top tier, they lose incentive to continue creating content for the brand. Its featured streamers only refer to their HyperX partnerships in social profile biographies or about sections.

Team Corsair

Corsair’s streamer team is headlined by 9 global streamers from the UK, USA, Australia, Mexico and Sweden. Streamer talents range from first person shooters, role players, massively multiplayer online players and multiplayer online battle arena experts. Skill levels range from professional to casual gamers, appealing to a wide range of the gaming community. The 9 streamers comprise of Cyborgangel, Summit1G, IAmBrandon, Bajheera, Alk4pon3, Loserfruit, Voyboy, AnnieFuchia and Sacriel.

As opposed to HyperX, Corsair primarily relies on its streamer team to create content about Corsair products for their own channels. Team Corsair members feature the brand’s logo in social profile biographies and about sections and provide affiliate links. Some members go beyond this and have Corsair’s logo as a permanent feature throughout live streams on Twitch and YouTube. Team Corsair streamers create content on Instagram organically, adding authenticity to the partnerships. Sponsored posts are relatively frequent across the nine. A few members of Team Corsair actively encourage their audiences to become part of the Streamer Program. 

Corsair also has a tiered reward system made up of 5 levels. Similar to HyperX, each tier offers more enticing rewards than the previous including upgraded affiliate discounts, social support, marketing photography and financial sponsorships. While HyperX struggles to entice streamers to create content once they reach the top tier, Corsair combat this with a full financial sponsorship.

However, Corsair is missing an opportunity to curate the content created by its streamer team. Curating and repurposing content for its own channels would engage Corsair’s audience and bring in new audience members from followers of its streamer team. Most of the content Corsair posts across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are product focused. Posting influencer content alongside this would help personify the brand, allowing audiences to create a closer connection with the brand directly.

Team Gamma

Team Gamma is energy drink brand G Fuel’s streamer team. G Fuel’s streamer team is made up of over 100 streamers, including some of the most prolific names on the internet. Team Gamma is composed of all sorts of creators, from professional esports teams to casual streamers to TikTok creators. The team covers every type of online gamer possible from FPS, to chess players, to RPGs, variety gamers, MMOs and MOBAs. Streamers include PewDiePie, KSI, FaZe Clan, Team Heretics, Tori Pareno, Logic and xQc.

Members of Team Gamma are hand selected by G Fuel, seemingly for their large audiences. G Fuel does not invite other streamers to join their team. 

Team Gamma are regularly sponsored by G Fuel to post content across different platforms, but primarily YouTube, Twitch and Instagram. Team Gamma creates organic content featuring G Fuel regularly and this content spans more social platforms to include TikTok. Organic content includes streamers making a G Fuel shake or professional shots featuring the G Fuel cans or merch. Members of Team Gamma feature the brand and their affiliate links in social media profile biographies, alongside a list of their top products and flavours.

G Fuel uses its streamer team to host “Twitch Takeovers” where streamers host their own livestreams on G Fuel’s Twitch account. The hosting streamer will play the game they are most known for, creating a variety of content playing different games on the channel. This caters to more of the gaming community and fans of influencers.

G Fuel’s YouTube doesn’t feature videos of its streamer team, but discusses products made in collaboration with its top streamers. G Fuel rewards its top streamers by creating a flavour or collection (flavour and shaker) inspired by them. 

G Fuel collates influencer content created on Instagram and reposts it to its own account. G Fuel also creates its own meme content featuring members of Team Gamma. On TikTok, G Fuel posts stream highlights from members of Team Gamma, and also has some members create content specifically for its TikTok page. This includes using trending sounds or showing new recipes.

The Benefits of a Streamer Team

Using streamer teams can benefit gaming and non-gaming brands. However, it seems that brands are still perfecting their streamer team strategy. 

Both HyperX and Corsair encourage streamers to join their teams through reward systems. Using reward systems incentive streamers to create content for and about your brand in hopes of making it to the next level. This expands the reach and brand awareness of HyperX and Corsair exponentially as they are being exposed to the audiences of those who have signed up for its streamer program. G Fuel is being exposed to major audiences through its partner program, but by not allowing growing streamers to electively join its program, it is missing out on creating authentic partnerships. 

While G Fuel has excellent exposure to new audiences through its vast streamer team, it’s strategy can come across as inauthentic. It targets streamers with large audiences who don’t necessarily have any loyalty to G Fuel. Consumers are demanding authenticity more often nowadays and have begun disapproving of inauthentic partnerships. 

HyperX and G Fuel both use their streamer teams to create content for their own channels. This provides followers of the brands with a variety of content, keeping them more engaged. Curating content also helps create a seamless partnership and lets the brand’s audience know they are endorsed and supported by popular influencers. Corsair relies solely on its streamer team to create content on their own channels. While this adds authenticity to the partnerships, Corsair is not making the most of the content being produced. HyperX has the opposite issue, where its streamer team doesn’t regularly make organic content for the brand.

Creating a streamer team

If you are considering creating a streamer team or partner program, we would advise the following steps. 

Firstly, you should develop a rewards system to entice streamers to join. The rewards system should end in a complete sponsorship package to ensure streamers will continue creating content for your brand once they have reached the final tier. This also ensures those who are already loyal and love your brand sign up, adding authenticity. 

Secondly, you should use your streamer team to create content directly to and for your owned social media accounts. This creates a variety of content and encourages followers of streamers to engage with your brand online. Your streamer team should also create content on their own channels, increasing your brand awareness. 

Finally, you should curate all content created by your streamers and repost it to your own channels. You should use your streamer team across all available platforms to ensure you are targeting all sections of the gaming community. You can reuse content from Twitch to post highlights on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram. 

Streamer teams are a versatile tool that brands are becoming more aware of. They grant access to an lucrative industry and audience. Creating a streamer team can increase credibility, authenticity and reach of your brand with ease.

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