What are Channel Points on Twitch and How to Set Them Up

Tech Ornate

Entertainment

With Twitch being a leading platform for content creators, everyone is competing for the affection and loyalty of its global audience. 

Whether you’re a budding streamer playing the hottest multiplayer game or an established presence in your niche, having a connection with your viewers plays a crucial role in developing your brand. 

Twitch jumps in with the save through its channel points service, providing incentives for your viewers to stay tuned and interact with their favorite streamers.

What Are Twitch Channel Points?

Twitch Gamescom
Source: “Twitch Gamescom” by dronepicr is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Twitch’s channel points system aims to reward fans with in-channel credits for converting to specific prizes. Like most loyalty programs used in different industries, the program helps Twitch streamers that are affiliates and partners develop loyalty with their community, forging a more vast audience over time.

The accumulated points serve as the channel’s currency mode, with subscribers earning more point multipliers the higher their subscriber tier is. Points earned can be used for purchasing different rewards, with each level costing more points. The points are non-transferable to other channels, giving viewers more incentive to engage more with your content.

Streamers can customize the rewards provided by the channel points, allowing even non-subscribers to taste some perks that subscribers enjoy. The prize range is endless, from simple channel-specific emotes to choosing what the creator does on the stream.

What Are the Benefits of Channel Points?

Unlockable Channel Emotes
Source: Twitch.tv 

Channel points offer more than credits your viewers could use to purchase in-channel rewards. The system helps you, as a content creator on Twitch, make the most out of the platform and further develop your channel.

Gain and Retain Your Audience

Offering channel points to regular viewers gives them the reason to stay on your channel and continue to watch your content. The more they see what you can provide as a streamer, the better chances they become the most loyal of fans. 

Turn Viewers into Subscribers

Viewers heavily outweigh channel subscribers, with even 80% of viewers not participating in the chat. With channel points, you can turn casual viewers into active subscribers, helping you create more engaging content for them in the process through interaction and conversation.

Build a Better Connection with Your Viewers

Your community can use their accumulated channel points to show what they want from you as a creator through the rewards purchased. Their purchase trend is an excellent indicator of how to best interact with them and capture their attention even more.

How to Get Channel Points on Twitch

List of Channel Points rewards 
Source: Twitch.tv

For viewers to earn channel points, Twitch has implemented several actions they have to take that correspond to a certain amount of points. Below is a quick list of these steps and the resulting points per action.

1. Watch a Stream

Non-subscribers get 10 points per five minutes of watching a streamer’s video. Subscribers get more based on their tier level.

2. Continuous Stream Viewing

For watching continuously on a stream, non-subscribers are awarded 50 points per 15 minutes. Subscribers earn more depending on the tier level.

3. Raid Participation

When a viewer joins a raid, they get 250 points for the event.

4. Follow the Channel

Viewers get an automatic 300 channel points for following your channel.

5. Watch streak 2, 3, 4, and 5+

When viewers come back for consecutive streams, they receive channel points from 300 up to 450 for each instance. They should watch at least 10 minutes of the stream and have gaps of 30 minutes between watching.

6. 1st Cheer

350 channel points are given to viewers who provide a first cheer on the channel within 30 days.

7. 1st Gifted Subscription

Viewers that gift their first subscription within 30 days nets 500 channel points.

Subscriber Perks

Subscribers earn channel points faster than viewers, as each tier has a multiplier that increases the channel point count per instance.

  • Tier 1 subs have a 1.2 multiplier
  • Tier 2 subs have a 1.4 multiplier
  • Tier 3 subs have a 2.0 multiplier

How to Setup Channel Points on Twitch Channel

Knowing how to set up channel points on Twitch should be the next immediate concern now that we know what channel points can do for you and your brand. With these easy-to-follow steps, channel points will be ready for your next stream. Keep in mind that only Twitch affiliates and partners can use this feature.

1. Login into Twitch account

twitch login

2. Select your profile icon found in the upper-right corner of the window. This will open the drop-down menu.

twitch profile

3. Select ‘Creator Dashboard.

twitch creator dashboard

4. On the Creator Dashboard, select the hamburger icon on the upper left side of the window.

5. Next, go to ‘Community,’ then ‘Channel Points

twitch community

6. Look for ‘Enable Channel Points’ and toggle it ON

twitch enable channel points

7. On the right of ‘Customize Points Display,’ select ‘Edit.’

twitch customize points display

8. Then select ‘Manage Rewards.’

twitch manage rewards

9. On the next screen, choose the rewards you want to activate by toggling them ‘ON.’

twitch channel points rewards

Custom Rewards

To add custom rewards to your offerings, look for the option ‘Custom Rewards’ on the ‘Manage Rewards’ section and proceed with the following:

1. Select ‘Add Custom Reward.

twitch custom reward

2. Place the reward name.

twitch give your reward a name

3. Then, add a short description.

twitch add a short description for your reward

4. Enter the reward amount.

twitch enter reward amount

5. Add images for the reward.

twitch add images for your rewards

6. When satisfied, select ‘Create’ at the bottom of the screen.

Prime Your Channel to Success

Channel Points is an excellent medium for streamers to establish their channel and turn regular viewers into loyal subscribers. Have you tried Channel Points? How is it working out for you? Let us know in the comments below.

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