As competition for streamers heats up among the various platforms available, potential streamers and content creators find themselves with a choice to make regarding which platform to use. Overall, Facebook gaming is probably the one that should be avoided most. The road to success is long and requires a mix of dedication, time, and skill, and people striving to become noticed and grow their viewership it is important to use the best tools and forgo anything that will hold you back, and that includes choosing the best streaming platform.
There are various options available to potential streamers, and here we will briefly discuss why Twitch is a far better option than Facebook gaming for those looking to grow their brand and base of viewers. This is not to say that Twitch is without its own issues, but comparatively speaking, it shines compared to Facebook gaming.
The Facebook Algorithm
Facebook has constantly evolved the method used to reach its users along with what it shows them. In the mid 2010s it was common to have all kinds of viral content popping up on a personal feed, but from 2018 onwards there appears to have a been a shift to increase ad space and promoted posts. Users of Facebook gaming would report that if they had a page with many followers, the changing algorithms could suddenly change your ability to reach those individuals. Instead of being able to make a post and reach everyone, you may only be reaching a small proportion now.
An ongoing problem with the algorithm that users report today is Facebook's tendency to gradually alert users of a new post when it would be far better to alert them all at once when an event is occurring. A streamer may go live with their typical, planned stream, but users that follow would only be alerted gradually, a few at a time, and many may not even see that you are streaming until well after the end of a stream. Compared to Twitch, which alerts viewers immediately when one of their followed streamers goes live, this should be reason enough to stay away from Facebook.
Accumulating Viewership Can Be Difficult If You Do Not Boost Content
One major change with the Facebook algorithm is that content will primarily remain unseen by your core demographic and list of followers unless you pay to boost your posts. Facebook is in the business of selling advertising space, among other things, and if you do not pay, you will effectively be invisible to the people who may genuinely be interested in your stream.
A Core Problem Is That Facebook Is Not Where The Youth Are At
When Facebook launched in 2004 young people flocked to the social media site. However, in the past few years several studies all point to a mass exodus of teens and youth in general from the site, while older people aged sixty and above use it more than ever. As Facebook continues to engage in shady behavior that today’s youth recognize ascompletely unacceptable, there is little reason to think that Facebook gaming will thrive in the long term.
Meanwhile, Twitch, YouTube, and recently, Mixer, are all far more likely to attract younger audiences, which is likely the better way to grow one’s viewership. Mixer especially has been working hard to sign some of the most popular streamers in the world, and the future there looks bright.
Streamer Freedom
A little-known fact of Facebook gaming is that streamers are not allowed to discuss content produced on any other social media site. This means that even if one uploads content videos to YouTube or has a Twitter account, as most people do, it is forbidden to mention either under the potential penalty of being banned. This archaic thought process should also be an immediate reason not to use Facebook gaming, since many streamers grow by leveraging the power of all social media platforms available to them.
While competition to be a well-known streamer is fierce, the good news is that there are plenty of options for where to try your hand at gaining a large following. Hopefully these points can help make the decision a bit easier. Although we did not touch on the positives of Facebook gaming, which are few, it is important to take note of the above restrictions as significantly hindering to long-term growth.
This article was adapted from a post by u/FB_Gaming_Throwaway.
Source: reclaimthenet.org