As the casino industry news informs, live streaming is a very common way of promotion of slots and other games of chance. But how to become a slot streamer? What are the challenges and possibilities of this job?
William Barnes, a co-founder of the European casino streaming company Hideous Slots, has answered the most frequently asked questions about live streaming of slot games.
William, could you tell our readers about the latest trends in slot gaming?
I’m seeing a continued upwards trend in the levels of volatility offered to players, with more and more providers moving towards “extreme” levels. I think it will be interesting to see how far we can go, in terms of maximum wins and volatile gameplay, but there is a definite hunger from the audience to win life-changing money.
Over the last 18 months, we’ve definitely seen a massive increase in the quality of game presentation, with audiovisuals setting the scene for a more cinematic experience. Players now judge releases by their cover, making fairly snap decisions on how “good” the game will be based upon the estimated level of skill in the design. Having an overall brand image builds trust with regular players, and for major providers, this continues to work well. We always know that when they release a game, people are going to give it a chance. For smaller studios that are new on the scene, it can be difficult to have players stick around for more than a handful of spins.
Which media platform do you prefer for slot streams and why? And which social media platform helps to acquire the highest traffic?
In terms of what is actually offered as a streaming platform, I think it’s quite hard to match Twitch. With viewer points, raffles, competitions, and personal viewer stats, YouTube ultimately doesn’t compare in terms of personal interaction. However, the audience engages with YouTube in a different way, and the potential audience is much larger. With the introduction of YouTube Shorts, I’m seeing a change in the way the videos are pushed out and recommended to new viewers. As of right now, both of my most viewed videos are shorts. It’s a challenge to capture someone’s attention in such a short time frame, but short-form content is definitely here to stay.
Funneling website traffic has become increasingly difficult with the advent of new Twitch regulations, and for a lot of streamers, this has been a game-changer. Although views are still high, conversion is a lot more difficult. For me, YouTube continues to bring me significantly more traffic and will continue to be my focus in the immediate future.
In your expert opinion, which types of content gain maximum customer retention?
In terms of packaging video content, there is a place for both long and short-form videos on YouTube. We have a series of videos entitled “5 on 5 at 5”, where we play a slot for 5 bonuses on a €5 stake. It’s a catchy title, and we’ve been running the series for over a year. These have become fan favorites, as many feel that five bonuses are enough to get a good feel for a game and understand whether they’d like to play it themselves.
Retaining viewers requires good engagement. Any content where we allow viewers to choose games, pick symbols, or choose which feature we opt for will always do well because viewers feel they hold an element of control in the content. This can be great for getting traffic to the website too if an interaction is funneled there.
Encouraging casino or game provider loyalty amongst the audience is challenging. Posting a big win video will often create a buzz, but posting a losing video can give the wrong impression. We have to be honest with the audience about our experience but we also have to put it in perspective. Responsible promotion is challenging, and the viewers aren’t stupid!
Could you describe a perfect slot game from a player’s perspective?
I think it’s all about being fun, with regular “events” within the base game to keep us hanging on for the bonus. I believe players want to see a glimpse of potential as well – even if it doesn’t translate into a big win. Seeing a near miss and dreaming about how it could have translated into a huge win provides some satisfaction too. I’ve had a lot of feedback from players about how when the bonus game does arrive – they want it to pay out something. Players are fed up with getting a bonus and it paying zero. Whilst I understand it’s a challenge for the game providers to fix this, and it may mean we have to wait longer for the bonus to come – this is honest feedback from our audience and it needs to be taken on board.
Recently, some online casino streamers have got a bad reputation for playing with fake funds. How can a slot streamer avoid that prejudice and prove to an online casino that he or she is reliable and trustworthy?
In my opinion, the availability of fake funds has really damaged the whole slot streaming scene. Not only has it eroded trust between the audience and all slot streamers, but it has also encouraged those of us that are using real money to increase our stakes to stay relevant.
Within the industry itself, it’s well-known who is using real money and it isn’t often discussed. If you’re playing at top-tier casinos with respected licenses, then there is never really any question that you’re doing things by the book. The bigger challenge is with the viewers, as they don’t have time to make a well-informed distinction between the streamers. If they start to believe it’s all fake money, it’s easy for them to turn off the content altogether. Which is bad for everyone.
What are the main difficulties in working with casino ops as an affiliate?
As a video affiliate, things are moving along well. However, occasionally, I do stumble across veterans within the iGaming space who either don’t understand or appreciate this style of marketing. Dealing with the casinos’ compliance departments can be especially difficult, as they understandably want to play things very safe. If this means not showing a casino logo or an offer somewhere – that can be a massive loss in terms of uptake.
In your opinion, why do some casino operators worry that affiliates could endanger their brand identity? And how can this risk be eliminated?
Operators are risking their reputation when they put it in the hands of a slot streamer. It’s a risky endeavor but can really help to grow brand awareness – far beyond the customers that can be brought on board during a promotional period. If you have a well-renowned streamer playing at your brand, then all the viewers will start to associate the two together, and as such the reputations go hand in hand. It’s important for operators to do their research and be diligent. You have streamers who are doing this professionally and treat it as a job, and you also have those who are doing it as a hobby. Most will have no media training, so even just running through a list of ground rules for streams is a great way of getting things started. I’ve had those conversations with operators before and I think this is vital in building a relationship where both the operator and affiliate can benefit.
Could you give some tips for content creators who are just starting streaming slot games?
Definitely. First of all, budget. Create a budget, and stick to it. Understand the amount of money you have and that you’re prepared to use to create content, and pick a stake that suits you. If anything, I would say find the comfortable stake that fits you financially, and go even lower if possible, to be really safe. Promote responsibility too, be careful what you put across to viewers and how you say things, especially when you’re live streaming.
Next, understand slots; understand RTP; understand your expected losses; and how your session is altered if you’ve taken a bonus with wagering. Understand random number Generators; the randomness of slots; and learn everything you can about gambling. Not just because it’s the most responsible way to enjoy it, but because you will get questions from viewers.
Finally, set yourself apart from everyone else. It doesn’t just have to be that you yourself are different, but setting yourself apart in any way is great – through your personality, your humor, your interactivity, or your content. People will notice and will know they can’t get what you offer to them anywhere else.
And when you get some negative comments, be thick-skinned! It means you’re reaching people!
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