As we saw of the weekend, loads of artists have turned to Live Streaming to entertain their fans. SoundCloud have partnered with Twitch so all SoundCloud Pro, SoundCloud Premier and Repost by SoundCloud creators can start earning money from their Twitch streams by fast-tracking Affiliate status. Now, wherever you’re social distancing, you can still connect to millions of fans IRL and get paid for your work.
Here’s how you can get started today:
Set up your Twitch account
- All SoundCloud Pro, SoundCloud Premier and Repost by SoundCloud artists can sign up for an account at twitch.tv. (They suggest using your SoundCloud handle so your brand is consistent across channels.)
- Once your account is created, fill in this form and Twitch will fast-track your channel to Affiliate status, letting you earn revenue from your streams right away. (Twitch will email you with an invitation to their affiliate program within a matter of days.)
- Once you’re signed up, visit your Settings page to customize your Twitch account with a profile picture, biography and your SoundCloud URL so new fans can follow you.
Check your tech
- To go live, you’ll need a PC or Mac with a webcam and microphone, plus a USB audio interface to capture your sound.
- You can use Twitch Studio (PC) or OBS (PC/Mac) to set up and customize your broadcast.
- Check out their guide Twitch Music: Getting Started for some recommendations on how to get set up.
Get paid and promote your “live” gigs
- With Affiliate status, fans can subscribe to your channel for ad-free viewing, extra perks, and the ability to cheer you on with Bits.
- You can also run ads on your channel, link to music and merchandise stores, and allow fans to donate directly.
Access to Twitch Affiliate status is available starting today to all SoundCloud Pro, SoundCloud Premier and Repost by SoundCloud creators at no additional cost. Twitch Affiliate status access is a manual process, meaning your Twitch account will be reviewed by a real human being and, as such, access is not guaranteed. So make sure your profile follows best practices on Twitch before you submit. SoundCloud and Twitch must validate each account and have the right to refuse an application.