Growth and insufficient funding are some of the top concerns among nonprofits. But both problems can be solved by one solution — raising more funds. And thanks to the internet, one strategy that’s quickly gaining popularity is video game-based fundraisers.
Nonprofits like Amnesty International, the Red Cross, and the Campaign Against Living Miserably now regard livestreaming as a viable way to raise funds — overhead costs are minimal and you don’t need a large team to organize a livestream.
Wondering how your nonprofit can join the band of organizations using video games to raise funds? In this article, we will look at what these are and share steps on how you can get started.
What are video game live stream fundraisers and how do they work
Livesteaming a video game involves one or more individuals playing a video game while broadcasting it live on the internet. This creates an environment where the players can have real-time engagement with one another and with the viewers tuning in.
Since the gameplay is broadcasted online, players and viewers don’t have to be in the same physical location. So, thousands of individuals can join the live stream from anywhere in the world. On Twitch, for example, users view at least 71 million hours of content daily.
But how do you raise money? Here are the most popular strategies:
- Ask players to donate to participate
- Ask viewers to donate to attend/view
- Make play or attendance free and solicit donations during the live stream
- Ask players to get sponsors and donate the money raised
Depending on the number of attendees and how long the live stream lasts, the sky’s the limit to how much you can raise.
Research estimates that the gaming industry will grow to $321 billion by 2026. So, livestreaming video game fundraisers presents a great opportunity for nonprofits to raise money via low-cost, time-efficient strategies. And people are more than happy to donate when watching live streams. In a Twitch survey, audiences claimed that they want to see more cause-related content from the people they follow.
Any nonprofit, even if not related to the gaming industry, is free to use video game live stream-based fundraisers. And you don’t even need to be tech-savvy to get started.
How to organize a live stream video game fundraiser
A live stream video game fundraiser can be organized in the following ways:
- In-house: Your team will play the games and solicit donations. This is great if you already have a large following that’s interested in gaming content and there are active gamers on your team. Although this option gives you more control, it’s not popular among nonprofits. The reasons are, you generally need gaming gear and have to be active in the gaming community.
- Nonprofit-influencer partnership: You team up with an influencer who already does video game live streams and have them fundraise for you. You will leverage the following the influencer already has and tap into a new segment of donors you wouldn’t otherwise have access. The bigger the influencer, the better the Return on Investment (ROI). Usually, you would support the influencer with marketing efforts and provide other resources as required to ensure the event is a success.
- Peer-based: This is when small gamers independently decide to livestream their own gameplay to their friends, family, and followers. Any money donated goes to your nonprofit. The gamer has discretion over what game to play, when, and for how long. And they will usually promote the live stream themselves. Most nonprofits adopt this strategy as it requires the least resources. Still, to succeed, you must create awareness so you can recruit more gamers to play for your cause.
The most popular platforms for livestreaming video game fundraising
For a video game live stream fundraiser to be successful, you need as many people as you can have to attend. This is why you should carefully consider your streaming platform – choosing the right one will ensure easy discovery and better reach, thus leading to more funds raised.
Plus, the right platform will already have most of what you’ll need to get set up. Here are some of the livestreaming platforms worth checking out:
- Twitch: As far as livestreaming video games are concerned, Twitch is the leader in the space. As of 2022, Twitch accounted for 76% of streamed gaming content. The platform has a daily average of more than 30 million active users. And since 2011, Twitch creators have raised over $150 million for charities.
- YouTube Live: YouTube is the second most visited website in the world as of 2022. This is why it’s also popular for livestreaming video games. It has over 1.8 billion monthly registered users. And chances are you already have a YouTube Channel, so connecting with your current donors should be easy.
- Facebook Live: Although it is a new entrant in the livestreaming space, Facebook is quickly joining the ranks of Twitch. In 2021, Facebook overtook YouTube in terms of gaming hours watched.
Apart from choosing a streaming platform, it’s also a good idea to have a screencasting and streaming application like Open Broadcasting System (OBS) or Streamlabs. These capture the gameplay and then stream it to your platform of choice. Additionally, they provide more flexibility and customization options. For example, you can have multiple input sources, allowing you to control your microphone, camera, gameplay, and video effects. You can design overlays, which lets you to add your nonprofit’s logo, colors, and any other graphics to customize the stream. You can also have a donation ticker — a display placed at the top or bottom of the stream that shows your most recent donations and/or total funds raised.
What are some popular games that can be livestreamed?
Since the game is the central part of a live stream, you must choose one with the highest potential of pulling in the most donors. Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this — so make sure you research well. Here are some options to consider:
- Minecraft: The average game has a shelf life of about two years. But that doesn’t apply to Minecraft. Released in 2011, it is one of the best-selling games of all time. And it’s still popular to this day with over 140 million active monthly users.
- League of Legends: Released in 2009, this is another popular game with 125 million active monthly users. In August 2021, over 138 million hours of League of Legends were watched on Twitch.
- World of Warcraft: This is one of the oldest and most popular games you can consider streaming. Released in 2004, an average of 6 million people play the game monthly.
- Fortnite: Released in 2017, it is one of the most popular games around. It has over 350 million registered users. And about 80 million people play the game monthly. In 2020, 1.6 billion hours of Fortnite were watched on streaming websites.
Examples of successful video game live stream fundraisers
Many nonprofits have already adopted the practice of fundraising via livestreaming video games. There are thousands of success stories of nonprofits, both large and small, raising money via this method.
In 2019, GuardianCon raised a massive $3.7 million in just one weekend for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which focuses on treating childhood cancers and pediatric diseases.
In 2017, Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) raised over $100,000 in a campaign called Gamers For Orcas. This was their first ever such event. They invited gamers from all around the world and encouraged them to game for WDC, a charity focused on the conservation and protection of whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Hermitcraft, a Minecraft community, raised over $434,000 for Gamers Outreach, a nonprofit that provides gaming equipment and software in hospitals to entertain kids who have been hospitalized, allowing hospitals to provide care and entertainment to patients.
How to get started with livestreaming video game fundraisers
The process may differ depending on how you have organized your live stream. Here are some of the steps to keep in mind:
1. Plan your event format
This is the most important consideration as it will dictate your obligations as well as any gear you may need to acquire. Will you partner with an influencer? Or go for a peer-based livestreaming video game fundraiser?
2. Choose a game
Remember to select a game that is popular so that you can attract as many people as possible. Research what games other nonprofits are using for fundraising.
3. Finalize your streaming platform
It could be Twitch, Youtube, Facebook, or any other platform. You may also decide to stream to more than one platform at the same time.
4. Ready your gear
If you are hosting the gameplay, you will need to have a good microphone so viewers can hear you. And you will also need a good camera for showcasing engaging gameplay in high definition. Additionally, you will require a powerful computer as most games are resource hungry.
Also, ensure that you have a reliable, fast internet connection. Streaming choppy gameplay won’t make for the best viewer and player experience.
5. Select a giving platform
This will provide more information about the event and also facilitate donations. Organizing the event via a giving platform is recommended as it is less of a hassle and more trustworthy than having the funds donated to the gamer’s personal account. You can take your pick from many giving platforms available in the market such as Classy, JustGiving, GiveWP, Donobox, etc.
Depending on the giving software used, you will have real-time data on how much you have raised. And you will get instant notifications on new donations, allowing you to give shout-outs to donors during gameplay (remember, showing appreciation is one of the simplest ways to get more donations).
6. Promote as much as possible
The more people you have attending the event, the more money you will be able to raise. So create awareness. Promote the fundraiser on your social media channels, website, and other mediums.
How to measure success for livestreamed video game-based fundraisers
Before you even think of organizing the live stream, you must consider why you are doing it. Usually, the goal is to raise money. But you need to clearly state how much. Make the goal SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based).
And when the event is over, consider how much you have raised. Then compare that to how much you spent in organizing the fundraiser.
When you get your answer, compare the ROI of the livestreaming video game fundraiser with other types of fundraisers that you organized in the past to see if it’s a great option for your nonprofit or charity.
Another bonus of starting with a clear goal is that it will help you refine your planning process. Like, the duration of the event or the average views required to hit your goal.
How to measure success for livestreamed video game-based fundraisers
Before you even think of organizing the live stream, you must consider why you are doing it. Usually, the goal is to raise money. But you need to clearly state how much. Make the goal SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based).
And when the event is over, consider how much you have raised. Then compare that to how much you spent in organizing the fundraiser.
When you get your answer, compare the ROI of the livestreaming video game fundraiser with other types of fundraisers that you organized in the past to see if it’s a great option for your nonprofit or charity.
Another bonus of starting with a clear goal is that it will help you refine your planning process. Like, the duration of the event or the average views required to hit your goal.
Research indicates that it usually takes 37 times longer to raise the same amount of money offline than it does online. So, if you still haven’t made the jump to online fundraisers, livestreaming video games could be a good start. It’s a low-cost, high-ROI strategy that’s designed to deliver results.
