Exploring Streamer Audience Interactions on Twitch

Abstract

This thesis explores the unique interaction between content creators and their audience on Twitch.tv, a social media platform that focuses on live streaming content. The study uses the interaction analysis research method to analyze over 17 hours of live stream footage from Twitch.tv. A dataset of nine different types of interaction was selected, providing insight into the interaction between live streamers and their audience. The analysis of this data helped identify both the platform’s upsides as well as its shortcomings in regards to interaction. These discoveries were then used to provide design suggestions to address some of the issues of the site. The findings provide valuable insights into the interaction between content creators and their audience on Twitch, and it could help in improving the platform’s overall user experience.