Stop with the Ads, Bring back Prime users being Ad free!!!
Since this change I've been driven further and further away from Twitch.tv as a platform. I find it ridiculous that the only way to not have to see this annoying Ad spam is by using my ONE prime sub or just not watching content on Twitch.tv. There is a major problem with that approach, and until something changes (and I'm certain thousands of others would agree here), I will no longer be using this platform for my viewing pleasure.I hope you guys get this figured out and find a better solution soon, like putting the Ads responsibility back on individual streamers, since that empowers THEM to generate revenue for themselves, as opposed to the obviously fake cop-out of "this ad supports -insert random streamer here- " since that just seems so disingenuous.
Brandon Steele
shared this idea
22 comments
-
Grymmwulf
commented
GhostZero - As a streamer who, while not huge, at least had a fairly decent following and average viewers (20+ my last month streaming regularly), the amount of money made on ads was absolutely miniscule. I would have much rather NOT made the <$3.00 and given my viewers a better experience.
In 9 months since becoming an affiliate, while streaming a total of 262 hours and 7 minutes, with an average viewers of 18, I've made a grand total of $5.65 in ad revenue, which is an EXTREMELY tiny, fractional amount of my total revenue.
Ads do not help streamers AT ALL, that is a myth.
-
atkaksoy
commented
Like the youtube premium, prime members shouldn't see any ads.
-
Essesntialfish
commented
I agree. I am actively looking for alternative media sources due to the ads. Ads are annoying, but the implentation of the ads over the content is awful. It prevents me from watching and connecting with the content provider due to the constant interruptions while the stream is continuing to go on. This is removing a key source of the value that twitch used to provide.
-
SherifffSam
commented
I don't understand why I got adds every time I open a twitch page, when I'm already a AMAZON PRIME MEMBER, and it's always a Prime Video adds. Why do i see adds of what I'm already a member? Like you wont get any more money from me, I'M ALREADY PAYING FOR IT! And most of the time I already watched the movie or the series of the add. This is add harassment, I quit watching TV for that reason don't push us to do the same with your platform.
-
ArakATK
commented
@Lunar_Umbra Well then bye Felicia. Listen, you had me up until you started talking bad about them trying to combat ad-blocking software. Listen, streaming services COST MONEY. If you want that platform to continue to exist you have to pay, now you can choose to pay with your wallet (subscriptions, Twitch Turbo, etc) or you can pay with your eyeballs (ads) but what you -CANT- expect them to do is let millions of people watch for -free- because it costs them to run the thing.
Now you CAN expect them to use ad content in an unabusive fashion. You can expect the right to request ads without tracking or curated content. But getting mad because they won't let you block content carte blanche without consequences? That's just asinine. They have the RIGHT to portray THEIR content however they see fit. And if combating people that are trying to use ad blocking software to leech off the site causes those leeches to go elsewhere, then I'd say that's a pretty successful strategy, and I hope after those leeches are gone, their operating costs go down enough that they can reduce the frequency of said ads a bit, and/or cut us in for a bigger share of ad rev.
-
Lunar_Umbra
commented
Sharing my opinion, an excerpt from a I reply I sent for a scripted response to a support request:
The current ADS pre-roll and even mid-roll (triggered by the streamer) are HIGHLY Intrusive, Disruptive to the streamers content and the viewers experience. As I originally stated, it has caused me to drastically change my behavior when viewing streams. I open channels in new tabs, then mute the tab (Firefox), when I click the tab and if a pre-roll AD begins playing I either close the tab or immediately switch to another tab/window/program, completely ignoring whatever AD is playing (oversaturation of ad content tends to increase my disdain for the product/service being advertised). This is detrimental to the streamer, depending on how disturbed I get from being interrupted by an AD there is a chance I may not even go back to that tab to continue watching. Given this behavior, I will likely NEVER use the Twitch app on any of my devices due to the overwhelmingly disruptive AD content.
On another note, please stop interfering with legitimate user utilities like content filtering extensions for web browsers (ad blockers). Over the last month or so, there has been a constant back and forth struggle for adapting new methods to filter content on the USERS End with Twitch making modifications to its content presentation that bypass the users desire to not view that particular content within their browser. Once the content of a website is on someones computer, they have the right to view it in whatever way they desire. If Twitch does not understand this, then they fundamentally do not care about the users privacy, security or even their satisfaction. Just as many other entities, Twitch appears to be treating the users of their services as just another source of information monetization regardless of how poor the experience may become.
As a consumer, for any service or product, I procure and use it at MY Leisure. If it is not convenient to do so at my own leisure then I will choose not to at all. There is a simple solution; reverse what has been done - instead of presenting the AD in the main player section, show it in the small player above chat or picture-in-picture (such as during full screen viewing), maybe even just an image as a banner ad (animated or static). Personally I despise any website that has auto-play content, especially AUDIO; this is a sentiment shared by many. The best solution is to not have ads with audio content. Perhaps adjust tiers of advertising types for different monetization and then let the streamer fully control the types of ads they want to present if any at all (as part of their contract or better yet at their own leisure for freedom of choice).
For now I am taking a break from this struggle, as the easiest way forward to avoid content I don't want to see is to reduce or completely stop my usage of Twitch for the near future. Please don't even think about recommending "Twitch Turbo", the ad-free viewing should have always remained part of Prime benefits. I would gladly trade ALL these free games and in-game promotional content for ad-free viewing. I think I have claimed nearly every free game and only a handful of in-game content for games I actually play. Yet I have NOT downloaded/installed a single one of those free games yet.
I have a strong feeling that I will receive yet another scripted reply to my genuine concerns and feedback, with no one of concern having ever been aware...
Either way good luck with making users feel dejected by your lack of concern for their experience with your service. Kappa
-
sprode
commented
The Twitch routine...
Load stream -> Ad -> Chat doesn't load -> Refresh -> Repeat
And you expect people to pay for this? Ever since they started pushing the ads, the site has been junk.
-
unclebedhead
commented
I have Amazon Prime. I pay for at least one subscription besides the free one that prime comes with. I do not want to see ads. EVER. Especially not preroll ads when I am checking out new streamers. ALL you are doing with your stupid ads is pushing me to go do something else, and I WILL stop giving money in your direction.
-
Spaaam
commented
I cancelled my prime subscription this month, Amazon I will buy another year if you return ad free viewing.
-
MrBiscuitTheCat
commented
I will not be using twitch for anything other than watch the 1 person I use my prime sub on. I'll stick to YouTube for everything else. I used to watch a bunch of streamers, visit random streams and stick around after the person I was watching hosted someone, unfortunately this wont be the case if they are forcing ads on everyone. Ads should be run by the streamer ONLY. Fix it.
-
joegibson0
commented
@Ghostzero We'll have to agree to disagree on that one for the first part of your comment.
2: I don't do ads period. I had enough of ads in the 90's and when I found ad blockers I never looked back on the ads as all it does is drive me to not buy their products no matter what it is. Ads work in reverse for me especially in repetition. Today while trying to watch one of the streams I follow, I had to refresh the tab 40 times to skip through forty ads to get to the streamer. And Twitch actually wants me to sit through ads? HA! I'm already a prime member, I see no reason to pay more money for another subscription service. As for Turbo: Limited exceptions to ads? no. That's a deal breaker for me. I prefer how it was before, where I was not assaulted by endless ads on whatever streamer I follow -
Brozach1
commented
Yo twitch would you please push Turbo as hard as YouTube pushes Premium. I didn't know that it supported all the streamers and disables ads for me entirely.
It's a great way to market it and tell streamers about it too. Use like Lower third and corner popup ads for it. Great place would be below the follow list where friends are.
-
AngryDemonNoises
commented
Harris Heller/Alpha Gaming has said something similar to this idea. His idea was that if users have ~4 active subscriptions then they should receive the benefits of Twitch Turbo (at least as far as ads are concerned). It has never made much sense to me that you can pay $5 to remove ads on one channel, when turbo just allows you to remove ads everywhere (which I feel is actually harmful to content creators)
-
cabbagebishop
commented
Not just Prime members, needs to go to everyone. Skippable ads plus DVR controls are two QOL features where Youtube has a leg up on Twitch. Allowing users to skip ads is a basic QOL function and not something that should be locked behind a pay wall. At that point you're just encouraging users to install ad block extensions, which you should be working to do the opposite. Bear in mind, not everyone can afford a yearly prime subscription.
-
danctalks
commented
When we subscribe to Amazon Prime and then subscribe to a channel on Twitch, we don't see ads in this channel. But, when we watch other live streams there is. And mostly are series that I already watched.
The ideia is: Amazon and Twitch are already connected. So, why not to get the history of the Prime Video and filter ads with the only content we didn't watched yet?
-
andromeda4800
commented
1) Prime users should not have to watch pre-roll ads. Period. When a streamer decides to show ads, those should be shown since that generates revenue for the streamer.
2) A lower-priced turbo where it shows streamer ads, but not pre-roll. Or add an option to Turbo where I have the option to view streamer generated ads (settings per channel, not overall for Twitch).
3) Add an option for subscribed channels where I can decide if I want to watch streamer generated ads (settings per channel, not overall for Twitch).
If I am paying extra money for a service, I should be given more choice for that service. I hate, hate, hate pre-roll ads. But if I pay for Turbo, I ***** a streamer out of ad revenue because I don't see any ads ever. If I subscribe to a channel, I should have a choice if I want to have ads to support that streamer or not.
-
CMDRBelan
commented
How about giving Amazon Prime members the ability to skip Ads that are 15 seconds or longer, similar to what Youtube does.
-
Drkblstr13
commented
Most people hate advertisements in this day and age. Twitch is a very in the moment platform. Being interrupted with an ad really impacts the stream. Viewers lose communication with the streamer, and even if the streamer explicitly states they are going to run an ad, they get nominal money from the ad at the huge risk of losing viewership.
A couple proposals to remedy this:
1. Do not play ads when swapping channels (causes stagnation of viewer bases) instead do a banner ad. (like for mobile users, minimally invasive and doesn’t affect the flow of the stream)
2. Set a limit to how many ads a person can have per x amount of time, and let them know what that is. This will stop the ad every stream switch, refresh, etc. and render down the “uptime” of the ads to a more bearable level. (Also ad some code to prevent repeat ads. It’s extremely upsetting to the user base)
3. Incentivize twitch turbo more. It’s main function is to remove ads for any person on mobile (or PC for people who are honest and want to support the cost of maintaining twitch infrastructure). For me, nine dollars monthly is more expensive than Crunchyroll Premium (6 or 7 can’t remember) and may be off putting to people considering what to watch and where. You could be losing viewership to other platforms due to this. Maybe add a monthly subscription (I’ve got a 33 prime sub streak for one channel and don’t want to break it, and having more choices for emotes is nice) Moving more subs around will make the community more involved and channel emotes are basically mini “ads” to other streamers.
Shown above, many people can feel like the rug has been ripped out from under them because of the ad changes. What they took for granted suddenly is gone and replaced with intrusive ads. Doing some sort of promotion or deal to subvert the viewers negative feelings with the change will help alleviate the issue with ads and make the transition into the new status quo smoother.
Twitch prime could blossom into an individualized experience where the rewards are more relevant to each person. (Have a survey like monthly, do some polls, gather some info, then adapt to better reward the users)
-
feenyx
commented
Pretty simple and as described in the title.
If I have Amazon Prime you can obviously track my viewing history, and use it to NOT show me ads for the shows I have seen.Currently I get about 4 rotating ads (Cloak & Dagger, Hanna, Grand Tour, Jack Ryan).
Three of these I've already seen, and so whenever I get an ad for them now I just close out the Twitch desktop client and restart it - because that's faster and less annoying than watching the ad to completion.So maybe you could tone down the ads, or at the very least don't show us the ads that 100% ARE OF NO INTEREST TO US BECAUSE WE ALREADY BOUGHT INTO/WATCHED YOUR PRODUCT.
-
Anonymous
commented
I used to lurking around the twitch to find more streamers to watch. Guess what? I stopped that because every single time I switch to another stream ... and ad. And as a bonus, it's always the SAME ad, again, again and again. I cannot check what is the streamer playing, which language he/she is speaking, what's the stage of the game. I have to watch the ad first. I just started hating everything the ads are trying to sell and most of my free time I started going back to youtube because of this.
Now tell me again, marketing guy, how this greatly supports the streamers?