Ultra.
Whether you’re a streamer, gamer, or just a fan of live content, chances are you’ve come across the term clip farming. Maybe you’ve even watched a clip-farmed moment without realizing it. Clip farming is a debated tactic in the streaming world (Twitch and otherwise) that is used as a growth hack for creators.
In this blog, we’ll cover:
- What Is Clip Farming?
- Should You Use Clip Farming to Grow on Twitch?
- What Are Some Sustainable Tips for Growing on Twitch?
What Is Clip Farming?
As defined by Wiktionary, clip farming is “(Internet slang, Twitch-speak, derogatory)—to act, or to produce or exploit a situation, with the goal of gaining online attention, especially repeatedly and/or inauthentically.”
At its core, clip farming is when a streamer does or says something intentionally outrageous, funny, or shocking on stream—just to get clipped and shared. It’s like clickbait, but live. Think
- someone pouring water on themselves indoors.
- raging over something small.
- sharing something highly personal on stream.
Like clickbait, clip farming is considered disingenuous as these moments are generally staged. On the contrary, some people feel it's a streamer's job to entertain and clip farming is something that comes with the territory.
Should You Use Clip Farming to Grow on Twitch?
Inevitably, it is truly up to you whether you should use clip farming as a means to grow on Twitch (or any other platform for that matter). However, it's important to understand the subtle impacts that clip farming can have on impressions that new and returning viewers may have on your content.
Pros and Cons of Clip Farming
Pro: Clip farming may give you short-term visibility but
Con: It can set unrealistic expectations for your content.
Con: It might make loyal followers feel disconnected.
Con: It can lead to creative burnout if you’re always chasing virality.
What Are Some Sustainable Tips for Growing on Twitch?
At Streamlabs, we always encourage creators to think about the bigger picture and to play the long term game (literally and figuratively) . Below are some sustainable and proven ways to grow on Twitch and as a content creator in general.
Repurpose Clips Thoughtfully
Some of your best clips may come from genuine reactions, impressive gameplay, or funny mishaps that naturally occur on stream. Those can go a long way when repurposed the right way.
Luckily, Streamlabs has a few tools that can help you turn those moments into shareable content:
Streamlabs Desktop Highlighter: Quickly mark and trim your favorite moments while you’re still live or reviewing a past stream. It’s a simple way to clip without stopping the momentum.
Streamlabs Cross Clip: Have old VOD footage that you think would make impeccable clips? Streamlabs Cross Clip is the perfect tool to use to create your tips for vertical platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.
Show up as Your Authentic Self
Let your personality be a part of your content strategy. When viewers connect with the real you, they’re more likely to stick around. Not to mention, it's much easier and sustainable to be yourself than cosplaying other streamers.
Be Consistent
While this may come off as cookie cutter advice, the truth is your stream success is highly dependent on you showing up consistently. Whether it’s once a week or daily, keeping a regular schedule builds trust and habit.
Don't Be Afraid to Break the Mold
Trends are fun and familiar, but don’t be afraid to experiment with unique formats or series that reflect your style and personality. Keep in mind that a trend only becomes a trend when someone dares to shut out the noise and do what feels authentic to them.
Now that we've shared our thoughts on clip farming, let us know what you think about the strategy on X.