Ads coming to Kick are inevitable, CEO Eddie Craven explains why
One of the unique value propositions behind livestreaming platform Kick is that provides a viewing experience with no ads, but CEO Eddie Craven has revealed that’s about to change.
Kick offers both streamers and viewers something better compared to its main rivals, as there is potential for greater payouts for content creators and there are no ads on the platform to bother viewers. This may be one of the reasons why Kick has overtaken Twitch in the Spanish-speaking audiences, as viewers prefer to consume the content they want without any interruptions, and Kick meets that requirement.
But that may not last for much longer. Kick CEO Eddie Craven recently discussed the importance of ads and revealed big changes planned for Kick in the future.
CEO Eddie Craven says Kick will have ads “at some point”
Eddie Craven revealed in a stream that Kick has avoided adding ads since the platform’s inception, but that viewers will eventually see typical digital advertisements on the streaming platform.
The Kick CEO expressed that the platform knows a large reason for some viewers using it is because there are no ads, and that makes the viewing experience better compared to some other competitors. He said that the platform has “lost money” because of not showing ads, and that viewers should enjoy the ad-free experience while it lasts.
Eddie then confirmed that Kick will run ads, but that he wants them to be unobtrusive so that viewers can still enjoy streams relatively free of distractions. He stated that Kick “won’t add 1,000 ads” and still expect viewers to stick around. Craven shared that it’s a challenge for Kick, as the platform needs to bring in some of that lost revenue but knows it will lose viewers if it bombards them with advertisements.
Image credit: Kick
This isn’t the first time Eddie Craven has talked about bringing ads to Kick; he previously referred to advertising as a “key backbone” in the platform’s long-term revenue strategy. Craven shared that Kick won’t add pre-roll or mid-stream ads and instead will focus on specific sponsor and creator ads. This matches what Eddie revealed in his recent stream, and it may not affect viewers as badly as many would assume the fresh addition of ads might.
Rival platform Twitch has launched its own muted picture-in-picture ad type to improve the experience for viewers, and the response to it has generally been favorable. It’s possible this has played a direct role in Kick’s increasing eagerness to bring ads to its users.
Streamers could benefit significantly if ads are added to Kick, as advertisements are a massive part of the total payout in Twitch, and the same could be true for the Stake-backed platform. How viewers are affected by ads remains to be seen, as Eddie claims the platform wants to keep the viewer experience the same despite the addition of ads.
The advantageous revenue model on Kick should continue to attract streamers to the platform. But it remains to be seen if the introduction of ads will impact Kick’s ability to draw the viewers who actually support those streamers.
Feature image credit: Streamlabs
Khizar Mundia has been playing video games for as long as he can recall. Things have come a long way since the many days he spent playing the original NES, though. He now covers a variety of competitive games and esports, as well as the world of streaming, ranging from Twitch to Kick. If it’s of interest to gamers, it’s of interest to Khizar.
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