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I've had a ton of people reach out to me over the last few months curious about my experience on Facebook Gaming.
Things went incredibly well for me, so why did I switch to Twitch? It's amazing how quickly things can go from good to total shit-storm.
Long thread to follow:
Things went incredibly well for me, so why did I switch to Twitch? It's amazing how quickly things can go from good to total shit-storm.
Long thread to follow:
Algorithm Dependency:
Your channel on FBG is 100% controlled by FBG's algorithm. If their algorithm doesn't favor you, you're doomed to fail.
To maintain that favor: play only popular games, don't vary your content, never take a break, don't link to your external socials,
Your channel on FBG is 100% controlled by FBG's algorithm. If their algorithm doesn't favor you, you're doomed to fail.
To maintain that favor: play only popular games, don't vary your content, never take a break, don't link to your external socials,
change your description each stream, don't cuss, don't make adult-related jokes; you can't *just* stream & you MUST post daily clips, use your stories, & just so much more... The platform is filled with "do's & don'ts" & it's not consistent for everyone. You do 1 thing to upset
that algorithm & you're fucked.
Everything was awesome for me up until I took a 2-week break. After that, no matter what I tried, I couldn't get back into the algorithm's favor. For MONTHS. Due to that, I couldn't reach more than 5% of my following & that was on a GOOD
Everything was awesome for me up until I took a 2-week break. After that, no matter what I tried, I couldn't get back into the algorithm's favor. For MONTHS. Due to that, I couldn't reach more than 5% of my following & that was on a GOOD
day (actual stats, not an exaggeration), and my reach towards new viewers was completely non-existent. This leads directly into my next point-
Window Shoppers:
On other platforms, viewers browse through a game they want to watch to find new streamers. People don't do that on FBG. I could be in the top 3 streamers for any game I was playing, but new viewers simply didn't come by. I've never been on any other platform
On other platforms, viewers browse through a game they want to watch to find new streamers. People don't do that on FBG. I could be in the top 3 streamers for any game I was playing, but new viewers simply didn't come by. I've never been on any other platform
with such a skewed popularity to growth ratio! Top streamers grow, that's just how it works, except on FBG... if you're not showing up on people's timelines on FBG, you're not getting their view. How do you show up on their timelines, you ask? Yep, the algorithm's favor.
FB Jail:
Don't chat in a stream these days. Seriously. You'll probably get sent to FB Jail for anywhere from 24-hours to a week. Doesn't even matter if you said "I like your pug". You could get auto-flagged & when you repeal it'll probably be denied. It's stupid.
Don't chat in a stream these days. Seriously. You'll probably get sent to FB Jail for anywhere from 24-hours to a week. Doesn't even matter if you said "I like your pug". You could get auto-flagged & when you repeal it'll probably be denied. It's stupid.
Chargeback Protection:
The upside to using platform currency is that they offer chargeback protection! Encourage the use of Stars & you don't have to worry about the assholes refunding, right? WRONG. FBG allows people to refund Stars, & for a long time after sending. Good luck.
The upside to using platform currency is that they offer chargeback protection! Encourage the use of Stars & you don't have to worry about the assholes refunding, right? WRONG. FBG allows people to refund Stars, & for a long time after sending. Good luck.
Notifications:
They don't work.
They don't work.
It's Facebook:
Seriously, every other week you see hashtag trends like # DeleteFacebook # FuckFacebook # CancelFacebook, etc etc... People do NOT like Facebook. The younger generation isn't using it & ours is slowly doing away with it. If they want to succeed, they must consider
Seriously, every other week you see hashtag trends like # DeleteFacebook # FuckFacebook # CancelFacebook, etc etc... People do NOT like Facebook. The younger generation isn't using it & ours is slowly doing away with it. If they want to succeed, they must consider
changing their name & separating themselves from FB. You don't see people upset at Instagram all the time, but if it were called "FacebookPictures" I guarantee people would feel entirely different about it (Facebook owns Insta for those who may not know). Branding matters.
It's Not The Platform, It's The Streamers:
Every other post on my timeline, every FBG Discord I was in... someone's upset & talking about how broken FBG has been the last few months. Streamers & Partners, anywhere from a couple thousand followers to literally HUNDREDS of
Every other post on my timeline, every FBG Discord I was in... someone's upset & talking about how broken FBG has been the last few months. Streamers & Partners, anywhere from a couple thousand followers to literally HUNDREDS of
thousand, ALL saying "something isn't right here".
No matter what we did, what proof we showed, staff would always come back with "You just have to do better" or "try doing this or that instead".
I'm sorry, but if 85% your streamers are saying something is broken, maybe
No matter what we did, what proof we showed, staff would always come back with "You just have to do better" or "try doing this or that instead".
I'm sorry, but if 85% your streamers are saying something is broken, maybe
you should listen? There's no way someone amassed a following of 400k followers, & then one day ALL their viewers just decide "wow this streamer actually sucks, I don't want to watch anymore". The only streamers arguing with the rest of us saying "FBG isn't broken, look at my
channel I'm doing great!", they're literally the ones bending over backwards to conform to the algorithm. We can't be ourselves on FBG, we MUST be the way FBG wants us to be. Those who conform thrive & see nothing wrong. FBG throws non-conformists in the trash.
I'm not trying to burn bridges with FBG. I truly believe if they listened to their streamers that it could be the best streaming platform out there! However, I'm not going to sit back silently either when there are serious problems affecting everyone. When the VP of the platform
responded with "it's not the platform, it's the streamers", that was the end of FBG for me. [Said conversation was immediately deleted]
TL;DR - FBG can be the best or worst streaming platform you've worked on, it depends on who you want to be: cookie-cutter streamer or *you*?
TL;DR - FBG can be the best or worst streaming platform you've worked on, it depends on who you want to be: cookie-cutter streamer or *you*?
