TikTok, Twitch and Pinterest are among the newest digital platforms reinforcing their presence in the Latin America scenario. Through the recent appointment ofexecutives covering regional businesses, these companies are dynamizing the business by connecting with content creators, medias and other key players.
According to Twitch Traker, Amazon-owned platform had 2.9 million average concurrent viewers, 9.5 million active streamers and 2 billion hours of content were watched last February. 41% of its users are aged 16-24, 32% are aged 25-34, while 65% are male and 35% female, according to GlobalWebIndex. It has market share of 67% content hours watched, and 90% of content streamed, indicated Streamlab/Stream Hatchet. With only 10 years in the business, Twitch has had more than 67 billion hours of viewership and has grown enormously.
Owned by Bytedance (China) and available in 40 languages, TikTok is the newest social media worldwide. Since its launch in 2016, it rapidly gained popularity in East Asia, South East Asia, USA, Turkey, Russia and other parts of the world such as Latin America. With close to 700 million global users, it is the most downloaded app worldwide in both, AppStore and Google Play, as well “Overall Downloads”, according to data from SensorTower.
With almost 450 million users, Pinterest is having a historic year in 2021. In recent months, the platform introduced Idea Pins, its new Pin format that allows creators to more easily generate content and build audiences on the platform, as well as new tools that allow them to partner with brands and monetize sponsored content. It also put in place a new advertising policy to ban all language and image ads about weight loss.
The three companies are gaining momentum in Latin America. Twitch, which was born with video game streaming and now goes beyond that world, is one of the most used live streaming platforms around the world. USA, Germany, Russia, Canada and France are the most important markets, while League of Legends (38.64billion), Fortnite (23.03 billion), CS: GO (17.42 billion), DOTA 2 (15.85 billion) and Grand Theft Auto V (12.16 billion) are the most viewed games.
But USA and Europe are not the only growing regions, Latin America, too. Ignacio Estanga, Director of Content for the region, explains: ‘Entertainment consumption is changing and we are at the center of this transformation, since Twitch is a place where anyone can participate in the creation of the moment. We have learned from our audience that people like to participate and be part of their entertainment. And the secret ingredient is its global community, coming together to create the future of entertainment’.
The platform is powerful because it is aligned with the core values of younger audiences: ‘Community members not only interact with the channels they loved, they contribute to them as well. They volunteer their time and money, moderating channels and financially supporting creators. And this, of course, has contributed to the growth of the platform’, underlines Estanga.
‘Our community and monetization tools are the key. No other service has the infrastructure and tools that we have to fuel real-time engagement and help creators monetize at the same time. We also had record levels of engagement in streamers, viewers, and watch hours. In the four weeks since social distancing began, we saw a 57% increase in viewing hours, compared to the previous four weeks. Globally, everything related to gaming generates USD 137 billion in revenue, more than music, which generates USD 105 billion’, the executive adds.
Estanga concludes: ‘Twitch also makes the difference with the engagement, which is at the heart of what we do. This is not just watching live TV, you are talking to content and that content responds which makes it an amazing way to connect with people from all over the world and share common interests. especially during these difficult times’.
Recently, TikTok appointed Gabriela Comazzetto as Director of Global Business Solutions for Latin America, expanding the big success of the company in Brazil to the regional market. Additionally, Tatiana Gouveiawas named Global Commercial Marketing Director for Latin America and she helps advertisers and agencies to engage in an authentic, meaningful and creative way to achieve their goals.TikTok is one of the world’s leading destination for short-form videos.
The main objective of the executives is to offer innovative solutions to brands and marketing professionals. In this new role, Comazzettooversees the commercial side of the business, including brand partnerships, customer solutions, business marketing and sales operations for the entire region.
‘TikTok is designed to inspire creativity and spark joy through content that can only be found on the platform. For brands and marketers, this opens a whole new window of Opportunities to create TikToks, not ads, that speak to our highly engaged community, and I’m excited to bring our products and solutions across the region’, remarks the executive.
Chinese platform has become the preferred platform to express themselves among today’s mobile-savvy audience and has been increasingly sought after by brands who aim to connect and engage with a wider audience through the spirit.
Coming from Google, Fernanda Cerávolo, Director of Content and Creators, Pinterest Latin Americajoined the platform to lead the content area and the relationship with local and regional creators. ‘Pinterest is authentic and engagesdifferent moments of our lives, for personal and professional purposes. This is a unique moment in history and content platforms, social media, video platforms and all tech businesses that seek people’s time and attention have the opportunity and responsibility to help build a place. positive and more inclusive for all’, she concludes.
