How Twitch got its first users?
Twitch began in 2005 as Justin.tv, with a focus on real-life entertainment rather than gaming.
Justin.tv was a tiny platform featuring "channels" of user profiles. By using the "Broadcast" function, users were able to stream. There were several categories for the content. You could stream on Justin.tv via a variety of devices just as you can do it now on Twitch. Justin.tv also got a lot of media attention, which was really useful for its user acquisition.
The platform's earliest users were attracted by the founder, Justin Kan's, unusual approach. He used it to broadcasted his life 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People viewing the webcast wanted to participate somehow in the show. For example, only four days after the show's debut, viewers called the police to report an alleged "stabbing" event at Kan's residence. As a consequence, police raided his home. Six fire trucks arrived the following day after another person reported a fire at his place.
Soon, the creators realized that the fastest-growing genre on Justin.tv was e-sports content and gaming. That's why they created a new platform, TwitchTV, now focused mainly on those two categories as a way for niche targeting. Since the creators had already got their audience from the popularity of Justin.tv, Twitch user acquisition was rapid, and its popularity spread fast.
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