How do you actually become a gaming influencer and what are your tasks? These questions are answered in our interview with Stefan "Rechyyy" Rech from Razer.
The world of Esports and gaming is constantly evolving and creating room for new jobs in the industry. That's why in our series we take a look at different career fields where you can make a living with Esports. We talked to gaming influencer Stefan "Rechyyy" Rech about his job.
He plays his favorite games and thousands of viewers watch him do it. Rechyy is living his dream and found his way into the world of Esports as a gaming influencer via classic streaming. After studying and working as a freelance community manager for the YouTube channel, Rechyyy landed at peripheral manufacturer Razer in 2015.
From Student To Gaming Influencer
Stefan "Rechyyy" Rech can now boast around 191 million video views on his YouTube channel. Almost 26,000 users have subscribed to his Twitch channel, and 500,000 follow him on YouTube. Stefan has turned his hobby into his profession, but is the job as a gaming influencer really a dream job?
"The most important thing is that you enjoy what you do and you shouldn't go into it expecting to necessarily make a profession out of your hobby," Rechyyy shares. Razer's Influencer Manager Rechyyy certainly has fun. After completing his studies in media informatics, he moved to the manufacturer with the well-known snake logo back in 2015, where he's in charge of looking after the broad target group as Influencer and Community Manager:
I had already been active as a YouTuber for a few years when Razer's Esports specialist at the time, Andrew Philippou, reached out to me in 2012 - he still works at Razer, by the way.
Influencer - a term whose significance in the gaming and Esports scene has been increasing for years. But there's a lot more to it than just presenting your face on social networks. But first and foremost, you need a concept, Stefan reveals:
If you produce gaming content today, cooking videos tomorrow, and "Do it Yourself" videos next week, that doesn't tend to work for the start - so you should focus on one segment.
How Do You Even Become An Influencer?
The job of a gaming influencer involves a lot more work than you might imagine at first glance. Patience, motivation and stamina are necessary, because building your own community takes time. Continuous creation of content and the acceptance and implementation of feedback are other things that you should definitely pay attention to:
Even if many would like to have a secret recipe for becoming an influencer, unfortunately there is no such thing. The first step is to create your own channel on the platform of your choice. You should take a close look at the well-known streaming platforms, such as YouTube and Twitch.
Enthusiasm for what you do is particularly important. Viewers notice whether you put passion into your videos or not - if you enjoy what you're doing and give them creative content, they'll stick with it.
Fresh ideas and fun are crucial, the first equipment at the beginning not so much:
A good headset is enough for starters and you can also record videos with your smartphone camera. The actual content is more important. In the long run, you can create higher quality content with appropriate equipment. A ring camera for better illumination, like our Razer Kiyo, and a microphone with better voice quality and shielding, like our Seiren X, make videos look more professional.
As your reach increases, with a little luck, companies will take notice of your work and approach you. So you might secure a new microphone, a better laptop or new hardware and, just like Stefan, end up in a permanent position:
When I was still working for Razer on a freelance basis, I was one of the first Europeans to get a Razer Blade laptop as a sponsorship. I also went to events with them, produced content for Razer there, and was able to expand my own reach through Razer's reach.
Are you looking for a job right now? Check out our job page!
Influencer Turned Manager
As Rechyyy's channel and reach continued to grow, his contact with Razer steadily increased. And at some point, the influencer became a manager.
In my position, in addition to content for the European social media channels, I'm also responsible for working with influencers. I'm in constant contact with them and plan sweepstakes, collaborations, product placements, and trade show appearances with influencers at the Razer booth.
But when it comes to selecting potential faces for future campaigns, it's not just the reach of the channel that counts: a certain affinity with the topic, the principles and the brand are the decisive criteria.
Of course, Razer also values long-term collaboration with partners, but Stefan and his team always keep their eyes open for talent:
We actively scout for newcomers and evaluate potential partnerships. We also use great YouTubers as brand ambassadors: For example, the well-known German influencer Unge recently joined the Razer family as an official headset partner.
The Razer Brand As An Employer
Stefan is convinced of Razer as an employer. Everyone in the company loves gaming and Esports the way gamers do:
We make the kind of products we want to use for gaming ourselves, and that's exactly what our motto "For Gamers. By Gamers." - I don't know any company that does it quite like Razer.
Stefan works for a company that he stands behind and whose products he can recommend to viewers, friends and acquaintances with a clear conscience. And that's exactly what's important for an influencer. No: that's important for any profession. Because you can only do well what you really enjoy doing.
The passion for gaming is reflected every day in the office. We have different gaming groups: Some play League of Legends, others gather for a FIFA match during their lunch break. When Valorant came out, a group of employees immediately got excited about it.
It looks like Stefan "Rechyyy" Rech has really found his dream job. And as gaming and Esports continue to grow, the influence of influencers (badum-tss) is also likely to increase.