How Kick.com Started - Origins, Founders & Streamer Success

It’s been a whirlwind few years at Kick HQ. From beginning as the new kid on the block to becoming a staple of the live-streaming world, the journey has been long but worthwhile. Despite only launching as a video platform at the end of 2022, it only took until September 2023 to hit a record of nearly one million viewers online at one time. Now with over half a million content creators calling Kick.com their home, it’s now clear that this is a leading streaming platform.

What is Kick.com?

More than anything, Kick is a place for innovation in entertainment. With so much company interference for streamers on other live video streaming platforms, there was space for a platform that allowed its content creators the freedom to explore what they wanted to make their niche. The aim is to give the power to those who make the platform.

The Origins of Kick.com

The online streaming platform began life as the brainchild of tech entrepreneurs and a popular streamer, Trainwreckstv, looking to disrupt the status quo that was keeping the revenue share of content creators low. The group looked at the streaming industries and saw a niche for a streamer-first approach to creating content that wasn’t being filled by the established names. That led to the 2022 launch of Kick.com and it has continued to grow since then, with a number of famous names making the platform its home, including established streamers like xQc and Adin Ross.

Speaking about Trainwreckstv involvement, Craven says, “The very first discussions around Kick involved Trainwrecks. He’s been there since before day one - he’s been there the whole way. He’s added invaluable feedback towards the roadmap.”

Who Owns Kick.com?

The project was originally developed by a group that included two Australian entrepreneurs who had made their names in the world of cryptocurrency and online gambling ventures, such as Stake.com. Bijan Tehrani and Ed Craven are the two who still own and operate Kick, continuing to grow the brand by acquiring deals with active streamers from a number of different niches. As well as sticking to their roots by locking down gambling streamers, particularly in the casino category of streaming, the pair have diversified the offering on the platform by signing landmark deals with personalities like chess grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura.

The Growth of Kick.com

It’s no exaggeration to say that the platform has experienced a phenomenal boom in its short time online. With thousands of active channels going live every day, and follower counts for the biggest personalities approaching 1 million, it’s clear that Kick is here to stay. That’s only been possible because of the community of creators that have put their trust in the service offered and helped to make the platform a great, entertaining place to be.

How Did Kick.com Become the Fast Growing Streaming Platform?

Achieving the feat of disrupting the monopoly that a lot of other sites had on the streaming industry was never going to be easy. But Bijan Tehrani and Eddie Craven started Kick with one thing in mind that was going to help propel the platform to the heights it finds itself at now. That is creating a creator-friendly platform that ensured a fairer revenue split than any of the competitors on the market.

Craven stated the mission of Kick when saying, “what we are doing is continuing to design a platform to rival behemoths previously without proper competition, which properly recognizes the value of live streaming”.

And value is something that the two at the helm of the brand-new streaming experience held at the heart of the business. Aside from ensuring that 95% of the subscription revenue a streamer makes, they keep, they also made a point of signing the hottest names in content creation so that the user, the viewer, was getting full value from live streaming. These focuses have helped propel the platform to where it is now.

What Were The Challenges of Starting Kick.com?

As Ed touched on when discussing the mission that the owners had when building the Kick community, the biggest obstacle has always been the monopoly that the competition has had on the streaming ecosystem. Being the new kid on the block is only a good thing if everyone knows that you have something better to offer, otherwise you can be written off as just a pretender. Getting your foot in the door of a market dominated by a small number of tech giants with billionaire backing is no small task. But with perseverance, one of the most revolutionary revenue models in the industry, and the help of a group of dedicated streamers, the platform could grow and become a thriving place to make content.

Where to Next?

There’s absolutely no doubt that it’s an incredibly exciting time to be involved with Kick. It’s a platform that only turns one year old in December of 2023. To have already achieved the numbers that it has - including reaching 10 million users in seven months - is nothing short of outstanding. However, the founders are aware that now is not the time to stand still and the team have dedicated themselves to continuing to build and improve the site, mobile app, and overall platform.

Esports

The world of video games is intrinsically linked to Kick as a streaming platform. Icon xQc began life as a League of Legends streamer and is still heavily involved in the gaming community. More than that, though, the world of esports is also continuing to grow and Kick is looking to facilitate that and acquire rights to leading competitions, leagues, events, and showdowns. Expect official announcements in the near future.

Ed says this on the matter, “esports live streams is something that we really want to continue to get into. We think it’s the key to long term success.”

Creator Incentive Program

It’s a move that will likely change the face of live streaming forever. And, it’s official, the team at Kick is in the in early stages of introducing a new program that will allow content creators the chance to build a secure and prosperous career on the platform. This will mean that eligible creators can apply to receive an hourly wage for the hours that they are live to an active audience. This is largely unheard of in the industry and will help streamers continue to build and bring new, fresh content to the table.

“We think it’s going to be game changing. Our biggest excitement is that it’s going to allow for a lot of people who are small-to-medium size streamers to give it a red hot crack!”

Kick Convention

Streaming platforms are only as good as their community. Because of that, the team at Kick are looking at what can be done to get everyone together, streamers, viewers, and behind-the-scenes teams. The best way to foster a great environment to work, play, and watch in is to build a strong relationship between everyone involved. Kick is all about growing together and that’s a big part of setting up in person events.

On the topic, Eddie said, “I can assure you, it’s going to be really cool. We’ve got a way of doing things which resonates with the community and I think you guys are going to love what we have in store for this!”

How to Stream on Kick.com

With all of the information on where the platform comes from, if you’re looking to get into joining the long list of Kick streamers, it’s simple to get started. First, you’ll need to think of your content personality and how you want to present yourself. Then, you can create an account on the Kick streaming software, choosing your channel and username. Once you’ve done all of that, though, you’ll need to work hard to build your audience. You will also need to know exactly what kit to use, including peripheral services like Restream Studio. Luckily, there are resources and user stories that you can take advantage of for advice on how to do exactly that.

Get More Streaming Tips on Kick Community

Building an audience the size of prominent streamers like Amouranth can seem like a daunting task. Firstly, the important thing is to take it one step at a time. Grow organically and don’t feel like you have to be topping the charts straight away. But if you need some help finding your way on a new platform, there is a passionate streaming community that has been built to offer advice, tips, and support. You can look at streamer showcases to learn from what the best and brightest are doing to create their brand, as well as take advantage of the guides in the community resources. On top of that, there is even Side Kicks, a volunteer program that aims to support streamers and platform alike. You’re never going to be alone in building something new, so make sure to access all of the information on the Kick Community to help get you up and running in the world of streaming.