Introduction

Hii If you’re here you’re probably a Coworking streamer, new or old it doesn’t matter so welcome!!

This document aims to shed light on the newly born "coworking category" on Twitch.

You will find:

• a bit of history, the advocacy path and the progress made until the appearance of the category.
• A list of pros and cons on using that category.
• Probably some insight from "expert" streamers

Read it thoroughly, think about it, get your idea and maybe share it with the community!

Check out the creators of this document and share it if you think it can help someone else!

<aside> <img src="/icons/list_gray.svg" alt="/icons/list_gray.svg" width="40px" /> Table of content

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A bit of history

The Coworking format went “viral” around 2020 and 2021 with the lockdown.

• January 25th 2021 - We asked Twitch to give us a Coworking Tag
• June 16th 2021 - Twitch gave us the coworking tag

Then Twitch changed the tag system introducing open tags

• November 22nd 2022 - We opened a User Voice asking Twitch to get us a Coworkig category

Somewhere during 2023 Twitch created a “Reading, Studying and Coworking” collection

• September 12th 2023 the User Voice got label as “gathering interest”

Pro and Cons

<aside> <img src="/icons/checkmark-line_green.svg" alt="/icons/checkmark-line_green.svg" width="40px" /> Pros

1. Less competition than "Just Chatting"
2. More discoverability from people searching by the category
3. Allow users to know when it's a productivity stream, rather than a regular Just Chatting stream (from a following feed, for example)
4. Less likely to be targeted by trolls/toxic people commonly found in Just Chatting category </aside>

<aside> <img src="/icons/close_red.svg" alt="/icons/close_red.svg" width="40px" /> Cons

1. Twitch thinks you're playing a game
2. (Speculation) Users who watch the "Coworking" category may be misunderstood by the algorithm, leading to more game recommendations
3. (Speculation) Streamers using the "Coworking" category may have a significant divide from those who are using the "Just Chatting" category by the Twitch algorithm (in terms of user recommendations)
4. Twitch’s algorithm may not accurately promote coworking streams to interested viewers
5. You're less likely to be on the "Reading, Studying, and Coworking" list on the front page
6. Subjected to be in violation of Twitch TOS about "miscategorizing" since you're not playing the game. (I am aware of the instance of "I'm Only Sleeping")
7. (Speculation) May reduce likelihood of Twitch actually implementing an official Coworking category, due to concerns of conflicts in the algorithm (Twitch may think: A lot of people are streaming "coworking", implementing a "coworking & study" category will just mess things up) </aside>

Resources

Coworking Category User Voice

*📚 Why should "Study and Coworking" have its own category on Twitch? 📝 ~* by @Seijisoldier

*There is a new #coworking category on #Twitch… shoud we be excited? ~* by @Seijisoldier on Tiktok

Credits

Coworking Crew Twitch Team

Ellyskey, AnnaLemontea, **sunfflawer,** Berrysushi, RumpleStudy, Seijisoldier, Aezylla

RythonDev