Ninja (real name Tyler Blevins) is hosting a Masterclass on how to become a streamer. And if ever there were a sign that livestreaming has arrived in the mainstream, it's seeing Ninja offer his expertise on the same site as people like Gordon Ramsay, Samuel L. Jackson, and Alicia Keys.
The Masterclass, aptly titled Become A Streamer, is actually one of the company's Masterclass Sessions, which is designed with a bit more of a structured curriculum in mind. If you'd like to sign up for Ninja's course, you need to do so here before March 31st.
Unlike the original Masterclass courses, Ninja's course is laid out like a 30-day program. The structure is designed to help attendants not just passively watch an expert, but actually set up their own stream.
In this case, there are five different "sections" comprised of multiple video lessons where Ninja walks students through everything from choosing your initial setup to building a brand and collaborating with others. Viewers can't skip ahead to other lessons and every lesson also has a due date.
Sessions are also more immersive than regular Masterclass videos because they feature teaching assistants who help students with assignments as well as a community where students are encouraged to engage with each other. Read more about the differences between regular Masterclass videos and Masterclass Sessions here.
The important thing to note is that the conversation isn't just around one platform or one type of livestreaming, either. Truthfully, anybody who is engaging enough can become a streamer.
Ninja famously took a deal to leave Twitch and exclusively stream on Microsoft's own streaming platform called Mixer. But Microsoft shut Mixer down and partnered with Facebook back in 2020, shocking much of the streaming world and sending Ninja back to Twitch.
The important thing to note is that the lessons Ninja — or really any experienced streamer — can teach you apply to a lot more than gaming. Some of the fastest growing sectors of streaming have little to nothing to do with gaming.
Music performances, talk shows, podcasts, trivia rounds, arts and crafts — there's an audience for just about everything. And in many cases, the fundamentals for finding, keeping, and monetizing that audience are the same.
There's another interesting angle to look at here, too. And that's what Ninja is getting out of doing this pre-recorded course: another revenue stream.
Sure, Ninja is arguably the most popular game streamer out there today and is certainly in the top echelon of all streamers. But that doesn't mean you have to be as successful — or even one tenth as successful — as him to monetize your own experience and knowledge.
The easiest way to do so is to begin creating your own tutorial videos on YouTube. The platform has turned into probably the largest educational site on the Internet, and if you have expertise, tutorials, gear reviews, or other things you're willing to share, with a decent setup and consistency, you can turn a YouTube channel into a monetized asset.
Another great option is a site like Skillshare, where anybody can submit lectures, classes, or courses and get paid for it. As the creator economy grows, creators are finding themselves being able to offer their advice and experience affordably the newer people just getting started.
It's a very cool emerging pattern and one we encourage you to look into as you continue to expand your brand and revenue streams.
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