DEV SITE ..48
Salary Range
€35k - €50k
Career Zone

In Brief...

Attracts and entertains an audience by creating content relating to video games.

Knowledge

  • Sales and Marketing Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
  • Computers and Electronics Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • English Language Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Communications and Media Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
  • Mathematics Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Knowledge areas are ranked by their importance to this career

Skills

  • Complex Problem Solving Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Reading Comprehension Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Active Learning Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Active Listening Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical Thinking Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Skills are ranked by their importance to this career

Work Environment

Game Influencers typically work in the following Career Sectors:

Charities
Community & Voluntary
Gaming
Information Technology (IT)
Esports
Leisure, Sport & Fitness

Videos on the Web

Most commonly reported Work Activities

  • Interacting With Computers Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Analysing Data or Information Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Processing Information Compiling, coding, categorising, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
  • Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

 

 

The Work

A content creator is someone who takes a game product, and adds their own personality and performance to it to create something more.

This might be a videos of themselves playing a game, competing in a competition, or creating a highlight reel of clips from a game. They might share thoughts and opinions on a game, or create artwork based on its characters and world.

They can make money by:

  • Fans offering donations and buying subscriptions.
  • Including ads in their content.
  • Selling artwork, merchandise, or providing other services their audience enjoys.

A game influencer is a content creator who additionally has a professional relationship with other businesses, usually to help with promotion of a product or brand.

They might make extra money through:

  • Sponsorships from game publishers (to play agreed-upon games for a set amount of time).
  • Sponsorships from lifestyle brands (to promote specific products).
  • Partnerships with a media organisation which are looking to expand their reach.
  • Working at events, such as game launches or esport competitions.

Some content creators spend most of their time on just one game, while others are more open to trying new things. A live-streamer who does this is known as a ‘variety streamer’.

‘V-Tubers’ produce video content accompanied by a virtual avatar, which may be synced to match their movements and speech.

Creating content online doesn’t always involve games. Many content creators will also engage in talk shows, and create content about their travel, cooking, music, and other hobbies as well.

There will be days where an influencer doesn’t feel like playing games, but they might have to anyway to stick to their schedule. Sometimes a game has updates which aren’t fun to play, or there can be lots of exposure to negative or disruptive behaviour from other gamers.

Reaching financial sustainability as a content creator isn’t easy. It takes a large audience with a consistent viewership to earn enough status to be approached by companies. It’s also important to have a good network to help find opportunities.

Work tasks...

  • Create compelling content — such as by live-streaming, recording “lets play” videos, attending events, participating in podcasts, or competing in esport competitions.
  • Build a relationship with other influencers to learn tips about the profession, keep up with trends, and collaborate on content creation.
  • Grow an audience of users by maintaining a steady schedule, developing a brand, and producing consistently high quality content.
  • Earn money either directly from fans, through a broadcast platform, or through business relationships.
  • Work with a support team — which may include volunteer moderators, a video editor, or a graphic designer.

 

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

  • Manage tracking and reporting of search-related activities and provide analyses to marketing executives.
  • Optimise digital assets, such as text, graphics, or multimedia assets, for search engine optimisation (SEO) or for display and usability on internet-connected devices.
  • Collect and analyse Web metrics, such as visits, time on site, page views per visit, transaction volume and revenue, traffic mix, click-through rates, conversion rates, cost per acquisition, or cost per click.
  • Participate in the development or implementation of online marketing strategy.
  • Optimise Web site exposure by analysing search engine patterns to direct online placement of keywords or other content.
  • Coordinate with developers to optimise Web site architecture, server configuration, or page construction for search engine consumption and optimal visibility.
  • Assist in setting up or optimising analytics tools for tracking visitors' behaviors.
  • Identify appropriate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and report key metrics from digital campaigns.
  • Create content strategies for digital media.
  • Combine secondary data sources with keyword research to more accurately profile and satisfy user intent.

Qualities - Game Influencer

To be a game influencer means running a business! It means treating playing games as a job, which has to be done following a strict schedule. It will take professionalism and tenacity to steadily build a following, as well as learning to be an entertainer (even if the professionalism goes away on-camera).

Game influencers have to do their taxes, negotiate their rates, and hire staff just like any other small business. It can be a challenge to keep finding the fun in playing games once they’ve become “work”, but for those who pull it off it can prove very rewarding.

Interests - Game Influencer

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

Investigative

The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.

Administrative

Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.

They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.

Entry - Game Influencer

Becoming a content creator is something anyone can do — however only a tiny portion succeed in making it a full-time job.

The entry route for most influencers is to start by creating content as a hobby: putting it out there, and seeing what sticks. This way there is little risk and plenty of opportunity to collect feedback, learn about one’s personal style, and how to stand out.

This can happen while working full-time or part-time in a job which provides a more reliable income.

Once someone has built an audience and understands the day-to-day of creating content, then transitioning to a full-time role can be a more informed decision.

Moving up in the world of influencers may require attending in-person events, to network with peers and meet game publishers.

Since the job of an influencer is always changing, watching Q&A sessions with current influencers is a great way to stay current with the demands of the job and how to grow into it.

Last Updated: January, 2023

Pay & Salary - Game Influencer

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €35k - €50k

Incomes are highly variable. Salaries vary by employer, location, duties, role, experience, and sessional shift pattern & conditions.

Incomes can develop a sideline income or be part of a portfolio of digital media marketing income from content & Community building. Income derives from your social media & sharing platform monetizatoin policies.

Data Source(s):
Influencermarketinghub/ Morgan McKinley/ CPL/ Prosperity

Last Updated: February, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

Labour Market Updates - Game Influencer

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Despite a strong employment growth rate for this occupation, employment levels fell between 2021 and 2022. Employment is spread across a number of roles including marketing associate professionals, buyers & procurement officers, conference/expo managers and estate agents. Employment permits issued in 2022 were primarily for roles in the ICT sector such as digital marketing and accounts managers with language skills required for some.

The Recruitment Agency Survey highlighted issues in sourcing candidates for procurement roles. The number of job adverts for this role grew in 2022, driven by increases for buyers/procurement officers and conference organisers etc. In addition, procurement/tendering documentation skills were not confined to this occupation, but were also in demand outside of sales roles, albeit in small numbers.

Useful Contacts - Game Influencer

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