Curious about doing raids? Officially introduced in the TwitchCon 2017 Keynote , raiding is an essential part of livestream culture. So whether you’re a new creator dipping your toes into streaming or a viewer who wants to learn more about this aptly named feature, we’re sure you’ve wondered how to raid Twitch .
Well, you’ve come to the right place!
In this nifty little raid guide , we’ll cover the ins and outs of raids, including:
- How to do
- How to manage and configure raids
- The benefits of raiding
- Differences to similar features, like hosting
By the end, we’ll be sure you know how to loot someone on Twitch .
So, let’s dive!
What is a Twitch Raid and how does it work?
Let’s start with the basics. Raiding is a powerful feature that lets you send your live audience to another channel after you finish your stream . Of course, you can also use it during your stream, but all incoming viewers will only see your stream and not the raid target’s. That’s why it’s best to use it after a broadcast.
Simply put, Raids Twitch lets you share and extend the fun by redirecting your viewers to someone else’s stream.
It’s also a great way to build a sense of community with your fellow live streamers . The Raid is a fun community experience that allows streamers to support each other.
You can imagine the benefits of looting a bigger channel and having that channel notice you and come back to you! An increase in the number of followers is only one of the possible merits of the raid. We’ll cover these benefits in detail further down in our guide.
For now, let’s focus on the collaborative aspect of raiding, which makes it similar to hosting.
Twitch Raid Against Host
Hosting and raids help streamers get exposure and reach a wider audience. Given their similarity, it’s easy to confuse the two. But they are not the same!
First of all, it is possible to host someone during a raid on Twitch ; when you are offline, your channel will also host your raid target’s channel.
Now let’s compare the two:
- Hosting does not redirect your audience . Hosting directly embeds the target channel’s feed on your page and your audience stays put. On the other hand, Raid Twitch means that you send your viewers to someone else’s video stream. So it’s like a reverse situation!
- Hosting is generally more of a passive tool. Usually, it’s meant to showcase the content you love during your offline hours (and you can set it up automatically, thanks to the Twitch Auto-Host feature). But the raid is a direct call to action where you send your Twitch raid viewers to spread some love. The raid is also more of an event, surrounded by a bit more excitement and urgency.
- Hosting is useful during your offline time . Live broadcasters often host other people’s videos when they are offline. Raiding requires different timing: it’s best to start a raid towards the end of your stream.
How to Raid Someone on Twitch
Before starting the raid, it is wise to warn your viewers and tell them about the targeted channel. That way everyone knows what’s going on.
Now there are two ways to start a raid .
You can enter the Twitch raid command : /raid , followed by your target’s name.
Or, simply click on the Quick Action Raid Channel on your Creator Dashboard and choose your target.
So far, so good! So what happens next?
Raid timer
A pop-up message with a 10 second Twitch Raid Timer will appear, which also tracks the number of participating raiders. After 10 seconds you can click the Raid Now button and run the raid.
You may notice a purple bar at the bottom during your countdown and wonder why it’s there. If this bar runs out and you haven’t clicked “Raid Now” or “Cancel”, it just means the raid will start automatically. Good, huh?
Don’t forget that you can always type /discard or Cancel Raid during the countdown if you change your mind about it.
Twitch raid viewers will also see a message with a countdown and Quick Join . When the countdown ends, they will be transported to the raid’s target channel. They can leave the raid at any time by clicking the Leave button on the message. So, no worries – in this type of raid, no one is held at gunpoint to stay!
You can start or join a Twitch Raid on mobile too.
Everyone on the target channel will be notified of the raid and its size. The message will look like this: “went on a raid with a group of.”
Times like these can be quite exciting for smaller channels, especially if the raid is big. The bigger the raid, the bigger the surprise.
And now you know how to raid on Twitch ! We told you it would be easy. Still, there are a few other things to keep in mind when raiding.
Raid Tags
Let’s talk about etiquette raids .
Always try to make it a positive experience for everyone involved. This is significant, given raiding’s “dark past” when people used it as a trolling and harassment tactic. We’ve all heard stories of wild 4chan raids on unassuming streamers, which can quickly turn an enjoyable experience sour. So try to keep things friendly and fun for others!
Also, it’s best to ask live streamers you don’t know for their permission to loot them . Usually they will enthusiastically give you their blessing, but it’s good to check just in case. Sometimes spontaneous Twitch Raids can be a good thing and a pleasant surprise for the target channel. However, they can be overwhelming. So your safest bet is to plan ahead and ask permission.
One more thing.
Let the attacked channel know you’re part of the raid by writing a raid message in their chat box. Keep it short and try to be the most entertaining and charming of yourself!
What are the benefits of raiding?
Raid Twitch is a mutually rewarding activity at heart.
Imagine this:
You loot a streamer, they might loot you back, then someone else, and so on. As you can see, it all started when you reached out to someone, which led to a chain reaction of good vibes . It only takes one act of generosity (like raiding someone) to turn it into a flood of followers , subscriptions, and donations, which is good for the entire Twitch Raid community .
Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to loot someone and expect some sort of refund. But if you want to maximize the chances of someone reciprocating your efforts, you should try to Twitch raid a channel that’s similar to yours in size and content . Raiding larger and smaller streams also has its advantages.
Let’s look!
When you raid live streamers with larger subscriber counts, you might get lost in the noise. However, you might have exceptional luck and win the subscribers jackpot thanks to them.
On the other hand, if you raid streamers with smaller fanbases, they will deeply appreciate it. For these streamers, this raid can mean a lot!
This is why raiding is also a way to level the playing field in live streaming .
As we all know, even the first steps of setting up your feed can seem daunting. You need to think about a lot of things, from streaming software to lighting . On top of that, it can be tough to make a name for yourself in a sea of 9+ million unique streamers per month !
Luckily, raids are a great way to attract a new audience, grow your network, and support your existing network.
How to set up a raid?
Raiding may seem like a chaotic activity, but don’t worry! You are still responsible for who can loot you and how. the Tic raï d settings has you covered.
Let’s take a look at these options.
Who can plunder me?
You should know that by default you are open to all raids and raiders. This means anyone can loot you at any time.
Don’t like the sound of that? Luckily, you have the ability to manage any Twitch Raids . Head to your Creator Dashboard and click on the Broadcast Settings .
Scroll down a bit and find the Raids section.
There you can choose between:
- Allow all raids (default)
- Only allow raids from friends, teammates and followed channels
- Block all raids
Depending on how adventurous you feel, you can customize your Raid Twitch experience and have fun your way.
Who robbed me?
You might want to check your recent raids in case you missed any notifications. To do this, click on the cog in the lower right corner of your chat – your chat settings . There, take a look at the Tasks section and click on Review Recent Raids , and make sure you don’t miss anything. Useful, right?
What about the cat?
Let’s say you weren’t expecting a raid on Twitch to go rogue, and you have people spamming you or doing the chat equivalent of throwing tomatoes at you. What to do in such a situation? Relax: you can restrict their entry into the chat ! Again, the chat settings cog is your friend. Click on it and check the Channel Modes section.
Here you can find different chat modes, each useful in its own way:
- Chat with emoticons only : Prevents anyone in your chat from saying anything (medium). Think, “Staff and stones may break my bones, but emotes will never hurt me!” Basically, it’s made trolling harder for Twitch Raiders haters .
- Subscriber-Only Chat : Restricts chat privileges to your subscribers. If you click on it, you can also customize how long everyone must follow you to be eligible for chat (eg, “Followers can chat if they’ve followed for at least 10 minutes”).
- Slow Mode : Forces users to wait between sending messages. You can customize the wait time to be anywhere from three seconds to two minutes.
- Followers Only : Restricts chat privileges to, you guessed it, your followers. This option is only available for partners/affiliates.
Can I report or ban chat on Twitch Raiders?
Sure you can!
If all else fails, you can visit chat settings again and click Review recent raids . Look for your culprits there and select their appropriate phrases: Report or else Ban . They won’t be raiding your channel anytime soon.
Wrap
Raiding on Twitch is a fun and flexible way to grow your viewer base, make friends with other streamers, and strengthen your existing bonds with other streamers and your audience. Here, the “big fish” can help the “small fish”, instead of eating them.
We’ve seen how raids can ease the growing difficulties of new chains and help them break through. For these reasons, they are an indispensable networking tool for live streamers .
Now that you know how to raid Twitch , there’s nothing stopping you from blasting someone’s stream and cheering them up. And I hope they return the gesture and make your day too.
