Twitch For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Twitch is an exciting entertainment platform. With Twitch, you can watch broadcasters show off their talents as they live-stream themselves playing video games, playing music, showing off their hobbies, and so much more. And you can set up your own channel and start broadcasting your own content. The great thing about Twitch is that you can interact with your audience while streaming, which builds a sense of community.

Twitch chat commands

Twitch is all about interaction, and one of the key ways to interact is through Chat. There are a number of Chat commands you and your community can use, not only to moderate your channel but to create connections with other streamers, customize messages appearing in your Chat window, and more. Here are a few Chat commands you should know for your stream:

For broadcasters

Raid — /raid <channel>
- Takes host and Chat automatically to another streamer’s channel in a raid
Mod — /mod <username>
- Promotes a user to channel moderator
Unmod — /unmod <username>
- Demotes a channel moderator
Host — /host <channel>
- Allows you to host another channel on your own channel

For broadcasters and moderators

Timeout — /timeout <username> [seconds]
- Temporarily bans someone from Chat
- Timeouts last for 10 minutes, by default, or can be set by an optional [seconds] value. A new timeout command will overwrite a previous timeout
Ban — /ban <username>
- Permanently bans a user from Chat
Unban — /unban <username>
- Lifts a user’s perma-ban from Chat
Subscribers — /subscribers
- Sets Chat to only subscribed users
Subscribersoff — /subscribersoff
- Returns Chat from Subscribers Only to all users
Emoteonly — /emoteonly
- - Allows your Chat to use only emotes as messages
Emoteonly — /emoteonlyoff
- Returns Chat from Emote Only to all users
Poll — /poll
- Creates a poll that Chat can participate in; type /poll into Chat and press the Enter key twice to create the poll
Clear — /clear
- Wipes Chat history

For everyone

Mods — /mods
- Displays all Chat moderators for the channel
Color — /color <colorname>
- Changes the color of your username. The <colorname> options are:
  - Blue
  - Coral
  - DodgerBlue
  - SpringGreen
  - YellowGreen
  - Green
  - OrangeRed
  - Red
  - GoldenRod
  - HotPink
  - CadetBlue
  - SeaGreen
  - Chocolate
  - BlueViolet
  - Firebrick
Ignore — /ignore <username>
- Blocks specific users in Chat and Whispers if you do not want to see their comments
Unignore — /unignore <username>
- Lifts “Ignore” block from specific users
Me — /me <text>
- Colors and italicizes your text based on your Chat name color

Twitch tags (examples from A-H

Before going live, your stream is allowed tags to appear in searches and specific subcategories where people may be searching for new content. The following are only a few examples of the many tags available to streamers. Here’s a complete list of Twitch tags.

A11y: For streams featuring the accessibility community

AMA: For streams with an emphasis on the answering of viewer questions

Baking: For streams with an emphasis on the preparation of baked goods

Blind: For streams and content featuring the blind community

Charity: For streams with an emphasis on fundraising for a charitable cause

Chatty: For streams and content featuring a chatty mood or vibe

Drag: For streams in which the streamer showcases the art of drag

Dreamcast: For streams in which the streamer is playing on a Dreamcast console

Emote Design: For streams with an emphasis on the discussion or design of emotes

Extra Life: For streams that feature participation in the Extra Life fundraising campaign for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Filming: For streams with an emphasis on the act or discussion of recording video

First Playthrough: For streams that feature the first-time playthrough of a game

Game Awards: For streams related to the attendance or discussion of the annual Game Awards event

Gay: For streams and content featuring the gay community

He/Him: A masculine pronoun used to refer to a person in place of their name

Horror: For games that feature elements consistent with the Horror genre

Twitch channel: Suggested panels

When setting up your channel page on Twitch.tv, it is a good idea to have a complete profile. If you don’t know what to put into your channel page, here are a few ideas to consider:

Schedule
Rules (for Chat)
Brief biography of host(s)
Technical specifications of streaming PC
Best online contact information
Social media links

Interview preparation tips

Are you planning to interview someone on your stream? If you are new to interviewing others or want to level up your journalism skills, here are a few tips to take to heart:

Know who you’re talking to and what you want to talk about. It’s a good idea to visit guests’ websites or social media to do research. You don’t have to be an expert on their subject matter, but you should be familiar with it.
Ensure that your questions follow a logical progression.
Prepare twice the number of questions you think you’ll need. Then if your guest gives brief answers, you have a stockpile of questions to call upon.
Never worry about asking a stupid question. Chances are, your audience has never heard it answered before.

Popular streaming software

Console streaming take a lot of the guesswork out of streaming. When you jump into the stream with a PC, a whole new world opens up before you. It’s good to have friends along with you on this journey, and here are a few friends you should keep close: