Twitch Raids: How They Work And How To Get More To Grow Your Audience

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Since Twitch introduced raids it has given a big boost to streamers who want to grow their community. Both raiding and being raided can really help grow your community. In this article we explore why and how to raid on Twitch for streamers of all sizes and cover advice about:

  • How Raids Work
  • The Benefits Of Raiding
  • The Benefits Of Being Raided
  • How To Respond To A Raid
  • How To Gain More Raids

What Is A Raid?

A raid is when a streamer brings their community into another person’s stream. Raids are a great way to build relationships, grow community, and support your fellow creators.

Raiding As A Streamer

As a streamer you can begin a raid very simply by using the Twitch raid command.

All you need to do is type:

/raid channelname

Then a pop up box will appear alerting your viewers to the raid.

If they do not wish to join in they can click leave. Otherwise their Twitch feed will automatically refresh to the channel you are raiding.

Remember to run through the following quick check list before you raid:

  • Let your viewers know you’re planning a raid, so they can join in on the hype.
  • Tell them who you’re raiding so they know what to expect. And if you know them, give them some details about the streamer you are about to raid.
  • Give viewers a command to type into the chat of the channel you are raiding, to announce your presence.

After 10 seconds you can override the timer and execute the raid. Otherwise it will be automatically executed after another 80 seconds passes.

The channel you raided will also be hosted during the raid. You can change this after the raid has finished.

Handling Incoming Raids

As a streamer you may also be on the receiving end of raids. While raids can be incredibly beneficial, they can also be a source of harassment or abuse. So Twitch allows you to control them.

By default, your channel will automatically accept all incoming raids.

However, you can change the settings to either disable all raids. Or only allow raids from your network (friends, teammates and followed channels).

In your chat channel settings you can also see a list of recent raiders. This allows you to easily connect with new raiders or moderate any issues.

The Benefits Of Raiding

Raids can be beneficial to both the “raider” and the “raidee”. When raiding you should use it as a tool to have a positive impact on your fellow streamers.

Help Other Streamers

Raiding helps increase another channel’s viewers, followers and chat interaction. As a result most content creators are grateful for raids, even if they only bring a few viewers.

Networking

Raiding can be a great networking opportunity. Think of it as a very friendly way to introduce yourself. And they may even reciprocate the kindness by giving you a raid at a later date.

Think of it as a way of getting your foot in the door. Having trouble networking with other twitch streamers? This is a great ice-breaker.

If you raid someone you can send them a message to introduce yourself with context:

“Hey! Hope you enjoyed the raid. I play [Insert Your Game] too, and I love your stream. I’d love to collab some time in the future if you’re up to it.”

Or if you receive a raid you can reach out to them to start a conversation:

“Thanks so much for the raid! I checked out your content after the stream and love what you’re doing. Would you be up for a collab some time in the future?”

Raids Have Mutual Benefits

If you raid a channel some of their viewers may also follow you, as a show of thanks for your support. The receiving channel may also reciprocate the raid at a later date.

Remember: the more community minded you are, the greater the opportunities for collaboration, support, and success. Always find a way to give before even thinking about receiving. So don’t be stingy about your community. Help others grow and they’ll go out of their way to help you too.

The Benefits of Receiving Raids

If you’re on the receiving end of a raid there are a number of benefits for your channel.

Boost Your Stats

A raid will help you increase chat traffic, raise awareness of your channel and will all bump up your viewing figures. This increase then helps boost your stream up the stream directory.

Grow Your Community

Raids are also a chance to grow your community. They offer an opportunity to bring new followers and to connect with other streamers.

Note: It is worth mentioning that raids and hosts do not count towards affiliate or partnership stat requirements.

This is so that each channel is assessed on its individual merits. It stops streamers who may have connections with a large channel and get frequent raids or hosts.

However, if you keep raiders engaged enough for them to follow you, any return visits will count as usual.

What To Do When You Receive A Raid

The most important thing to remember about receiving a raid is not to panic. Have a plan!

Having your channel in front of a new audience is a huge opportunity to add members to your community.

You don’t want to blow the opportunity by repeatedly saying “Thank You” or by being tongue tied for 10 minutes. It’s okay to be grateful and authentic. But remember that you have to capture that new audiences attention. And every second that passes is a chance for them to leave.

This means you should have a plan in place before the raids come so you can be ready to capitalize on the moment. Here are some quick tips for managing a raid.

  • Thank the raiders for joining the show and express your gratitude.
  • Ask the raider how their stream went. This helps start a conversation and shares the spotlight with the raider. You can also ask mods to give them a shout out in your chat with a chat bot command.
  • Introduce yourself, share your schedule, and details of your channel. Let them know what you’re doing right now in-game to bring them up to speed.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask raiders to follow. A follow costs nothing and mentioning it can help prompt people to hit the button. A quick thank you to those who do also goes a long way.
  • Once the above is done, continue with your stream.

It can feel exciting and overwhelming to get a raid. But to make the most of it you have to make the switch back to “content creation” mode to capture their attention.

It can also be beneficial to have something up your sleeve that you planned for that BIG raid that could happen.

Sit down and think about something that would capture your audiences attention. Maybe it’s using a funny build or loadout. Or opening a ton of micro-transaction boxes. It could be attempting or completing a feat/record that you’ve been working on.

A great example of this is Kripparrian’s “Button”. A goal project he had been working on for a while in Hearthstone. He completed his journey in front of 60,000 viewers and it went to the front page of reddit and stayed there for hours.

Think of what this exposure could do for your stream.

It doesn’t have to be extraordinary on the scale of Kripp. But use this as an example to have something planned to capture the moment. Do something exciting and fun to leverage all the new viewers and get them to stick around.

What if a raid turns bad?

While most raids are friendly, they can occasionally be malicious. If you get a raid which is less than supportive here are a few quick tips for getting back on track.

  • Let your mods step up. They can impose time outs or bans as needed.
  • Apologize to your viewers if it feels necessary but do not focus your chatter on the issue, drawing attention to trolls will only fuel the fire.
  • Switching chat to sub or follow only for a brief period can help get a grip on the situation, without your chat getting too flooded.
  • Make a note of the time you received the raid and the channel which raided you, so you can report them later. These details should also be captured in your Twitch raid settings.
  • Try and move past it quickly and don’t take it personally.

How To Get More Raids

While you cannot force people to raid you, there are some ways to get yourself noticed. If you want to get more raids try these top tips.

  • Be consistent. If you stream on a schedule then your stream will appear more regularly in the game feed when streamers are looking for people to raid. You’ll become the familiar face and increase your chances of getting a raid.
  • Don’t be afraid to stream something less popular. You stand more chance of standing out in the crowd when someone is looking to raid a channel.
  • Network. Make friends and connections with other streamers. Especially those within a specific gaming community. As you raid others you may also find they return the favor, especially if your community is a positive one.

Overall Twitch raids can be a great benefit to streamers of all sizes

If you get raided take a moment to welcome and thank everyone involved. Remember that a raider is trusting you with their community so treat them well, be they a crowd of 3000 or a group of 3.

Performing raids is a great way to network and grow. Use them as an opportunity to push yourself to try new things and engage with new people. Even if your channel is small, you still have a lot to offer.

A raid of five viewers may be nothing to a massive channel. But it could be everything to a small channel, so chose your targets wisely.

Finally try to see Twitch as a community, not a competition.

Streamers are often the best cheerleaders for other streamers. So build up your network and bring positivity to others, it will come back to you in spades.

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