What is a Twitch Raid? A Complete Guide

Twitch is a popular live streaming platform where millions of people watch and interact with their favorite streamers every day. A raid is a feature that allows streamers to send their viewers to another channel at the end of their stream. This way, they can support other streamers, introduce their audience to new content, and create a sense of community.

Raids are very common and beneficial on Twitch, as they can help streamers grow their channel, reach new audiences, and build relationships with other creators. However, raids also come with some challenges and risks, such as unwanted spam, harassment, or technical issues. Therefore, it is important to know how to raid and handle raids on Twitch properly and effectively.

In this article, we will explain how to raid on Twitch, how to handle raids on your channel, and how to grow your channel with raids. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of what raids are and how to use them to your advantage.

How to Raid on Twitch

Raiding on Twitch is very easy and simple. Here are the steps and requirements for initiating and joining a raid on Twitch:

To start a raid, you need to be live streaming on your channel. You also need to have at least one viewer in your chat.
To join a raid, you need to be watching a live stream that is about to end. You will see a notification in the chat that says “The broadcaster has indicated they’re raiding another channel”.
To choose a channel to raid or be raided by, you can use the /raid command in your chat followed by the name of the channel you want to raid. For example: /raid Ninja
Alternatively, you can use the raid interface that appears at the top of your dashboard when you are live streaming. You can search for channels by name or category or browse through recommended channels based on your preferences.
Once you select a channel to raid or be raided by, you will see a countdown timer that shows how much time you have left before the raid starts. You can cancel the raid at any time by clicking “Cancel” or using the /unraid command in your chat.
When the countdown reaches zero, you and your viewers will be automatically redirected to the raided channel’s page. You will see a message in their chat that says “Raided by [your name] with [number of viewers]”. Your viewers will also have an option to leave the raid if they want.
As a raider or raider leader (the person who initiates the raid), you should follow some etiquette rules when joining another channel’s chat. For example:
- Be respectful and polite towards the streamer and their community
- Don’t spam messages or emotes
- Don’t promote yourself or ask for follows
- Don’t spoil games or events
- Don’t ask for raids back

How to Handle Raids on Twitch

As a streamer who receives raids on your channel (the person who is raided), you should also prepare for and respond to raids appropriately. Here are some tips and best practices for managing raids on your channel:

Enable raid notifications in your settings so that you can see when someone is about to raid you or has raided you. You can also customize how these notifications look and sound.
Set up chat filters or moderators (trusted users who can delete messages or ban users) in case some raiders are rude or disruptive in your chat. You can also use commands like /ban [username] or /timeout [username] [seconds] if needed.
Welcome and thank the raider leader and their viewers for choosing your channel. You can also shout out their name by using commands like /me [message] or /vip [username].
Introduce yourself briefly (your name, what game/content/genre/category do you usually play/stream) so that new viewers know what they’re watching.
Interact with new viewers as much as possible without neglecting your regulars (people who watch/follow/support/subscribe/donate regularly). Ask them questions (e.g., where are they from? How did they find out about this game? What do they think about it?), answer theirs (e.g., what’s your favorite character? How long have been playing/streaming? What’s next?), etc.
Encourage new viewers (and regulars) to follow/subscribe/donate if they enjoy/like/support/appreciate/want more of what they see/hear/watch) your content. You can also use incentives (e.g., giveaways, rewards, shoutouts, etc.) to motivate them to do so.
Be genuine and authentic in your reactions and expressions. Don’t fake enthusiasm or gratitude or act differently than you normally would. New viewers can tell if you’re being sincere or not and may lose interest or trust in you if you’re not.

How to Grow Your Channel with Raids on Twitch

Raids can be a great way to grow your channel on Twitch, as they can expose you to new audiences, increase your engagement, boost your revenue, etc. However, raids are not a magic solution that will make you famous overnight. You need to have a strategy and a plan for finding suitable channels to raid or be raided by and for retaining new viewers after they join your channel. Here are some suggestions and advice for growing your channel with raids on Twitch:

Find channels that are similar or related to yours in terms of game/content/genre/category/niche/community/audience size/style/personality/goals/values/etc. This way, you can ensure that their viewers will be interested in what you offer and vice versa.
Network and collaborate with other streamers who fit your criteria by following/supporting/watching/chatting with them regularly. You can also join their discord servers (online chat groups), social media platforms (e.g., Twitter, Instagram), etc. This way, you can build rapport and trust with them and their community and increase the chances of them raiding you back or recommending you to others.
Be consistent and reliable in your streaming schedule (when/how often/how long do you stream) so that new viewers know when to expect/find/watch you again. You can also use tools like Streamlabs (a software that helps streamers manage their streams) or Twitch Studio (a software that helps streamers create their streams) to set up alerts/reminders/notifications for your upcoming streams.
Provide quality and value in your content (what/how/why do you play/stream) so that new viewers enjoy/learn/benefit from watching you. You can also use tools like OBS Studio (a software that helps streamers capture and broadcast their streams) or StreamElements (a software that helps streamers enhance their streams) to improve the look/sound/functionality of your streams.
Engage and interact with new viewers (and regulars) as much as possible during and after your streams by using chat commands/features/emotes/bots/mods/etc., voice communication (e.g., microphone), video communication (e.g., webcam), etc. You can also use tools like Nightbot (a chat bot that helps streamers moderate their chat) or Streamlabs Chatbot (a chat bot that helps streamers customize their chat) to automate some tasks/responses/actions in your chat.

Conclusion

Raids are a fun and useful feature on Twitch that allow streamers to send their viewers to another channel at the end of their stream. Raids can help streamers support other streamers, introduce their audience to new content, and create a sense of community.

However, raids also come with some challenges and risks, such as unwanted spam, harassment, or technical issues. Therefore, it is important to know how to raid and handle raids on Twitch properly and effectively.