How to Be a Good Twitch Mod

A good Twitch mod is a loyal individual who is active in keeping the chat a friendly and positive place. They don’t seek attention for themselves, rather they direct the focus on to the streamer to enhance the content. Good moderators are welcoming to newcomers and remember regulars from stream to stream. 

If you’re ready to be a good mod, read this post for some tips and guidelines.

Twitch Moderator Job Tasks

Your tasks as a Twitch mod will vary deepening on the channel. Before you start your role as a moderator, ask the streamer what they expect. Become familiar with the channel’s rules and how the streamer wants you to handle people breaking the rules. Find out when they would like you to work as a moderator and work out a schedule that works for both of you. Make sure that you show up for your duties on time.

Ask who else mods the channel. Talk to them about their experiences. Ask for advice and the “inside scoop” of the channel. Thank them for their time. As new moderators join the team, encourage them as they are starting. Praise their efforts and thank them for their help. Give them a link to this article as a way of giving them advice and information for the tools they’ll need to be successful. 

Keep yourself in check. Try to keep the chat a fun place for viewers to be. Occasionally ask the streamer for feedback on what you could do better. 

Primary Role of a Twitch Moderator

As a mod, your primary jobs are to:

• Regulate the chat and remove unwanted comments
• Keep the conversation going without taking it over
• Welcoming and integrating new members into the community
• Keep the conversation light and fun, while directing the attention back to the streamer
• Give rule-breakers timeouts and ban repeated offenders

The better you understand the streamer’s mindset and the channel rules, the better mod you’ll be. Know when to give viewers a time out or ultimately ban them from the channel. 

Don’t be afraid to give someone a time out instead of a ban so that you can double-check with the streamer later. As you grow in confidence and the streamer trusts you more, you’ll get a feel for the job. 

How a Twitch Moderator Should Engage with Chat

If you’re the only one on the channel, encourage the streamer. Don’t let them know that you are the only one. Instead, engage with them as you would if others were also enjoying the show. 

Don’t call out lurkers. Let people stay comfortable. As people start to chat, speak to them as though you’ve known them forever. Welcome them and greet them by name. Ask them about their day and see if they’ll interact with you. 

The following are a few tips on how to engage with the chat and keep things friendly for everyone involved.

1. Welcome New Viewers to the Stream

   Try to keep track of who visits the stream. If you believe someone is new, or if they follow, welcome them warmly to the channel. Interaction is essential on smaller channels. If a newcomer feels ignored and neglected, they will move on to another channel. 

   Try to remember people as they return stream after stream. If you recognize a name, tell them it’s nice to see them in chat again and ask them about their day. As they begin to open up and feel more comfortable in the conversation, they’ll grow in loyalty to the streamer. 

2. Treat People with Respect and Kindness

   Show others how you and the streamer want to be treated by example. If you are kind and respectful to others, often, they will reciprocate. While there will be trolls and unruly people from time to time, most people want to connect with other human beings and gravitate to where they feel valued. 

   Don’t vent about your day or about something that happened on the channel earlier. Keep things light and positive so that they can enjoy the stream. Even if you’re frustrated, hold off on venting that irritation until you can do so in private with trusted friends or other moderators. 

3. Know When to Ban and When to Forgive

   Sometimes people are just having a bad day and may let off a little steam. If you are unsure about their motivations, send them a private message as an initial warning. Ask them if they are alright and gently remind them to try to keep things positive in chat. 

   It is a good idea always to keep your messaging open and available. This way, people can message you about any concerns or questions they have instead of annoying the streamer.

   

   If they continue to harass the streamer, you, or other members in the chat, you may have to give them a timeout or ban following the guidelines the streamer discussed with you. Generally speaking, you should ban people for the following reasons:

   • Discrimination against the streamer or another viewer
   • Spamming the same message over and over in chat
   • Ignoring warnings and timeouts for unwanted behavior
   • Too much self-promotion or link sharing 

   You can ban someone by using the following command:

   /ban <USERNAME>

   Unban someone with this command:

   /unban <USERNAME>

   Never ban someone for a joke or for fun. You can irritate or frustrate the wrong people and lose viewers for your streamer. Don’t abuse the power that the broadcaster entrusted with you. 

   Chat Commands for Moderators

   Take time to learn how to use your chat commands. While the global commands will be one you’ll primarily need to use, the streamer may have set up additional commands for the viewers. Be familiar with them, and encourage your viewers to use them as well. 

   Have the broadcaster give you an overview of when to use the global mod commands. Take notes and keep them handy until you know the ins and outs of the guidelines. Learn the emotes by heart so that you can act quickly as the chat moves.

4. Keep the Conversation Going Naturally

   Talk to the streamer beforehand for talking points they might like to have brought up in the stream. If the chat comes to a lull, try to direct the conversation to one of those points as naturally as you can. This will help the streamer seem more engaging as well as subtly invite others to join the discussion. 

   Don’t spam the chat or take over. You don’t want your green sword to create a wall between you and the streamer. Many people can feel unwelcome or intimidated if it looks like the moderators control the chat. Try to type longer messages instead of sending several short ones.

   Avoid using inside jokes, unless it’s in a way where you can include everyone in the chat to the joke. Overusing terms or jokes not understood by all will isolate some people, and they may not return to the stream.

5. Keep the Focus on the Streamer

   Many moderators begin to feel a bit of self-importance after being promoted. Don’t fall into that trap. Ultimately it will hurt your relationship with the streamer and make viewers feel frustrated or isolated from the content. Don’t flaunt your authority. Remain humble and friendly. 

   Learn as much as you can about the streamer and the channel and do your best to answer questions when they arise. Make them look good and worthy of their viewers’ support. It is your job to help the broadcaster run their business. Be an asset, not a detriment. 

   You don’t always have to answer questions either. If the broadcaster has a little extra time, pass on specific questions to them, even if you know the answer. This will allow them to engage with their audience a little more. 

   Be Genuinely Yourself

   Don’t try to force yourself to be someone else. While you should take care to be a good moderator, don’t try to step into a mold that isn’t your own. Use your natural abilities to better the channel. Engage with viewers in the same way that you’d engage with people you care deeply about. Be sincere and positive. 

Other Ways to Help the Streamer

There are a few other ways that you can help the broadcaster grow their channel. Again, don’t allow yourself to become too overwhelmed with the channel. It is the streamer’s job to grow it and although they appreciate your help, you shouldn’t become burned out volunteering for them. 

1. Share the Streamer’s Social Media Posts

   Remind the streamed to use their social media, then spread their words by sharing their posts. As others begin to do so as well, you will expand their overall reach and possibly bring new people to the channel. You can also share clips that you find exciting with a note that you enjoy their content.

2. Be Involved in their Community

   If they have a Discord server, make sure to join it. Share memes or clips or just talk to people to help grow the spirit of the community. Follow the same guidelines you would on chat. Be friendly, welcoming, and a good member of the team. 

3. Subscribe to the Channel

   • Get a Free Sub Every Month

     With Prime Gaming Through Amazon Prime

   If you can afford it, subscribe to their Twitch channel. This act will show people that you really do value the streamer and their content. If you can’t afford it, use your Prime Gaming if you have it.

4. Expect Nothing in Return

   Don’t make the streamer think that you feel like you’re being used. Be thankful for the opportunity and know that they appreciate your help. 

5. Remember to Take Care of Yourself

   Being a moderator can be a difficult job, and most of the time, you won’t be paid or receive any additional perks. Don’t decide to be a moderator lightly. Only be a moderator if you genuinely want to help the streamer, enjoy their content, and you have the time to invest in their channel.  

   Talk to the broadcaster and find out when they would like you to help them out. Don’t promise to moderate for every stream. It is generally better for you to take breaks between your mod duties. You fell in love with the channel because of the content. Take time to enjoy it to keep your job exciting. 

   If you do a good job, other streamers may ask you to come mod for their channel. Don’t feel pressured or obligated to accept. You are volunteering your time. If you want to decline, thank them for their consideration and let them know if you change your mind in the future that you will contact them.

   Don’t treat moderating as a full-time position. When you begin to wear out, don’t force yourself to stay a moderator. Talk to the streamer and ask for an extended break. If, after the break, you don’t want to return to your duties, step down. 

Conclusion

Being a moderator is a hard job, but it gives you the unique opportunity to help a streamer grow their channel. Do your best to keep things fresh and exciting.