The below is written for a friend's community, but I thought it was something worth posting in the Let's Play forum, too. Any thoughts!?
Hi guys! Having been chatting with Twitch streamers for a couple of years now, I've noticed a lot of etiquette that streamers really encourage people to follow. Unwritten rules, if you like. Or rather, written, because most of this will be copy/pasted from existing articles. But unofficial rules. I guess that's how etiquette works. Anyways, here are the big ones I've noticed - please take the time to read this! It'll help you help yourself, be you a streamer or a viewer.
1) Respect the Streamer
Most of the other rules on the list will make up this part, but more than anything it's important to be respectful of the streamer. They make the rules, they are the ones doing the work for your own enjoyment. If you don't enjoy it, that's okay - there are other streams, there are other things to do. If a streamer asks you to stop something, stop it.
2) Be Tolerant
If you find yourself asking “Should I post (or say) this?”. Stop. Think about it, and if you’re still in doubt ask a moderator privately before posting or saying it. It’s better to err on the side of caution.
There are a multitude of characters on our Twitch and Discord channels, that come from all different races, creeds, nationalities, orientations, etc. and it’s important that no matter how funny or awesome you think it might be, we need to respect boundaries and act accordingly.
Never use anything regarded as “Hate speech”. Hate Speech encompasses, but is not limited to, any speech, text, song request, gesture, or conduct likely to incite violence or prejudicial action against an individual or group because it disparages or intimidates an individual or a group. Examples would include things such as racism, sexism, religious debate, political debate, sexual orientation, etc. It's basically bullying. If you were ever bullied at school about anything, imagine what it's like to be on the other side of anything you say against something and if you think it'd make you feel that way, don't do it. We're on Twitch to get away from that kind of thing and be in a positive community. Make love, not war!
3) Don't Ask to Become a Mod
Don’t ask to become a mod. That’s the most likely way to make sure it’ll never happen. When a new mod is needed, natural selection will dictate who is invited to the role.
4) Criticism: Bite Your Tongue
Criticism is great, when you want it. But if the streamer isn't openly asking for it, it's best to keep it to yourself. That’s rude, and unless the broadcaster asks for help in a game or critique on their artwork, it’s not helpful. Even if someone has [BLIND] in their broadcast title, meaning it’s their first time playing a game, don’t give tips unless they ask the Twitch community specifically for assistance on what to do. I say specifically, because if they just are playing a game and pondering "Hmmm, how do I get there..." to themselves that's not an invitation for a tutorial. When in doubt, just ask the streamer if they actually want to be told.
5) Don't Talk About Your Stream on Other Streams
This cannot be stressed enough: Please don’t self advertise in other people’s streams or channels. It is an incredibly disrespectful thing to do.
We have a channel on Discord specifically for that purpose, use it (#streams)! :)
Despite this, we still get people coming in to Twitch channels, announcing that they’re streaming soon, or talking about how long they streamed for the other day, and then disappearing. We get it, you want to grow your community and get to the same place we’re trying to get, but there are infinitely better ways to go about it. We are all here to help each other, so don’t annoy other streamers by trying to steal their viewers. We’ve seen it done in all sorts of ways. If a streamer asks you in their channel, “What are you up to? How are you doing?” You don’t have to announce that you’re getting ready to stream. Right off the bat, that tells us that you’re not there to watch, you’re there to drum up hype for your own stream.
How can you let people know that you stream in a respectful way? Raid them. Or just talk about it in the #streams channel. If a streamer wants to, they will check you out eventually. If they like you, chances are they will talk about your stream and shout you out without you having to do anything. The more you talk about your own stream, the less likely other streamers are to enjoy your stream, and the less likely they are to promote your stream, including those valuable hosts and raids.
6) Comment on the Subject of the Stream
It's normal to talk about the streamer themselves. If they have a cam, it's understandable that looks will pop up from time to time. Music being played in the background? Yeah, you can comment on that, too! Just remember the main reason the person is streaming. If it's a game, comment on the game they're playing. If it's art, comment on the art! This is particularly important when you first join a stream. If the first things you say are "Wow, you're hot, but man I hate this song" then chances are you're not going to win many friends off the bat. First impressions last. Even after you've become a regular, it's still really important to encourage the streamer. Even veteran streamers need occasional reassurance that they aren't wasting their energy.
7) Don't Refer to the Streamer in the Third Person
If your question can be addressed to the streamer and is about the streamer, address the streamer (at least at first). That means asking "What are you drawing?" instead of "What is she drawing?", stuff like that. Using "you" over "he" or "she" will help a lot. Of course if they're in the zone or the stream is moving fast, it's okay to ask the other people in the chat, but it's just nice to ask the streamer at first. Oh, and for a larger chance of the streamer seeing what you're asking, try tagging them! Don't ask every few seconds until they answer. Wait at least a minute or two before repeating yourself, and only do so if your question has been bumped off the visible chat.
I know a certain streamer will point at me regarding this, but in my defence, I only say "she" etc. when talking to other specific individuals who are asking about them! But I'm working on it anyway. ;) We all have stuff we can work on!
8) Raid Politely
Imagine, if you will, you're in the middle of a really deep and serious conversation and are trying to reassure someone who is upset or something. And then BAM, in comes a raid! Awkward, but understandable. It can happen. However, that doesn't mean you have to spend the next minute or two constantly pasting the same five-line chat message over and over. Make your raid message a simple 1-2 line thing, and have each person post it once, maybe twice. Simple. There's not need to wreck the flow of their conversation. The love will be felt no matter how big a raid it is!
9) Use Your Brain
Kind of a repeat of a lot of the other things on this list, but it helps to be clear on it. ;) Follow the rules, don't spam chat, err on the side of caution and message a mod if you need advice on whether or not something is okay.
10) Read the Chat Rules
I mean, this sort of goes without saying, surely? But I'll put it in anyway. If you somehow didn't see them when you first arrived into a streamer's chat, you can regularly check the chat rules by clicking on the cog below chat, then clicking on Show Chat Rules in the menu that appears.
