Moderators, also known as mods, play a vital role in managing Twitch channels. They help keep the chat clean, engage viewers, and maintain a safe community. As a streamer, assigning trusted viewers as channel mods is an important responsibility. This guide will walk you through the process of adding and managing moderators for your Twitch channel.
Table of Contents
Who Should Become a Moderator
When choosing moderators, you want to select mature, responsible, and active community members. Some qualities to look for include:
- Regular viewers who frequently participate in chat
- Supportive and positive attitude
- Maturity to handle disputes and conflicts
- Familiarity with Twitch etiquette and rules
- Willingness to commit time to moderating
Avoid selecting friends or viewers solely based on loyalty. Moderators need to make unbiased decisions and having an existing close relationship can complicate that.
How to Add Twitch Moderators
There are a couple ways to assign moderator status:
Through the Twitch Dashboard
- Go to your Creator Dashboard
- Click on Community > Roles Manager
- Click Add a Role
- Search for the username and select them from the results
- Check the box next to Moderator
- Click Save to confirm
Through Chat Commands
You can use the /mod command in your chat while live streaming:
- Type /mod username in chat
- The viewer will receive a notification inviting them to become a mod
- They must accept the invitation before officially becoming a mod
Once assigned as a mod, users gain access to moderation tools in chat.
Moderator Tools and Responsibilities
As a moderator, there are a few key responsibilities:
- Welcoming new chatters – Greet new viewers to help them feel included
- Engaging chat participants – Spark conversations to keep chat active
- Timing out problematic users – Temporarily timeout users sending inappropriate or disruptive messages
- Banning repeat offenders – Permanently ban trolls or severely toxic viewers
- Deleting offensive messages – Remove inappropriate, abusive, or spam messages
- Resolving disputes – Diffuse arguments or disagreements between viewers
To help with these tasks, Twitch provides moderators the following tools:
- Timeout – Temporarily restrict chatting privileges
- Ban – Permanently block a user from chatting
- Delete messages – Remove individual messages from chat
- Mod view – Dedicated interface with mod tools and information
- AutoMod – Automatic filtering of potentially offensive messages
Using these tools judiciously is vital to being an effective moderator.
Best Practices for Twitch Moderators
Managing disputes and problematic chat behavior can be challenging. Here are some best practices for Twitch channel moderators:
Remain Unbiased
Friends and loyalty should not influence mod decisions. Rules must be enforced uniformly and fairly for all.
Use Tools Sparingly
Don’t be too quick to timeout or ban users. First warn them of violations before using restrictions.
Avoid Public Callouts
Addressing violations discreetly through private messages prevents embarrassment and retaliation.
Document Decisions
Keep notes tracking any timeouts, bans, or major disputes and the reasons behind mod actions.
Communicate Issues
Discuss challenges, conflicts, and tool usage with fellow mods and the streamer to align on policies.
By following these tips, moderators can effectively maintain order while also building community.
Revoking Twitch Moderator Status
There may come a time when you need to remove a moderator’s privileges. Examples include:
- Inactivity – They no longer have time to moderate streams
- Abuse of power – Using tools to harass or target viewers
- Policy violations – Repeatedly failing to enforce community guidelines
To revoke a user’s moderator status:
Through the Twitch Dashboard
- Go to Community > Roles Manager
- Locate the username and click the X icon to remove their moderator role
Through Chat Commands
Type /unmod *username* in chat while streaming to instantly remove their moderator privileges.
Fostering a Strong Moderator Team
A group of moderators who work together is more effective than any single mod. Here are some tips for building a cohesive moderator team:
- Define responsibilities – Ensure all mods know their individual and shared duties
- Use a chat tool – Dedicated chat tools like Discord facilitate real-time communication
- Host training sessions – Walk through policies and demonstrate mod tools/features
- Share feedback – Provide guidance to improve their moderation skills
- Show appreciation – Recognize their contributions and dedication
By cultivating a coordinated moderator team, you equip your channel to grow and thrive long-term.
In summary, carefully choosing moderators, granting proper tools, and fostering collaboration enables streamers to shape a positive community. Remember to select candidates based on trustworthiness rather than relationships. Provide initial training as well as ongoing guidance to ensure mods understand and properly leverage the privileges. With the right foundation, your channel will benefit tremendously from engaged moderators.
