7 Quick Streaming Tips

Here’s round one of some quick streaming tips. I wrote most of this for a reddit comment, but wanted to share it here.

1. I recommend starting by checking your moderation settings. Use Twitch’s built-in automod to handle the bulk of moderation. There’s several different levels you can set it to on how strict you want it. Also most chatbots like StreamElements have their own moderation settings.
   • You can find your moderation page by using the following URL and replacing YOURUSERNAME with your own username: https://dashboard.twitch.tv/u/YOURUSERNAME/settings/moderation
2. Look through ALL the pages in your creator dashboard and take note of what they do. Enable VOD storage so you don’t lose video that you may want later. It has to be on before a stream starts or that stream won’t be saved.
   • You can find The VOD storage page by using the following URL and replacing YOURUSERNAME with your own username: https://dashboard.twitch.tv/u/YOURUSERNAME/settings/stream
3. Set up 2FA (and don’t lose your email/number linked to it!!!) and be wary of what connections you authorize to your account to avoid anything being compromised.
   • ALL 2FA is handled by Authy. They have extensive details on their help page if you somehow lose access to your account. 
   • Text-based 2FA is less secure than an authenticator app. You should download something like Google Authenticator, link your Twitch 2FA details, and save that information somewhere secure in case you lose your phone. 
4. Read and reread the TOS and Community Guidelines and stick to them.
   • Remember, everything that happens on stream is your responsibility.
5. Twitch has tons of extensions! Some are game-specific, some are mini-games chat can play themselves, some enhance your channel. Take some time to browse the library and see if anything catches your eye.
   • You can find the Extensions page by using the following URL and replacing YOURUSERNAME with your own username: https://dashboard.twitch.tv/u/YOURUSERNAME/extensions
6. Don’t play copyright music! There’s plenty of stream-safe options out there like StreamBeats, PretzelRocks, Backing Track and more.
   • Keep in mind that not all music in places such as Spotify or Youtube that are labeled as copyright-free or stream-safe is guaranteed to be. Always do your research before using music on your streams. 
7. And finally, the most important tip I have: Use OBS Studio for your streaming software! It’s the lightest-weight, most efficient software you can use, and will give you the best performance.
   • OBS has a huge catalog of free plugins that can do pretty much anything you want. The possibilities are almost endless. Spend some time looking through them, they might even give you some inspiration for your streams.