Moderation

Even online, you are dealing with real human beings. Although they may be rude and fail any appropriate level of respect, you must lead by example. 

Meet and greet all new viewers. An average new viewer to the channel may feel ignored if not quickly acknowledged. Make them feel welcome and at home. Represent the community by helping us show a good first impression with a simple “hello!”.

You represent a pillar of the Flame Kingdom community which means I'm trusting you to be a good representation. Mods aren't immune to the rules so please be mindful of this.

Conversations have a tendency to become stagnant - it's completely natural, especially when streaming for several hours. While I can yap your ears off quite freely, help me encourage conversations by just chatting with me while you enjoy the stream. It really helps a lot! 

Trolls happen but when they do appear, it's best not to draw too much attention to them. Once handled, discourage chat from discussing the situation further and support me in moving things back on track.

I always test games and my software before going live but it's important to me that I deliver the best quality I can. If you notice issues like audio or video stuttering, it's best to bring it up to me asap so I can resolve it. I don't mind being tagged in chat since I don't always see my Discord when live.

Get familiar with the basic commands used for moderation and community engagement e.g. !website for my website link or /shoutout [username] for streamer shout-outs etc. If you're stuck, feel free to ask! We're here to help each other.

While banning friends for the memes was normal over the years, it's becoming something of a negative thing and I'd rather you avoid doing this at all.

If you wish to be an effective Mod follow this guide. Chat Mod is mostly a self-taught skill. Existing Mods on the team will assist you if you need help, don’t be afraid to ask.

 It is highly acceptable for you to be hesitant about creating commands and banning people at first. If you are unsure whether something needs to be completed, ask me or the other Mods. It is possible that everything is already taken care of, which will make your role very simple. 

Though it is okay to volunteer to do more than moderate the chat, do not willingly make yourself overly accessible e.g. accepting DM's from new members. While rare in my community, sometimes a chatter becomes parasocial and attempts to gain access to the streamer via their mods. Be mindful of this.

Regardless of how much work you do for the channel, your help and company is greatly appreciated.

It is important for new Mods to know how to fulfill their roles properly. Do more than just welcome them to the team. Help them learn to interact effectively with commands and chat members.

Twitter, Bluesky, Instagram and Discord are the back bone of the channel. I advertise myself on other platforms to help increase the community and channel size.

If possible like and share social media content. By sharing clips on Twitter and Bluesky, I will repost them and you’ll soon grow a following of your own. Commenting is the key to help on Instagram. 

Encourage Discord activity. Join events, server games and reply to new joiners in the server. Pressing the reaction emojis can help draw attention to an important community announcement.

All of this will encourage viewers to become community members.

Unfortunately, moderating is not a job. The rewards consist of having lots of friends and a say in how the community evolves. 

Keep positive, knowing your community is here for you. Maintain a positive outlook in even the most hardest situations. Feel free to speak to us or another member of the mod squad if you need to eliminate frustrations or sadness. 

If you’re struggling speak to someone on voice chat. We will always have time for a call with Mods.

 The channel is not your full-time responsibility. All Mods do this for free so do not get frustrated if you feel another Mod isn’t doing their job correctly.

If other streamers like what they see you doing as a Mod, it is possible that they will ask you to replicate your efforts for their channels. Do not feel pressured into accepting these offers. 

It can be daunting to constantly spam “hello” alongside cringe worthy emotes; doing so may also come across as robotic and insincere to some people. Be sure to share your unique personality, characteristics, and interests.

The occurrence of a less successful stream does not mean you failed to fulfil your role. All streamers, no matter how popular they are experience slow days. 

If you are no longer enjoying being a Mod, there is no shame or let-down in deciding to discontinue your role. Perhaps wait to see if the motivation returns, but do not force yourself to continue; otherwise, you will feel trapped.