Sharing the Audience
A “raid” is a community-building feature, most prominently used on the live-streaming platform Twitch. When a creator is about to end their broadcast, they can use the raid command to send all of their current viewers to another channel that is currently live. The raid notification is the on-screen alert that appears for the streamer who is receiving the raid, letting them know who is raiding them and how many viewers are arriving.
The arrival of a raid is a high-energy moment. The new viewers, or “raiders,” typically flood the chat with a welcome message and emotes from the channel they just came from. The host streamer is expected to give a warm welcome to the raiders and a shout-out to the creator who sent them.
This feature is a powerful tool for networking and mutual growth, fostering a collaborative rather than a competitive environment. In the film and TV commentary niche on Twitch, creators frequently raid other channels within their community at the end of their streams. An established creator can provide a massive, temporary boost to a smaller or emerging channel, introducing their audience to a new voice and helping them grow. It is a gesture of goodwill and a cornerstone of community-building on the platform.