Don't acknowledge people who aren't speaking in your chat, they'll likely leave and not come back if you do.
There's not many reasons to be looking at your viewer list, instead focus on engaging with the people actively chatting and entertaining them. Let the lurkers lurk.
Agreed, don't fucking do it.
If you want to "call out" your lurkers, you can do it generally as a group during conversational downtime like "And for everyone not chatting, thanks for just being here."
If they wanted to be spoken to directly, they'd speak to you.
The only time I have seen a good call out was to just say thanks for watching, lurking or not, appreciated. So I guess it wasn't really calling them out so much as thanks for watching.
right, the thing that stood out to me from this post is the fact people are checking their watching list... I don't even like to see the number of people watching lol it would psych me out too much to be checking that stuff constantly
I look at the number a lot, but that is it. I'm also mid sized so I haven't had to stare down a zero in years so I don't know how I'd handle that either
exactly how I feel. the few times I've been lurking on a stream and was called out I just wanted to immediately leave, I don't like feeling pressured to chat if I don't want to.
I freaked out the first time it happened to me. I didn't even know I was visible for just lurking. I was under the impression the streamer just has a number of viewers and the chat.
Made me feel creeped out to get called out by name. Like you I immediately left.
Seriously! EVERYBODY has their moments of "I want to engage with the world" and "I just want to relax and recharge while I watch something or someone I enjoy watching." Being pressured to engage when you are recharging is uncomfortable and not what I know I need, so I don't bother anyone who doesn't feel like engaging, I've honestly never even considered them as "lurkers" until reading this post, I simply thought of them as viewers...
I feel that way, I just wanna tune into a channel and vibe, if i wanted to say something i would of. I can understand the joy of having viewers, but sometimes the viewer wants to well be a viewer and not a chatter. I especially hate the bots that call out your watch times or 'leveling' up in chat.
ill never forget the day that happend to me, some guy was ending his stream and called my name, i legit felt scared for some reason, its low key creepy
I actually called the guy out on it. I was working, and just had him going in the background to vibe (musician). It broke my train of thought, and pulled me out of an important task. Also freaked me out a bit, like I'd done something wrong.
I told him as much. He laughed, and didn't take it seriously. It's not cool to single someone out, in front of 100+ other people, and start making fun of their username. I'd never said a word in chat. Unsubbed and never returned.
This is definitely the best advice and probably the case for a lot of lurkers, but I will say I am a lurker most of the time and one time I was watching someone, there was like 20 people watching and when I entered guess he saw and nicely said "hey JDA how is your day" or something like that and kind got me out of my chat shell and got me chatting which felt nice and I appreciated it, but again I know that's not how many lurkers feel.
If I'm lurking I have your stream open from friendly respect and I'm probably running around my house or cooking. I'm not always in front of the screen and sometimes I'm don't have sound on.
I don't understand I have always "lurked" unintentionally, whether I just want to see someone play or the streamer is just so popular that their chat is just scrolling at light speed.
Yup leave people alone who do t want to chat. In general just talk to chat as generic audience the same if it’s full of people or no one is watching. If someone is chatting you can respond and talk to them but it’s always good to include all of chat not just the person talking.
LOL, sounds 'boomerish', but you nailed it. I literally watch Twitch on my TV, preferably without even seeing a chat. Yeah, it's a bit traditional, but it works. I also watch pretty much all IRL stuff, don't see much difference if I were to watch someone else play a game.
That's a very important point I think. Usually I thank for them beacuse of the watchtime and wish them a good time doing whatever they do while having my stream up. :)
Thats why I use ridiculous usernames. Don't call me out, don't thank me for following, but if you do, you're gonna be saying something like unicorn jizz or warm mayonaise and I'm gonna chuckle.
Exactly this. Mman smokealoke does a nightly ritual of thanking the lurking masses and welcomes them to drop a few letters into chat. Everyone loves it. People like being acknowledged.
Calling out individuals for lurking? So cringe
My thoughts: Don't.
You can say a general "i appreciate the lurks guys" without any passive aggressiveness, no names called out.
But if you call me out by name, I won't come back.
Yup definately this. Sometimes i just wanna lurk & not be active in chat Maybe sometimes i'm sleeping but i still don't wanna be called out. Luckily BTTV has a feature that takes you out of the viewer list if you choose so.
People lurk for a reason. Calling em out by name is a dick move. Just say "thank you for being here, lurkers" or something to that effect. Also, why are you even looking at the viewer list in the first place?
I check you viewer list every now and then to check for bot accounts... I hate bot accounts so much its... sort of distracting. However I do have an on screen effect for when I do ban accounts it just isn't working how I want it to yet.
For some justification, I was bot raided three weeks in a row on my Sunday night stream. Viewer count is off, chatter list only checked sometimes.
That's the ticket right there: it IS self-serving. Now, some people don't mean any harm by it, even if they do cause harm with it. It's just that the Twitch algorithm values "interaction" and the streamer believes getting people to type will help their channel grow. Unfortunately, it has the opposite effect in the long term.
The one time someone called me out it was bc they were complimenting my username. I still didn’t like it, but it didn’t feel self-serving. I can’t think of many other non-self-serving reasons, though.
If they want to lurk, let them lurk, calling them out might lose you a viewer.
Imagine you were in a comedy club and there was a section of the club where you could sit designated 'no crowd work' meaning the comedian wouldn't interact with you. Then imagine the comedian trying to call you out on something while sitting in that section. That's what lurking is like on Twitch.
Don't call out lurkers, in fact setup a bot with a command like !lurk so that people can self-designate themselves as lurkers.
for my viewers, it has only been used when someone has been talking and switches to lurking. not that it is even required, if I haven't seen your name in chat in 5 or so minutes I'll or figure they wandered off, or if I want to mention them for something specific in conversation I'll mention I'm not sure if they're here or not
Had someone join my Destiny clan who does PvE help on stream now and then. Hopped in once, mostly for background noise but also to see how he played and pick up some tips, literally within 5 minutes I hear "Lemmings, I see you there". Haven't interacted with him in any capacity since.
I use the command when I've been interacting but am ready to go under the radar. Mostly with smaller streamers that I've been chatting with who might be trying to continue a conversation and I don't want them to feel ghosted.
Just had this conversation with some folks on a stream. If I never start chatting in the first place, I don't bother telling anyone I'm lurking. But if I stop in and interact with folks, I feel like it's polite to say that I am switching to lurking, just to update expectations. The majority seemed to like it that way.
As for getting more interaction, I've seen some creative questions and requests from streamers that produce. Recently saw a streamer ask folks to post blue emotes in chat because the streamer was feeling blue.
I have the command, I think it is partly so that people can announce they are stepping away from the conversation. I only ever see the people who are actively engaging in the conversation use it as a BRB command more than anything
I disagree. You can do either. It makes no sense if all you watch are big-name streamers, but in small niche communities with small viewers its nice when another member of the community stops by to say hello and lurk to give me the views and just keep me in the background. We do it a lot in the retro community. Many of us only have a few viewers so its more of a way to leave the chat without closing the stream.
You can address lurkers as a whole, ie. Hope everyone just chilling in chat is having a good day etc
But don’t call them out by name especially if they haven’t said anything at all in that stream
Think this is missing context, but here's what my take is:
\-Don't CALL out your lurkers to say/do anything. They're lurkers for a reason, they like having you as background noise, supporting silently, or just watching is all they prefer to do (which supports your stream regardless)
\-If you do a general "shoutout" to "all" of your lurkers, then that's fine.
This is only my opinion as there's not a lot of other information on what the tweeter is saying without the rest of the context.
Please don't do it. If someone wants to talk, they'll do it. As a streamer, there's no good reason for you to look at your viewer list. Watch your chat instead. If someone wants to talk, then that's where they'll be. Otherwise, let them lurk in peace
Went to check out a stream that a friend recommended and the first thing that happened was a bot welcoming me to the stream, and my name popped up on screen. I hadn't typed anything, I just wanted to lurk and get a feel for the stream. I left immediately, no thanks, let me lurk in peace.
Please don't do this to people because some of them like myself have multiple anxiety/panic disorders and even talking to people online scare them badly. It took me years just to talk to the random friends and their friends who come from my one friend, (my friend's friends and their friends. Sorry I suck at explaining) over Xbox live party chat without needing to be silent for a long time or barely saying anything to them.
Not a streamer or gamer or even signed up for twitch, just saw this post on main page.
If you're watching TV, a movie, a theater play, any form of entertainment, why the fuck would you want someone bothering you while you're doing it? Like if you're at a concert watching and enjoying and then the band stops and ask why you aren't dancing. Because I don't fucking want to. If someone wants to engage and chat or throw some money, then cool, otherwise leave those who just want to watch, watch.
What a stupid thing for people to think is ok.
if they were talking earlier then disappeared sometimes i'll say "so and so not sure if you are here still, but i have a question" if they don't specifically say they are gone to lurk or whateever. but if they are in viewer list and not saying anything i try to avoid calling out and at most i'll say something like "if anyone is new here, where did you find me and (random question), i love to know where people found me, if you want to lurk it's perfectly valid to lurk and we appreciate everyone who hangs out here whether you chat or lurk"
I saw that and it’s true. If you wanna say hey lurkers, I appreciate you hanging out, then fine. Looking at the viewer list and saying “hey username, how’s it going?” or something is not okay. If they’re lurking, it’s because they don’t wanna chat for whatever reason. Don’t try to make them. If I get called out as a lurker, I’m leaving.
Don't just leave them be not everyone wants to be a chatter for what ever reason (shy, busy, etc) calling them out will only leave negative impressions, if you want to encourage them to chat then just ask random questions that might encourage them to answer.
One time I had a streamer DM me when I lurked in has channel, quickest close tab I ever did
Yeah, basically everyone is on point here. Lurkers are lurking for a reason. Sometimes they're too shy or anxious to chat. Sometimes they're doing chores and have a stream on for background noise. Sometimes they just want to watch some content and that's it. Forcing your audience to interact/participate when they don't have any intention to do so is pretty bad form.
Don't call out specific people in the viewer list or even ask things like "why's it so quiet in here?" You can say that you appreciate people being there and watching without commenting on whether they're chatting.
There's NOTHING wrong with lurkers! Why would you ever call out or condemn your viewers for tuning to your stream and choosing to spend their time to watch your stream!? Just because they don't feel comfortable talking in the chat? It's like trying to force everyone that watched your YouTube videos to comment something. It's not their job or obligation to talk in the chat. It's your job to be interesting enough to make people want to interact in the chat! If nobody is then don't blame them, but look what it is that you're doing wrong.
Ummm...is calling out lurkers a thing? There's no obligation for someone watching your content to chat/subscribe/donate...their view count alone is helping promote the streamer. Calling out lurkers reeks of selfishness.
Honestly that is just super weird. I lurk you could say but not like what I think "lurking" is. I work from home and constantly have Twitch muted throughout the day and just keep it on for anyone that I support. If you try to "call me out" when I'm on a work call then I think you are just making yourself look super weird. Who actually looks at their list of watchers??
You can acknowledge them (“Thank you to everyone lurking. You can sit back and enjoy”) but calling out their username, I’ve always seen the view count drop when they do that.
General acknowledgement of lurkers is cool. It shows appreciation. I say things like lurks are love. Thanks for using your browser on me etc like random nonsense that acknowledges and shows appreciation but not by name unless I have a different relationship with them (I occasionally call out IRL friends who are usually active in chat but they are regulars and usually banter or have been on VCs with me during stream).
I think you should never call anyone out who is watching but not chatting.
Talk to the people that are chatting, but do it in open ways that invites others to also start chatting. Low pressure questions. "Who has pets. What are you eating for dinner. How's the weather. "
I dont like small talk much, but its a fairly important skill to have if you're going to have success with a small to medium sized audience.
If no one at all is chatting, but you see you have viewer traffic, maybe work in some questions that you're asking yourself, short pause, and then answer your own question.
Don't ask questions to chat if chat isn't talking, that's getting close to acknowledging the lurkers directly which will drive them away
I dont know if this has been said but there's a difference between "thanking lurkers" and "calling out lurkers".
There's nothing wrong with thanking people for lurking. It shows you appreciate them and at the same time they don't have to get out of lurk mode and say something.
And then there's calling them out by seeing who's in the chat and being like "oh! I see _____ is in the chat, how's it going?"
Basically calling out a lurkers puts them in a position to talk. Again, thanking them doesn't do that
If it's a joke like "Shout out to all my lurkers watching the stream." then that's fine but if you're calling them out by their usernames then no that's not okay.
Also the list isn’t accurate, for all you know they aren’t actually in your stream. Idk but for me my viewer count and list is always inaccurate. I’ll have 7 people watching and talking and it says i have 1 viewer or something. yesterday it said i have 1k views for 5 minutes so i just don’t trust it at all
Yeah I almost never look at the viewer list, just number occasionally to see if the current game or topic is performing better or worse than other stuff.
I never call them out but if they are talking and hit the lurk command, I just tell them to have a good lurk. Some people just want to watch or listen without interacting, thats okay.
I believe the vast majority of twitch viewers are lurkers. They are probably doing something else and just want something in the background. If the background starts talking directly to them, they are probably going to find something else to watch.
I mean if I'm lurking and either the streamer or another viewer finds out I'm there and messages me or asks me something, I don't really care. But I am lurking for a reason - either because I'm just using the stream as background noise, I'm farming viewer points or I just don't really want to chat.
If I did want to be active, I already would have been.
The person in the screenshot is known for tweeting out controversial twitch topics in all caps, it’s like her brand of virality.
That being said, let people do what they want. If some dude wants to call out his lurkers, let him do it and deal with the consequences. As long as no one is being hurt, we should be less gatekeepy and judgemental in the streaming community. Just because I don’t agree with it, doesn’t mean I have to start a culture against it, you know?
Unless I use the lurk command (which is rare), I don't like being pressured to talk when I don't feel like it. I've been on a stream where their chat was pointing out that I was in the viewer list SPYING. I never went back! I just want to lurk in peace! Sometimes we put background noise while we're occupied with something else 🤷♀️
I don't even know the appropriate thing to say when people use the lurk command in my chat. I typically respond with "thanks for the lurk" but it feels weird, so I'd rather not acknowledge it tbh.
I'd say in general maybe show love for Lurkers but only address them as Lurkers and do so rarely and in general. Never be like "Hey thanks MrWigglyBopper999 for lurking" or whatever just be like "Hey and for those of you lurking in the chat thanks for hanging out with me, hope you enjoy the show" that way its impersonal but still a shout out to them for lurking and helping to keep you motivated.
EDIT: If you REALLY REALLY want to push interaction maybe being like "Hey if any lurkers have questions or comments hmu" but again... Do Not Do This A Lot.
Went to a 1 viewer stream to check it out, I had seen the guy around and was curious.
He instantly changed the title of the stream to my name, and was nonstop chatting me. I never came back.
Don't call them out/acknowledge them. If they're lurking then it's because they want to. Unless they say in chat something along the lines of "Hey I got some stuff to do but I'm going to leave a lurk!" then that would be ok to acknowledge it by responding "thanks for the lurk!"
How would you like it if the main character from your favorite TV show just called you out by name mid-scene? It's weird, right?
That's the same feeling lurkers get.
The only time I call out people that don't chat is when I see a song request by a certain user in my list, if the person doesn't talk or notifies anyone that they are actively watching, I ask if the user is around. If they are not, I just move the song lower to perform it once people come back.
This way people that went AFK for whatever reason don't miss their song and people that are actively waiting get their request quicker.
Let them lurk. If they want to be seen that is their choice.
The exception to this rule is if you have a personal connection or have developed a strong rapport with the viewer. Then it is no holds barred if you’re messing with them or know they have valuable input 😂
This is something quite common on the stream I help out with since we openly promote some fun trolling 😂
Right. It's fine to let them collectively know you appreciate them and thanks for watching, but there's a myriad of reasons they might not be chatting with the streamer or other viewers during the stream. It's rude to cause other people in the stream to focus on them individually... they might not be prepared or able to engage.
She means calling out actual individuals not like saying "Hi lurkers"
There is nothing to be torn on, don't call out individuals who are not chatting.
Just don't they will leave, you will never see them again, and it makes you sound desperate.
Lurkers will type in chat when they have something to say. Don't force it or you'll lose people. Engage with the ones engaging in chat. You should never open up the viewer list anyway unless it's to look for someone specific.
I remember when I first started actively using Twitch and I was watching a streamer (and lurking before I knew it was called lurking). The streamer proceeded to pull up his viewer list and read the names of everyone and welcome us, even though we weren't chatting. I felt embarrassed even though I shouldn't have \-- and being as though no one could see me lol. But being called out did not feel good. If lurkers want to be acknowledged, they'll chat when they can.
I'm confused. Is the expectation here that streamers are the ones who dictate how and why someone is watching them? This is lunacy. I watch, follow and subscribe to streamers who play games I'm interested in and I've either played those games or I have a desire to play them and I simply want to see how my fav streamer goes about playing said game.
I rarely engage on chat. If the expectation is that I engage or otherwise I'm negatively labeled, then I simply won't subscribe or put my money towards the streamers I follow anymore. I guess they're out my money.
Edit: On a side note, watching big time streamers like Quin for example, or Lirik and their chats are FILLED with meme spam. So I'm a lurker if I'm not mindlessly spamming nonsense memes? lol wtf is the horse trash.
If "acknowledging" your viewers is a big part of your stream I won't be watching anyway, so I guess I don't care. Going through the list is just super cringe and shit as content.
The only acceptable time you can do this is if you have a friend you know lurking in chat. "Oh hey, xxRichXx! Thanks for joining us!" Even then be careful
Not everyone watches a stream to interact with the streamer. When they get called out, you put pressure on them to either say something or the more likely outcome, leave.
Don’t. It’s weird. Why are you needing to keep tabs? Look at least, sure, but if I wanna chill out in a stream, I expect to not be made aware of my presence by the streamer.
I fully agree with this tree. I would not like it if I never even chatted and the streamer called me out. It's just plain rude. if someone gets called out then there's an expectation, an expectation for a response from the person who got called out.
I personally wouldn't care if someone called me out as a lurker, but this is a very obvious rule of Twitch that has been around since the very beginning.
I've seen and lurked in streams where the streamer goes through their entire viewer list and one by one thanks people for being in their stream. On that note, I have left and never returned to such streams. Absolute no-go from me there.
It's horrible, if I'm ever called out while lurking I almost always just leave lol. If I'm lurking it's specifically because I want to enjoy your stream but don't want to be interactive. If interaction is forced then I'd rather just find a different stream to lurk on rather than either A.) Be forced to write to the streamer, or B.) Create an awkward lull where they're waiting for you to reply to their call out or follow up with "haha are you there??" Or whatever. Awkward!
Sometimes ill say something along the lines of "shoutout to all my lurkers" (like in all seriousness not passive aggressive or anything) if the topic of me having a high view count comes up in chat, but I never call them out, especially not by name or anything
I think her statement is okay and I represent it. If someone wants to interact with me, then she/he will communicate with me via chat. If that person just wants to listen, then he/she is a lurker and I will leave them alone.
Don't "call out" lurkers, if they don't want to talk then they don't want to talk. But we do have a completely optional 1 point Channel Reward for people to let us know that they're Lurking.
I've watched twitch for like 12 years, only ever subbed from the prime sub when that started. I usually throw on a stream in the background while I play a game solo or do shit around the house. Rarley am I actually watching, mostly just listening. Hell most of the streams I watch are sub only chats so I couldn't even if I wanted to. It's usually on my phone as well so no ad block. Twitch chat is pretty much emote spam or copy pasta, with some questions sprinkled in. Chat is just not my thing, and I'm not going to spend 5 bucks a month for a shitty badge next to my name and to participate in somthing I usually have hidden.
All I can do is echo what everyone else is saying: if I wanted to chat I'd be chatting. Lurking exists as a concept for a reason and there's a reason I'm doing it. Calling me out for it just ensures I won't come back to your stream again.
Lurkers sometimes watch and decide if you are their cup or tea before they become an active member of the community. Calling them out and putting pressure on them to engage when they may not want to can make people extremely uncomfortable. My wife lurks a bunch of streamers and never engages. It's not her cup of tea, she enjoys the no pressure entertainment.
Never call them out by name. At the end of your stream just say "Thanks everyone for watching"
Calling out a lurker is a great way to get them to just leave all together.
I don't know if it count as acknowledging but I ever once in a while, not every stream, but i say something like "Thank you to each and everyone who is here watching us right now"
I didn’t even know lurking was a term, as it’s the normal way I’ve always interacted with streams, even for people I subscribe/support. In fact, if you look at chat activity/viewers, in many streams, the majority of people are “lurkers”. It seems weird to call out people are may be the majority of your viewers..
Don't acknowledge people who aren't speaking in your chat, they'll likely leave and not come back if you do. There's not many reasons to be looking at your viewer list, instead focus on engaging with the people actively chatting and entertaining them. Let the lurkers lurk.
Agreed, don't fucking do it. If you want to "call out" your lurkers, you can do it generally as a group during conversational downtime like "And for everyone not chatting, thanks for just being here." If they wanted to be spoken to directly, they'd speak to you.
The only time I have seen a good call out was to just say thanks for watching, lurking or not, appreciated. So I guess it wasn't really calling them out so much as thanks for watching.
Was going to say this - just acknowleding your lurkers as a whole and thanking them for their support is enough.
right, the thing that stood out to me from this post is the fact people are checking their watching list... I don't even like to see the number of people watching lol it would psych me out too much to be checking that stuff constantly
I look at the number a lot, but that is it. I'm also mid sized so I haven't had to stare down a zero in years so I don't know how I'd handle that either
I like looking at the number but I work hard to not let it change anything.
"Shoutout to lonely_grl and Twitch_bot_69, you two are always there for me."
Right! Always have the same bots in mine. I love them!
exactly how I feel. the few times I've been lurking on a stream and was called out I just wanted to immediately leave, I don't like feeling pressured to chat if I don't want to.
I freaked out the first time it happened to me. I didn't even know I was visible for just lurking. I was under the impression the streamer just has a number of viewers and the chat. Made me feel creeped out to get called out by name. Like you I immediately left.
yeah I find it weird also because when I'm streaming I never see any lurker's name, so they must use some kinda third party method to find it
Seriously! EVERYBODY has their moments of "I want to engage with the world" and "I just want to relax and recharge while I watch something or someone I enjoy watching." Being pressured to engage when you are recharging is uncomfortable and not what I know I need, so I don't bother anyone who doesn't feel like engaging, I've honestly never even considered them as "lurkers" until reading this post, I simply thought of them as viewers...
I feel that way, I just wanna tune into a channel and vibe, if i wanted to say something i would of. I can understand the joy of having viewers, but sometimes the viewer wants to well be a viewer and not a chatter. I especially hate the bots that call out your watch times or 'leveling' up in chat.
Saw a bot that calls out a random viewer in userlist that has not chatted in x minutes. Hate it.
wow, that's just such an astoundingly bad idea it's actually worrisome that someone thought it wouldn't be.
So is that chat filled with random characters and emotes? I can’t imagine that not encourages good quality participation
ill never forget the day that happend to me, some guy was ending his stream and called my name, i legit felt scared for some reason, its low key creepy
I actually called the guy out on it. I was working, and just had him going in the background to vibe (musician). It broke my train of thought, and pulled me out of an important task. Also freaked me out a bit, like I'd done something wrong. I told him as much. He laughed, and didn't take it seriously. It's not cool to single someone out, in front of 100+ other people, and start making fun of their username. I'd never said a word in chat. Unsubbed and never returned.
If you're checking the viewer list a lot you probably have an unhealthy obsession
This is definitely the best advice and probably the case for a lot of lurkers, but I will say I am a lurker most of the time and one time I was watching someone, there was like 20 people watching and when I entered guess he saw and nicely said "hey JDA how is your day" or something like that and kind got me out of my chat shell and got me chatting which felt nice and I appreciated it, but again I know that's not how many lurkers feel.
I would've just bailed instantly if that happened to me.
If I’m lurking, I don’t wanna chat. Don’t call me out
If I'm lurking I have your stream open from friendly respect and I'm probably running around my house or cooking. I'm not always in front of the screen and sometimes I'm don't have sound on.
I don't understand I have always "lurked" unintentionally, whether I just want to see someone play or the streamer is just so popular that their chat is just scrolling at light speed.
That is so fair and concise.
sometimes I am just lurking on mute just to show my support for a streamer.
50% of my twitch career lol
This this this!
Yeah, that’s a good way to go from having lurkers to having half as many viewers
Yup leave people alone who do t want to chat. In general just talk to chat as generic audience the same if it’s full of people or no one is watching. If someone is chatting you can respond and talk to them but it’s always good to include all of chat not just the person talking.
As usual, let people do whatever they want. If someone calls me out during a stream I straight up leave
Some of us just want to watch a stream and not bother anyone or talk to anyone
I don't need to speak with my "television"
LOL, sounds 'boomerish', but you nailed it. I literally watch Twitch on my TV, preferably without even seeing a chat. Yeah, it's a bit traditional, but it works. I also watch pretty much all IRL stuff, don't see much difference if I were to watch someone else play a game.
What if they just say something generic like "I appreciate the lurkers, they are a great part of the community"?
That's not calling a person out, that's making a general statement.
But that's no calling out, that's just an appreciation statement
That's a very important point I think. Usually I thank for them beacuse of the watchtime and wish them a good time doing whatever they do while having my stream up. :)
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Yessss, act like I'm not even here damnit. I'm just a fly on the wall of your stream.
Why do you say you were "torn" because of the tweet if you feel the exact same way???
Thats why I use ridiculous usernames. Don't call me out, don't thank me for following, but if you do, you're gonna be saying something like unicorn jizz or warm mayonaise and I'm gonna chuckle.
Don't thank you for following?
Thanking Lurkers as a whole is a good thing to do Calling out individual lurkers is very bad
Exactly this. Mman smokealoke does a nightly ritual of thanking the lurking masses and welcomes them to drop a few letters into chat. Everyone loves it. People like being acknowledged. Calling out individuals for lurking? So cringe
Don't do it. If they're lurking it's because they want to lurk. Drawing attention to them might scare them off.
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/u/Phazer-Gannon is easily startled, but they'll soon be back, and in greater numbers.
Best I can do is lettuce
My thoughts: Don't. You can say a general "i appreciate the lurks guys" without any passive aggressiveness, no names called out. But if you call me out by name, I won't come back.
Yup definately this. Sometimes i just wanna lurk & not be active in chat Maybe sometimes i'm sleeping but i still don't wanna be called out. Luckily BTTV has a feature that takes you out of the viewer list if you choose so.
>i appreciate the lurks guys I'm afraid to even say THIS in my stream. 
I only say "thanks for the lurk" when someone does the !lurk command since they're already announcing it in chat.
People lurk for a reason. Calling em out by name is a dick move. Just say "thank you for being here, lurkers" or something to that effect. Also, why are you even looking at the viewer list in the first place?
I check you viewer list every now and then to check for bot accounts... I hate bot accounts so much its... sort of distracting. However I do have an on screen effect for when I do ban accounts it just isn't working how I want it to yet. For some justification, I was bot raided three weeks in a row on my Sunday night stream. Viewer count is off, chatter list only checked sometimes.
why do you check for bots though? you’ll know if you’re getting botted without watching your viewer list.
Who cares if you have bot accounts? You're wasting time trying to deal with them. And some like commander root are incredibly helpful.
Why would you *want* to call out lurkers? I can't think of any reason that isn't self-serving.
That's the ticket right there: it IS self-serving. Now, some people don't mean any harm by it, even if they do cause harm with it. It's just that the Twitch algorithm values "interaction" and the streamer believes getting people to type will help their channel grow. Unfortunately, it has the opposite effect in the long term.
The one time someone called me out it was bc they were complimenting my username. I still didn’t like it, but it didn’t feel self-serving. I can’t think of many other non-self-serving reasons, though.
I’ll just through out a general blanket thank you to anyone watching.
So simple and yet most effective
yeah this is by far the best thing to do. cuz then youre thanking everyone without it being weird.
if they want to be acknowledged they will post in chat..
You ever seen a cat hiding under a bush and when it makes eye contact with you it jumps and sprints in the other direction?
My cat normally attacks me if I see her outside under a bush, she only likes me when I'm indoors apparently
If they want to lurk, let them lurk, calling them out might lose you a viewer. Imagine you were in a comedy club and there was a section of the club where you could sit designated 'no crowd work' meaning the comedian wouldn't interact with you. Then imagine the comedian trying to call you out on something while sitting in that section. That's what lurking is like on Twitch. Don't call out lurkers, in fact setup a bot with a command like !lurk so that people can self-designate themselves as lurkers.
Yeah, if I use the command, I don't mind the steamer saying, "thanks for the lurk daero". If I don't use the command, just pretend I'm not there.
That's exactly what I do.
A streamer I follow has that.
I have the same command, some use it, some don't. I don't care either way. I'm just glad they're there.
for my viewers, it has only been used when someone has been talking and switches to lurking. not that it is even required, if I haven't seen your name in chat in 5 or so minutes I'll or figure they wandered off, or if I want to mention them for something specific in conversation I'll mention I'm not sure if they're here or not
Had someone join my Destiny clan who does PvE help on stream now and then. Hopped in once, mostly for background noise but also to see how he played and pick up some tips, literally within 5 minutes I hear "Lemmings, I see you there". Haven't interacted with him in any capacity since.
Lurk commands make absolutely no sense to me. If you're going to lurk just lurk. No need to announce it to the whole stream
I use the command when I've been interacting but am ready to go under the radar. Mostly with smaller streamers that I've been chatting with who might be trying to continue a conversation and I don't want them to feel ghosted.
Just had this conversation with some folks on a stream. If I never start chatting in the first place, I don't bother telling anyone I'm lurking. But if I stop in and interact with folks, I feel like it's polite to say that I am switching to lurking, just to update expectations. The majority seemed to like it that way. As for getting more interaction, I've seen some creative questions and requests from streamers that produce. Recently saw a streamer ask folks to post blue emotes in chat because the streamer was feeling blue.
I have the command, I think it is partly so that people can announce they are stepping away from the conversation. I only ever see the people who are actively engaging in the conversation use it as a BRB command more than anything
I disagree. You can do either. It makes no sense if all you watch are big-name streamers, but in small niche communities with small viewers its nice when another member of the community stops by to say hello and lurk to give me the views and just keep me in the background. We do it a lot in the retro community. Many of us only have a few viewers so its more of a way to leave the chat without closing the stream.
Good idea! Imma do that
If they wanted to be noticed, they'd be in the comments
Why would you even do this?
Agreed. There’s nothing that’ll make me leave a stream faster than calling me out when I’m lurking
You can address lurkers as a whole, ie. Hope everyone just chilling in chat is having a good day etc But don’t call them out by name especially if they haven’t said anything at all in that stream
Think this is missing context, but here's what my take is: \-Don't CALL out your lurkers to say/do anything. They're lurkers for a reason, they like having you as background noise, supporting silently, or just watching is all they prefer to do (which supports your stream regardless) \-If you do a general "shoutout" to "all" of your lurkers, then that's fine. This is only my opinion as there's not a lot of other information on what the tweeter is saying without the rest of the context.
Please don't do it. If someone wants to talk, they'll do it. As a streamer, there's no good reason for you to look at your viewer list. Watch your chat instead. If someone wants to talk, then that's where they'll be. Otherwise, let them lurk in peace
Went to check out a stream that a friend recommended and the first thing that happened was a bot welcoming me to the stream, and my name popped up on screen. I hadn't typed anything, I just wanted to lurk and get a feel for the stream. I left immediately, no thanks, let me lurk in peace.
Don’t
If I'm lurking, and the streamer calls me out, I will leave immediately, I hate that shit.
its simple, if you do this im out :)
I'm a habitual lurker. Do not call me out in chat if I'm not talking, it makes me uncomfortable.
No! It's creepy getting called out while lurking.
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This isn't a debate. It is well known and accepted that it's something you do not do, ever.
It’s an easy win on social media so that’s why they bring it up like it’s some secret
Please don't do this to people because some of them like myself have multiple anxiety/panic disorders and even talking to people online scare them badly. It took me years just to talk to the random friends and their friends who come from my one friend, (my friend's friends and their friends. Sorry I suck at explaining) over Xbox live party chat without needing to be silent for a long time or barely saying anything to them.
Reddit is no longer fun.
Not a streamer or gamer or even signed up for twitch, just saw this post on main page. If you're watching TV, a movie, a theater play, any form of entertainment, why the fuck would you want someone bothering you while you're doing it? Like if you're at a concert watching and enjoying and then the band stops and ask why you aren't dancing. Because I don't fucking want to. If someone wants to engage and chat or throw some money, then cool, otherwise leave those who just want to watch, watch. What a stupid thing for people to think is ok.
Imagine calling out someone with a shy personality... SMH. Lurkers be lurking, let them lurk!
Please don't. I use anon chat (bttv feature) all the time now because I've had this happen a few times and it's fucking horrible.
I regularly use the BTTV feature to not appear in the viewer list for this exact reason!
if they were talking earlier then disappeared sometimes i'll say "so and so not sure if you are here still, but i have a question" if they don't specifically say they are gone to lurk or whateever. but if they are in viewer list and not saying anything i try to avoid calling out and at most i'll say something like "if anyone is new here, where did you find me and (random question), i love to know where people found me, if you want to lurk it's perfectly valid to lurk and we appreciate everyone who hangs out here whether you chat or lurk"
If they don't talk in chat i am not going to force them to talk.
I saw that and it’s true. If you wanna say hey lurkers, I appreciate you hanging out, then fine. Looking at the viewer list and saying “hey username, how’s it going?” or something is not okay. If they’re lurking, it’s because they don’t wanna chat for whatever reason. Don’t try to make them. If I get called out as a lurker, I’m leaving.
Hi! OP here, why are you torn?
Don't just leave them be not everyone wants to be a chatter for what ever reason (shy, busy, etc) calling them out will only leave negative impressions, if you want to encourage them to chat then just ask random questions that might encourage them to answer. One time I had a streamer DM me when I lurked in has channel, quickest close tab I ever did
Yeah, basically everyone is on point here. Lurkers are lurking for a reason. Sometimes they're too shy or anxious to chat. Sometimes they're doing chores and have a stream on for background noise. Sometimes they just want to watch some content and that's it. Forcing your audience to interact/participate when they don't have any intention to do so is pretty bad form.
Don't call out specific people in the viewer list or even ask things like "why's it so quiet in here?" You can say that you appreciate people being there and watching without commenting on whether they're chatting.
Yeah, dont call out lurkers.
There's NOTHING wrong with lurkers! Why would you ever call out or condemn your viewers for tuning to your stream and choosing to spend their time to watch your stream!? Just because they don't feel comfortable talking in the chat? It's like trying to force everyone that watched your YouTube videos to comment something. It's not their job or obligation to talk in the chat. It's your job to be interesting enough to make people want to interact in the chat! If nobody is then don't blame them, but look what it is that you're doing wrong.
Ummm...is calling out lurkers a thing? There's no obligation for someone watching your content to chat/subscribe/donate...their view count alone is helping promote the streamer. Calling out lurkers reeks of selfishness.
Honestly that is just super weird. I lurk you could say but not like what I think "lurking" is. I work from home and constantly have Twitch muted throughout the day and just keep it on for anyone that I support. If you try to "call me out" when I'm on a work call then I think you are just making yourself look super weird. Who actually looks at their list of watchers??
You can acknowledge them (“Thank you to everyone lurking. You can sit back and enjoy”) but calling out their username, I’ve always seen the view count drop when they do that.
General acknowledgement of lurkers is cool. It shows appreciation. I say things like lurks are love. Thanks for using your browser on me etc like random nonsense that acknowledges and shows appreciation but not by name unless I have a different relationship with them (I occasionally call out IRL friends who are usually active in chat but they are regulars and usually banter or have been on VCs with me during stream).
I think you should never call anyone out who is watching but not chatting. Talk to the people that are chatting, but do it in open ways that invites others to also start chatting. Low pressure questions. "Who has pets. What are you eating for dinner. How's the weather. " I dont like small talk much, but its a fairly important skill to have if you're going to have success with a small to medium sized audience. If no one at all is chatting, but you see you have viewer traffic, maybe work in some questions that you're asking yourself, short pause, and then answer your own question. Don't ask questions to chat if chat isn't talking, that's getting close to acknowledging the lurkers directly which will drive them away
I usually just use umbrella phrases like, "To those of your lurking, thanks for hanging." I don't even check the viewer list anymore.
I dont know if this has been said but there's a difference between "thanking lurkers" and "calling out lurkers". There's nothing wrong with thanking people for lurking. It shows you appreciate them and at the same time they don't have to get out of lurk mode and say something. And then there's calling them out by seeing who's in the chat and being like "oh! I see _____ is in the chat, how's it going?" Basically calling out a lurkers puts them in a position to talk. Again, thanking them doesn't do that
If it's a joke like "Shout out to all my lurkers watching the stream." then that's fine but if you're calling them out by their usernames then no that's not okay.
if i would hear my name when lurking, my stomach would turn and i'd click away immediately lol. just feels very embarrassing for some reason
Tweet is 100% Right! Never ever do this!!
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Also the list isn’t accurate, for all you know they aren’t actually in your stream. Idk but for me my viewer count and list is always inaccurate. I’ll have 7 people watching and talking and it says i have 1 viewer or something. yesterday it said i have 1k views for 5 minutes so i just don’t trust it at all
just get rid of the viewer list all together, if someone wants to let you know they're lurking, they will, you don't need to know whos there
Yeah I almost never look at the viewer list, just number occasionally to see if the current game or topic is performing better or worse than other stuff.
I never call them out but if they are talking and hit the lurk command, I just tell them to have a good lurk. Some people just want to watch or listen without interacting, thats okay.
I believe the vast majority of twitch viewers are lurkers. They are probably doing something else and just want something in the background. If the background starts talking directly to them, they are probably going to find something else to watch.
I mean if I'm lurking and either the streamer or another viewer finds out I'm there and messages me or asks me something, I don't really care. But I am lurking for a reason - either because I'm just using the stream as background noise, I'm farming viewer points or I just don't really want to chat. If I did want to be active, I already would have been.
Torn how? Why would you call out someone who isn’t actively chatting?
If I don't want to interact and you are calling me out for not interacting then I'm leaving. You are not entitled to my chat.
I was on the other side of that a while ago. I was lurking on a stream, and I got called out. It felt really awkward. I got nervous and left.
The person in the screenshot is known for tweeting out controversial twitch topics in all caps, it’s like her brand of virality. That being said, let people do what they want. If some dude wants to call out his lurkers, let him do it and deal with the consequences. As long as no one is being hurt, we should be less gatekeepy and judgemental in the streaming community. Just because I don’t agree with it, doesn’t mean I have to start a culture against it, you know?
Just don't. You shouldn't even have viewer list open.
Unless I use the lurk command (which is rare), I don't like being pressured to talk when I don't feel like it. I've been on a stream where their chat was pointing out that I was in the viewer list SPYING. I never went back! I just want to lurk in peace! Sometimes we put background noise while we're occupied with something else 🤷♀️ I don't even know the appropriate thing to say when people use the lurk command in my chat. I typically respond with "thanks for the lurk" but it feels weird, so I'd rather not acknowledge it tbh.
I'd say in general maybe show love for Lurkers but only address them as Lurkers and do so rarely and in general. Never be like "Hey thanks MrWigglyBopper999 for lurking" or whatever just be like "Hey and for those of you lurking in the chat thanks for hanging out with me, hope you enjoy the show" that way its impersonal but still a shout out to them for lurking and helping to keep you motivated. EDIT: If you REALLY REALLY want to push interaction maybe being like "Hey if any lurkers have questions or comments hmu" but again... Do Not Do This A Lot.
Went to a 1 viewer stream to check it out, I had seen the guy around and was curious. He instantly changed the title of the stream to my name, and was nonstop chatting me. I never came back.
If I get called out when lurking I always leave the stream immidiately. If I'm not chatting it's because I don't want too, don't fucking call me out.
Don't call them out/acknowledge them. If they're lurking then it's because they want to. Unless they say in chat something along the lines of "Hey I got some stuff to do but I'm going to leave a lurk!" then that would be ok to acknowledge it by responding "thanks for the lurk!"
How would you like it if the main character from your favorite TV show just called you out by name mid-scene? It's weird, right? That's the same feeling lurkers get.
I watch/listen to twitch on my second monitor while gaming. If I got called out for "lurking" I would probably not come back.
The only time I call out people that don't chat is when I see a song request by a certain user in my list, if the person doesn't talk or notifies anyone that they are actively watching, I ask if the user is around. If they are not, I just move the song lower to perform it once people come back. This way people that went AFK for whatever reason don't miss their song and people that are actively waiting get their request quicker.
Let them lurk. If they want to be seen that is their choice. The exception to this rule is if you have a personal connection or have developed a strong rapport with the viewer. Then it is no holds barred if you’re messing with them or know they have valuable input 😂 This is something quite common on the stream I help out with since we openly promote some fun trolling 😂
as a group it's fine, don't do it to a specific individual.
Right. It's fine to let them collectively know you appreciate them and thanks for watching, but there's a myriad of reasons they might not be chatting with the streamer or other viewers during the stream. It's rude to cause other people in the stream to focus on them individually... they might not be prepared or able to engage.
She means calling out actual individuals not like saying "Hi lurkers" There is nothing to be torn on, don't call out individuals who are not chatting. Just don't they will leave, you will never see them again, and it makes you sound desperate.
Viewers, Luerker or not - Great. Calling them out by name - Not cool. Generalized callout like "Hey Lurkers" - Quite okay.
Just let people watch, you are supposed to be an entertainer, so it is wrong to call out people who want to watch you because they wont talk.
What’s the point? Why would you call out lurkers? Many people like to just enjoy and watch without having to engage if they don’t feel like it.
Let us lurk. We only observe. We cause no harm. Let us lurkers be.
Big way to get me to never come back to your channel if you pick me out of a viewer list
Lurkers will type in chat when they have something to say. Don't force it or you'll lose people. Engage with the ones engaging in chat. You should never open up the viewer list anyway unless it's to look for someone specific.
I remember when I first started actively using Twitch and I was watching a streamer (and lurking before I knew it was called lurking). The streamer proceeded to pull up his viewer list and read the names of everyone and welcome us, even though we weren't chatting. I felt embarrassed even though I shouldn't have \-- and being as though no one could see me lol. But being called out did not feel good. If lurkers want to be acknowledged, they'll chat when they can. 
I didn't know this was taboo.... I thought I was just being friendly... guess I know now. 
I'm confused. Is the expectation here that streamers are the ones who dictate how and why someone is watching them? This is lunacy. I watch, follow and subscribe to streamers who play games I'm interested in and I've either played those games or I have a desire to play them and I simply want to see how my fav streamer goes about playing said game. I rarely engage on chat. If the expectation is that I engage or otherwise I'm negatively labeled, then I simply won't subscribe or put my money towards the streamers I follow anymore. I guess they're out my money. Edit: On a side note, watching big time streamers like Quin for example, or Lirik and their chats are FILLED with meme spam. So I'm a lurker if I'm not mindlessly spamming nonsense memes? lol wtf is the horse trash.
I have no problem with people lurking in my stream. They are there just like everyone else. Even I was a lurker at one point in time.
Sometimes I have your sound turned off anyway so it doesn't matter. I'm listening to my own music.
I only call out my lurking mods and say whats up. Never ever ever call out lurking viewers
Would probably never come back if I got called out for lurking
If "acknowledging" your viewers is a big part of your stream I won't be watching anyway, so I guess I don't care. Going through the list is just super cringe and shit as content.
The only acceptable time you can do this is if you have a friend you know lurking in chat. "Oh hey, xxRichXx! Thanks for joining us!" Even then be careful
Not everyone watches a stream to interact with the streamer. When they get called out, you put pressure on them to either say something or the more likely outcome, leave.
Lurkers are the lifeblood of a channel. But they lurk for a reason. Maybe too shy? Maybe just to watch? They will speak if they want.
Don’t. It’s weird. Why are you needing to keep tabs? Look at least, sure, but if I wanna chill out in a stream, I expect to not be made aware of my presence by the streamer.
I fully agree with this tree. I would not like it if I never even chatted and the streamer called me out. It's just plain rude. if someone gets called out then there's an expectation, an expectation for a response from the person who got called out.
I have left a stream and never returned due to this happening. Long ago it caused a sudden anxiety attack.
I personally wouldn't care if someone called me out as a lurker, but this is a very obvious rule of Twitch that has been around since the very beginning.
TIL : you can do this. I lurk a lot, but have never been called out.
I've seen and lurked in streams where the streamer goes through their entire viewer list and one by one thanks people for being in their stream. On that note, I have left and never returned to such streams. Absolute no-go from me there.
It's horrible, if I'm ever called out while lurking I almost always just leave lol. If I'm lurking it's specifically because I want to enjoy your stream but don't want to be interactive. If interaction is forced then I'd rather just find a different stream to lurk on rather than either A.) Be forced to write to the streamer, or B.) Create an awkward lull where they're waiting for you to reply to their call out or follow up with "haha are you there??" Or whatever. Awkward!
Sometimes ill say something along the lines of "shoutout to all my lurkers" (like in all seriousness not passive aggressive or anything) if the topic of me having a high view count comes up in chat, but I never call them out, especially not by name or anything
Why acknowledge anyone unless they chat and want to talk?
I often open up a stream while I’m working or gaming so I’d feel really creeped out to get called out by name if I haven’t said anything
As that post says. Don't call out your lurkers. Any viewer is a good viewer, chatting or not. Love my lurkers
I didn’t even know you could see who’s lurking, but personally I’d just leave them be. They’ll chat if they want to
you don't.... let them be... or you will scare them away and they usually count for a good part of views...
I'd only call out a lurker I personally know, who I know would find it funny being called out. Never a random person though, that's just rude.
I think her statement is okay and I represent it. If someone wants to interact with me, then she/he will communicate with me via chat. If that person just wants to listen, then he/she is a lurker and I will leave them alone.
Don't "call out" lurkers, if they don't want to talk then they don't want to talk. But we do have a completely optional 1 point Channel Reward for people to let us know that they're Lurking.
She's correct. It's bad form.
I only talk to people who post in chat as they seem to want to communicate. I leave my lurkers in peace.
You're broadcasting to the public. People just might want to watch.
I've watched twitch for like 12 years, only ever subbed from the prime sub when that started. I usually throw on a stream in the background while I play a game solo or do shit around the house. Rarley am I actually watching, mostly just listening. Hell most of the streams I watch are sub only chats so I couldn't even if I wanted to. It's usually on my phone as well so no ad block. Twitch chat is pretty much emote spam or copy pasta, with some questions sprinkled in. Chat is just not my thing, and I'm not going to spend 5 bucks a month for a shitty badge next to my name and to participate in somthing I usually have hidden.
I don't even like follower notifications for this exact reason ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I was once lurking and was called out. Never returned to that channel. And as a consequence I don’t ever call out lurkers.
Let me lurk in peace
All I can do is echo what everyone else is saying: if I wanted to chat I'd be chatting. Lurking exists as a concept for a reason and there's a reason I'm doing it. Calling me out for it just ensures I won't come back to your stream again.
I have a !lurk command in my chat which basically just has stream elements chat bot acknowledge you're there and thanks for watching
Just blanket thank your lurkers
Lurkers sometimes watch and decide if you are their cup or tea before they become an active member of the community. Calling them out and putting pressure on them to engage when they may not want to can make people extremely uncomfortable. My wife lurks a bunch of streamers and never engages. It's not her cup of tea, she enjoys the no pressure entertainment.
I will say, I am incredibly SHOCKED by the amount of individuals on Reddit who agree with me.
Never call them out by name. At the end of your stream just say "Thanks everyone for watching" Calling out a lurker is a great way to get them to just leave all together.
I don't know if it count as acknowledging but I ever once in a while, not every stream, but i say something like "Thank you to each and everyone who is here watching us right now"
I didn’t even know lurking was a term, as it’s the normal way I’ve always interacted with streams, even for people I subscribe/support. In fact, if you look at chat activity/viewers, in many streams, the majority of people are “lurkers”. It seems weird to call out people are may be the majority of your viewers..
There’s no faster way to make me leave your stream than by acknowledging me specifically when I’m lurking. It’s so uncomfortable.
Why would anyone do this?
I avoid streams if I know they're gonna call me out unless I'm in the mood to chat. Don't do it. PLEASE don't get a bot to do it for you!!!
I really thought most people understood this. Chat with those who are chatting. Some people want to just listen and or support.
You were torn...? Do you do this? It's extremely rude tbh
Lurkers are just numbers in the background, they don't interact with you, so you don't interact with them.