Huge numbers of fake follower accounts have been created using channel names.
So overnight some entity has created thousands of Twitch accounts using streamers channel's name. Here is a screenshot of what it looks for one of my channels on Twitch.
The format for the accounts appears to follow a pattern, its basically a streamers channel plus a random combination of one to three digits or letters. Some are also using pictures, avatars from established streamers in the profile.
Please be aware its not the channel owners doing it, if you get messages, alerts, /raids or whatever from channels that are following this format dont take it against the streamer.
Who exactly knows what the entity is planning on doing with all the fake accounts. Hopefully Twitch will investigate and remove these accounts from the system.
How to check if your channel was effected is by using the search function on the Twitch website.
Put in your stream name in the search bar and then click more on the channel section. Here is a screenshot to help you see where to click on to show more.
Again, be careful when clicking on things inside chat rooms, this entity maybe will try to post links with similar channel name to get viewers to click on them. It maybe a smart move to banned all accounts you find during search to prevent something like that from happening inside your chats.
Update - 8/19/2018
Checked to see if any of the new accounts have been removed for 'gamingwithdaopa' search and I still see a total of 30 or so fake accounts. We are speculating the entity that is doing this account generation is trying to obtain 'free subs' from Twitch's new gifting option. I believe if they get a free sub, it may whitelist them inside that channel which will then allow them to post fishing links or other problematic links inside chat rooms.
It maybe time to prevent all URLs from being displayed in your chat unless its been reviewed by a moderator or channel owner. When reviewing links, pay attention to misspellings for domain names, and get a handle on URL shortener that will cloak links.
At 6 PM Est time, the start of "World of Warcraft's - Battle for Azeroth" newest expansion launched and here are some screenshots of the numbers and top streamers on twitch!
Let start with overall viewers, it topped around 610,000 here is a screenshot from the Twitch directory.
Click to enlarge picture.
With any large AAA Title, tons of streamers who usually do not play or stream world of warcraft all jumped in for the expansion launch. Here is a look at the top most streamers:
Click to enlarge screenshot
Top streamers for launch include the following:
sodapoppin - 84,750 viewers
Asmongold - 60,350 viewers
LIRIK - 31,170 viewers
ZeratoR - 29,728 viewers
TimTheTatman - 26,652 viewers
Reckful - 23,506 viewers
shroud - 21,415 viewers
AtheneLIVE - 16,513 viewers
Towelliee - 14,535 viewers
ungespielt - 7,612 vierwers
It is always amazing to see the viewership numbers for game launches like this Twitch. You can also view how much of a viewership hit some of these non wow streamers take by switching over to it for the launch window. As of 7:30 PM, overall viewership numbers have gone down to around 495,991 Viewers. I guess the core viewers are now busy playing the game and stopped watching streams.
How embedding can be used to promote big events for your Twitch channel.
This past weekend Twitch had a major Overwatch League event and I noticed some of the various ways they used embedding advertising to promote the channel. For those of you who are not familiar with what embedding means its basically taking the channel video stream player and showing it externally outside of Twitch. A good example of embedding can be seen here on this blog, on the sidebar I embed my Twitch channel in the advertising section. You can also include chat as its own embed if you wanted to show that off.
So lets start with reddit, on numerous subreddits during the event they had a advertisement going which showed the stream as a embed. Here is a screenshot:
This would show up as a reddit promoted post and as users went to the subreddits that had this advert going, they would be able to watch the stream inside of reddit.
Next up and most likely one of the best embedding options Twitch has in their portfolio is gamepedia. Here is a screenshot of the OverwatchLeague channel being embedding across the majority of the gamepedia wiki network.
Even thou the event is over with that embed is still occurring which is extremely helpful when looking at how much channel views generation its generally doing. Lets take a quick look at some basic stats for this channel.
The event took place on the 27th and 28th of July, on the screenshot I've added 2 black dots. Now look at what happened on Sunday, over 2 million views on a offline stream. And continued on to Monday another 1.2 million views mostly generated by Twitch's embedding of the channel on gamepedia. How interesting to see a big bulk of the views coming from embedding promotions outside of Twitch.
One more place that I've seen in the past Twitch used to promote a special event was on imdb. IMDB is owned by Amazon, its a movie-actor type of a database lookup website. I forgot to check to see if they had any promotional embed for the Overwatchleague channel. But here is how they used it during a Call of Duty Black Ops announcement event.
This was on the frontpage, top fold of the layout showing the channel as a embed.
Most likely they did additional promotion on facebook, twitter and other places but I didn't dig that deep. On facebook they do not allow 3rd party embedding, but on Twitter you can embed your stream.
Overall this shows how powerful embedding advertisement can be to promote your channel on Twitch. Check out my "How to get twitch viewers", guide for ways you can start taking advantage of embedding and other various tips that I have learned over the years of streaming.
Any questions or comments fill free to post below in the comment section.
Update 8/15/2018 - Noticed another embedded stream on r/twitch promoting Call of Duty, unlucky for them having a MATURE Filter enabled prevented the stream from autoplaying.
Here is a screenshot: Additional examples of embedding, date of screenshots taken on 4/27/2021.
How to Avoid Getting Caught in a Phishing Scam on Twitch Live Streams
Picture this. You are scrolling through Twitch, spot a streamer playing your favorite game with a couple thousand viewers, and a quick glance at their profile promises free in game items just for checking a forum thread. You click, type in your login details, and within seconds your account is cleaned out. It sounds like a nightmare, but it is a real trap that catches gamers every single week.
Phishing scams on Twitch have been around for years, and they are not going away. Scammers create fake streams, compromised channels, or cleverly disguised links in profiles, chat, and panels to steal usernames, passwords, game accounts, and virtual goods. No platform is completely immune, but the good news is you can protect yourself with a few simple habits and a healthy dose of skepticism.
One of the most common examples still circulating involves Old School RuneScape fans. A viewer comes across a channel with around 2,000 viewers showing gameplay. The streamers profile panel mentions they are quitting the game and giving away items via a linked forum thread. The link looks identical to the official RuneScape forums. The viewer logs in to claim the free stuff and boom. Their account gets compromised. Gold, rare items, everything vanishes, often while the player is hit with a distraction like a DDoS attempt to buy the scammers more time.
That story is not ancient history. Similar tactics, fake giveaway streams, compromised channels, or cleverly disguised links continue to fool people in 2025 and 2026. Scammers love popular games like RuneScape, Fortnite, Valorant, and League of Legends because players have invested real money and time into their accounts.
Why These Scams Work So Well
Twitch moves fast. You are chatting, watching, and multitasking. Scammers exploit that excitement with urgency and familiarity. Pages that look exactly like the real thing make it easy to fall for. They also use short URLs, tiny spelling changes in web addresses, and even hijacked legitimate channels to make everything feel trustworthy.
Smart Ways to Stay Safe Every Time You Stream
Never click random links not in chat, whispers, profile panels, banners, or about sections. Even if the streamer seems legit, pause and think.
Hover first, click later. Mouse over every URL. If it is a shortened link, treat it as suspicious. Legitimate streamers rarely need them.
Double check the destination. If you trust the streamer, open the official game website or Twitch page in a new tab yourself instead of following their link. Tiny changes like runescɑpe.com using a Cyrillic a or twltch.tv are classic tricks.
Remember: if it sounds too good to be true, it is. Free rare items, double XP weekends that do not exist, or quit and giveaway offers that ask for your login details are almost always scams.
Enable two factor authentication everywhere. Turn on 2FA for your Twitch account, your game accounts, email, and any linked services. It is the single biggest barrier against account takeovers.
Watch for modern red flags. High viewer counts on low follower channels, pre recorded footage with no live interaction, urgent verify now messages, or requests for personal info are all warning signs.
Other Common Twitch Phishing Tactics You Will See in 2026
Beyond profile panel links, scammers love sending whispers and private messages with fake giveaway codes. They also impersonate Twitch staff with emails about account suspension or copyright strikes that lead to credential harvesting sites. Some create clone channels that rebroadcast popular streamers and slip phishing links into the chat. Even fake donation alerts and charity drives have been weaponized.
Twitch continues to improve its fraud detection tools, but the best defense is still you. Report suspicious channels and messages directly through the platform, and never hesitate to reach out to official support using bookmarks instead of emailed links.
What to Do If You Think You Have Been Scammed
Act fast. Change your password immediately from a different device. Enable 2FA if it is not already on. Check your game account for unauthorized activity and contact the games official support. Report the stream or message on Twitch. If money or items were stolen, document everything for potential recovery through the games customer service team.
Staying safe on Twitch does not mean you have to stop enjoying live streams. It just means staying one step ahead of the scammers. Take a breath before you click, verify everything yourself, and keep that too good to be true radar switched on.
Have you run into a phishing attempt on Twitch lately? Drop your experience or any new tricks you have spotted in the comments below. The more we share, the safer the community stays.
So you want to put a twitch clip on twitter as a embed? Here is a simple way to do it by downloading the clip and reuploading it into twitter. This method can also apply for facebook pages. So if you want to upload clips onto both twitter and facebook, substitute step 3 with posting on facebook, its very similar.
Step 1.
Go to the clips section on the dashboard and select clips of my channel.
Here is a URL shortcut (
https://dashboard.twitch.tv/u/STREAMNAME/content/clips/channel ) to
this section, just make sure to insert your channel name in the
STREAMNAME spot.
Step 2.
Click on the download button next to the clip you want to save. Make sure to save the video clip to a location you can easily find such as your desktop.
Step 3.
Now that you have your video clip downloaded, you can use it to upload into twitter, which will create it as a embed. Go to twitter, then to tweet creation window and click on 'Add photos or video' button, select the video clip file and upload it. Write out a tweet description with your hash tags and tweet it out.
Update - Twitch now has the correct twitter card information for clips, so it automatically embeds and links back to your twitch channel. You can use the clips URL and just put that into a tweet and it should work. So you will have to decide either on downloading and re-uploading or just using the share to tweet link.
I recommended to keep downloading your clips and then uploading them into twitter. Using twitter's video system is better for growing and discovery opportunities on that platform. Social media platforms like facebook and twitter generally rank content better if its on their website, not embeds or links to other sites.
Ultimate 2026 Guide to Getting More Viewers on Twitch: The Complete Hub for Streamers
If you are hitting that Go Live button week after week and watching the viewer count hover near zero, you are not alone. Twitch in 2026 is bigger, more competitive, and more algorithm driven than ever, but the streamers who are actually growing are not waiting for the platform to hand them an audience. They are building one deliberately using a mix of timeless fundamentals, smart syndication, and the powerful short form discovery engines that now rule the game.
This page is your central hub. Everything you need is right here: proven strategies, direct links to in depth guides, updated 2026 advice, and fresh angles that turn casual viewers into loyal community members. We will cover the classic methods that still work beautifully alongside the modern tactics that are driving real growth right now.
The Timeless Basics of Viewership Building
Before chasing any shiny new tactic, nail the fundamentals. A consistent schedule that you can actually stick to, clear branding, great audio and lighting, and treating every single viewer like they matter. These basics still separate the streamers who plateau from the ones who steadily climb.
The Luck Factor: Right Game, Right Time, Right Move
Sometimes growth really does feel like luck, but you can stack the odds heavily in your favor. Streaming during game launches, major updates, or seasonal events can give you a temporary surge. Choosing categories that are not oversaturated yet and streaming when your audience is actually online still pays off big.
Dive deep into the Luck Factor guide for details on game day launches, strategic timing, and even some rule breaking approaches that still work when done right.
Embedding and Syndication: One of the Most Powerful Growth Tools
Embedding your live stream on your own website, blog, or other platforms remains a smart way to capture viewers who might never find you on Twitch alone. The official embed code is still fully supported in 2026. Just remember to use the required parent parameter for your domain to avoid playback issues.
Here is exactly how to set it up on popular platforms:
Turning your viewers into active promoters is pure gold. When your community feels ownership, they will share your stream, raid with you, and bring friends along naturally.
Multi Platform Presence: Your 2026 Discovery Engine
Twitch itself is no longer the main place new viewers discover you. The real growth happens off platform, then funnels back to your live streams.
Short Form Video (The number 1 Growth Driver in 2026): Clip your best moments and post vertically on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels. One viral clip can send dozens of new viewers straight to your next stream. Focus on strong hooks in the first two seconds, captions, and clear calls to action that point back to your live schedule.
Reddit: Become a genuine contributor in game specific or streaming subreddits. Follow the rules, add value first, then share your stream when it fits naturally. Huge traffic potential when done right.
Connecting with streamers around your size can accelerate growth faster than almost anything else. Joint streams, mutual raids, and joint events introduce you to audiences who already love your style of content. In 2026 the Discovery Bridge strategy using short form to pull people in then converting them with strong on stream engagement is what separates growing channels from stuck ones.
What No Longer Works (Save Your Time)
Some older tactics have been retired. The automatic Gamepedia wiki promotion that used to autoplay streams is long gone (Gamepedia is no longer part of Twitch or Amazon and stopped the embeds years ago). Focus your energy on what is working today instead of chasing outdated methods.
Related older posts on top influencers and free traffic are archived for reference only.
Final Thoughts and Your Next Steps
Building a loyal Twitch audience in 2026 is absolutely possible. It just requires a smart system instead of pure luck. Start with the basics, pick one or two detailed guides from this hub to implement this week, and build your short form content pipeline immediately. Track your analytics, stay consistent, and treat your community like the friends they are becoming.
The viewers are out there. Make great content, make it easy to find you, and give them a reason to stay. Before long you will look up during a stream and realize the chat is moving too fast to read every message, and that is one of the best feelings in streaming.
Bookmark this hub, come back often, and use the linked guides as your deeper dives. You have got everything you need right here to start growing today.
How to Create Custom Twitch Emotes That Your Subscribers Will Actually Use
Ever watched your chat explode with custom icons that only your regulars can spam? That is the magic of subscriber emotes. They are not just fun little images. They are one of the best ways to reward your loyal viewers, strengthen your community, and give people a real reason to hit that subscribe button on your affiliate or partner channel.
If you are just starting out or looking to refresh your emote library in 2026, the process is easier than ever. But the rules have evolved, new tools exist, and Twitch now offers smarter upload options. Let us walk through everything step by step so you can create emotes that feel uniquely yours and actually get approved.
Step 1: Grab the Right Tools (Free Options Work Great)
You do not need to drop hundreds on software to make professional looking emotes. A solid free program is all it takes. GIMP remains one of the best completely free choices. Download it directly from the official site at gimp.org. Other strong options include Photopea (a free browser based Photoshop alternative), Krita for digital artists, or even Canva advanced editor if you want something simpler to start with.
Pro tip: Whatever you choose, work in high resolution first so your designs stay crisp when Twitch scales them down.
Step 2: Know the Current Twitch Emote Rules (Updated for 2026)
Twitch still enforces clear guidelines to keep chat clean and fun. Here is what you need to follow right now:
Format: PNG for static emotes (transparent background required). Animated emotes are now supported using GIF or APNG in dedicated slots.
Sizes: You have two upload paths:
- Manual mode: Create three exact files at 28×28 px, 56×56 px, and 112×112 px.
- Auto resize mode (newer and easier): Upload one high resolution PNG anywhere from 112×112 px up to 4096×4096 px, and Twitch handles the scaling.
File size: Manual files should stay under 25 KB each. Auto resize files can go up to 1 MB.
Content rules: Follow Twitch Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. No harassment, hate speech, extreme political statements, vulgar language, drugs, sexual content, or nudity. Everything must be original work.
Restrictions: Single letters are usually not allowed unless they are part of your established branding. Avoid copying global Twitch emotes (except approved derivatives of Kappa or VoHiYo). All emotes go through review (though instant approval is possible for creators in good standing).
These rules exist to keep the platform welcoming, so double check everything before you submit.
Step 3: Design Emotes That Feel Like You
Open your program and start with a canvas at least 112×112 pixels (or larger if using auto resize). Think about what represents your stream: your catchphrases, inside jokes, mascot, gaming style, or community vibe. Create a consistent color palette that matches your brand logo and overlays so everything feels cohesive.
Key design principles that make emotes stand out:
Keep it simple. Details get lost at 28 pixels wide.
Use bold lines and high contrast so it reads clearly in fast moving chat.
Test your design at all three sizes before exporting.
Focus on expressions, reactions, or fun symbols your community will actually spam.
Not everyone is a natural artist, and that is okay. Many streamers work with talented artists on platforms like Twitter/X, Discord communities, or Fiverr. The investment almost always pays off in subscriber growth.
Looking for inspiration? Browse what successful streamers in your niche are doing. You will quickly spot trends and find fresh ways to make your own emotes memorable.
Step 4: Export Your Files Correctly
Once your design is ready, save versions for upload. For manual mode, export three separate transparent PNG files at exactly 28×28, 56×56, and 112×112 pixels. For auto resize, just save one clean high resolution PNG. Double check that the background is fully transparent and the file sizes meet the limits.
Step 5: Upload Your Emotes in the Twitch Dashboard
Head to your Creator Dashboard. On the left sidebar, click Viewer Rewards, then Emotes, and select Subscriber Emotes. You will see your available slots (Affiliates start with a few per tier and unlock more as they grow; Partners get even more flexibility).
Click to add a new emote, upload your files (either the three sizes or single high resolution version), create a unique code (3 to 10 alphanumeric characters, no capitals), and hit submit. Twitch reviews everything, so be patient. Approval times vary.
Locating the emotes section in your Twitch dashboard.Uploading your emote files and choosing a unique code.
Final Thoughts: Make Emotes That Build Your Brand
The creative part is always the hardest and the most rewarding. Great emotes do not just look good. They become part of your channel identity. Your subscribers will spam them constantly, new viewers will ask about them, and over time they turn into collectible badges of belonging.
Start small, stay consistent with your style, and do not be afraid to iterate. Once you see your community lighting up chat with emotes you designed, you will understand why every serious streamer invests time (or budget) into them.
Ready to get started? Open your editor, brainstorm one idea that screams you, and upload your first emote today. Your community is waiting to spam it.
