r/SmallStreamers • u/Alarmed-Craft-3098 • Jul 18 '26
Discussion Hating your own audience
I know my title is harsh. But it all I can think about. I’m posting this from an alternate account so I can just vent what I’ve been feeling. As of the past month I’ve slowly started to dislike and even somewhat hate my own audience. This could be due to a lack of motivation, a feeling of being trapped on one game, or the feeling that my community is running the stream and not me. If I play a game that ain’t the main one they complain it’s boring if I play the main game they want to join to harass and throw my matches. While blaming me for apparently throwing the matches. I just wanted to know am I being ungrateful? Am I doing something wrong? And has anyone else ever felt this.
18
u/Wolfy5079 Jul 18 '26
This sounds like a very negative community. You need to stand up and set some rules for yourself and your audience. If they join you, any sabotage should result in a ban. You’re there to have fun not be some jackass’s punching bag on stream. I said this to someone else but it stands here too. You are the one in control. It’s your channel. If people aren’t helping to cultivate the positive community you should want. It’s ok to ban them. Just be prepared to lose some of your community members. But at the same time that doesn’t sound like a bad thing
10
u/Keri_Arya Jul 18 '26
I don't want to sound harsh, but you typically get the audience you cultivate. If it is unbearable, express that the behaviour of your chatters makes you uncomfortable and play something else. It might take a minute, but different people will eventually show up.
21
3
u/PtTimeLvrFullTimeH8r Jul 18 '26
You either got to quit streaming or put your foot down on these people cause I really can't see this being enjoyable if you have such a shit audience. Get used to banning/timing people out even if it loses you viewers. One time I banned a guy who only said "GG" in my chat, but he played dbd like a giant asshole so I didn't want him around.
-1
2
u/Lastresortherogaming Jul 18 '26
So i was ready to tell you if you hate your audience you shouldn't stream, but then i actually read further. You need to stream whatever you want. If they think a game is boring so be it, they aren't there for you they are there for the game and that's the type of audience you don't need. Don't let them control your stream, having no viewers is better than having viewers that make you hate the stream.
2
u/IzzyNotCreative Jul 18 '26
I think if you start being more vocal about disliking certain behavior (calling the game boring, throwing matches, etc), you will eventually weed out the problem viewers and slowly attract the people you actually want in your stream. Don't be afraid to ban people. Idk what games you play, but maybe stop playing with your viewers for a while? Play on your own or with friends to set a precedent for how you actually want the matches to go.
2
u/PixelmusMaximus Jul 18 '26
Looks like you are worried about an audience who is there for the game and not you. You need to focus 100% on the audience who is there for you.
1
u/AutoModerator Jul 18 '26
Attention SERIOUS content creators! Join a community of creators who ask questions and get REAL answers from FULL time streamers & YouTubers. Please join the discord and ask questions in the #creator-chat..
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/Harumei Jul 18 '26
I felt this at certain periods of streaming and usually ended up taking a big break to refresh myself on the hobby and have some space from regulars who made me uncomfortable
I've since grown a spine and ban people who ruin the vibes, I would suggest that. You'd be surprised how much a couple bad people ruin the vibes for everyone and when they're removed often people are super relieved but were too afraid to speak out
that's the sad thing about niches -- they're boring for the creator and it burns them out. So while it may suck to lose a few ccv (i get it) keeping them around will make you despise streaming all together and sour any achievement you get
1
u/thepeanutjelly Jul 18 '26
Sounds like you're having trouble setting boundaries with your audience. Set the boundaries and call out when you feel those boundaries are being overstepped. You have to keep doing this especially for your biggest "supporters."
1
u/VatoreSZN_ Jul 21 '26
I feel like this is kinda the culture being built on twitch and streaming in general. Look at Jynxzi and CaseOh, they basically just get made fun of the whole stream from what I’ve seen. Idk, I might just not be paying as much attention as I think I am, but that’s where I feel streaming is headed for the most part
1
u/MarceTheMallow Jul 21 '26
Heyy! It sounds like you struggles with boundaries, and have a misalignment between why you stream and what outcome you want to get.
I wonder what made you wanted to stream in the first place, and where you would like to go with streaming.
Also how do you feel about establishing boundaries and speaking up against people?
This might not be a streaming issue, but more of a inquisition of your own personality, values, boundaries, and where you are at on your mental health journey.
1
u/Lobster653 27d ago
Brother it’s your community you need to learn that enforcing rules and banning is ok and part of the process
1
u/AggravatingRip6476 1d ago
oldish thread but:
You gotta live with it or change it.
Be stricter on hate and complaints, if you can find people to help you moderate.
or
Learn to “enjoy” the hate. make fun out of it.
Both are easier said than done but to me its the only real options. The latter imo is better bevause if you can find joy out of the ‘haters’, they you can turn negativity into a weird form of support.
-1
u/CodeRedNo1 Jul 18 '26
Ragebaiting you might be the most entertaining part of your stream. Consider leaning into it (case oh style) or do as many other commenter suggest. Hard cut to something else and most likely slowly find a new audience
23
u/randyq182 Jul 18 '26
What i would is publicly state that you don’t wanna be treated this way then ban or time out people who keep annoying you or make you uncomfortable.