YouTube to let creators make money from comments on their live-streams with 'Super Chat' fan feature
YouTube has opened up another revenue flow for creators, unveiling a tool dubbed 'Super Chat', which will let fans pay to pin their comments to the top of YouTuber live-streams.
YouTube to let creators make money from comments on their live-streams with 'Super Chat' fan feature
The move means that anyone watching a live-stream on YouTube can purchase a highlighted message that will make their post stand out, remaining at the top of the comments section within the live-stream for up to five hours.
In a blog post, the Google-owned platform said hinted that the feature could also help creators viewer engagement by "keeping their conversations and connections with (super) fans meaningful and lively."
For now Super Chat is being tested with influencers like iHasCupquake and Alex Wassabi, with the tool poised to be rolled out more widely at the January.
YouTube is also debuting an API that will allow developers to access real-time purchase data from the system. This API will replace the platform's soon to be defunct Fan Funding system, which let viewers make voluntary payments to support creators directly.