Strategic Guide to YouTube Super Chat for Creators

YouTube Super Chat offers creators a powerful way to monetize live streams, tapping into the platform's vast audience of over 2.7 billion monthly active users. By enabling viewers to pay for highlighted comments, Super Chat not only boosts revenue but also enhances audience engagement, offering fans a more personalized way to connect with their favorite creators.

The ability for comments to remain pinned longer with higher payments makes this feature especially valuable for both small and large creators, helping them to build deeper and more meaningful connections with their audience.

Given that 81% of marketers have reported video content directly contributing to increased sales, the potential for monetization through Super Chat is significant. However, while the feature can substantially increase a creator’s earnings, it also presents challenges, such as managing viewer expectations and dealing with potential misuse during live streams.

Despite these hurdles, when leveraged strategically, Super Chat can be a game-changer in enhancing monetization and fostering a vibrant community on YouTube, solidifying its role as a crucial tool for creators aiming to maximize their live streaming potential.

Strategic Guide to YouTube Super Chat for Creators:

How to Enable YouTube Super Chat

Setting up YouTube Super Chat is a straightforward process that allows creators to monetize their live streams and enhance audience engagement. First, ensure that your channel is part of the YouTube Partner Program and meets all eligibility requirements, including having at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours within the last year.

To enable Super Chat, follow these steps:

1. Go to YouTube Studio: Log in to your YouTube account and navigate to YouTube Studio.
2. Access the Monetization Tab: In the left-hand menu, click on "Monetization."
3. Select the "Supers" Tab: Within the Monetization section, choose the "Supers" tab.
4. Enable Super Chat: Toggle the switch to turn on Super Chat and Super Stickers.
5. Customize Settings: Set up chat moderation tools and other preferences to manage interactions during live streams.

After Super Chat is enabled, viewers will see a dollar sign icon in the chat window during your live streams. They can click on this icon to purchase Super Chats, which highlight their messages in the chat feed. This setup not only provides an additional revenue stream but also fosters deeper connections with your audience by making their interactions more visible and impactful.

How to Send YouTube Super Chat Messages

Sending a YouTube Super Chat message is a simple way for viewers to support their favorite creators during live streams while gaining attention in the chat. Here’s how to do it:

1. Join a Live Stream: Start by joining a live stream on a channel that has Super Chat enabled. Look for the dollar sign icon ($) in the chat box, which indicates that Super Chat is available.
2. Click the Dollar Sign Icon: Tap or click the dollar sign icon located at the bottom of the chat window. This will open a slider that allows you to choose the amount you want to spend on your Super Chat.
3. Select Your Payment Amount: Use the slider to set the amount you wish to pay. The more you pay, the longer your message will stay pinned and the more characters you can use. You can also enter the specific amount manually.
4. Write Your Message: After selecting the amount, you can type your message in the text box provided. Keep in mind that your message will be highlighted in the chat, making it more visible to both the creator and other viewers.
5. Complete the Purchase: Click on "Buy and Send" to finalize your Super Chat purchase. You’ll be prompted to choose a payment method if you haven’t already set one up. Once the payment is complete, your message will appear highlighted in the chat feed.

By following these steps, you can send Super Chat messages that stand out in live chats, allowing you to interact more directly with creators and show your support.

How to Use Super Chat to Build Your Audience

Most users of Super Chat will be Super Fans – channel followers prepared to pay creators to gain their attention. The problem with popular YouTube creators (and indeed high-profile influencers across all social networks) is that fans can feel distant and remote. These people simply have too many followers to be able to interact with them meaningfully. 

Source: vox.com

Fans who use Super Chat gain an advantage, however. Their chats are visually separated from everyday chat messages. There is a chance that the broadcaster will notice these messages and reply in their livestream. YouTube Super Chat gives participants a foot up – they have a better opportunity to interact with their heroes than everybody else.

Even smaller broadcasters can benefit from encouraging the use of Super Chats, however. The more they promote upcoming livestreams, the more people are likely to attend. And if you can increase your visitor numbers to your live streams, the higher the likelihood that some of them will feel encouraged to donate to you via a Super Chat.

It makes sense to promote your live stream in as many ways as possible – let all your other social followers know about the upcoming broadcast. Don’t forget your existing YouTube followers either. Promote your live stream as an event in the other videos you create and upload. 

Of course, you need to ensure that the people watching your livestream see you treat those who have paid for Super Chats well. Make sure you mention them. Answer their questions. Make sure that they feel that they are getting their money’s worth and that other viewers can see that.

You could even offer an incentive to people who donate to you. You could provide additional content exclusive to people who pay a certain amount for a Super Chat.

How Much Does YouTube Take from Super Chat?

YouTube is owned by Google and makes its payments via Google Ads. If you haven’t already done so, you need to set up an account and attach your YouTube account to your Google Ads account. “Super Fans” making Super Chat payments can pay any amount from $1 to $500.

You will notice, however, that you don’t get to keep all the revenue earned by Super Chat.

YouTube/Google keeps about 30% of the money earned by YouTube Super Chat. 

The YouTube Super Chat Terms of Agreement states that

This amount includes the credit card processing fee YouTube must pay to the credit card companies.

Case Studies of YouTube Live with Super Chat

YouTube Live is sometimes used to host fundraisers. Super Chat provides an additional way to earn income. StreamGeeks held a YouTube Live fundraiser for a local crime victims center.  They earlier had Kathleen Gast from the CVC (Crime Victims Center) of Chester County on their show, and they raised over $2,000 on their live show. On this occasion, they wanted to tie in a YouTube live Stream with Super Chat. Ultimately, the Super Chat event earned the fundraiser $776.

What was particularly unusual about this fundraiser is that they used IFTTT (If This, Then That) to ensure that chat donations did more than just appear on the screen. Indeed, the messages launched Confetti Cannons, Bubble Cannons, and other smart devices.

StreamGeeks used IFTTT to set up Super Chat donations to do various activities:

• $1 - $1.99 donation triggered a colored balloon blown up
• $2 - $4.99 donation triggered an emoji balloon blown up
• $5 - $9.99 donation triggered a Star Wars balloon blown up
• $10 - $19.99 donation triggered a bubble machine use
• $10 - $49.99 donation triggered a confetti cannon blast
• $50 - $99.99 donation triggered a confetti cannon blast and a bubble machine use
• $100 donation triggered a multi-camera confetti cannon slow-motion

YouTuber, Typical Gamer, also held a very successful livestream using Super Chat. He held a 90-minute Grand Theft Auto V stream, earning more than $4,000 from the single broadcast. He made a point of reading out the names of the people who donated to him at the end of the live stream.

How Super Chat is Relevant for Influencer Marketing

YouTube Super Chat helps encourage influencers to expand their output on YouTube. It also encourages them to make livestream broadcasts. This is probably particularly important in the gaming niche, where most streamers prefer to stream live on Twitch, and then make highlights videos for their YouTube channel. The potential additional income offered by Super Chat gives more of an incentive for the streamer to remain on this platform for their live streams. 

Broadcasters often use livestream to tell their story, which is particularly popular with fans who regularly watch their pre-filmed videos. If the viewers find the content valuable, they are more likely to make payments to encourage more.

They also allow YouTube influencers to reward their Super Fans. They can appear more approachable and less remote.

There is another benefit that influencers can gain from running livestream performances with Super Chat. They provide clear engagement metrics which influencers can show to potential sponsors. These metrics give an excellent guide to sponsors of just how enthusiastic and engaged a streamer’s audience is. These sponsors may, in turn, pay influencers to make future livestreams.

Super Chat Requirements and the YouTube Partner Program

To access YouTube's Super Chat feature, creators must meet specific eligibility criteria, primarily tied to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). Being part of the YPP is a crucial prerequisite, as it allows creators to monetize their content through various revenue streams, including Super Chat.

To qualify for the YouTube Partner Program, creators need at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours on their channel over the past 12 months. Additionally, they must comply with all of YouTube’s monetization policies, which include adhering to the platform's community guidelines, terms of service, and maintaining a good standing with no active strikes.

Once a creator is accepted into the YPP, they can enable Super Chat on their live streams, provided it is available in their region. This feature allows fans to purchase highlighted messages during live streams, offering a dynamic way to generate revenue and engage with the audience. By meeting these requirements, creators unlock the potential of Super Chat as a powerful tool to enhance both monetization and community interaction.

Potential Pitfalls of YouTube Super Chat

Super Chat is officially aimed at people aged 18 and over – you need a credit card to pay. Of course, many kids gain access to their parents’ credit cards, which could cause problems if they spend up large. It is potentially even easier for them to have their own debit cards, where although again the official age is 18, many younger teenagers have the cards, often attached to student accounts.

Unfortunately, there is also the possibility of trolling, with inappropriate comments and emoji. Of course, creators still have access to YouTube’s moderation tools, and creators can blacklist certain chat words and ban harassing viewers, but YouTube has been slow to flag inappropriate comments on videos in the past. Will they be any quicker with these chat streams? In some cases, the comments may match the views of the streamer, so are unlikely to be removed by him or her, but that doesn’t make them any less obnoxious. 

According to The Fordham Ram, the feature has unfortunately produced a louder voice for some of those on the darker sides of YouTube. After the violence in Pittsburgh that led to the deaths of 11 worshippers in a synagogue, Super Chat comments displayed incredibly disturbing anti-Semitic comments. They were placed on the live stream of a far-right YouTube creator whose channel was later permanently removed by YouTube. 

In some ways, Super Chat distorts the original purpose of YouTube livestream chats. These were introduced to foster the relationship between creators and their community. The aim was to make the livestream a two-way process, rather than just a broadcast. Super Chats increase the status of some viewers (those willing and able to pay) over others. 

There is also the inevitable problem in that the most money will be earned by broadcasters with the largest audiences. Yet, it is the smaller broadcasters who probably need the money most and would most appreciate the extra income.

About the Author

Influencer Marketing Hub

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The Influencer Marketing Hub Team brings together a diverse group of experts with a passion for influencer marketing, digital trends, and social media strategies. Each piece of content crafted by this team is researched and written to provide valuable insights, tips, and updates for our readers. Our authors are dedicated to delivering high-quality, informative, and engaging articles that help businesses and influencers thrive in this rapidly changing digital world.