What is YouTube Super Chat and how does it work?

(Pocket-lint) – YouTube is constantly trying to improve its live streaming services and to keep viewers engaged and creators rewarded for their efforts.  To that end, the company has various different monetisation features beyond just ads to help creators earn and fans to share their appreciation.  One of these features is known as Super Chat. 

What is YouTube Super Chat?

Super Chat essentially allows viewers to pay to pin a comment on live streams.

So, when someone goes live, viewers will see a cash symbol in the chat window and can click it to set a monetary amount and send a highlighted comment.  Google describes Super Chat as a “highlighted message in the chat stream that stands out from the crowd to get even more of your favourite creator’s attention”.  Super Chat messages appear in the chat feed as with other chat messages, but they’re brightly highlighted.

These messages are also pinned to the top of the chat window. The more a viewer pays for their Super Chat message, the longer the message stays on the stream. 

What are Super Stickers?

Along with Super Chat, viewers can also send so-called Super Stickers. Super Stickers are animated stickers which stand out in a similar way in the Super Chat messages but add an extra bit of customisation to the message. 

How does Super Chat work?

Super Chat and Super Stickers are available to YouTube creators as long as those YouTubers meet the necessary eligibility requirements (which include being monetised in the YouTube Partner Program).

Creators then need to turn on the Super Chat and Super Sticker functionality in order for the feature to work. Once that’s done, viewers can then share their appreciation for the content by using Super Chat whenever a creator is live.  YouTube creators also have the option to moderate and manage Super Chat and Super Stickers including having the ability to block certain words or phrases from being used. 

Super Chat for viewers

To use Super Chat as a viewer, you must give money, and then your comment will remain pinned to the top of chat for up to five hours.

Keep in mind creators can blacklist certain chat words and ban harassing viewers. When someone goes live on YouTube, you’ll see a cash symbol in the chat window. Click it to open up a slider, which you can touch and drag upon to set the amount of money you’d like to send the creator.

The more you pay, the longer the comment gets pinned to the top. You’ll also get a few more characters for your comment, and it will be highlighted in a different colour to help live streamers notice the paid comment. If the comment eventually gets pushed off, creators will be able to click through Super Chats at the top of their chat window to see them all.

Creators currently get 70 per cent of the revenue sent via Super Chat and Super Stickers, with the remaining money going to YouTube. YouTube Creators can track how much money they’ve made from Super Chat and the previous messages that were sent via the feature inside YouTube studio here. 

How to send Super Chat messages

Here are Google’s instructions on how to use Super Chat:

  1. Select the dollar sign within a live chat. The live chat must be visible and mobile devices must be in portrait mode.
  2. Select SEND A SUPER CHAT.
  3. To select an amount, either drag the slider or type your desired value.
  4. Optionally, enter your message.
  5. Select BUY AND SEND.
  6. To finish your purchase, follow the instructions.

You can make a purchase from YouTube on your computer or in the YouTube app.

Does Super Chat cost money?

Yes, but there is no set amount.

You can decide the amount you’d like to send to the YouTube creators. YouTube said the tool is designed for viewers aged 18 and older. In other words, people with a credit card.

When the transaction is complete, your public Super Chat will be sent to all viewers in the live chat, and a receipt will be emailed to you. Super Chats are non-refundable.

What about Super Thanks?

Super Thanks is another feature YouTube has introduced which is similar to Super Chat but is designed for any video – not live streams.  Like Super Chat, Super Thanks allows viewers to leave highlighted comments on videos.

If it’s turned on you’ll see a Super Thanks button below the main YouTube player near the share button. YouTube Creators need to be eligible for this feature to work but they also need to turn it on in YouTube Studio first.  Again this is a monetised feature, so viewers choose an amount to pay for their Super Thanks message. The message is then highlighted in the comments section and stands out from the crowd.

There are also animations that can appear alongside Super Thanks messages.  As with Super Chat, creators receive 70 per cent of the money from all Super Thanks messages. So this is a great way to support your favourite creators.  

Writing by Maggie Tillman.

Editing by Adrian Willings.

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