How Much Of Your Super Chat Actually Goes To YouTube Creators?
There are a few video platforms content creators can use when they want to monetize their work to make some cash. YouTube is one, as it's one of the biggest on the internet. One of the more common ways to make money on YouTube is accepting donations from kind viewers, who enjoy your content enough to send a little bit of their hard-earned cash to you. Streaming platforms like YouTube have gradually been incorporating new features to help creators get a little bit more out of their live-streaming. To go along with some of the things you probably didn't know you can do with the YouTube app, YouTube launched its Super Chat feature in 2017, and it has since become popular with creators and viewers alike.
Super Chat is a feature that allows viewers to give their favorite creators a little bit of money via a message in the chat box. That message will stay pinned in the chat box for everyone to see until somebody pays more for their own Super Chat message. It's up to the viewer leaving the message how much they want to donate. They can give the creator as much as $500 or as little as one dollar.
The YouTube creator receives 70% of any revenue from their donations. Then, there are local sales taxes and fees from iOS/Google Play, which are deducted beforehand. Luckily, creators don't need to worry about credit card fees coming out of their share. YouTube takes care of that and receives the rest of the pie.
Super Chat isn't the only super feature available to content creators on YouTube
YouTube gives its content creators multiple ways to earn money, allowing people a chance to turn their passion into more than a side gig. On top of the Super Chat, there are also Super Stickers. Just like Super Chat, these stickers appear in the live chat of a stream. Viewers can pay as little as $.99 or as much as $50. A super sticker is an animated image that gives viewers a way to show their enthusiasm for the creator. They're large images that will definitely be noticeable to the rest of the chat.
Super Stickers can best be compared to Twitch's Bit Emotes. They're not a bad option for viewers who don't exactly have something to say to the creator they're watching, but want them to know they're rooting for them. There are several designs for the stickers, covering gaming, music, fashion and beauty, and food. There's also the Super Thanks feature, which isn't available in a live-stream but does show up in both long-form videos and YouTube Shorts.
A Super Thanks is an animation that a viewer can purchase and will only be visible to them. However, they're also able to post a customizable and colorful comment in the video's comment section.
You have to be eligible to use Super features in your stream
As nice as these super features are, not everyone who has a YouTube channel is eligible to use them. For starters, if your channel is private, age-restricted, unlisted, made for kids, or hosting a YouTube Giving fundraiser, you're unable to turn on Super Chat and Super Stickers. Additionally, both Super Chat and Super Stickers won't be available if you have the live chat or comments on your videos off. Google has a long list of regions these features are available in, so if you're a creator in a country that isn't listed, you won't have access to these features.
Once you meet those prerequisites, your channel must be part of the YouTube Partner Program, which means you need over 1,000 subscribers, and you have to either have 4,000 publicly watched hours on your videos within the past year or 10 million views on your Shorts. The time viewers have spent watching shorts doesn't count toward the 4,000-hour requirement. It's not an easy process, that's for sure. If anything, these requirements ensure you have a serious following and are committed to treating this as more than a hobby.
YouTube is always rolling out new features. If you're a streamer or even a viewer, keep your eyes open for new ways to make money or show your appreciation.