According to an announcement earlier this week, YouTube has updated its mobile app that now allows live streaming on the video platform to content creators. That also allows viewers to pay the creators for their work.
YouTube has been providing video sharing space for wide range of serious content creators. It has provided features like revenue share with content creators. Live streaming on YouTube also was available since long while 4K streaming was announced just later last year.
While YouTube had supported live streaming for more mature creators since long, though going live via simply a smartphone was not possible until now. But now with the updated app it’s possible for content creators. But again only serious content creators will gain the feature who have a lot of subscribers.
Channels with at least 10,000 subscribers will be able to go live via the new YouTube on their smartphone. However later the feature will also will be available to other users who have set up a channel for advertising share revenue.
Likewise Facebook started live video streaming through mobile phone in April 2016. Streamers have been going live since then but there is no specifications as such, what type of content. Practically everyone can go live on Facebook with any kind of content. Additionally people on the social network usually use live streaming for broadcasting live events. They even go live with personal activities to share with their friends and family. So it’s really not comparable to the content on YouTube which is usually useful for the communities.
Little Late but It Shows the Money to Creators
The live streaming on YouTube mobile app allows the Super Chat feature to help creators earn revenue from their live streaming. Super Chat lets anyone from the viewers to stand out from the crowd and get creator’s attention by purchasing top slot. Paid messages will be highlighted in the chat window as well as the viewer will be pinned on top for up to five hours.
“Anybody watching a live stream can purchase a Super Chat: a highlighted message in the chat stream that stands out from the crowd to get even more of your favorite creator’s attention. And Super Chats remain pinned to the top of chat for up to 5 hours, giving more airtime for your messages.”
Super Chat feature, that was announced earlier this year, itself requires at least 1,000 subscribers for creators to be eligible to use the feature. Though the mobile live streaming requirement of 10,000 subscribers automatically covers the Super Chat eligibility criteria, the feature’s requirement of minimum subscribers is applicable for regular live streaming on YouTube.
Availability
Whereas YouTube’s mobile live streaming is only limited to channels with higher number subscribers, it’s not mentioned if the feature is limited to only a select regions. So you can assume the feature is available globally without region restriction. If you have got as much subscribers as 10,000 on your YouTube channel, try it with the new updated app on your smartphone.
Super Chat feature, on the other hand, is currently limited for creators with 1,000 subscribers in 20 countries and viewers in 40 countries. If you are from Pakistan, you are currently out of luck as it’s not available for you as a creator or even as a viewer.
