YouTube Adds Livestream Gifting to Rival TikTok

YouTube introduced a new monetization feature for vertical livestreams, allowing viewers to purchase “Jewels” to send animated “gifts” to creators during broadcasts

This feature is comparable to TikTok’s live gifting feature, which enables viewers to purchase “coins” to send gifts of varying monetary value to support live creators during their broadcasts. If this sounds familiar, it is because it is similar.

Creators receive “Rubies” when viewers utilize Jewels to send rewards on YouTube. Creators receive one cent for each Ruby, which equates to one dollar for every hundred Rubies.

The effective revenue share is not fixed, as the price of Jewels on YouTube can fluctuate depending on the bundling options. Consequently, the number of Rubies earned may fluctuate.

Eligible creators may benefit from a 50% incentive on the earnings of their gifts for the next three months, with a maximum of $1,000 per month, in addition to their regular Ruby earnings.

Creators are only eligible to receive gifts when they stream vertically directly on YouTube or with third-party streaming software, while viewers can only submit gifts through the mobile app.

This new feature is a direct response to the popularity of gifts on TikTok Lives, even though YouTube has made it possible for viewers to support livestreamers through “Super Stickers” in the messaging tab.

Creators on TikTok earn thousands of dollars by going live and obtaining gifts from viewers.

For example, certain adolescents could earn up to $7,000 per month by participating in live debates on the platform, where they argued for or against Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.

Also, in certain instances, numerous NPC broadcasters have earned thousands of dollars per day by receiving gifts during livestreams.

According to YouTube, an eligible creator will lose access to Super Stickers once they enable rewards on their vertical livestreams. The company, owned by Google, asserts that gifts provide viewers with a more effective method of visually supporting their preferred live creators.

Over the next few weeks, the new monetization option will be implemented for eligible creators in the United States.