YouTube takes shot at TikTok with gifts feature for vertical livestreams
PixabayYouTube has taken a shot at TikTok’s popular live-streaming gifts with the launch of a new way to support YouTube Shorts streamers.
Released back in 2019, TikTok’s gifts program gives fans all around the world an easy way to support their favorite creators.
There are over 100 TikTok gifts available, with prices ranging from just one penny to a staggering $210, and they’re among the most popular ways that creators can monetize their platform.
On September 18, 2024, YouTube announced during its Made On YouTube event that they’re introducing Jewels and Gifts, which are digital items to “power real-time fan engagement.”
The company revealed that it will first be available for vertical live streams, implying that it may be expanded to other video formats in the future.
YouTubeThey didn’t go into any more detail about the program, so we’ll just have to wait to see what the cost of these gifts will be once they roll out to users soon.
YouTube did, however, publish an interview with its Director of Product for Data and Creator Payments, Michael Beckman, who spearheaded the the program. In the post, he gave more insight as to why the Google-owned company decided to launch Jewels.
“We believe that Jewels can unlock deeper and more fun engagement between YouTube creators and their fans. Viewers can use the Jewels they purchase to seamlessly engage with creators and send playful animations that express their feelings on vertical live streams,” he said.
“When creators and the community react to these gifts, it unlocks a new level of connection between creators and their fans. I am very excited to be building the platform that will power this new level of fun and engagement on YouTube.”
This comes just seven months after YouTube launched its vertical live stream feature inside of YouTube Shorts. Creators on the platform can broadcast to both vertical and horizontal video players at the same time, boosting their viewership numbers in the process.