Since the YouTube Live feature was introduced, live streams have been booming in popularity. Viewers love being able to hang out with their favorite creators in real time, and creators love connecting with their audiences in a more casual setting. If you have more than a thousand subscribers, then you can also monetize your live streams by enabling Super Chats and Super Stickers.

Here are a few tips for using Super Chats in your streams.

1. Add a sound or music to your Super Chats so you never miss a message.

When your phone is on silent, you miss any calls or messages you receive unless you’re staring directly at the screen. Similarly, unless your eyes are glued to the live chat, you’ll probably miss a lot of the Super Chat messages you receive while you’re streaming. This can discourage fans from sending Super Chats.

To solve this issue, set up a sound or music cue to play whenever you receive a Super Chat. You can even make these sounds part of your channel’s brand. There are online tools that can help you. 

2. Set your Super Chats to be read out loud.

Even if you hear the notification sound every time you receive a Super Chat, you may not be able to read it immediately. You could be playing a game that requires your full attention, working on a DIY you can’t put down, etc. Likewise, your viewers may be too engaged in your stream to stop to read the Super Chat, so the fan who sent it will feel ignored.

This issue can be resolved by setting up text-to-speech for your Super Chats. Then, whenever someone sends you a Super Chat, it will be read out loud. Not only will this make your live stream more engaging, but it will also make it more accessible.

3. Connect your channel to smart devices in your studio.

You can make your streams more engaging by connecting your channel to smart devices around your studio. For example, you might set it up so that a lamp behind you changes color when someone donates $5, or you could make a fun song start to play when someone sends a $10 Super Chat. You can have as many cues as you have smart plugs.

IFTTT is popular among streamers who want to set up cues for their Super Chats. You can connect it directly to your YouTube channel, and it will control these smart device cues for you. 

Super Chats are a great way for creators to earn extra income. Utilize these strategies to make your Super Chats more engaging and encourage your viewers to use this feature more.