YouTube tests leaderboard for livestreams, top fans are rewarded
YouTube tests a new leader board feature for live streams that is intended to increase interaction with spectators through gamification. Among other things, the 50 most active spectators are listed, the best three received awards.
YouTube will reward loyal livestream fans in the future
YouTube is working on a new way to increase the binding of the spectator at live streams. The video platform is currently testing a leader board feature that highlights the most active spectators of a channel and is intended to increase the interaction through gamification, i.e. playful elements such as awards. The new feature shows the 50 most committed viewers of a channel in a ranking.
Users can collect points by actively participating in the chat, sending Superchats or interacting with the live stream in another way. The collected points are displayed by a crown symbol in the upper area of the chat. With a click on this symbol, the complete ranking opens. As Android Authority reports, the three users receive a special badge with the most points that appears next to their name in the live stream. This increases their visibility and the chance of being perceived by the streamer. With this approach, YouTube would like to increase the audience commitment during live streams and gamify the participation through the introduction of the new leader board.
However, not every user wants to appear publicly in a ranking. YouTube took these concerns into account and installed a corresponding option. If you do not want to appear on the planned leaderboard, you can select the “Deactivate Leader Board Participation” option in the YouTube settings. This setting is available on both mobile devices and on the desktop.
Live streaming platforms such as YouTube and Twitch are continuously looking for new ways to strengthen the bond between streamers and their audience. While Twitch has been offering various engagement features such as Channel Points for a long time, YouTube is now opening up with this leaderboard system.
The platform tries to reduce the competitor’s lead in relation to community engagement. The feature is currently still in a test phase and is only displayed by a small group of users. Most spectators will not have seen the new leaderboard. However, YouTube plans to expand the test in the future, with a precise schedule for the wider rollout has not yet been announced.
