YouTube's new Super Thanks feature is game

If you spend time on YouTube, you're likely quite familiar with "Super Chats" on YouTube livestreams. Viewers can use Super Chats to give their favorite creators a one-time payment of anywhere from $1 to $500 during a live video. In return, they receive a highlighted comment in the chat, and as a bonus, YouTube creators often acknowledge these chat comments and respond live on the stream.

But if a YouTube creator mainly uploads edited videos as opposed to livestreaming, Super Chats aren't an option. Uploaded vids can be monetized via ads, but that usually requires large viewership numbers in order to pay off substantially. YouTube also provides viewers with an option to pay for a premium subscription to a creator's channel, but users don't always want to take on yet another monthly payment.

So on YouTube, monetizing content with one-time donations was a privilege reserved for livestreamers…until now.

Previously only available to some creators as part of a private beta testing phase, Super Thanks is a brand new tool from YouTube that just went live across the platform last week. The feature provides creators with a way for their fans to monetarily thank them for a specific video.

Let's break down how to use it.

Giving Super Thanks as a YouTube viewer

How can you tell if your favorite YouTuber is accepting Super Thanks comments? You should see the option on any video page, right below the title beside the thumbs up, dislike, and share buttons. The option says "THANKS" and shows a little heart with a money sign symbol.

Here's where you can find Super Thanks as a viewer. Credit: Mashable Screenshot

After clicking that, write in your comment and choose just how much you want to give. YouTube currently provides four different options: $2, $5, $10, and $50. Each one will provide a different color highlight to your comment so it stands out as a Super Thanks comment.

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The YouTube Super Thanks payment prompt. Credit: Mashable Screenshot

Activating Super Thanks as a Creator

Any channel that's monetized via the YouTube Partner Program can activate Super Thanks across all their videos. Please note that creators must turn the feature on. Super Thanks is turned off by default.

Click on "Monetization" to find your "Supers" options. Credit: Mashable Screenshot

To activate Super Thanks, simply go to the YouTube Studio dashboard and click on Monetization. At the top of the "Channel monetization" page, click the "Supers" tab. Next, just tap on the "Super Thanks" slider to turn the feature on. It's that simple.

Click on "Supers." Credit: Mashable Screenshot

Super Thanks revenue is shared with YouTube. Creators receive 70 percent of the Super Thanks total via Adsense, just like they would with YouTube's ad revenue share or YouTube's other monetization features.

Turn "Super Thanks" on and it will activate across all your videos. Credit: Mashable Screenshot

Finding Super Thanks comments

If creators want to encourage fans to leave them Super Thanks, they should reply to the Super Thanks comments they receive. 

Click on "Comments" on the YouTube Studio dashboard. Credit: Mashable Screenshot

To find all of these comments across all of your videos, simply click on Comments in the main menu of the YouTube Studio dashboard.

Click "From Super Thanks" in the dropdown menu to just view Super Thanks comments. Credit: Mashable Screenshot

On the "Channel comments and mentions" page, click on the hamburger icon. A dropdown menu will appear with the option to only view comments "From Super Thanks." Choose that option and you'll only see comments from users who used Super Thanks, along with the amount that the viewer paid.

Video eligibility 

While turning Super Thanks on should be fairly straightforward for most channels, some videos are excluded from the program.

According to YouTube, age-restricted content, videos with Content ID claims, unlisted and private videos, fundraisers, and Made for Kids content will not be able to use the Super Thanks feature. In addition, Super Thanks is not available for premieres and livestreaming content while it's live – again, that's where Super Chats come in. However, once a premiere or livestream is over, Super Thanks willbe available on those video replays.

For more specific information regarding Super Thanks eligibility, you can check out the YouTube support page on the feature.

And there it is! Finally, a way for fans to give their favorite YouTubers a little monetary thanks for specific video content. This feature has game-changing potential for creators, but for some reason it hasn't really attracted the attention it deserves. Here's hoping this explainer helps more YouTubers discover it.