YouTube Introduces Gamified Engagement Leaderboard to Boost Livestream Interaction
New Engagement Leaderboard Feature
YouTube is experimenting with a gamified engagement leaderboard for select livestreams, designed to increase viewer interaction. This leaderboard ranks viewers based on their XP points, which are earned through activities such as comments, Super Chats, Super Stickers, and gifts during live streams.
How the Leaderboard Works
- Viewers earn points by engaging with the stream.
- A crown icon appears at the top of the chat, displaying the viewer’s earned points.
- Clicking the crown icon takes viewers to a leaderboard showing the top 50 most engaged participants on that channel.
- The top three most engaged viewers receive a special badge next to their name, increasing their visibility to the creator.
Benefits and Considerations
This feature adds a competitive, game-like element that aligns well with YouTube’s primarily gaming-related livestream audience. It encourages more interaction and promotes purchases of add-on chat features like Super Chats and Stickers, benefiting both YouTube and content creators financially. However, some may view the ranking system as superficial, with primary motivation being streamer attention rather than meaningful competition.
Current Availability and User Control
YouTube is rolling out the leaderboard as an experiment with a limited audience. Viewers will also have the option to opt out of appearing on the leaderboard if they prefer to remain anonymous.
Source: Social Media Today – Latest News by Andrew Hutchinson. Read original.
