YouTube has a new one Live Q&A feature to help you organize special Q&A sessions during live streams.
Here is how it works: When you start a Q&A as a creator, your prompt will appear as a pinned message at the top of your stream’s chat, after which viewers can submit their questions. When you find a question you’d like to discuss, pin it so it’s mentioned and everyone knows what you’re responding to. To continue, you can pin another question, and it will replace the question at the top of the list. When you’re done with the Q&A session, you can go back to a standard chat room.
This special Q&A tool can be a useful way for creators to talk directly to their audience. Previously, they just had to answer questions as they stream into the chat, but viewers who wander halfway through a Q&A may not know what’s going on or what question the streamer is responding to. Giving streamers the ability to pin prompts and questions can make those Q&As run smoother.
As YouTube continues to improve its live streaming platform to compete with Twitch, the company has added a number of features to make its chats more appealing to streamers. Those additions include Super Chats, which allow viewers to pay for a pinned comment, and Super Thanks, which is basically a tip. Live Q&A doesn’t directly help a streamer make money, but if a viewer feels heard in a Q&A, they might throw the streamer some money down the line.
