The Twitter-owned live streaming app Periscope has constantly been offering some much-needed updates to build on its app and broadcaster community over the past few months. The app’s latest update extends the same and has today released Super Hearts, an initiative that seems to have been taken in order to monetize the app.
Hearts were already used by users on the app to tell streamers that they were like what they see. Now, if you want to let them know that you really, truly appreciate their stream, you can give them Super Hearts. This new feature is available to download within the Periscope app itself but, you will have to shell out money for it.
According to a statement, your reason to invest in this is because Super Hearts are “larger, animated and more fun to give”. While this just seems like a bizarre reason to invest real money in the app, it looks like some people might actually do so.
How do you use this function? You can only use Super Hearts for a person live streaming on Periscope. When you start using them, you will be placed on a leaderboard which will compare you to others on the same board — in terms of who has spent the most disposable income to buy these virtual heart icons.
To buy Super Hearts, you must first buy Periscope Coins using real money. These coins are available in different packages ranging from $0.99 for 1050 coins to $99.99 for 132, 500.
Following this, you have the option of choosing from different types of Super Hearts, based on the color, design, and price. The most basic glittery Super Hearts will cost about 33 coins while the fancier glittery Super Hearts attached to your profile will cost you 111 coins.
Super Hearts that are given to streamers get tracked on their profiles in the form of stars. Streamers who are invited to the Super Broadcaster program can exchange the stars for real money. Currently, the option to cash out is available only in the US.
Streamers can only apply to join the Super Broadcaster program once they at least $175 worth of stars accumulated in their profile. They have also been given the option to turn off Super Hearts if they don’t want to monetize their fans.
According to Sara Haider, an employee at Periscope,
We created Super Hearts for qualified broadcasters to monetize their content, and our objective is to learn from and iterate on this program to help them realize the most earning potential. After standard fees from in-app purchases and payment processing, broadcasters will receive around 70% of the remaining value. Changes in fees and foreign exchange fluctuations means that the effective percentage can vary
