Table of Contents
What are Bits?
Bits are a virtual good on Twitch that viewers can purchase to cheer and support their favorite streamers. When a viewer sends Bits, an animated emote pops up in chat. The more Bits used, the bigger and more visually exciting the emote.
Bits translate directly into real money for partners and affiliates. Streamers receive $0.01 for every Bit spent in their channel. Bits are purchased by viewers and a share of the revenue goes to both the streamer and to Twitch.
Benefits of Bits
- Provide an easy way for viewers to support streamers financially
- Fun, engaging way for viewers to interact with streams
- Revenue source for partners and affiliates
- Protected against chargebacks that affect other donation methods
- Integrated directly into Twitch so no need for third-party services
How to Activate Bits
If you are a Twitch Affiliate or Partner, Bits are automatically enabled for your channel. There is nothing you need to do to activate them.
If you are not an affiliate or partner, you cannot receive bits revenue. So focus on meeting the Affiliate program requirements first.
How Viewers Can Cheer with Bits
On Desktop
- Click the diamond Bits icon next to the chat box
- Select the number of Bits you want to cheer or get more Bits if needed
- Type “cheer” and the number of Bits in chat to send the cheer
For example: cheer100 will send a 100 Bit cheer.
On Mobile
- Tap the Bits icon at the bottom of chat
- Choose the number of Bits to cheer
- Send the cheer
Customizing Bits Settings as a Streamer
As a Twitch partner or affiliate, you have full control over your channel’s Bits settings. This includes Bit rewards, minimum Bits to cheer, and custom cheermotes.
To access the Bits settings:
- Go to your Creator Dashboard
- Click on Settings
- Choose Channel & Videos tab
- Click on Bits and Cheering
From here you can:
Set Minimum Bits to Cheer
To prevent 1 Bit spam, set the minimum Bits that can trigger a chat message. Common defaults are 100 or 500 Bits.
Custom Cheermotes
Partners can upload custom cheermotes to display when viewers cheer certain amounts. Make them match your channel!
Bit Leaderboards
Enable leaderboards showcasing your top Bit contributors over different time periods. Great for recognizing top supporters.
Bit Goals
Set goals for your viewers to work towards together, like unlocking new emotes. Display progress bars and celebrations when goals are achieved.
Bit Rewards
Set up custom rewards viewers can redeem with Bits. Popular options include song requests, naming characters, voting on content, etc. Get creative!
Extra Tips for Making the Most of Bits
- Thank viewers out loud when they cheer. This personal recognition encourages more cheers.
- Explain how to cheer when you have new viewers. Many may not know about Bits.
- Set up text-to-speech alerts to have donations read out loud. Hearing the cheers amplifies excitement.
- Use Bit goals and rewards to engage viewers in channel activities. This makes cheering more fun.
- Promote top Bit contributors on your channel page to recognize their support.
- Analyze your Bit history in Creator Dashboard to optimize future cheer rewards.
Can Non-Partners and Affiliates Receive Bits?
Unfortunately, only Twitch partners and affiliates can receive Bits revenue.
However, there are still options for non-partners to benefit from Bits:
- Join an organization like Gamewisp that handles Bits payouts to non-partners
- Use Bits to reward viewers with loyalty perks instead of money
- Focus on meeting all Affiliate requirements to start earning Bits revenue
Bits have become an enormously popular way for viewers to engage and support streamers financially. Setting up Bit Cheering does not require any special activation for Affiliates and Partners. But fully customizing the Bits experience takes some extra work. Configure your channel’s Bits settings to match your community and provide rewards tailored to your viewers. With the proper setup, enabling and promoting Bits Cheering can significantly boost your channel’s revenue.
