Ultra.
Recently, Twitch announced that in 2025, subscriptions and Bits will be available to most streamers from day one. This means that even if you're just starting out, you can begin earning revenue immediately. Additionally, Twitch is introducing an option that allows streamers to use their earnings for purchases within Twitch (more details to come).
If you're unfamiliar with it, Twitch Bits is a virtual currency that viewers can purchase and use to cheer for their favorite streamers, send animated emotes and messages in chat. They’re a great way for your community to show support while adding excitement to your stream.
With Streamlabs, you can take engagement to the next level by setting up interactive alert variations, bit goals, and the Stream Boss widget. Best of all, even if you don’t stream using Streamlabs Desktop, you can use the widgets in your preferred streaming software such as OBS Studio or XSplit.
Jump Ahead:
- How to Customize Bit Alerts
- Setting a Bit Goal (Streamlabs Dashboard)
- Setting a Bit Goal (Streamlabs Desktop)
- Friendly Competition with the Stream Boss Widget (Streamlabs Dashboard)
- Friendly Competition with the Stream Boss Widget (Streamlabs Desktop)
Custom Bit Alerts to Boost Engagement
Make every cheer count by customizing alerts for different bit amounts. Streamlabs allows you to create bit alerts variations so viewers can experience different animations, messages, etc. based on the number of Twitch bits they redeem.
For example, a 100-bit cheer can trigger a different sound or animation than a 1,000-bit cheer, with the latter being a cooler, more coveted redemption. This incentivizes viewers to go bigger and makes supporting your stream more interactive and mutually beneficial.
How to Set up Bit Alerts Variations in Streamlabs Dashboard
Bits have sub-conditions (e.g., bits used at least 5000), all of which can have the conditions below applied for alert variations.
- Randomly
- Bits used is at least <amount>
- Bits used is exactly <amount>
Below is a quick breakdown for setting of bit alert variations using Streamlabs.
Step 1: Navigate to the Alert Box Settings window on your Streamlabs Dashboard. Under Bits, click on + Add Variation.
Step 2: Next, name your new variation in the window that appears. In this case, we’ll call it “Bits greater than 100.” Click Add when you’re done.
Step 3: Set the condition as “Min. Bits to Alert...” and enter an amount so that bits over that amount can trigger a different alert. You can also set a minimum for the smallest cheer amount to show up in recent events. Here, we used 100 for alerts and 50 for events but feel free to customize how you please.
Step 4: Lastly, customize your alert variation using the different settings options to make your variation stand out by setting font styles, unique sounds, animations, or GIFs. Click Save Settings when you’re done.
P.S. You can preview all of your customizations in the right preview window while you are editing. Remember to click the Save Settings button when you’ve made all of your changes.
Pro Tip: Enable Text-to-Speech (TTS) for bit alerts so supporters can send messages along with their cheers.
For a more in-depth explainer of alert variations, feel free to check out our guide.
Set a Bit Goal with Incentives
Encourage your audience to reach a bit milestone by setting a Bit Goal with rewards. Whether it's unlocking a new emote, a silly challenge, or a celebratory dance, giving viewers a reason to contribute can drive more engagement.
How to Create a Bit Goal in Your Streamlabs Dashboard:
Step 1: Log into your Streamlabs.com Dashboard, select All Widgets from the left navigation bar then find Bit Goal. You can also click on this direct link to get to where you need to be.
Step 2: Name your goal, then customize the goal, setting a specific bit amount and end date. You can also customize the visual appearance of your Bit Goal by selecting Settings and tweaking to your liking. Once you’ve customized the widget, click Save Settings.
Step 3: Hit Start Goal in the Manage Goal tab for the widget to begin tracking your progress until the end date.
Step 4: Copy the widget URL to add your Bit Widget on OBS Studio, XSplit or another live streaming software as a browser source. If you’re using Streamlabs Desktop, launch the application to add the widget to your live stream. Skip down to the next section to learn how to add the widget to your live stream layout.
How to Create a Bit Goal in Streamlabs Desktop:
If you’re using Streamlabs Desktop, you can set up your bit goals without leaving the app.
Step 1: Navigate to the Streamlabs source panel and select the plus sign (+) and find the Bit Goal Widget in the widget list. Click Add Source to add to your setup.
Note: If you created a Bit Goal in your Streamlabs Dashboard, it should autopopulate with whatever title you gave it. Double check the customizations then click Done to add the widget to your stream.
Step 2: Name your source, then customize the goal, setting a specific bit amount and end date. You can also customize the visual settings and source settings as needed. Remember, you must hit Start Goal for the widget to begin tracking your progress.
Step 3: Once you’ve customized the widget, click Done and it will be added to your live stream.
Encourage Friendly Competition with Stream Boss
Want to gamify bit donations? The Stream Boss widget turns cheering into a battle. Viewers who donate bits, subscribe, or tip can damage the current boss and claim the throne, adding a competitive twist to supporting your stream.
How to Set up Stream Boss in Your Streamlabs Dashboard:
Step 1: Log into your Streamlabs.com Dashboard, select All Widgets from the left navigation bar then find Stream Boss. You can also click on this direct link to get to where you need to be.
Step 2: Customize the Stream Boss health settings under the Manage Battle tab. Start by selecting the Stream Boss’ starting health and the mode, which determines how the boss’ health is impacted during battle. Below is a breakdown of modes.
- Fixed- The boss will spawn with the set amount of health every time.
- Incremental- The boss will have additional health each time he is defeated (you set the amount)
- Overkill- The boss' health will change depending on how much damage is dealt on the killing blow. Excess damage multiplied by the multiplier will be the boss' new health.
Step 3: Head to the Settings tab to customize the Stream Boss Widget starting with how different interactions impact the health of the Stream Boss.
Step 4: Customize how the Stream Boss appears on your stream by selecting a theme, kill animation, font/background colors and more. Once you’re done customizing, hit Save Settings.
Pro-Tip: If you’re a smaller streamer, keep the engagement going by setting the Fade time to zero to allow the health of the Stream Boss to always appear on stream. You may also consider setting a lower starting health (i.e. 2000) to increase the chances of the Stream Boss changing out more frequently.
Step 5: Click the Save Stream Boss Health button in the Manage Battle tab to get the widget up and running. Copy and paste the Widget URL to use in OBS Studio, XSplit or another live streaming software as a browser source.
The following section explains how to add the widget to your stream with Streamlabs Desktop.
How to Set Up Stream Boss in Streamlabs Desktop
Step 1: Go to the Streamlabs Sources and select Widgets > Stream Boss, then click Add Source.
Step 2: Name your Widget then click through each tab to customize your Stream Boss—below are the settings you can tweak here.
- Goal: Determine the starting health and mode for your Stream Boss
- Manage Battle: Select how different interactions during battle (e.g. bits, tips, etc.) affect the Stream Boss’ health
- Visual Settings: Customize how your Stream Boss widget appears on your live stream from setting animations to specific colors for fonts and backgrounds.
- Sources: Choose advanced settings for your Stream Boss such as audio controls and custom CSS.
Step 3: Once you’re done customizing your Stream Boss, click Done for it to appear on stream. You can drag and resize to your liking.
By leveraging Streamlabs tools, you can turn this new earning opportunity into a major boost for your channel. Set up your alerts, goals, and Stream Boss today to make the most of Twitch's evolving monetization features.
