Meta is testing a new live streaming platform for influencers called “Super,” according to a report from Business Insider. The new platform allows influencers to host live broadcasts, earn revenue and engage with viewers. The company reportedly paid influencers between $200 and $3,000 to use the platform for 30 minutes. Super entered development in late 2020 and is currently being built by Meta’s new product experimentation team.
“Super is a small, standalone experiment built by New Product Experimentation (NPE) and is currently being tested with a small group of creators,” a Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch in an email.
Business Insider reports that Meta recently reached out to multiple creators asking them to try out the new project. The platform, which appears to have similar functionality to Twitch, is currently being tested with fewer than 100 creators, including tech influencer Andrew Edwards and TikTok star Vienna Sky.
The platform currently operates on a tiered system where viewers pay to access the features included in the stream. Viewers can also leave a tip for the live streamers. The report shows that creators collect 100% of the tips and revenue earned through the tiered system.
“It’s web-only right now,” a Meta spokesperson told Business Insider. “They’ve been testing it very quietly for about two years. Final goal [of NPE projects] ultimately creating the next standalone project that can be part of the Meta family of products.”
Meta’s early testing of Super comes as the company recently announced that Facebook is shutting down its Live Shopping feature on October 1 to shift its focus to Reels. Live video shopping became publicly available on Facebook two years ago, after a series of smaller trials and beta testing. A live shopping platform could eventually serve as a significant revenue stream for Facebook, thanks to sales fees applied at checkout.
Live shopping is becoming increasingly popular in Asia and especially in China. However, since Facebook and TikTok both abandoning their live shopping plans, it appears that overall consumer awareness and adoption of live video shopping is still low outside of Asia.
However, early testing of Super shows that Meta believes there is a market for a live streaming platform for influencers and creators. Meta is still in early testing for the platform and will likely adjust it based on feedback from creators.