Linky · ES
Run a YouTube live chat giveaway with Linky
Linky runs giveaways in the live chat of your YouTube livestream. Viewers enter by typing a keyword, by chatting actively or by guessing a secret number. You draw the winner in the DonoLink dashboard. A giveaway in the comments under a regular video is different: Linky works in live chat.
Find Linky under Plugins in your dashboard. If it is not available for your account yet, contact DonoLink before switching tools. A connected channel also needs an active bot connection before commands can respond.
A giveaway in live chat, not in the comments
Many YouTube giveaways run through comments under a video. Linky works during a livestream with active live chat: whoever is watching and takes part at that moment can win. Choose a keyword such as !win, enter everyone who chatted in the last few minutes, or let viewers guess a secret number. With guess the number, the first viewer who types the right number wins immediately. YouTube decides how quickly new chat messages reach the bot, so keep entries open for a few minutes rather than a few seconds.
Settings that keep a YouTube giveaway calm
Choose which roles can enter and give regulars better odds if you like. The spam rule removes viewers who keep repeating the keyword, so your live chat stays readable. In the participant list you exclude someone in one click or include them again. If you stream on Twitch at the same time and have connected both, the same giveaway runs on both platforms with one draw and equal odds for every participant.
Drawing and announcing the winner
Close entries and click Draw winner. The draw runs on the server with cryptographically secure randomness. Linky then follows what the winner writes in live chat for one hour, so you can see whether they are still there. No reply? Draw another winner. Never ask for an address or email in public chat; use a private channel you name in your rules beforehand. YouTube has its own contest policies: you are responsible for the rules and the prize.
One dashboard, three different jobs
DonoLink combines a donation page, OBS overlays and a chatbot. Your donation link is for viewers who want to support you financially. A bot command answers a chat message, for example with that public link. An overlay displays an alert in your broadcast. You configure these parts separately but manage them from the same account. A working chat command therefore does not establish that payments or OBS audio are already working.
Start with a small setup
Begin with a donation command, one information command and one timer. Choose who can use each command and set a cooldown to limit repetition. Have timers share useful information such as your schedule or donation link; avoid several messages appearing together. Music requests need their own player and settings. Add them after testing the basics, and use music for which you have the necessary rights.
What to check before each livestream
Test with a real chat message in the connected channel. Check the reply, link and repeated use. Separately make a short OBS recording with a test alert and listen to its audio. To verify the full payment journey, a completed donation must appear in both the dashboard and overlay. If something fails, check the channel connection, bot status and permissions first. Change one setting at a time so you can identify which step fixes the issue.
Donations in your country
For creators in Spain, use donolink.es. Bizum appears only when enabled for the creator account; it is not guaranteed in every checkout. The standard DonoLink fee is 3.5%; Stripe fees are separate and depend on the selected method. Check Spanish pricing and your own checkout before promising a method in chat.
Frequently asked questions
How do I run a giveaway on YouTube live?
Connect your YouTube channel to Linky, start a livestream with active live chat and open Plugins, Linky, Giveaways in your dashboard. Choose the giveaway type, start it and tell viewers how to enter. Close entries and draw the winner.
Does Linky work for giveaways under a YouTube video?
No. Linky reads the live chat of a livestream, not the comments under a recorded video. For a giveaway after the stream, choose another route and describe it in your rules.
Why does a participant appear in the list later?
YouTube delivers live chat messages to bots at intervals. A participant can therefore appear a little later. Keep entries open long enough and only close them once the list has stopped changing.
Do viewers need a membership or a Super Chat?
No. Entering happens in chat and is free. Do not tie entry to a payment, Super Chat or donation; in many countries that turns a giveaway into a game of chance with its own rules.
Who is Linky?
Linky is DonoLink’s chatbot; it used to be called DonoLink Bot. Linky answers commands, posts timers, moderates your chat, thanks donors in chat and helps with song requests, giveaways and polls on Twitch and YouTube. You manage it under Plugins in your DonoLink dashboard. In chat, it posts through DonoLink’s bot account.
Is a chatbot the same as a donation platform?
No. A chatbot handles chat commands and automated messages. DonoLink adds a public donation page and OBS alerts. Stripe handles payments; the bot itself does not process card details.
Do viewers need a DonoLink account?
Viewers do not need a DonoLink account to donate. Share the public donation link from your dashboard. Do not share overlay URLs, secret keys or account access in chat.
Do all commands work identically on Twitch and YouTube?
Commands and timers use the same bot settings, but permissions, chat connections and platform actions differ. Test each channel separately. A successful Twitch test does not establish that a YouTube livestream works.