YouTube has officially launched its innovative “Hype” feature globally, enabling fans to amplify the visibility of their beloved creators. Announced on Tuesday, this exciting addition allows viewers to support creators with fewer than 500,000 subscribers by hyping their videos, making it easier for them to be discovered. The feature, which debuted at the Made On YouTube 2024 event, features a dedicated button located right below the traditional “like” button.
Currently, the Hype feature is rolling out across 39 countries, including the U.S., U.K., Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and India.
Fans can hype up to three videos each week for their favorite creators, giving those videos valuable points that help them climb a newly established ranked leaderboard accessible in the Explore menu. YouTube ensures that smaller creators receive a significant boost, meaning that the fewer subscribers a creator has, the more impactful each hype will be.
Videos that receive fan support will proudly display a “hyped” badge, and users can customize their Home feed to showcase only these hyped videos. When a video they’ve hyped approaches the leaderboard, YouTube will notify the users who contributed to its success. Dedicated fans can also achieve a new “hype star” badge every month as a testament to their support.
YouTube introduced the Hype feature to empower passionate fans who want to play a role in their favorite creators’ journeys. Additionally, this feature is set to create a new revenue avenue for YouTube, as plans are in motion to allow fans to purchase additional “hypes” for their favorite videos in the near future. Currently, paid hypes are being tested in Brazil and Turkey.
Looking ahead, YouTube is set to develop specialized hype leaderboards focused on specific interests, such as gaming and fashion, along with new ways for fans to share their excitement about hyped videos.
Creators can easily track their hypes and hype points through the YouTube Studio mobile app, where they can also view a new Hype card and recap in their weekly analytics.
