The feature encourages community-driven engagement to help new creators gain visibility
YouTube has officially launched its new feature, Hype, in India-part of a broader global expansion that includes 20 markets such as Indonesia, Mexico, and several EU countries. First piloted in late 2024 in Brazil, Taiwan, and Turkey, Hype is designed to help emerging creators gain visibility through community-driven content discovery.
Targeted at channels with fewer than 500,000 subscribers, Hype enables viewers to support creators by “hyping” newly uploaded long-form videos within seven days of release. Each viewer is allotted three free hypes per week, which they can use to endorse content they find engaging or impactful.
Videos that receive the most hype appear on a weekly leaderboard, showcasing the top 100 hyped videos in each country. Creators also earn badges and increased platform visibility, giving them more exposure among audiences.
To level the playing field, YouTube awards bonus hype points to creators with lower subscriber counts, allowing them to compete with more established names. While hype points do not influence search or recommendation algorithms, they serve as a community signal to highlight trending, emerging voices.
YouTube is also offering monetary incentives to creators whose videos gain traction through Hype. Future updates to the feature may include paid hype options and advanced creator tools, particularly focused on mobile usability.
The launch of Hype marks YouTube’s continued effort to democratise discovery, empowering creators and audiences to shape what gets seen.
