It’s a new way for viewers to share the stuff they really like — and for creators to grow on an increasingly busy platform.
When a YouTuber reaches the 500,000-subscriber mark, the landscape changes dramatically. This milestone is a tipping point for both growth and revenue, according to Bangaly Kaba, YouTube’s Director of Product Management. “We saw disproportionate growth in earnings once creators hit that threshold,” he says. Despite most creators being below that level, those who surpass it often enter a self-reinforcing cycle: more views lead to more recommendations, which generate even more views, and, in turn, greater revenue.
However, YouTube wants to shift some of that focus to smaller creators. Enter Hype, YouTube’s latest initiative designed to help smaller channels shine. Hype aims to make discovering and supporting emerging creators more seamless, all while empowering viewers to contribute to their success in a way that feels meaningful and rewarding.
What is YouTube Hype?
Hype is a new promotional feature within YouTube, offering users a fresh way to engage with content and boost visibility for smaller channels. The Hype system introduces a dedicated button, allowing users to “hype” videos they enjoy. The most-hyped videos then appear on a platform-wide leaderboard. While this may sound similar to the existing Trending section, Hype is laser-focused on channels with fewer than 500,000 subscribers, and it emphasizes active user recommendations, not just passive viewership.
The goal is simple: spotlight smaller creators and give them a chance to break through the noise. With Hype, YouTube aims to foster a sense of community by encouraging users to rally behind their favorite up-and-coming channels. It’s about more than just watching—it’s about getting involved.
A Community-Driven Approach
YouTube has been developing Hype since early 2023, as part of a broader push to strengthen community engagement on the platform. According to Kaba, one of the biggest takeaways from their research was the desire among viewers to feel more connected to creators and involved in the creative process. “Viewers want to influence what their favorite creators make, and they want to contribute to the conversation,” Kaba says. Fans have expressed interest in features like Cameo-style shoutouts and live Q&As with creators, but more than anything, they want to help their favorite channels succeed.
The allure of being an early supporter of a rising star is a powerful motivator. In an age where viewers can remix, duet, and engage directly with content, the line between creator and viewer is blurrier than ever. Hype taps into this energy, allowing fans to actively support creators and feel like a crucial part of their journey.
“We wanted to give fans the tools to lean in as community members,” Kaba explains, “and help their favorite creators grow.”
How Does Hype Work?
The mechanics behind Hype are both sophisticated and intentional. A video is only eligible for hype within the first seven days after it’s published, and it must come from a channel with fewer than 500,000 subscribers. Each YouTube user is allotted three hypes per week, making each one a valuable currency. The value of a hype isn’t uniform either—it’s weighted. Channels with fewer subscribers receive more points per hype to level the playing field, ensuring that the biggest channels don’t dominate the leaderboard.
The top 100 hyped videos make it to the leaderboard, which is updated regularly and is specific to each country. Over time, YouTube plans to make the Hype experience more personalized, with recommendations tailored to individual users based on the smaller creators and types of content they tend to hype. While the top 100 leaderboard won’t change, this added personalization will help surface videos from under-the-radar creators, making discovery even more organic.
Importantly, Hype operates outside of YouTube’s traditional algorithm. This gives smaller creators a new avenue to grow without having to compete against established giants. Kaba envisions more refined filters and niche leaderboards in the future, allowing fans to explore hyped content by category or subject.
Fostering Authentic Engagement
Hype isn’t just about putting videos on a leaderboard—it’s about creating meaningful signals of support. “There’s a certain beauty in highlighting the content that people feel strongly about,” says Kristen Stewart, YouTube’s Interaction Designer for Hype. She notes that Hype is designed to encourage authentic, community-driven promotion. To prevent manipulation or spam, users can’t retract their hype, and there’s no “un-hype” button. This means that every hype is a deliberate, strong endorsement—far more impactful than a standard like.
Each week, users receive a Spotify Wrapped-style summary of the videos they hyped, including how those videos performed. Additionally, YouTube plans to introduce badges for users who are early to hype a video that goes on to hit the leaderboard, or who consistently back successful content. These badges will serve as a celebration of top “hypers” and the impact they’ve had on the community.
“When you hype a video, you’re doing more than just boosting its visibility—you’re making a statement,” Stewart says. “It’s a signal that this content really matters to people.”
A Win for Creators and Fans
For creators, Hype offers a slew of benefits. It allows them to connect more deeply with their biggest fans and even earn a monetary bonus each time their content is hyped. While the exact bonus amount isn’t disclosed, it adds an extra layer of incentive for creators to keep engaging with their most passionate viewers.
Moreover, YouTube is exploring the idea of paid hypes, which would allow users to purchase additional hypes after their free weekly allotment is used up. These paid hypes would come with a small fee, a portion of which would go directly to the creator. “The default will always be free,” Stewart assures, “but if users want to contribute more, they’ll have that option.”
The Future of YouTube Hype
While Hype is currently a standalone feature within YouTube, it’s likely to expand and integrate more fully across the platform over time. The challenge for YouTube is clear: it needs to support the next generation of creators in a way that keeps them growing, without alienating the established stars that already dominate the site.
With Hype, YouTube hopes to create a balance, where new creators have the tools and community support they need to thrive, while viewers feel empowered to discover and promote fresh talent. It’s a strategic move to ensure that YouTube remains the go-to platform for both creators and fans alike. As Kaba puts it, “We can’t just tweak the algorithm and expect everything to work out. Hype is our way of figuring out what comes next.”
By giving fans, creators, and viewers a tool that fosters connection and growth, YouTube is not just elevating smaller channels—it’s helping to shape the future of the platform itself.
