YouTube Introduces ‘Hype’ Feature to Support Small Content Creators

YouTube recently announced a new feature called ‘Hype’, aimed at providing more community support to small content creators. This feature is currently being tested in select regions and is designed to boost the rankings of videos that receive hype from viewers.

Content creators who meet the criteria set by YouTube will be eligible for the ‘Hype’ program. Viewers in regions like Brazil, Turkey, and Taiwan can now ‘Hype’ a video, in addition to liking it, which will ultimately increase its ranking among recently published videos. The more hype a video receives, the higher it will be ranked on the platform.

While the ‘Hype’ feature is geared towards offering more support to small content creators, there are certain limitations. Only creators in the YouTube Partner Program with less than 500,000 subscribers are eligible for this program. Additionally, all videos must adhere to YouTube’s Community Guidelines in order to qualify for the ‘Hype’ feature.

In addition to the ‘Hype’ feature, YouTube has also introduced a sleep timer and other community support options such as Super Chat and Super Stickers. These features are aimed at helping creators monetize their content and engage with their audience in a more meaningful way.

While the ‘Hype’ program is currently in the testing phase, it remains unclear whether it will be rolled out to more content creators in the future. The rankings based on ‘Hype’ will be visible under the Explore tab, allowing viewers to discover new and exciting content from small creators.

In addition to the ‘Hype’ feature, YouTube has introduced a new experimental feature that enables users to add notes below videos for easy-to-understand context. This feature is currently available in English to users in the US, giving them the ability to provide more information and context about the videos they watch.

YouTube’s new ‘Hype’ feature and additional support initiatives are aimed at empowering small content creators and enhancing community engagement on the platform. By providing new ways for viewers to support creators and engage with content, YouTube is striving to create a more vibrant and diverse creator community.