YouTube Launches Hype: A Game-Changer for Fans Supporting Emerging Creators

Today, YouTube takes a bold step forward with the introduction of Hype, a revolutionary new feature that redefines how fans can support and uplift emerging creators. Announced during the "Made on YouTube" event, Hype offers an exciting way for passionate audiences to actively engage in the growth of their favourite creators’ channels. This feature isn’t just a product update—it’s a new chapter in the relationship between creators and fans, one where both have a stake in each other's success. As a publisher, YouTube believes this shift could ignite a new era of fan-driven content discovery.

Hype: A New Way to Boost Emerging Talent

With millions of creators making waves across every imaginable genre on YouTube, getting noticed can be daunting, especially for those just starting. For many smaller channels, even dedicated fanbases struggle to expand beyond their current viewership. Enter Hype—a feature that aims to bridge this gap by allowing fans to champion their favourite creators more meaningfully.

How does it work?

If a video has been published within the past 7 days by a creator with fewer than 500,000 subscribers, fans can "hype" it—an action that goes beyond the standard like or share. The more hypes a video accumulates, the higher it climbs on a new weekly leaderboard that spotlights the top 100 hyped videos in each country. But there’s a twist: fans only get three hypes per week, making every choice intentional and impactful.

Even more exciting, in the future, fans will be able to purchase additional hypes, unlocking another revenue stream for creators and deepening fan involvement.

As the cherry on top, videos that make the leaderboard will be awarded a special badge to highlight them as fan favorites, making them easier for new audiences to discover.

The Power of Fans: Why Hype Matters for Creators

Hype is designed to bring small and mid-tier creators into the spotlight. While YouTube’s algorithms and recommendations have long played a role in helping content get discovered, Hype democratizes discovery, shifting some of the power directly into the hands of viewers.

For creators, this means points from hyping could propel them into a new stratosphere of visibility. With a built-in small creator bonus, channels with fewer subscribers receive a point multiplier, giving them a fairer shot at competing with more established creators.

At its core, Hype transforms passive viewership into active participation. Now, fans aren't just watching content—they’re helping to write the success stories of the creators they believe in. For creators, each hype is more than a vote of confidence; it’s a direct pathway to new eyes, new fans, and new opportunities.

The Journey to Building Hype

The idea for Hype was born from one simple insight: fans want to play a bigger role in the success of the creators they love. YouTube survey of over 2,500 viewers across the US, Japan, and Germany revealed that over 75% of respondents—and more than 80% of Gen Z viewers—wanted a way to actively support small and medium-sized creators.

This insight fueled a user-focused design journey. YouTube brainstormed, tested, and refined concepts until Hype struck the right balance of simplicity and engagement. One of YouTube early testers perfectly captured the feeling Hype aims to create:

"I love that I can directly support the creators I care about. It feels like I’m part of their journey."

A Path to Global Engagement

YouTube piloted Hype in Brazil, Turkey, and Taiwan, and the results exceeded YouTube expectations. In just four weeks, over 5 million hypes were given across more than 50,000 unique channels. The largest demographic of hyping users was aged 18-24, proving that younger generations are eager to take an active role in shaping the success of the creators they admire.

But Hype’s power goes beyond numbers. It taps into a growing trend of fan-driven content discovery that we’ve seen across platforms. By giving fans a tool that directly impacts the trajectory of their favourite creators, YouTube believes YouTube is ushering in a new era of content engagement, where viewership and fandom merge into something much bigger and more impactful.

A New Frontier for Creators and Fans

Imagine this: you’re a creator with under 500,000 subscribers. You’ve worked tirelessly on a video, and within its first few days, fans begin to hype it up. As your video climbs the Hype leaderboard, it suddenly finds itself in front of viewers who might never have come across your channel. It gets noticed, gains momentum, and before long, you’ve grown your audience significantly—all thanks to the passionate support of your fans.

For creators, Hype isn’t just a promotional tool; it’s an opportunity to connect more deeply with their community and turn fans into advocates. And with the ability to purchase additional hypes in the future, creators could also see a new source of revenue while fans get an enhanced way to engage.

The Future of Hype

What excites us most about Hype is its potential to scale globally. After seeing the success of YouTube beta tests, YouTube is preparing to expand Hype to new markets, bringing this feature to even more creators and fans. YouTube will continue to refine and evolve Hype based on feedback from both creators and viewers, ensuring it remains a dynamic and meaningful tool for content growth.

Shortly, YouTube envisioned Hype as more than just a leaderboard or badge—it could evolve into a broader movement where fans have a true stake in the success of emerging talent.

A Fan-Led Content Revolution

At its heart, Hype represents a new kind of relationship between creators and their audiences—one where fans are no longer passive spectators, but active participants in shaping the future of the creators they love. For YouTube, this is more than just a product update. It’s a cultural shift, one that empowers fans and creators alike.

As Hype rolls out to more markets, we’re excited to see how this new feature sparks creativity, builds communities, and transforms the way creators grow on YouTube. If you're passionate about supporting fresh talent, now’s your chance to get involved. To discover, go hype, and help shape the future of content.

It’s a win-win: you get to discover and hype great content, and creators get the exposure they need to build their audience. Let the hyping begin!