YouTube has introduced a new feature called Hype to support emerging creators by connecting them with new audiences. This initiative aims to help smaller creators, even those with dedicated fanbases, overcome the challenge of reaching new viewers.
How Hype Works
- Eligibility: Videos must be less than 7 days old and from creators with fewer than 500,000 subscribers.
- Hyping Mechanism: Users can "hype" a video up to three times per week. More hypes push videos higher on a new leaderboard featuring the top 100 hyped videos of the week.
- Future Plans: Fans may be able to purchase additional hypes, creating another revenue stream for creators.
- Impact on Recommendations: Hyping videos will not affect YouTube recommendations and search results.
Benefits for Creators
- Leaderboard: Hyped videos earn points to help creators appear on a weekly leaderboard specific to their country, potentially exposing them to new audiences.
- Small Creator Bonus: A point multiplier for channels with fewer subscribers ensures fair competition.
- Fan Engagement: Top hyped videos receive a special badge, indicating they are fan favorites.
Beta Test Results
- Locations: Initial tests were conducted in Turkey, Taiwan, and Brazil.
- User Engagement: Over 5 million hypes across more than 50,000 unique channels in the first four weeks.
- Demographics: The largest age group participating in the beta was 18 to 24-year-olds, comprising over 30% of all beta users.
Development Journey
- User-Centric Design: Inspired by the desire of fans to support their favorite creators, YouTube engaged in extensive user research and testing.
- Feedback Integration: Concepts like 24-hour hyping windows and interactive comments were tested but ultimately discarded for simplicity and ease of understanding.
- Final Concept: A 7-day window and a clear leaderboard were chosen to balance urgency and flexibility.
Future Plans
- Market Expansion: YouTube plans to expand Hype to new markets based on insights from beta tests.
- Continuous Improvement: Ongoing updates will be made based on user feedback.
Hype is designed to make the viewing experience more interactive and engaging, giving fans a stake in the success of their favorite creators and helping those creators grow their channels.
