YouTube has introduced a new feature called “Hype” to support smaller content creators. Traditionally, creators have relied on YouTube’s algorithm or collaborations to grow. However, Hype offers a new way for fans to promote their favorite small channels.
Helping small creators stand out
Bangaly Kaba, YouTube’s Director of Product Management, explains that once creators hit the half-million subscriber mark, they tend to experience a surge in growth and revenue.
“We saw a disproportionate growth in earnings,” Kaba says, noting that smaller channels haven’t had the same opportunities to thrive. That’s where Hype looks to come in, providing fans a tool to push their favorite content further.
How Hype works
Hype allows users to “hype” a video they like by clicking a button beneath the “like” option. The most-hyped videos appear on a weekly leaderboard, which is unique for each country. Videos must be less than seven days old to qualify, and viewers can only use three hypes per week. This system is designed to prevent the largest creators from dominating the leaderboard.
Kristen Stewart, an interaction designer for YouTube, says that limiting hypes helps make each hype more meaningful. “There’s a beauty in showing the things people go above and beyond to support,” she says. Hype points are also weighted in favor of smaller creators, giving them a fair shot at appearing on the leaderboard.
YouTube’s goal to support creators
YouTube developed Hype in response to fans’ desires to actively support creators they love. “Viewers want to influence the creative process,” Kaba mentions, adding that fans want a way to discover and promote content they might not come across otherwise. During beta testing in Turkey, Taiwan and Brazil, fans hyped videos over five million times across more than 50,000 channels.
YouTube is also exploring the possibility of letting users buy more hypes, creating a new revenue stream for both creators and the platform. Hype bonuses are available for creators with fewer subscribers, and these will, hopefully, level the playing field for small channels with larger channels.
Image courtesy: YouTube
