New YouTube “Hype” Feature Launched in India to Boost Small Creators

A brand-new feature called Hype has been introduced by YouTube in India, and it’s already being hailed as a game-changer for emerging creators. Designed to give smaller channels a better chance at fame, this tool is shaking up how content is discovered on the platform.

Instead of just liking, sharing, or commenting, viewers are now being given another way to support their favourite videos by “hyping” them. When a video is hyped, points are awarded, and these points help the video climb a special leaderboard that highlights the top 100 hyped videos nationwide. Yep, it’s like a popularity contest, but one where the underdogs finally get a fair shot.

The feature has been made available only to creators with fewer than 500,000 subscribers. And to keep things from getting out of hand, a few limits have been put in place: each viewer can hype up to three videos per week, and only within the first seven days of a video’s release. No fees are involved, so it’s totally free for users.

The Hype button has been tucked in just below the Like button, making it super easy to spot. Once a video gets hyped, the points start adding up. The higher the score, the closer it gets to landing on the Explore page’s hyped videos leaderboard. And here’s the kicker: videos that make it to the top could even be featured on users’ home feeds.

To give smaller creators a leg up, bonus points are being added automatically based on subscriber count; the fewer subs, the bigger the bonus. That means fresh creators don’t have to compete head-on with massive influencers. The playing field has been intentionally levelled, and that’s a big deal in a space where getting noticed can feel impossible.

Initial beta tests in places like Turkey, Taiwan, and Brazil showed promising signs. Over 5 million hypes were recorded in just four weeks, across more than 50,000 different channels. The feature isn’t just a gimmick; it’s catching on.

YouTube has said the heartbeat of its platform lies in its creator community. With this new feature, it’s clear that newer voices are finally being handed the mic, and the crowd’s starting to cheer.