YouTube is testing a new way for fans to show some love to their favorite channels

What do you want to know

• YouTube is testing “Hype” to boost small content creators in certain regions.
• Viewers can use the Hype button to promote videos in the Explore section.
• The feature is available in Brazil, Turkey, and Taiwan, and only videos posted within the last seven days can be streamed.

YouTube is experimenting with a new feature called “Hype” to build community support for small content creators, available to viewers in select regions.

In a community message, YouTube says the new experimental feature allows viewers to directly impact video rankings in the Explore section. With the Hype button below eligible videos, users can promote content they like and help it get discovered by more people.

Building on classic engagement metrics like likes and shares, YouTube rolled out the new feature to viewers in Brazil, Turkey, and Taiwan. This new tool allows Internet users to increase the visibility of a video published in the last seven days. Trending videos get improved rankings in the Explore section, with their importance increasing based on the number of trending mentions they receive.

Currently, viewers have access to various methods to support creators. In addition to liking and sharing, they can use Super Chat and Super Stickers for direct financial contributions, adding to the ad revenue creators earn.

YouTube’s new feature takes a different approach by focusing on empowering smaller creators. Unlike previous initiatives, Hype Votes only affect a video’s ranking in the Explore tab, not the Trending section. This helps new creators get discovered without being overshadowed by larger, established channels.

Currently, this feature is only available to a select group of YouTube Partner Program creators with fewer than 500,000 subscribers. Although it is not yet known whether it will be rolled out more widely, YouTube emphasizes that Hype votes are an additional ranking signal, separate from the main algorithm.

It’s important to remember that content must meet YouTube’s Community Guidelines to benefit from the Hype feature. The next few weeks will be a trial period for this new initiative, with possible adjustments based on viewer feedback.