YouTube launches 'Hype' feature in India to boost small creators' visibility

New Delhi: YouTube has introduced a new feature called "Hype" in India, aimed at helping smaller content creators with between 500 and 500,000 subscribers gain visibility on the platform. 

Announced on Tuesday, the feature allows viewers to actively promote their favourite videos, giving emerging creators a chance to break through the platform’s algorithm and reach new audiences.

The Hype feature enables viewers to "hype" a video within the first seven days of its release, earning points that propel it up a dedicated leaderboard in YouTube’s Explore tab. Each viewer can hype up to three videos per week at no cost, and hyped videos may also receive special badges to highlight their popularity. To level the playing field, YouTube has implemented a bonus point system where creators with fewer subscribers earn more points per hype, ensuring smaller channels aren’t overshadowed by those with larger followings.

The feature has already shown promising results in pilot programs conducted in Turkey, Taiwan, and Brazil, where over 5 million hypes were recorded across more than 50,000 channels in just four weeks. India, with its diverse creator community, is the latest market to benefit from this initiative. From cooking and gaming to music and makeup, creators across various genres and languages are expected to leverage Hype to grow their reach.

This move comes as part of YouTube’s broader efforts to support India’s booming creator economy. In May 2025, YouTube announced a Rs 850 crore investment to enhance commerce and shopping features for creators.

YouTube’s focus on smaller creators aligns with its ongoing strategy to foster community engagement and innovation. The platform recently introduced AI-driven tools like Dream Screen and expanded auto-dubbing features to help creators produce and share content more effectively.