Understanding YouTube Hype: What It Is and Why You Should Leverage It

For every YouTube creator, increasing the visibility of their channel is a primary goal, yet mastering YouTube’s algorithm can prove challenging. The recent introduction of the Hype button provides an opportunity for viewers to support their favorite smaller creators in gaining deserved recognition.

Introducing the YouTube Hype Button

The Hype feature rolled out quietly, appearing for mobile users without any prior announcement. Users found a Hype button under select videos and a dedicated Hype section showcasing weekly performance stats.

Geared specifically towards promoting emerging creators, the Hype button allows users to express support for their preferred videos each week at no cost. Each hype contributes points to the video, and creators that accumulate the most points earn a spot on the weekly leaderboard, along with a badge indicating their ranking.

This innovative leaderboard focuses on creators with followers ranging from 500 to 500, 000, ensuring they can attract new fans without competing against established channels boasting millions of subscribers.

Measures to Prevent Hype Abuse

For those considering relentlessly hyping their favorite creators, YouTube has implemented several restrictions to maintain fairness:

Users are allowed a maximum of three hypes per week, which can be allocated to the same video, multiple videos from one creator, or distributed across different channels.
Further hypes beyond the free allowance incur additional costs, although the exact pricing and limits on paid hypes have yet to be clarified. Notably, a portion of this revenue goes to supporting creators as well. Currently, this option is only available in Brazil and Turkey.
The hype system resets every Monday, ensuring videos can continually rise to prominence on the leaderboard.
Brand accounts are prohibited from hyping videos, mitigating unfair advantages for companies promoting partner content.
Only videos released within the last seven days qualify for hyping, a safeguard to benefit active creators.

Why You Might Not See the Hype Button

If you’re unable to locate the Hype button, several factors could be at play. This feature is positioned beneath the channel name in the YouTube mobile app and adjacent to the comment section:

The Hype feature is currently restricted to select countries, with future expansions planned as its popularity increases.
Channels must be part of the YouTube Partner Program to have the Hype feature enabled. Encourage creators you support to join this program for enhanced support and hyping capabilities.
Eligibility for hyping is limited to channels with subscriber counts between 500 and 500, 000.
The video must have been published within the last week; older videos do not qualify.
Short videos are not eligible for hype. Only long-form content that is not categorized as a Short can be hyped.
Ensure you are logged in and using the latest version of the YouTube app; hypes are unavailable on desktop or mobile browsers.

Steps to Hype on YouTube

To hype a video, select a long-form video from a smaller creator released within the past week (live videos are not eligible).Keep the app in portrait mode, then locate the Hype button beneath the channel name. Simply tap to provide your hype.

Locating the Hype button on the LA Flights YouTube channel.

By tapping Hype # points in the Hype window, users can offer more points to smaller channels, a design feature aimed at promoting equitable growth across different creators.

Prior to confirming your hype, the current points tally will be visible, along with a note regarding the score of the video in the top 100 leaderboard, allowing for a performance comparison.

Giving a creator hype points and seeing the current point total for the video.

Select the Chart icon while hypes are being assigned to explore additional statistics related to the video. Gain insight into the remaining days of the hype period and the number of users participating.

Exploring the Hype Leaderboard

The Hype leaderboard serves as a fantastic tool for discovering new content, renewed every five minutes. Accessible from the YouTube app, simply tap the menu icon (the compass) at the top left and then select Hype. It’s important to note that this leaderboard is uniform for all viewers in the same region and is not personalized.

If you’re looking for specific content, the default view is All, but you can toggle through various categories to see top hyped videos in genres such as gaming, music, animals, and travel, among others. Currently, there are a total of ten available leaderboards.

Viewing the Hype leaderboards on YouTube.

Monitoring Your Hyped Videos

If you wish to track how your hyped videos are performing, access the Hype leaderboards in the app. By selecting My hyped next to Top 100, you can see all your hyped videos from the past week.

Tap on any video to view it, followed by utilizing the Hype button again under the video to see its current stats by tapping the Chart icon.

Currently, there is no option to reverse a hype once given, making it pivotal to be confident in your support. Furthermore, refunds for any purchased hypes are not available.

When you reach your hypes limit, continue aiding your favorite creators through subscriptions, comments, and likes. This engagement signals to YouTube that users appreciate the content. For those who wish to enjoy ad-free viewing, explore strategies to acquire YouTube Premium at a reduced price.

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