YouTube just rolled out a new tool called “Hype” to give smaller creators a better shot at being discovered. The feature adds a hype button under videos from channels with fewer than 500K subscribers, and viewers can hype up to three videos per week. Each hype adds points that help videos climb new Explore leaderboards, with extra weight given to creators with smaller followings. Hyped videos get a badge to highlight them, and fans can unlock a monthly “hype star” badge for their support. Now available in 39 countries including the U.S., U.K., Japan, and India, Hype is meant to make fans feel more involved in a creator’s growth—fitting, since YPulse data shows 62% of 13-39-year-old Europeans say they prefer recommendations from small creators over big influencers. (Tech Crunch)
👀 Read more from YPulse: European Teen Boys vs Girls: Their Top 10 Social Media Platforms
