Hajra Naz
YouTube is giving smaller creators a bigger boost with an expanded rollout of its Hype feature and a few fun seasonal updates.
The Hype feature lets viewers give “hype points” to videos from up-and-coming channels. Those points push these clips higher on the leaderboard, which helps new creators get seen. YouTube tested this last year and slowly added it to more regions. Now, the company says fans in 19 new markets—including India, Indonesia, Mexico, and some EU countries—can start hyping videos. And it doesn’t cost anything for viewers to do it.
Viewers can hype long-form public videos uploaded in the last week. Plus, folks in these launch regions can hype videos from anywhere, not just their home country. YouTube also tweaks the points so smaller creators get a bit more weight, which helps them compete with bigger channels.
The idea is simple: give smaller creators a shot at discovery they might not get otherwise.
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Beyond that, YouTube rolled out a set of limited-time summer-themed stickers. There’s a duckling, an island, a nap, a sandcastle, and watermelon—bright, playful gifts fans can send during live streams. They’re only in the U.S. for now. It’s an extra way for creators to bring in some money while keeping streams fun and fresh.
YouTube’s also shifting how it shows what’s trending. The old “Trending” and “Trending Now” lists are going away. In their place, YouTube will highlight what’s popular through category charts. You’ll find lists for trending music videos, top podcast shows each week, and movie trailers. More categories are coming.
YouTube explained that what people consider “trending” has changed. Instead of one viral video topping the list, fans are following smaller trends, niche topics, and communities across Shorts, comments, and recommendations. Visits to the old Trending page dropped a lot over the past five years, so YouTube is focusing on charts and personalized picks instead.
Creators will also see new tools to spot what their viewers care about. Features like the “Inspiration” tab in Studio can help them line up content ideas with what’s gaining traction.
All together, these updates aim to help smaller creators get noticed and give viewers more ways to connect with them, without needing a viral hit to break through.
