YouTube retires Trending page, expands Hype and launches charts-based discovery
YouTube has expanded its 'Hype' creator support feature to additional markets and introduced a new set of animated, summer-themed gifts for live streams.
The Hype feature allows viewers to allocate 'hype points' to long-form videos from emerging channels. These points contribute to a leaderboard ranking and can help surface lesser-known content to a wider audience. According to YouTube, the programme has now expanded to 19 new markets, including India, Indonesia, Mexico, and several in the European Union.
“We’re expanding the ability for viewers to hype at no cost to 19 markets, including India, Indonesia, Mexico, and select EU markets. If you’re in an eligible market, the option to hype will appear on creators’ public long-form videos uploaded in the last 7 days. Additionally, viewers in launch markets can now hype videos from anywhere it is available, not just their local region,” YouTube stated.
YouTube also noted that additional points will be awarded based on a creator’s subscriber count, offering a boost to smaller channels. “When a viewer hypes a video, YouTube will automatically apply bonus points based on the subscriber count of the creator so that smaller creators are rewarded more points to even the playing field.”
In addition, YouTube has introduced a limited-time collection of summer-themed animated gifts that can be used during live streams. These include items such as a duckling, island, nap, sandcastle, and watermelon. These gifts are currently only available to creators and viewers in the United States.
“Our limited-time collections of summer-themed gifts are sure to keep your vertical live streams fresh. Monetising with gifts can help you heat up your earning potential while you build connections with your fans and make your live streams sizzle with engagement,” YouTube said.
Separately, YouTube has confirmed changes to its “Trending” and “Trending Now” pages. These will be removed and replaced by category-specific listings under the “Charts” section. The shift reflects changes in viewer behaviour over the last decade, with YouTube observing a decline in traffic to the Trending page.
“A lot has changed in what trending means since we launched the ‘Trending’ page 10 years ago. The focus has shifted from singular viral videos to micro trends and fandoms. Today, trends are more personal and dynamic with viewers discovering what they’re interested in in varying places, like recommendations, Shorts, comments, and communities,” YouTube stated.
The new Charts page includes trending music videos, top podcast shows, and movie trailers, with plans to expand into other categories. Features such as “Creators on the Rise” will be given greater visibility, and creators will be able to use the “Inspiration” tab in YouTube Studio to identify trends relevant to their audience.
News