YouTube has officially rolled out Jewels, a new virtual item for its Hype creator support feature, in Japan.
With this update, viewers can now send additional Hype using Jewels, on top of the free Hype they already receive.
In this article, we’ll explain what Hype and Jewels are, and explore how brands and marketers could potentially use them in future marketing campaigns.
Contents
What Is Hype?
Hype is an official YouTube feature designed to help emerging creators with 500 to 500,000 subscribers gain more visibility.
Viewers can send up to three free Hypes per week to eligible long-form videos published within the previous seven days.
Videos that receive more Hype have a greater chance of:
- Appearing in the Hype rankings
- Gaining additional exposure on the YouTube Home feed
This gives creators more opportunities to reach new audiences.
References
- YouTube Help – Hype (Android)
- YouTube Blog – Hype: Helping Viewers Discover Emerging Creators
Introducing Jewels
As part of the latest update, YouTube has added Jewels, a virtual item that allows viewers to send additional Hype beyond their free weekly allotment.
This gives fans a new way to provide extra support to the creators they enjoy.
For creators, the feature also brings several benefits.
- More visibility
- Greater chances of ranking higher in Hype rankings and reaching new viewers.
- Monetization
- Creators can earn Rubies through Hype, which can be redeemed alongside their other YouTube earnings.
- Recognition for top supporters
- Highly engaged fans can be highlighted in the video’s description, helping strengthen relationships between creators and their communities.
Reference
- YouTube Creators Japan Official X (Twitter) Account (@ytcreatorsjapan)
YouTube Is Also Rolling Out Gifts
Alongside Jewels, YouTube has also announced the expansion of its Gifts feature.
Viewers will be able to exchange Jewels for virtual Gifts and send them to creators during both vertical and horizontal live streams.
According to YouTube, Gifts will feature designs tailored to each country’s culture. In Japan, examples include:
- Shaved ice
- Ramune soda
- Summer festival-themed items
- Expressions and slang unique to Japan
Rather than functioning as a simple tipping system, Gifts are designed to make interactions between creators and viewers more engaging and enjoyable.
How Could Marketers Use This?
This update could also influence the way brands approach influencer marketing on YouTube.
Traditionally, YouTube campaigns have focused on budgets for:
- Influencer production fees
- Paid media and advertising
Going forward, marketers may also consider allocating a budget for:
“Promoting Hype through Jewels.”
Of course, increasing Hype does not guarantee that a video will go viral.
However, because it may improve a video’s chances of appearing in the Hype rankings or receiving additional exposure on the Home feed, it could become a useful way to support early momentum using YouTube’s own platform features.
This may be particularly valuable for campaigns that depend on strong initial traction, such as:
- Launching a new product
- Promoting a newly created YouTube channel
- Driving awareness immediately after a video’s release
Conclusion
With the introduction of Jewels, YouTube is expanding the ways viewers can support their favorite creators through Hype.
Although the feature is still new, it’s likely that we’ll begin seeing more examples of brands and marketers incorporating it into influencer marketing strategies.
We’ll continue following YouTube’s latest updates and share insights on how new platform features can be leveraged for marketing.
