So, you’re venturing into the video world and you want massive views. But, what kind of video should you focus on as a business? 12 years ago, the first ever video published on YouTube was a low-quality recording of a guy at the zoo. Since its release, YouTube has morphed into a mega-powerhouse that’s changed the user perspective on how video content is consumed. Between 2015 and 2016, video engagement has increased by 50%; capturing more viewers in the 18-49 year-old demographic.
Today, YouTube has more than 1 billion users and thousands of content creators to partner with. Its users watch millions of hours while generating billions of views each day with an average viewing session at 40 minutes through a mobile device. YouTube has also introduced new genres and hundreds of pop culture icons. Smart brand marketers must know which types of YouTube videos are the most popular and understand how to develop buzzworthy campaigns around these trends.
To determine the most popular types of videos, YouTube experts have identified and analyzed thousands of hours of content to determine the types of videos with the highest number of views and social media engagement. From Vlogs to unboxing videos, top YouTubers have completely redefined entertainment, education, shopping and more. Based on these findings, we condensed the most popular YouTube videos into 12 categories.
1. Product Reviews
Let’s say a new consumer product was recently released and you wanted to find out what other people were saying about it. How would you know? Product reviews are video reflections of the person’s experiences with the product in question. Product reviews garner voluminous viewership as the audience comes across the videos while they search the product name or brand on YouTube. 62% of consumers watch product reviews to help make a purchase decision, while another poll notes that 52% of consumers are most likely to purchase a product when it’s been featured on YouTube. Here’s an example of a very popular review channel:
2. How-to-videos
YouTube has become a regular destination for anyone looking for a way to do something. How-to-videos are educational and help audiences learn how to do a specific task (I, myself, learned to re-tile my entire bathroom). Over the years, these videos have increased by 70% year after year. Some of the most popular how-to/tutorials include makeup, technical skills, software troubleshooting, etc. The best thing about watching how to do something (as opposed to reading it) is that you can see the whole process step by step; because anyone who has ever assembled anything from Ikea would tell you, it’s much easier after you’ve seen someone else do it. Today, learning how to do something is just one YouTube search away.
3. Vlogs
Vlogs or “video blogs” capture the everyday life. Vlog’s cover everything from the YouTuber’s everyday adventure to virtual face-to-face. Content for Vlogs are authentic, unscripted and unfocused on a specific topic; and many people enjoy watching Vlogs because they show the YouTuber’s true personality.
4. Gaming Videos
With help from a screen capture device, gaming videos as a spectator sport has become a relatively new phenomenon. Gaming videos focus on well… video games. They remain one of the most popular types of YouTube videos with influencers fostering billions of followers and engagement. To highlight how popular these videos are, in 2015, YouTube launched a separate website just for video game streams.
5. Comedy/Skit Videos
Creative comedic videos and content featuring entertaining skits are most likely to be shared by followers, tend to garner the most views, and normally become viral. Comedy videos can range from scripted skits to unscripted ramblings.
6. Memes/ Tags
Memes and tags are popular among social media platforms. They’re funny, socially relatable and they vary—going from silly to altruistic. YouTube influencers incorporate memes into their videos by producing their own version of a specific meme theme or tag. Some popular meme videos and tags include “My boyfriend does my makeup” videos and “Draw my life” videos.
7. Haul /unboxing videos
You may ask yourself two questions. The first one being why are these two trends lumped together? Well, Unboxing videos are very similar to Hauls because they both capture the impression of a YouTuber as he/she shares the product they bought (or received) with their viewers. The only difference is that Hauls focus on the product while unboxings center on the initial reactions of a YouTuber when they open, or unwrap a product’s box for the first time. Many times, the focus is placed more on the way the product is packaged: the visual cues, the shape, size, and the feeling when one rips off the sticky plastic covering. This gives the audience a vicarious experience and excitement that’s oddly satisfying. Some YouTubers have gained quite a following doing this with well over 8 million subscribers. Now, as for the second question, what draws viewers to these videos? Unboxing and Haul videos highlight specific brands. They gain their popularity within consumer products based industries by giving consumers a good look at newly released items, potentially driving sales
8. Favorites/Best of Videos
“Favorites/Best of” videos are typically sponsored. They’re similar to hauls, unboxings, and product reviews. However, the only difference is that besides highlighting the specific attributes the YouTuber liked or disliked about the product, he/she are showcasing their most beloved item(s) for the month or season. Because YouTubers are trusted, they are often solicited for advice and opinions, which many viewers find valuable.
9. Educational Videos
Educational videos are not “How-to” videos. They are “why?” videos. Educational videos have become one of the greatest sources for learning by providing information and resources to the audience through engaging visuals. Meaning, they answer questions, dissect complex issues, and/or provide interesting facts. These videos are created with the intent of educating on a subject, often targeting specific demographics such as children or college students and receive high traffic and recurring views. One of the most popular videos in 2013 (which you can watch below) was a video explaining which actually came first, the chicken or the egg. I won’t spoil it, but after it released, the video got more than 14 million viewers. Learning channels have found success on YouTube through their thought-provoking, interesting, and/or educational content.
10. Q&A Videos
Q&A videos are among the most popular and engaging types of video on YouTube. YouTubers have become celebrities in their own right (hence the title “YouTube famous”) because they are more relatable than traditional celebrities. Q&A’s are straightforward: viewers send in questions, often via social media and then the YouTuber tries to answer as much of the questions as they can. Sometimes, YouTubers even invite actual celebrity guests as part of their Q&A session, which gains them a large following. As one of the many reasons why audiences and brands prefer digital celebrities, Q&A videos provide relevance and engagement at a level that’s hardly possible in mainstream media.
11. Collections
There isn’t much to say here other than, this is usually YouTubers walking their viewers through a certain product they have been collecting over time. Though many collection videos integrate aspects of other videos, this type of content is often used as a way for audiences to learn about their favorite YouTube personality.
12. Prank Videos
In the past, Prank videos dominated YouTube. However, today, Prank videos have fallen slightly to second place… They typically range from practical jokes, controversial stunts, to social experiments. Many of today’s top YouTubers have garnered millions of followers by creating hilarious prank videos. These also have one of the highest sharable factors because of their nature. Everyone (mostly) loves a good prank, but it’s that sense of schadenfreude that these have maintained their popularity.
So, there you have it. These 12 types of videos are general and straightforward. Comedy skits, vlogs, product reviews, how-to videos, gaming videos, haul videos, collection videos, prank videos, Q&A videos, unboxing videos, educational videos, favorites/best of videos, and memes/tags videos are the most popular types of videos on YouTube. By taking advantage of this knowledge, you’ll have a head start over competitors and help you gain those massive views.
