What Types of Videos Go Viral on YouTube? We Have Uncovered 6 Types

What types of videos go viral on YouTube? We get asked that question a lot. The short answer is: it depends. However, there are certain types of video content that have been known to generate buzz and go viral on YouTube more than others.
One of the most successful strategies for creating videos that get shared is to create something humorous or entertaining. Videos featuring upbeat music, slapstick humor, or clever satire often gain traction quickly. These videos are great for creating awareness and driving traffic to your channel.
Tutorials, reviews, and other educational content, such as DIY projects, can also be very successful on YouTube. Creating “how-to” tutorials around a specific topic or product can help establish you as an authority in your niche, and is an effective way to get more views.
After conducting our research, we have uncovered several essential elements that could potentially make your video go viral.
It’s important to keep in mind that what works for one person may not necessarily work for another, as everyone has different styles or content needs. You should think about your target audience and craft content accordingly—these are a few general tips you ought to consider!
Remember one thing: you don’t need expensive equipment to create a viral video. All you need is some creativity, a script, and editing skills (or access to a good editor.)
Let’s go!
What Types of Videos Go Viral on YouTube?
Well, it depends on the topic and the audience. Generally speaking, funny videos do well, as do videos that feature a celebrity or other influencer. Videos that teach something new or offer useful information are also popular.
6 Types of Video That Generally Does Well
From our research and observation, these are the five types of videos that generally do well on YouTube:
1. Challenge Video
Audiences get an adrenaline rush when viewing videos of people doing incredible feats that they can only dream of accomplishing. That’s why MrBeast’s video content is so successful – viewers become captivated by the invigorating thrill!
Why ‘Challenge’ Video?
Challenge videos are engaging to watch because they have an element of risk and danger. You get to see people take on difficult tasks or dangerous stunts, making it exciting and intriguing for viewers.
Take Adam Bobrow, for instance. He’s an unrivaled ping pong (aka Table Tennis) master and has devoted himself to making the world love the sport as much as he does. His videos focus on playing table tennis while challenging other professional players from around the globe; one of his most popular pieces is a video with almost 10 million views that challenges Anastasiia, a Ukrainian pro in the field.
2. Giveaways Video
Giveaways are another type of video that can go viral. These work well because they give the viewer a chance to win something without having to do anything other than watch the video. Try offering a unique prize or something related to your brand in order to maximize your reach and engagement!
Why ‘Giveaways’ Video?
Giveaways are great for building a sense of community around your brand and increasing visibility. They also give viewers a chance to win something without having to do anything else other than watch the video, making it more likely that they will engage with it.
As a great example, BigDawsTV has found success utilizing giveaways as an integral part of its content production strategy. Their videos don’t just include pranks but also offer the opportunity for viewers to win expensive items like computers and iPhones!
3. Pranks & Prank Reactions Video
If you want to get a massive reaction from the audience, pranks make for great content. Prank videos can range from simple jokes like switching someone’s snacks with something unpleasant to more elaborate scenarios. This type of video also often features prank reactions where the prank victims express their surprise and joy at the situation.
Why ‘Pranks & Prank Reactions’ Video?
Prank videos are hilarious to watch and often evoke laughter from the audience. It’s also a great way to show off your creative side and think up unique ideas for pranks.
Videos on how to make money online can be very popular, especially with the increase in remote working and entrepreneurial opportunities. These types of videos usually feature interviews with successful entrepreneurs or business owners, giving insights into their strategies and tactics.
Take, for example, Vladimir from the ANATOLY channel. His pranks routinely garner roughly 1 million views on average; however, one video managed to attain an impressive 6.8 million views! You might assume that all prank videos are equally successful – not true at all.
4. How I Make Money Video
Videos about making money are great for inspiring viewers who are looking to pursue their own projects or businesses. It also provides practical advice on how to get started and gives viewers an idea of the possible successes they could have if they follow the right strategies.
Why ‘How I Make Money’ Video?
Videos about making money are great for inspiring viewers who are looking to pursue their own projects or businesses. It also provides practical advice on how to get started and gives viewers an idea of the possible successes they could have if they follow the right strategies.
For instance, Tammy from Uncomfy channel generally receives around 20K of views per videos. However, when she published a video on how she makes $8,000 a month it went viral getting up to 900K in viewership!
5. Doing Good Deeds Video
Viewers love seeing people do good deeds, which makes this type of video a great way to spread positivity. From helping out the homeless to donating money to an organization, doing good deeds is always sure to get attention on YouTube.
Why ‘Doing Good Deeds’ Video?
These types of videos make viewers feel uplifted and inspired. It’s also a great way to show off your charitable side and create content that people will love to watch.
Take Matt, for instance. At the popular channel, Matt’s Off-Road Recovery, he films his day job — rescuing people with their cars who are stuck in the woods by providing towing services. Every time he uploads a video it gets instant 500K views! In only two days these videos reach up to one million views as they spread across social media like wildfire!
6. Product Unboxing Video
Product unboxing videos are always a hit on YouTube, with viewers getting to see the latest gadgets and devices. From smartphones to laptops and everything in between, viewers love watching people unbox their products and give their first impressions.
Why Product Unboxing Video?
This type of video is great for tech enthusiasts who want to get an inside look at the latest gadgets. It’s also a great way to showcase your expertise and give viewers an honest opinion of the product before they make their purchase.
Unbox Therapy is an incredibly popular channel that has already accumulated 18 million viewers worldwide. What’s the secret to their success? Well, it could be due to people’s natural curiosity of exploring something new or maybe even because of their creative and unique way of presenting products. Regardless, Unbox Therapy offers a riveting experience in every video they upload – you can guarantee it!
Tips For Creating YouTube Videos That Go Viral
To be successful and gain traction, video content requires the same optimization techniques as written word SEO. YouTube, owned by Google, applies an algorithm technique to surface videos just like it does with words for search engine results.
Creating an attention-grabbing title, as well as a thoughtful description and relevant tags are vital for boosting the exposure of your videos – along with increasing viewership on your entire channel.
Here are a few tips for creating videos that are sure to go viral:
Choose the Right Topic
Your topic should be interesting, relevant, and timely. Choose something that you are passionate about and that resonates with your audience.
Examples of Topics That Make for Great YouTube Videos
Lifestyle Vlogger Ideas
- What I eat in a day
- What to wear on the weekend
- Living alone in NYC
Fashion & Beauty Haul Video Ideas
- Hair & Makeup Tutorials
- New season wardrobe haul
- DIY beauty hacks
Travel Vlogger Ideas
- Road trip across the US
- Living in a van and seeing the world
- Exploring new cultures and cuisines
Select a theme that you can build upon and generate content that is captivating and unique. Copying other videos will not establish your credibility; instead, express yourself in a creative way. While what works for another video may not be effective for yours, it’s best to create something original or else risk tarnishing your reputation with your viewers.
Engaging Video Title
Don’t underestimate the importance of your title. Many people skim through YouTube titles just like they would with any article before deciding to watch the video. Your title should be catchy and give viewers an idea of what the video is about without being too long or complicated.
Be short, but descriptive and creative. Make sure to include relevant keywords in your title, as this will help boost your ranking on YouTube’s search engine results.
Examples of catchy titles:
- 7 Easy Ways to Save Money During the Holidays
- An Honest Review of the New iPhone 15 Pro
- How To Make a DIY Face Mask at Home
Content Descriptions
Create a clear and concise description of your content that accurately describes what viewers can expect to see. This will help search engine algorithms correctly identify the content and make it easier for people to find.
Creating an effective description for your YouTube video is essential – it helps the algorithm and viewers understand what your content is about. You should think of two parts when writing descriptions: one section that will be shown initially, and another part that appears after clicking “Show more” on desktop or “more” on mobile. To grab viewer attention quickly, you should use the first few lines to accurately explain your video!
YouTube’s 5000 characters limit in its descriptions means every word must count. Utilize pertinent keywords that are related to your video and make sure you include a link to your website for viewers to access easily.
Thumbnails
A good thumbnail can be the difference between viewers clicking on your video or not. Thumbnails should be visually appealing and represent the content of your video accurately.
Choose an image that stands out and create a title that catches attention. Make sure the thumbnail is of good quality, as this will make it more eye-catching. Additionally, you should create multiple thumbnails and test which one performs better.
Use Keywords
Incorporate relevant keywords into your title and description so that viewers can easily locate your video when searching. This is an important part of SEO, as it will ensure that your video appears in the top results.
If you want your content to be easily found by potential viewers, ensure that the keyword they are searching for is included in your title, description, and any tags used. Let’s say your video is about van life – some of the keywords to include would be van life, van life builds, camper van life, sprinter builds, and anything else related.
What Makes A Video Go Viral?
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what causes a video to go viral. It’s a combination of creativity and luck, as there are no guaranteed strategies for creating something that will become popular on YouTube.
Having an engaging title, description, and thumbnail that accurately describes the content is an important step toward going viral. Utilizing relevant keywords and hashtags also helps boost a video’s visibility.
Additionally, it is important to promote your content on other social media platforms to help build momentum and reach out to potential viewers. However, the most important factor that will determine the success of a viral video is the content itself – make sure it’s interesting and worth watching!
10 Things To Remember When Making A YouTube Video
- Have an idea of the content you want to create before beginning
- Utilize keywords in your title and description
- Create a catchy, descriptive title
- Write a clear, concise description
- Pick an eye-catching thumbnail image
- Engage viewers with an introduction
- Add visuals to draw attention
- Keep it short, but sweet
- Use annotations and end screens to direct viewers to other videos/your website
- Promote your video across social media platforms for more views!
Using these tips should help you create engaging YouTube videos that will attract viewers and boost your ranking.
Final Thoughts
Making a YouTube video can be an exciting and rewarding experience. With the right strategy, you can create content that will captivate viewers and boost your visibility.
It took MrBeast 7 years of consistent YouTube videos to reach the point he’s at today – so don’t expect instant success! Be patient and consistently improve your content, and you will see results. Good luck!