With more than a billion users, YouTube is the second biggest social media network.
YouTube users rack up hundreds of millions of video-watching hours each day. The platform is also owned by the biggest search engine in the world, which means being on YouTube can give you a serious SEO boost and help grow your audience.
If you’re ready to get started but struggle to figure out the best content for your own YouTube channel, we’ve got you covered.
This mega-list of popular YouTube video ideas is sure to kickstart your creativity.
Create videos that drive action
Activate your audience with impactful, on-brand videos. Create them simply and collaboratively with Biteable.
“Getting to Know You” beginner YouTube video ideas
1. Introduce yourself
Make a video introducing yourself. Who are you and what do you do? What can people expect to see on your channel? How often do you post videos? Make a video welcoming people to your channel, and let them know what they can expect. Try to give viewers a compelling reason to hit subscribe.
2. Introduce your company
If you’re sharing videos on behalf of a company or nonprofit, make a video introducing your business and what you do.
3. Meet the team
Create a video introducing viewers to the people that make your organization run. Seeing the faces behind your organization or business helps viewers develop a more personal connection with your company.
Rena shares her YouTube video ideas mega list of the best content on YouTube.
4. Start a vlog
Just like written blogging, vlogging can be educational, entertaining, personal, whatever you’d like to make of it. Both businesses and individuals can use vlog content to engage viewers and grow their audiences.
5. Explainer video
Explainer videos are used to quickly introduce a product, service, company, or app. If your company has one, YouTube is an excellent platform to feature it for maximum exposure.
Dollar Shave Club explainer video for YouTube
6. Tour video
Let viewers peek behind the scenes with this popular video format. You can show off your room, home, office, neighborhood, or another place you love.
7. A day in the life
YouTubers love walking in another person’s shoes through A Day in the Life videos. Start recording when you wake up in the morning and take viewers through a typical day in your routine.
Day in the Life with a Newborn
8. Culture videos
Create a video showcasing your organization’s culture. Ping pong in the office? Team happy hour after work? Videos that highlight a fun and positive culture are a great way to show customers and prospective employees what your business is all about.
9. Behind-the-scenes
Show viewers what goes on behind the scenes of your business, event, blog, or YouTube channel.
10. Introduce friends or family
Turn the camera on your friends or family (with their permission of course) and introduce your audience to the people closest to you.
11. 50 facts about me
Share 50 random facts about yourself. This is a fun way to show your unique personality and for your viewers to get to know you better.
12. Draw my life
Draw My Life videos typically consist of fast-motion illustrations on a whiteboard, with narration by the author about key events and experiences.
Educational / Tutorial YouTube Video Ideas
13. DIY video
Are you handy around the house? Love to do crafts? Teach viewers step-by-step how to create your latest DIY project.
14. How-to/tutorial
How-to videos are one of the most popular types of videos on YouTube. They’re particularly popular with tech and beauty YouTubers, but the topic possibilities are really unlimited. From how to play your favorite song on guitar to how to be more confident, if you can teach it, there’s probably someone out there who’s looking to learn it!
15. Cooking or recipe tutorial
Walk viewers through preparing a favorite family recipe, teach a cooking or prep technique, or share your favorite cooking tips and tricks.
16. Product tutorial
Whether you’re explaining your own product, or just want to teach people how to use a product or app you use and love, a tutorial video is an engaging and useful option for viewers.
17. Explain a concept
Share your expertise! Explain a tricky math problem, the theory of relativity, a complex coding problem, or something else related to your industry or area of study.
18. Workout video
When it’s time to work out, loads of people turn to YouTube, both for how to perform certain exercises, and for guided exercise programs. Yoga, circuit, stretching and form videos are all popular topics.
19. Webinar or presentation
If you’ve given an educational webinar or presentation, put the recording up on YouTube so those who missed it can watch later.
20. Infographic video
Infographics are an engaging and visually appealing way to display facts and statistics that might otherwise be dry or difficult to understand.
Here’s a great example of an infographic video made with Biteable:
21. Whiteboard video
A whiteboard video is typically an animated video featuring someone drawing on a whiteboard. They’re an engaging way to convey complex ideas and are appealing to viewers.
22. Q&A YouTube Video Ideas
Do people ask questions in the comments of your videos? Maybe your business has some frequently asked questions from customers. Make a video addressing your latest questions or the most commonly asked ones.
23. Bust some myths
Are there some common misconceptions that drive you crazy? YouTube is a great venue for setting the facts straight for viewers.
Create videos that drive action
Activate your audience with impactful, on-brand videos. Create them simply and collaboratively with Biteable.
YouTube Video Ideas: Review videos
24. Product review
Product reviews are amongst the most popular types of content on YouTube. Millions of viewers seek out these informational videos before making a purchase. Tech devices and beauty products are popular subjects, but reviews can be found for all types of products.
25. Movie review
Seen a good (or not so good) movie lately? Take to YouTube to share your opinion and start arguments with complete strangers. No spoilers!
26. Book review
Share your thoughts on your latest read.
27. Game review
Gaming videos, including reviews, are hugely popular on YouTube.
28. Testimonials
If you run a business, testimonials should be a part of your video strategy. This type of video provides “social proof” and helps build trust in your company.
Fun YouTube video ideas
29. Comedy/skits
If you want to go viral, a funny video might just help you get there. Many of the most popular videos on YouTube got that way because they made viewers laugh (and share).
30. Music videos
If you’re a musician, a music video is an obvious choice. Go high-production value with a theatrical video, or keep it simple with an acoustic track. Just make sure your song is 🔥!
31. Prank videos
From Candid Camera to Punk’d to YouTube, people love prank videos. Play a prank on someone (harmless pranks only, please) and share the results on your channel.
32. Cute/funny baby videos
Does your baby do adorable things? Your kid’s grandparents aren’t the only ones that would love to see your cute baby videos.
33. Cute/funny animal videos
Puppies, kittens, baby elephants… the Internet loves cute/funny animal videos even more than videos of human babies.
34. Challenge videos
Remember the Ice Bucket Challenge? Planking? Challenge videos are a favorite of Youtubers. Just make sure your challenge is safe!
35. Parody video
Put your own spin on a popular video, song, or movie with a funny parody video.
36. Bloopers
If you’ve been in the YouTube game any length of time, you’ve probably flubbed some takes. Edit these together for a funny blooper reel your viewers will love.
37. Singing/lip syncing
Singing in the car, lip syncing, YouTube loves singing videos. Even late night TV gets in on the fun. Pick a popular song and belt it out!
38. Magic tricks
Now you see it, now you don’t! If you’re a sleight of hand master, take to YouTube and make your viewers wonder, “how’d they do that??”
39. Walkthrough video
Know the secret to beating that final boss? Video game walkthrough videos are a favorite of YouTube gamers who need a helping hand.
40. Speed-run videos
So you can beat Super Mario 64 in two minutes flat. Show off your talent on YouTube! Speed-run videos (beating a game as quickly as possible) are a popular genre on YouTube.
41. Highlight reel
If you’re an athlete looking for YouTube video ideas, what better place to show off your skills than on YouTube? Action sports like skateboarding, snowboarding/skiing, and surfing all have active communities where they show off their tricks. Athletes and sports teams will also edit together their best plays for YouTube, both to catch the eye of recruiters or sponsors, and to engage viewers.
42. Time-lapse
Time-lapse is a technique where the frames of the video are captured at a much slower speed than usual. The result is often mesmerizing. Traffic, clouds, and the night sky all tend to be popular time-lapse subjects.
43. Fan videos/commentaries
If you have a theory about what really happened at the end of your favorite movie, YouTube is the perfect place to share your thoughts.
44. Mashups
A video mashup combines multiple unrelated clips into one new video. Usually funny, mashups can combine two different songs, clips from movies, or any other combination of sources.
45. Collection videos
Have a massive shoe closet? An enviable Lego collection? YouTube videos are a popular way for collectors to share their passion with the world.
46. Unboxing videos
From the newest iPhone to a trendy subscription box or the hottest toy, people love to watch other people open boxes on YouTube. So next time you get a new product, don’t just rip into it, make sure the camera is rolling first!
47. Shopping haul
This genre of video is especially popular with beauty and fashion vloggers. After a trip to the mall, show off your haul piece by piece.
48. What’s in my bag?
A woman’s purse is personal, but YouTubers are more than happy to show off the contents. These are popular with lifestyle and fashion bloggers, revealing both the trendy (often sponsored) products, the practical (extra diapers for the baby) and the embarrassing (half-eaten granola bar, anyone?)
49. What’s on my phone?
No app collection is the same! Take viewers inside your phone to reveal your most essential apps.
Top “X” List
The internet loves lists. They engage us and keep us watching. What’s going to be #1?? Will my favorite make the list? Countdown your top 10 favorite… anything!
- 50. Favorite books
- 51. Favorite movies
- 52. Favorite YouTube videos
- 53. Favorite songs
- 54. Favorite albums
- 55. Favorite games
- 56. Favorite places you’ve traveled
- 57. Favorite athletes/teams
- 58. Favorite apps
Even more YouTube video ideas
59. Promo video
Your promo video (you might know it better as an ad) doesn’t have to just live on your website, they can live on YouTube too. A well-done promo video has even have been known to go viral.
60. Opinion video
Share your thoughts on, well, anything. YouTubers use opinion videos to talk about politics, current events, entertainment, celebrity news, movies, and more.
61. Response video
Disagree with someone’s opinion video or vlog? Say your piece with a response video. These videos are where YouTubers provide counterpoints to one another, beyond just leaving a comment.
62. Reaction video
A reaction video is different from a response video, in that it’s not a reaction to another video, but a reaction to news or an event.
63. Event recap
Recap the event your business held, the conference you spoke at, the festival you attended. Event recap videos harness the power of FOMO (fear of missing out) to engage viewers who couldn’t attend.
64. Live streaming
Why wait for the recap to show people what went down? Take your viewers to the event with you by livestreaming to your YouTube channel. The stream is available for viewing even after the event is over.
65. Video contest
What’s better than making your own videos? Having other people make them for you. A video contest is a great way to get your viewers giving you user-generated content that you can then share on your own channel.
Make your next YouTube video idea come to life with Biteable
Inspired yet? Check out our YouTube tips to learn how to make trailers, intros, and more for your channel.
Once you’re done with all that learning, head on over and start your free trial of Biteable, the world’s simplest video maker.
With Biteable, you can:
- Add animations, onscreen text, background music, and voice overs to your YouTube videos.
- Record your screen or a new video clip without leaving the app.
- Choose from 24+ million stock clips, images, and animations.
You’ve got this, YouTuber!