In a nutshell
- Entertainment videos, including music videos, gaming content and comedy skits, tend to gather the most views on YouTube, primarily due to their wide appeal and replayability.
- Educational content, such as tutorials, how-tos and product reviews, provide valuable insights and are popular for their accessibility, contributing to informed decision-making and learning new skills.
- Vlogs and news/current events content draw substantial views due to their relatable appeal and the convenience they offer for staying up-to-date, respectively; success on YouTube often relies on understanding your niche, staying consistent and maintaining authenticity.
With millions of videos uploaded to YouTube daily and about 1 billion hours of content watched, we wonder what types of videos are consumed more: Which YouTube videos get the most views? Needless to say, not all videos perform equally well, and not all types of videos are ideal for marketing, either. Some perform better depending on various factors. Some videos give a creator more traction on their channel; it’s a matter of knowing what works and what doesn’t.
If you are a creator curious about which videos get the most views, read on.
Types of YouTube videos that get the most views
Entertainment videos
Entertainment is one of the categories on YouTube widely consumed by the public. This category includes music videos, video game walkthroughs, comedy skits, dance challenges, pranks and many more. On top, we have music videos being the most watched in this category, namely because of the nature of music’s replayability. In fact, as of February 2023, Statista reported that the most watched video on YouTube is “Baby Shark Dance” by Pinkfong Kids’ Songs & Stories, with over 12 billion views.
The five most subscribed channels on YouTube also produce entertainment-focused content. For instance, T-Series creates Bollywood soundtracks, Cocomelon streams animation videos for kids and Sony Entertainment Television India uploads entertainment shows and series. MrBeast focuses on challenges and PewDiePie creates gaming and comedic videos.
This just proves that entertainment-based videos are being consumed by a variety of creators who all do different types of content for their viewers’ enjoyment.
Education
YouTube is also a huge resource for educational content such as tutorials, how-tos, explainers, DIY, cooking and many more because they’re free and easily accessible. In fact, a 2018 study shows that half of YouTube viewers use the platform for education, and out of 4,594 American users surveyed, 53% of them said that YouTube “is at least somewhat important for helping them understand things that are happening in the world.”
Product reviews, for instance, are also being consumed a lot because viewers want help with their purchasing decisions. Such reviews allow them to weigh the pros and cons of products. Explainer videos and how-to guides are also being viewed a lot, especially during the pandemic, because people are trying out new hobbies. DIYs are fun because they show how to do crafts on your own.
Essentially, educational-type YouTube videos provide content on various topics. These educational videos cover many niches on YouTube, such as beauty, technology, science, history, fashion and many more. However, it’s a broad category dominated by individual or organizational channels. Some of the successful educational YouTube channels are TED-Ed, AsapSCIENCE and Marques Brownlee, to name a few.
Vlogs
Vlogging evolved from blogging, which is a diary-like form of documenting day-to-day activities, transforming from written word to video format. Think of vlogging like a video diary where people typically record unscripted content daily.
A report in 2018 says that out of 627 respondents, 22% of them watch vlogs that cover unboxings or product reviews at least once a week; 12% watch at least several times a week. Additionally, a 2022 report shows that women are more likely to watch vlogs weekly than men. Some popular types of vlogging include daily vlogs, travel vlogs and personal stories. Such vlogs are influential and entertaining to the audience because of their relatable appeal.
One of the most successful vloggers in this department is Casey Neistat, who creates daily and travel vlogs. Emma Chamberlain is also a successful vlogger who has become a breakout celebrity, not just an online content creator.
News and current events content
Watching news and current events on YouTube has become a convenient way of staying up-to-date with the world’s latest news. Big news agencies are now using YouTube as a streaming platform for those who prefer not to watch news on TV. Moreover, commentary and opinion pieces are being viewed on YouTube to listen to different takes on certain political issues. Some of these notable commentary channels are Philip DeFranc, D’Angelo Wallace, Jammidodger and many more.
What type of videos should you create?
With millions of YouTube channels worldwide, competition is tough to crack. However, many channels have succeeded. Both successful organizations and individuals alike have become the most viewed and/or subscribed on YouTube. Some keys to success include knowing your niche, studying trends, and building a community. Consistency in content is what makes these channels successful and popular.
Finally, you are not limited to making just one type of YouTube video. Some big creators also dabble in commentary and making music videos while also creating educational content. There are so many video ideas you can explore; the takeaway is staying authentic and showing your true self while creating videos that suit your niche.