YouTube Trends 2025: Most Trending YouTube Topics & Tactics

What do you mean you haven’t watched MrBeast’s “I survived 7 days in an abandoned city” video? Not even anything from the “A day in my life” trend?

Sure, no shame if you're just here to binge, but if you’re a creator… why haven’t you made similar YouTube videos yet? You’re missing out on serious viral potential. These videos are pulling in millions of views, and yours could have done that too!

Stress not, because we’ve completed a full list of YouTube trends you can still jump on in 2025, and get your fair share of views and subscribers. These trends are fresh, fun, and full of viral potential.

So, ready when you are!

20 Most Popular YouTube Content Trends 2025

1. “I Tried X for 10 Days” Challenges

These videos follow creators testing something new for a set period, like “I tried waking up at 5 a.m. for 30 days” or “I meditated every day for a month.” They tap into curiosity, transformation, and relatability. People love seeing others struggle, improve, or surprise themselves. Emma Chamberlain and Matt D’Avella helped popularize the format by adding personal reflection and aesthetic editing.

2. “Day in My Life” or “Spend 24 Hours With Me” Vlogs

These vlogs invite viewers into someone’s daily routine, whether it’s a college student, a fashion stylist, or a digital nomad in Bali. The beauty lies in the mundane: coffee making, emails, walks, and just the vibes. The format exploded with the rise of lifestyle creators and cozy productivity content during the pandemic.

3. AI Voice and Deepfake Content

You’ve probably heard the BTS member Jungkook sing Ariana Grande songs, or a fake Obama sing Drake, or SpongeBob voice an Eminem song. While controversial, they show how fast tech and creativity are merging. Some people hate it, but some are even relentlessly streaming those songs on Spotify.

4. Social Experiments

Social experiment videos are the modern-day candid camera, often filmed in public with unscripted reactions. Creators ask strangers deep questions, perform kindness tests, or create thought-provoking moments ("Would you give this homeless man money if no one was watching?"). When done respectfully, they can spark real conversations and viral moments not only on YouTube but TikTok and Instagram too.

5. POV Content

These YouTube videos and Shorts drop you right into a role: “POV: You’re a barista who just fell in love,” or even wilder and more AI-generated “POV: You wake up as an angel in Heaven.” These videos challenge the imagination of the viewer, giving them ideas about all the what-ifs and alternative-universe moments.

6. Ranking Lists

We’ve all watched someone rate fast food chains or pop songs, or the characters from Twilight. These videos are easy to binge, highly subjective (which invites comments), and often hilarious. Bonus points when creators use giant visual tier lists and defend their spicy takes with passion. Yes, pineapple on pizza is S-tier. Fight me.

7. I Let My X Control My Day/Choose My Outfit

Haven’t you seen Benny Blanco do his girlfriend’s the Selena Gomez’s makeup? Yes, this kind of YouTube videos are so trendy, even celebrities are into it. They give up control, sometimes to loved ones, sometimes to AI, sometimes to subscribers and total strangers. The chaos is the charm. “I let my followers pick my meals for a day” or “My boyfriend styled my week of outfits” creates unexpected results, reactions, and fun storytelling.

8. Mukbang Videos

It’s eating, but make it a performance. Mukbang (originally from South Korea) features creators eating massive meals on camera, often while chatting or telling stories. Whether it's comforting, satisfying, or just odd ASMR, people can’t stop watching others devour spicy noodles or seafood.

9. Video Podcast Starting with a Hook

Forget slow intros. The trend now is to grab attention in the first 5 seconds. Whether it’s “She ghosted me after three years of dating…” or “This might be the weirdest job on earth,” podcasts like The Diary of a CEO use sharp, dramatic intros to pull viewers into longer episodes. Shock your audience first, and then slowly unfold your story or interview.

10. Hyper-Niche Hobbies and Skills

Welcome to YouTube’s secret sauce. From restoring ancient tools to living life like a fairy or hand-carving spoons, this content is oddly captivating and very niche-oriented. These creators don’t just showcase a hobby, they live it. And somehow, it makes you want to start learning obscure skills, too.

11. Silent Vlogs / “No Talk” Content

No talking! Just ambient sounds, soft lighting, and beautiful visuals of someone cooking, cleaning, or journaling. It’s cozy. It’s therapeutic. A genre born from Korean vloggers and embraced globally during the lockdowns, it now thrives as “slow or soft living” content for burnt-out audiences.

12. Reaction Videos

From reacting to pop culture moments to discussing viral fails, this format thrives on personality. The highest-earning creators offer genuine responses: funny, insightful, or emotional. Whether it’s a vocal coach reacting to Billie Eilish or a gamer watching speedruns, reactions humanize the content we already love.

13. Gameplay Videos

Still a YouTube essential, and yes, gameplay videos are only growing stronger. Whether it’s Let’s Plays, walkthroughs, or chaotic “I broke the game” moments, gameplay content remains hugely popular. Streamers like Markiplier and TheRadBrad built empires on it, and the format constantly evolves, now mixing storytime, commentary, and even horror.

14. Cinematic Travel Vlogs

These are travel diaries reimagined as short films, complete with drone shots, voiceovers, and catchy music. Creators like Lost LeBlanc don’t just show you places, they immerse you in them with unmatched scenery and high-quality footage. They are the perfect escape for wandering minds and hearts.

15. Unboxing and Review Videos

From iPhones to mystery Amazon tech, unboxings are weirdly satisfying. Viewers love first impressions, packaging details, and honest takes. Some creators specialize in luxury hauls, some in PR boxes, and others in budget finds. Either way, it’s like window shopping with personality.

16. Glow Up or Transformation Videos

From "tired student" to “red carpet ready” in one jump cut. These transformation videos often use clever transitions (snap, spin, or makeup brush reveal) and music drops to amplify the wow factor. Viewers are here for the drama, and they don’t care if it’s hair, outfit, or whole lifestyle resets; they just want to see the change, which will preferably be drastically different.

17. Recreating Celebrity Routines or Looks

“I followed Zendaya’s morning routine for a day” or “I dressed like Kim Kardashian for a week”... these videos mix fandom, fun, and real-life results. They blend aspirational with relatable, and often show how not glamorous or practical celebs’ routines and styles actually are.

18. Animated Educational Videos

Animated explainers like “Why Do We Dream?” or “The Secret History of Bananas” combine storytelling with visuals to teach something complex in a simple, beautiful way. Creators like Kurzgesagt and Infographics Show have made this trend the perfect way to binge-learning, often regardless of how old you are.

19. Storytime Videos

Storytime content is all about wild, personal, or funny experiences, told straight to the camera, like “The time I accidentally joined a cult” or “How I got banned from Walmart.” The format is raw, engaging, shocking, and personality-driven. It’s especially popular among lifestyle creators and commentary channels, and works great with dramatic storytelling, clickbait titles (that pay off), and humor.

20. Home Makeovers

Small space? No problem. These videos feature everything from full apartment renovations to $50 IKEA hacks. Whether it’s aesthetic dorm rooms, desk to dream studios, viewers love the before-and-after magic. Even if they are not going to do the same at home, they are inspired, motivated, and comforted by watching these videos. Bonus points if the videos have captivating teaser covers.

How to Find YouTube Search Trends: 6 Ways to Do It

Creating great content for YouTube is only half the battle; the other half is making sure it’s discoverable. That’s why we have search trends. By tapping into what your audience is already looking for, you can create videos that get clicks, rank higher, and grow your channel faster. Not sure where to start? Here are 6 smart, simple ways to find trending searches on YouTube and always stay one step ahead!

1. Use YouTube’s Search Bar

Start typing a keyword into the YouTube search bar and let autocomplete do the work. It instantly shows trending searches based on what people are actively looking up. This is one of the easiest ways to find YouTube content ideas your audience is already hungry for.

2. Check Out Google Trends

Go to the Explore page on trends.google.com and filter by YouTube Search under the Web Search dropdown. This lets you track the popularity of a topic based on a category, region, and time frame. You can even compare multiple keywords side by side.

3. Browse Trending on YouTube

Click on the Trending (Explore) tab on YouTube’s homepage. While this often features viral content and music videos, it gives you a pulse on what’s currently hot across various categories like gaming, news, and entertainment.

4. Use Keyword Research Tools

Platforms like TubeBuddy, vidIQ, and Ahrefs offer keyword scores, competition levels, and rising search terms specifically for YouTube. These tools can help you find high-traffic, low-competition keywords to target.

5. Study Your Competitors

Look at what similar creators in your niche are posting, sort their videos by Most Popular, and see which topics have stood the test of time and which recent uploads are taking off.

6. Check YouTube Shorts Discoverability

If you're creating Shorts, scroll through the Shorts feed and note which hashtags, sounds, or formats are being used frequently. Fast-moving trends often start in Shorts before spilling into long-form content.

8 Simple YouTube Shorts Viral Tips

You don’t need money to boost your engagement and go viral with your YouTube Shorts. Just creativity and a few smart tricks, which you can learn right about now:

1. Hook them in the first 3 seconds: Start with a “wow” or a “huh” effect. It can be a question, a bold claim, or a surprising visual. If you don’t grab viewers fast, they’re gone, lost in the sea of endless YouTube Shorts.
2. Keep it short: Even though YouTube Shorts can be up to 60 seconds, you don’t have to use the whole minute. Most viral YouTube Shorts (and even TikTok videos) are 15 seconds. Aim for 15-30 seconds of pure, scroll-stopping value.
3. Use trending sounds and hashtags: Hop on what's hot. Trending audio and hashtags can push your Shorts to new audiences - just make sure it fits your content naturally.
4. Don’t forget your captions: Most people watch without sound. Use large, colorful text to highlight key points or punchlines. It keeps viewers engaged and makes your video look more professional.
5. Create a Loop: This will get you more views and more of the viewer’s attention.
6. Post consistently (but don’t spam): Uploading regularly tells the algorithm you’re active. Find your rhythm, once a day, a few times a week, and stick to it.
7. Tell YouTube what it’s about: Use a clear title, relevant hashtags, and a sharp thumbnail (yes, Shorts have those too). Help the algorithm help you.
8. Engage in the comments: A viral video with a ghost creator? Boring. Respond to comments, pin your favorite, or ask questions to boost engagement and show you’re human.

YouTube Channel Growth Tips

Of course, YouTube trends and Shorts can help you go viral, but there are other ways to grow your channel and get more subscribers. Growing a YouTube channel isn’t just about luck; it’s about smart moves, consistency, and a pinch (maybe even tablespoons) of creativity.

Here are tried-and-true tips to help you grow without losing your mind (or your weekend, worst of all):

1. Niche down: Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Pick a niche, speak directly to that audience, and keep showing up with content that solves their problems or charms and entertains their socks off.
2. Create binge-worthy content: Think in playlists, not just videos. Make each video part of a larger journey (tutorials, series, deep dives, to name just a few) so people fall into the rabbit hole of your amazing content.
3. Thumbnails matter more than you think: Yes, we said it! You could have the greatest video ever, but if your thumbnail’s dull, let’s be real, no one’s clicking on that. Use bold text, close-up faces, and colors that pop to win the scroll battle.
4. Watch time is gold: YouTube loves when people stick around. Keep your intros short, avoid long tangents, and tease what’s coming up to keep viewers hooked till the end. The longer they stay, the sooner you will become one of YouTube’s favorite creators to boost.
5. Ask viewers to engage (but make it fun): “Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe” is fine, but… dull. Instead, make your CTA personal, if possible, iconic. Ask for opinions, invite people to share their story, or turn your CTA into a mini-challenge or giveaway.
6. Study your analytics: Your audience is literally telling you what they like, when they watch, and what makes them click away. Use that info to improve your content, not just stare at it with existential dread.
7. Collaborate and cross-promote: Find creators in your niche and team up. It’s a win-win: you both get exposure to new audiences, and it's more fun than going solo.

Create YouTube Videos with Podcastle

Now that you know the YouTube trends you can join in, how and where to find them, the easy and effective ways to grow your channel and go viral with YouTube Shorts, what’s your next step?

With our easy-to-use video editor, you can record, edit, and polish your YouTube content all in one place, no complicated software or editing headaches.

Podcastle helps you sound and look like a pro, even if you're just starting out: make YouTube videos and Shorts with the right aspect ratios, repurpose them for other platforms with a single click, create voiceovers for tutorials, record studio-quality video podcasts and remote interviews with impeccable quality, and this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Ready to grow your YouTube channel with less stress and more creativity? Start creating with Podcastle today, and let your content be on top of YouTube trends.

FAQs

How to find trends on YouTube?

Start with the YouTube Explore tab or Trending section to see what’s hot in your region. For deeper insights, tools like Google Trends, TubeBuddy, or vidIQ can help you track rising search terms and video topics.

Another trick? Watch what your favorite creators are posting right now. If multiple channels in a niche are covering the same challenge, sound, or format, that’s a clear signal. And don’t forget the comment sections, they’re goldmines for what viewers are loving, hating, or asking for next.

How has YouTube influenced popular culture and internet trends?

YouTube is pop culture now, or a very big part of it. From launching global music careers (hello, Justin Bieber) to creating viral dances, memes, and social movements, YouTube has shaped how we communicate, entertain, and even learn.

Creators are today’s celebrities, Shorts are today’s Vine, and video essays are the new documentaries. Trends that start on YouTube often spill over into TikTok, Instagram, fashion, and even mainstream media. It’s not just a video platform anymore; it’s a cultural engine.

Why is YouTube Shorts so late to trends?

Great question, and honestly, it comes down to how the platform works. YouTube's algorithm prioritizes quality and engagement over speed, which can make Shorts feel a little behind compared to TikTok’s ultra-fast trend cycle.

Also, YouTube isn't only trend-driven; many creators take time to script, film, and edit their Shorts for better long-term performance. While TikTok thrives on spontaneity and real-time challenges, YouTube often focuses on searchable, evergreen content. So by the time a trend pops up on Shorts, it’s sometimes already peaked elsewhere.

That said, creators who jump on trends early and optimize for Shorts can still go viral, it just takes knowing your audience and moving quickly.