Which Types of YouTube Video Are Most Watched and How Can Brands Use Them?

Making successful YouTube videos now generates such a buzz that people can make a living from it. However, you don’t have to be an influencer to make the most of the platform. Here’s how you can use some of the top video trends racking up views on YouTube and make them work for your brand.

Influencers often make product or service review videos for their followers, generating interest in the brand, and they get serious viewing numbers. While influencers are often sent these products in collaboration with a brand in a quid-pro-quo arrangement, you could try reaching out to some of your satisfied customers to see if they would be willing to offer a testimonial on their experience.

Collection videos are very similar to product review videos but, in these types of video, the YouTuber shows off and talks about their collection of a particular item. To transition this type of video into brand use, you could talk through your product range, or just one of your product lines, comparing the differences and what the ideal application would be for each.

One of the most-watched types of YouTube video is the how-to video, and arguably the one that transitions most easily into being used by brands. Whatever your business is, chances are you have a level of industry knowledge above the average person, so share the wealth!

Think about things you can teach your target audience that they can get a lot of use out of. Even if you can’t think of a skill to teach, a demonstration of how to get the most out of one of your products can still make for a very useful video.

Just as with how-to videos, educational videos are your chance to share your insider knowledge. The topic could be about the industry you work in, or the ethos that inspires your brand. Are you affiliated with a charity or do you have a focus on sustainability? If so, use the educational video to spread the message!

If you want to try your hand at a comedic video as a brand, it helps to be able to poke fun at yourself or your industry. Videos by brands that try to be funny whilst still keeping their guard up often fall flat or, worse, come off as cringeworthy. You should choose a topic or observation that relates to your industry or target audience but isn’t so niche or insider that it will go over your audience’s heads.

Unboxing videos are one of the most-watched types of YouTube video and literally involve someone unboxing or opening a product for the first time and giving their initial reaction and first impressions. If you want to utilise this for your brand, you will need a product that has an instant appeal straight out of the box, and a willing, preferably enthusiastic, unboxer.

Q&A videos offer you a chance to connect directly with your audience. This type of video gets a lot of views and consists of the YouTuber answering questions that have been sent in by their followers beforehand, although sometimes these are done as livestreams. 

To make a Q&A video, send out a call for questions to your followers on social media, pick the best/most entertaining/most informative ones and then create a video answering them in the most engaging way you can.

Some of the most-watched types of YouTube videos have the simplest concepts and, honestly, it is sometimes baffling that people are interested but, the point is, they are! Taking inspiration from some of these immensely popular videos and making them work for your brand is a great video marketing technique and may even help you reach a whole new audience.

Just remember that, whatever video you make, YouTube isn’t the only platform; social media sites and your website are also great platforms for brand videos.

We offer the full range of video production and editing services, so whatever type of video you’re looking to make for your brand, we can help!