Are you an aspiring YouTube creator? If so, you’re probably wondering what type of channel you should make. A gaming one? A cooking one? Something related to your hobby?

If you can’t decide, immerse yourself in the world of YouTube channel topics. See what types of videos others are making, then study their methods for 

The list below will help you get started. From weird to charming, we’ve gathered some of the fastest-growing YouTube channel ideas from real creators who’ve found success. Let’s dig in!

Just imagine it. What if someone remixed every rap or R&B song in medieval style?

 (385,000 subscribers) is doing, and the idea is refreshingly fun. From Eminem’s “The Real Slim Shady” to Mary J. Blige’s “Family Affair,” you get a taste of pop culture mixed with medieval flutes, harps, and bagpipes. Each remix is nostalgic yet surprisingly new.

The success of this channel proves that no matter what you’re into, someone will find it interesting. All you have to do is target the right viewers!

Anticipation of new music keeps viewers engaged

2. A Mortician Answers Your Creepy Questions

Of all the ideas for a YouTube channel, anything to do with coffins or funerals is probably the riskiest. After all, we’re talking about 

. It’s a sensitive topic and pretty morbid to think about.

 (1.95 million subscribers) draws people in with a unique channel idea. Instead of shying away from uncomfortable topics, a licensed mortician answers questions about death, mourning, and funerals. Is it legal to mummify someone? What happens to a body during cremation? Are protective caskets a scam?

Ask a Mortician proves that education channels can be fun, too (even the grim ones).

The novelty factor (few morticians have YouTube channels)

3. Video Tutorials That Don’t Help Anyone

Most online tutorials are helpful because they show you how to do something meaningful. So what happens when a channel 

 helpful but doesn’t teach you anything at all?

 (17.2 million subscribers), it’s not what you think. This channel markets itself as a place of learning, but every tutorial goes wrong. From making a hamburger to fixing a flat tire, the final result is usually chaos and destruction. It’s comedic gold!

A style of clickbait you can’t be mad at, because it’s so funny

4. Your Favorite Foods, But Turned into Sausage

Sometimes, the best YouTube channel ideas are amazingly simple. For instance, what would your favorite foods look like if they were ground up and reshaped into sausage?

 gained 711,000 subscribers pursuing it. Over time, this channel has turned almost anything into sausage, and not just popular foods. They’ve done hair sausage. Snow sausage. Valentine’s Day 

A simple experiment with shocking results every time

Outrageous concepts, like trying to make sausage water

Many YouTube channels focus on people and their daily lives. So on a platform filled with vloggers and on-camera personalities, 

 created the “Olympics” of marble racing. Like Hot Wheels, this creator tosses marbles down a race track to see which one will cross the finish line first. There are twists, turns, and other marbles in the stands cheering on the contestants. With everything going on, this channel idea (with 1.37 million subscribers) is cute, charming, and entertaining all at once!

Mimics an actual sporting event (announcer commentary, crowd applause, etc.)

6. Shocking Patient Stories, as Told by a Medical Professional

What happens when you swallow 3,000 milligrams of caffeine powder? How would your body respond to 12 energy drinks if you drank them all in 10 minutes?

 (a licensed provider) or his colleagues have seen in the past. The creator says they’re “variations” of real cases, so they may be exaggerated a bit. Either way, it’s hard 

A Farmer Injected Cow Antibiotic Into His Leg

.” Maybe that’s why Chubbyemu has 2.77 million subscribers.

“Real” patient stories told by a licensed provider

Most cooking channels don’t share recipes from the 1900s while sprinkling in a history lesson and taste test. Typically, it's the average recipe video. Creators show you how to make something popular, like sourdough bread or seafood pasta — maybe a Thanksgiving turkey.

 (1.65 million subscribers) is a rare channel that goes above and beyond. It immerses you in a different era by sharing the history of specific meals, how to make them, and most importantly, how they taste.

Mixes education, cooking, and tutorials in a compelling way

Risky recipes that come with a taste test

What do you imagine when you think of “review” channels on YouTube? Do you see a creator explaining the pros and cons of buying the latest iPhone? A pet sitter ranking the most obedient dogs?

 (334,000 subscribers) flips that concept on its head. Instead of reviewing things you can buy or own, they review things 

 can buy or own, like air, water, and anxiety.

You’ve probably seen a lot of reviews on YouTube, but watching someone review water is…a different level of content creation. Mikasacus experiments with other concepts (primarily gaming), but the “reviews” are arguably the best.

Reviews items or concepts no one is expecting

Essay-like arguments for common, everyday things (which is funny in itself)

There’s a wide range of content on YouTube, especially when it comes to cooking channels. But how many of them let a dog named Francis sit in the kitchen and narrate each tutorial? We can only think of one: 

What’s interesting about this concept is that the creator doesn’t have to speak. By letting Francis narrate, the creator sticks to what they do best: cooking. Viewers get a tasty recipe 

 the entertainment value of Francis’ fancy accent.

An adorable dog that gets sleepy sometimes

An element of mystery (you never learn the chef’s name)

Lip-reading channels are popular on YouTube, but none of them execute the idea like 

 (8.17 million subscribers). This channel narrates various conversations, such as those between U.S. House of Representatives members and professional athletes at sporting events.

But unlike some channels, Bad Lip Reading lives up to its name. Instead of translating conversations accurately, they get things wrong on purpose — and it’s hilarious. You’ll laugh to the point of tears because whoever writes the scripts is basically an undercover comedian.

Lip-reads significant events or trending videos

Now that you have some inspiration, it’s time to create videos on your own channel!

Coming up with a suitable theme or topic can be challenging, but remember that the best creators do four essential things:

Mix elements of novelty, entertainment, education, and online trends

Rely on their expertise, hobby, or passion

When you’re ready to jump in, here are 10 brilliant tips for starting a YouTube channel!

How unique does your YouTube channel have to be to get noticed? These 10 channels (ranging from weird to charming) will give you an idea!

From Weird to Charming: 10 Unique YouTube Channel Ideas That Actually Worked

If you've watched any YouTube growth videos in the past decade, you probably know Tim Schmoyer. He belongs to a class of veteran creators who teach the secrets of YouTube, such as how to get more views, subscribers, and income from online videos.

Tim never set out to become a YouTube strategist, per se. It just sort of happened. His early YouTube videos were a tool to introduce his girlfriend to family back home — nothing more, nothing less. But as the views rolled in, he started learning more about the YouTube algorithm, video discovery, and how it all works.

Eventually, Tim became so knowledgeable that he solved "YouTube problems" for friends and family. He even got a full-time job helping people grow their channels in 2011.

, a consulting firm that helps people (and brands) nail their YouTube strategy. Since 2013, the company has coached over 5,000 clients to a collective 20 billion views and 100 million subscribers.

Now Tim is embarking on a new journey. To help even more creatives, 

. As part of the deal, Tim will become chief creator coach at vidIQ and expand his reach on a global scale.

"Video Creators worked with 635 clients last year. vidIQ has 2 million users a week, so the opportunity to help even more creators is what I'm really excited about," Tim says.

You'll be seeing Tim much more in the future, especially if you're enrolled in group coaching through 

. In the meantime, get to know him better in this insightful Q&A.

Q: You started posting YouTube videos in 2006. What inspired you to learn and master the platform?

It was mostly out of concern that I was putting up these somewhat private videos that I thought no one would be interested in. And if anyone found them, I thought they would just ignore them.

Back in the Myspace days, people always said to never use your real name on the internet. If you do, people will hunt you down and kill you for some reason. And so I was concerned when strangers started watching and commenting on my videos. I thought, 

Should I take my YouTube videos down? Are they bad? What is going on here?

That's when I started asking more questions, like how are people finding me on YouTube? Why are they coming back, and why do they keep watching? So I was curious, and I started seeing that people were engaging, commenting, and showing interest in my story. So that led me to explore deeper.

Q: Some creators have a hard time growing on YouTube. Did you face challenges while learning video strategy?

Yes and no. The "yes" part is that, as YouTube became more popular in 2010, it ran a competition called YouTube NextUp. It was basically a popularity contest. If you got enough votes, YouTube would work with you and train you. I really wanted that, but I was not the biggest channel back then, and I didn't have enough of a following to get enough votes.

That was difficult for me because I really wanted to learn, and I really wanted the opportunity to connect with YouTube. So the challenge I faced was thinking, 

Man, their content is so good, and they're growing faster than me. I'm doing my best, but it's not good enough for me to win this competition.

But I continued to learn, and I continued to grow. And what I found is that I have a talent for helping other people succeed on YouTube.

The "no" part is that I always found ways to accomplish what I wanted. Being on YouTube and helping others understand it scratched that itch for me.

Q: How did you overcome your challenges on YouTube?

At first I was making mistakes most creators make. I was looking at videos on a surface level: the style of the content, the editing, or the production value. I wasn't paying attention to the branding, the human connection, and the storytelling — skills that aren't as obvious but make a huge impact.

I overcame those challenges by learning the skills and always studying. And I never believed all my videos were awesome. Like, this video is good, but what can I learn from it? And also being aware of my own behavior on YouTube. Why am I clicking this thumbnail and not that thumbnail? Why am I still watching this video?

Q: You mentioned that you got a job helping people grow their channels in 2011. But then the company removed your position and encouraged you to start your own video business. How did it feel to have them believe in you despite everything that happened?

The company definitely planted a seed inside of my head about starting a business. And I was like, I don't know. I don't know anything about business, and I've never run a business before. My degree and background are in theology — not very practical tools outside the nonprofit church world.

But I also didn't feel like I had any other choice. I was going to need some kind of income, and finding another job sounded like a bigger hassle than doing YouTube work.

It was also just a very different experience to have the company say, "Tim, we love you, but we're not going in this direction anymore.” I respect it now because I'm a business owner. I can look back and understand that you have to make hard calls like that.

Q: And then you launched Video Creators two years later. What was it like going into business for yourself?

In 2013, YouTube was a very different place. People were like, "Hey, is someone going to tell Tim that you can't make money on YouTube? You can't grow a business there." And then I had friends and family asking what I was doing.

 And so, the process for me was different from how I launched other initiatives in the past. By the time I came to Video Creators, I had learned a thing or two from those failures. I knew that in order for me to make Video Creators a full-time job, I could not do it with AdSense. I needed a product to sell. I needed to make some good connections in the industry and start landing some clients.

I also learned the hard way that you don't want to launch a product and have no one buy it. So I launched a crowdfunding campaign, and it got funded. The basic principle was to see if you can actually sell something before you create the product.

And becoming a business owner, you're going paycheck to paycheck. Some weeks you don't get any money, and some weeks you get a lot. But I did enjoy the freedom I was getting.

Q: How has Video Creators grown over the years to better serve creators?

A lot of different ways. We've grown together as a team in terms of our processes.

It's important to us that when we advise creators, the advice works. It actually has to produce results, especially with the types of creators we work with. They're usually full-time creators or people growing businesses around their channels.

So it can't just be a good idea or "here's something I tried that worked for me once." These people are entrusting their livelihoods to us. So we really honed some of those processes. How do we get someone to reach an epiphany faster? How do we help the creator generate results more quickly?

And sometimes, it's not about going fast at all. Sometimes we have to slow down one part of their journey to see results.

Q: After coaching thousands of creators, have you noticed a common challenge people face when starting a YouTube channel?

Most creators don’t realize how many skills need to be developed to grow a YouTube channel successfully. The professionals make it look easy — the people we love watching and think, 

But the people who make things look effortless do so because they’ve been practicing for years.

It’s like watching any musician who’s really good at their craft. They make it look easy to play the piano or the guitar. Or the athlete who’s playing on TV when you think, 

The same is true for YouTube. There are a lot of skills to learn. There’s video production, such as shooting, editing, lighting, sound design, and choosing the right camera gear and equipment. There’s storytelling, branding, and the business side of YouTube that makes all of this sustainable.

We’ve seen a lot of creators learn those skills, but more consistently, we’ve seen that creators need a coach. We found that when you have someone who understands the big picture — the skills that need to be developed, how they need to be developed and in what order — you make fewer mistakes.

We’re really excited to do that at vidIQ — to give creators the tools and coaching they need to take their channels to the next level.

Q: What inspired you to help millions of YouTube creators succeed?

That dream was inspired when my wife and I were doing some of our early vlogs. One story that stands out to me was when I got an email from a lady in Texas. And she says, "Hey, you don't know me, but I've been watching your vlogs. My husband and I just got married two months ago, and we're already struggling in our relationship. I don't know if we're going to make it."

"But then I saw that video of you and your wife talking about how you're learning to love each other better. I shared it with my husband, and we talked about it. I just wanted to let you know that we have hope again for our marriage. Thank you for making that video."

 happened from our video? I love that because it's why I got into the church world in the first place: to see lives change. I saw even more lives change from our YouTube work, which inspired me to keep doing it and help other creators succeed.

Tim Schmoyer has helped thousands of creators grow their views and subscribers on YouTube. Now he’ll serve as chief creator coach at vidIQ to guide millions more to YouTube success. Learn more about his journey in this Q&A!

Meet Tim Schmoyer, Your New YouTube Coach at vidIQ

 just completed a 22-day challenge to visit every state in the U.S. From the comfort of a spacious RV, they set out from Texas to explore new places, have a little fun, and document the entire journey.

But this wasn't your typical road trip. The twins were traveling (and vlogging) to raise money for people who can't afford menstrual supplies — an issue known as 

 and set a goal to raise $100,000, which equals a donation of 1 million period products.

 of this before Bailey's next period — the traveling, the fundraising, and the YouTubing. It added a fun twist to the challenge, which they aptly named "1 Period. 1 Million Period Supplies."

Here's what Brooklyn and Bailey accomplished during the challenge:

Visited 48/50 states (no Hawaii or Alaska)

And here's how the challenge grew their channel:

Brooklyn and Bailey started posting on YouTube at age nine. Over the years, their content evolved to show teen fashion, beauty, and day-in-the-life content across several platforms, such as TikTok, Instagram, and of course, YouTube.

Today, Brooklyn and Bailey have 6.9 million subscribers and 1.4 billion views on YouTube.

Brooklyn and Bailey's Period Challenge: Why it's a Hit on YouTube

Many creators do challenges, but few gain millions of views. What made this series from Brooklyn and Bailey so appealing? How did they grow their channel and raise so much money simultaneously?

The challenge is for a worthy and (trending) cause.

Have you seen the news? Due to supply chain issues, 

 this year, and the phrase "tampon shortage" was a popular Google search in July.

That means Brooklyn and Bailey built a YouTube challenge around a 

. It allowed them to get more views and subscribers and help women and girls get menstrual supplies at the same time.

In fact, many women are thanking Brooklyn and Bailey for bringing awareness to an issue that directly affects them. Hundreds of sweet comments are below their videos, proving the challenge was meaningful and worthwhile.

Period poverty is a serious issue, but raising awareness doesn't have to be dull or tedious. This is YouTube, after all. Viewers want entertainment more than anything, and Brooklyn and Bailey supplied just that.

During their light-hearted road trip, the twins went to Disneyland, tried axe-throwing, and even played laser tag. Viewers witnessed their life on the road and saw the inside of their beautiful RV. There were twists and turns like any road trip, and no one knew what to expect as the days ticked by.

It's inspired by Ryan Trahan's YouTube challenge.

Brooklyn and Bailey's period challenge was inspired by 

. If you missed it, here's the gist: Ryan crossed North America in 30 days to deliver a penny to another creator named 

. He started with just $0.01 (for spending) and found creative ways to double or triple his money to pay for flights, lodging, and food. He even partnered with Feeding America to raise $1.4 million for hungry citizens.

Brooklyn and Bailey's challenge works because it channels some of Ryan's trending magic.

If we've learned anything from Brooklyn and Bailey's challenge, it's that trendy content does more than grow your channel. It's a portal to influence, which you can use (quite literally) to save the world. Want to feed millions of people? Raise money for critical supplies? The choice is yours, and you can make it happen with the right video series.

Of course, you should know what's trending if you want to make a sizable impact with your content.

Here are six ways to find trending topics for YouTube videos (in unexpected places).

Join two women on a mission to visit all 50 states, end period poverty, and take their YouTube channel to the next level.

Brooklyn and Bailey Get 11M Views During Challenge to End Period Poverty

A few days ago, Ryan Trahan finished his trek across the U.S. to deliver 

, a popular YouTube creator. But he didn’t do it how most would. Instead of cranking up a car or boarding a plane, 

With $0.01 to spend, he set a goal to travel from California to North Carolina, where MrBeast lives. It took some faith — and a “go with the flow” attitude — but he crushed the challenge in just 30 days.

Even more impressive, Ryan’s videos got 

 throughout June when the challenge took place. He also gained 2.3 million subscribers and helped raise $1.4 million to end hunger through a fundraiser with 

Today, Ryan has 10.1 million subscribers and 

 on YouTube. Most of that popularity comes from his ability to turn pennies into dollars. 

Ryan Trahan’s Penny: A Catalyst for YouTube Success

If traveling on a budget of $0.01 sounds impossible, that’s because it 

. Luckily for Ryan, his original penny didn’t stay a penny forever.

His main goal was to flip the penny into a few dollars, then flip those dollars into 

Sold the ink pen to another stranger for $1

Bought a water bottle for $1, which he upsold to a stranger for $2

By the end of day one, Ryan had $42.70. Check out the video below to see how it all unfolded.

Ryan stuck to this plan for most of  the challenge. To reach MrBeast, he was walking dogs, delivering food, and doing other odd jobs to pay for transportation, lodging, and meals. His willingness to think creatively (and fast) caught viewers’ attention.

Why Ryan Trahan’s Videos Are so Popular

Ryan brings a lot of ingenuity to his content. He's making money in unique ways, living on a lean budget, and doing it all with a smile. But other than that, what makes people watch his videos?

1. They’re motivational (and relatable).

How often have you stared at a dollar and wished it were 10? Or thought, 

How can I make some extra money this week?

Well, Ryan made that happen across 30 YouTube videos. If he can take the lowest denomination of money and multiply it with creativity and grit, why can’t we all? It’s easy to leave his videos feeling inspired or at least motivated to do something great.

Most people know what a penny is and what it represents. So when you see that tiny, brown coin on Ryan’s thumbnails, you don’t have to think too hard about the video’s concept.

But to be clear, Ryan doesn’t rely on using the word “penny” in his titles. 

The dollar sign is a globally-recognized symbol

, so he writes “$0.01” instead. Viewers may not connect with the word “penny,” but they’ll immediately understand the number.

Traveling the country with one penny is an awesome idea. But you've hit a new level when you’re doing all that, plus 

This ideas works because MrBeast has millions of subscribers on YouTube. When Ryan mentions his name, he appeals to his own core audience plus viewers who love watching MrBeast.

4. He targets four YouTube niches at once: challenges, budgeting, making money, and travel.

It’s easy to look at Ryan’s channel and say he’s in the “challenge” niche — nothing more, nothing less. But after watching a few videos, you realize his content shows so much more:

Viewers might come from the personal finance, travel, or challenge corners of YouTube. So even if you don’t know who Ryan is or why he’s seeking a guy named MrBeast, there's something to love about the content he makes. 

For a deeper analysis, check out our video breaking down the secrets to Ryan’s success:

This isn’t the first time Ryan flipped a penny into a nice chunk of cash. He’s done it several times on his channel, and those videos have numerous views. This one in particular, where Ryan turns a penny into $1,000, is sitting at 16 million:

Before he was turning pennies into dollars, Ryan’s videos were a bit different. He documented his journey as a track and field athlete and posted workout content that had nothing to do with money. Over time, his views shot up when he started turning pennies into dollars.

This proves a timeless piece of advice we always share on YouTube: 

. After all, you never know which videos will do well (or not) until you post them on your channel.

Taking the time to figure that out (like Ryan did) helps you find your “thing” on YouTube and grow your channel much faster.

Want more success stories? Here’s how a mysterious “counting channel” got 100,000 subscribers in three months.

Video creator Ryan Trahan used a single penny to cross North America in 30 days. That challenge brought millions of viewers to his YouTube channel — and here’s why.

How Ryan Trahan Got a Billion YouTube Views Turning Pennies into Dollars

One thing we love to talk about in the creator landscape is 

We’re talking billions of views across six different channels. Millions of loyal subscribers. Hundreds of challenges that changed YouTube forever.

 recognized MrBeast as an award-winning video creator, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. You might have seen his face — one that millions have come to recognize — on the cover of the spring Creators Issue.

But for those who don’t know, MrBeast (real name Jimmy Donaldson) is famous for doing expensive stunts and challenges on YouTube. Imagine mixing the best game show ever with the craziness of a real-life video game, and that’s what you get from a MrBeast video: high energy and lots of competition.

To grow on YouTube, it’s a good idea to learn from the best and be inspired by the best. Get a head start by getting to know MrBeast, his YouTube stats, and  why he’s so successful on the platform.

Started his YouTube channel in 2012 at age 13

Spends $48 million a year making videos [

Raised more than $20 million to plant trees around the world [

Raised more than $30 million to remove sea trash [

Spent $3.5 million to create the YouTube version of Squid Game [

The first content creator on the cover of Rolling Stone [

Launched the MrBeast Burger virtual brand [

So, how many channels does MrBeast have? There are six altogether:

: Currently, a somewhat inactive MrBeast channel

Altogether, MrBeast’s subscriber count is slightly more than 

Are you ready for this mind-blowing stat? As of July 28, 2022, MrBeast has more than

So far, MrBeast’s Squid Game is his most popular YouTube video. It has a whopping 

To get billions of views like MrBeast, you have to go above and beyond on YouTube. If we’ve learned anything from his journey, it’s that

exciting challenges, cash prizes, and making videos with zero wasted minutes is a recipe for success.

Here’s the typical flow of a MrBeast video:

Follow contestants as they face the challenge

Take a look at this recent upload from MrBeast, “Would You Swim With Sharks For $100,000?” Do you see the classic pattern?

Part of the reason MrBeast is so successful is that he’s not the focus of a video. He gives viewers something to enjoy each step of the way: the contestants, the expensive video sets, and the action that unfolds.

He also keeps your attention with superior editing. Each clip is only seconds long, which creates a hurried yet exciting pace for his content. You don’t have time to think about leaving the video because you're hopelessly hooked.

There's also a feel-good factor to MrBeast's content. Not only does he give money to the lucky winners of his challenges, but he also donates to family, friends, the homeless, and various charities. Sometimes the entire point of a video is, "If we can successfully do 

Are you curious about MrBeast's YouTube stats? Keep reading to see how many views, subscribers, and accomplishments he's collected over the years.

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