With 2024 approaching fast, YouTube's growth remains as steady as ever. Currently, it is the most preferred online video platform with over 2 billion monthly active users. And, with the increasing number of people using the platform, the number of niches has also expanded.
Although any topic can become its own category, and every category can have many niches on YouTube, only a few have stood the test of time. Here are 47 that viewers keep coming back to!
Gaming
Gaming remains one of the most viewed categories on YouTube, with over 500 million monthly active users. This genre includes gameplay videos, tutorial-style walkthroughs, reviews, and much more.
The gaming space is dominated by big names. You have famous creators like PewDiePie, Mumbo Jumbo, and DanTDM dominating the space with billions of YouTube views. But it's also a genre where new creators continue to build a successful following.
Speedrunning: Completing a game or a specific part of a game as fast as possible.
Gameplay walkthroughs/livestreaming: In-depth guides for completing a game, especially the more difficult parts.
Game guides/lores: Detailed information about game mechanics, strategies, character builds, and lore.
Competitive eSports: Professional gaming competitions and tournaments.
Let's Play videos: Playthroughs where the focus is on the gamer's experience and commentary.
Game reviews: Reviewing new and old games, often providing in-depth analysis, critiques, and ratings.
Gaming news and updates: Sharing the latest news, updates, and announcements in the gaming world.
Retro gaming: Celebrating older games and systems, catering to the nostalgic history of gaming culture.
Mod showcases: Discussing modifications in gaming, which range from simple cosmetic changes to complete overhauls.
Music
Music is another popular category on YouTube, and it even boasts the most viewed channel in February 2023. YouTube has become a go-to source for discovering new music, and it is a significant platform for both established and upcoming artists.
It's no small achievement when many well-known musicians can point to videos on YouTube with billions of views. The key to success is not just a dedicated base of viewers, but also top-notch content.
Popular Music Niches on YouTube:
Recording yourself singing: Showcasing your singing talents acapella-style or with minimal instrumentation.
Playing an instrument (or teaching others how): Giving musical instruction or performances using a specific instrument.
Performing song covers: Re-creating new versions of popular songs, adding a unique style or interpretation.
Reviewing songs, albums, and performances: Sharing critical analyses and discussions of artists and their music.
Creating musical parodies: Humorous renditions of popular songs, typically with altered lyrics.
AI-generated music: Using artificial intelligence to create music in various styles.
Travel Vlogging
Some might say the earliest well-known YouTubers were those who documented their travels. Truth be told, interest in this industry has consistently grown over time.
Based on your style of traveling, you can focus on making your content more educational, such as posting travel guides or videos to assist tourists. You can even post entertaining videos, like interviews with locals or a day visiting famous attractions.
No matter what, travelers engage their viewers through first-person stories and experiences. There are many ways to do this, which creates a lot of opportunities in this popular category.
Popular Travel Vlogging Niches on YouTube:
Budget travel: Exploring new places without breaking the bank for flights, hotels, meals, etc.
Luxury travel: Experiencing the finer things while traveling, like high-end hotels, gourmet dining, and first-class flights.
Adventure and nomadic travel: Living or traveling off-the-beaten path, especially as a digital nomad.
Eco-friendly and sustainable travel: Minimizing environmental impact and promoting sustainable practices while traveling.
AI-generated travel guides: Using artificial intelligence to create travel guides and itineraries.
Fitness
For most of us, the journey of fitness begins with YouTube. After all, who hasn’t checked out a deadlift tutorial before entering the gym?
But even outside the gym, viewers look for channels to help them achieve their body goals, from introductory yoga to weighted jump ropes for muscle building.
You aren't limited to creating YouTube videos, either. This category has so many niches! You can create a wide variety of content, including vlogs, fitness classes, one-on-one training sessions, and much more.
Popular Niches in Fitness on YouTube:
Home workouts: Exercises that can be done at home with minimal or no equipment, such as body weight or calisthenics workouts.
Yoga and Pilates: Beginner to advanced content about yoga and pilates, including guided sessions, techniques, and routines.
Gym and cross-fit workouts: Intense training that involves gym equipment, such as weights and medicine balls.
Endurance and cardio: Workouts that targetcardiovascular fitness, such as running, cycling, swimming, and other endurance sports.
Weight loss and nutrition: Body transformation content, such as the weight loss or body building journey. This niche also includes healthy eating.
Education
Are you an authority in your profession or one area of study? If there aren't many experts producing that kind of material, your knowledge could spark an interesting niche on YouTube.
Ever since the pandemic, online education has been rapidly growing. Educational content continues to be a popular category on YouTube, with millions of viewers tuning in to learn from experts across various fields.
Popular Education Niches on YouTube:
Teaching core subjects: Instruction in math, science, reading, and history for a range of academic levels.
Educational tips and tricks: The process of learning, such as study techniques, time management, note-taking strategies, and motivation tips.
Educational entertainment: Blending learning with entertainment to make the process more engaging.
Language learning: Creating video tutorials for learning different languages, such as French, Spanish, English, or German.
DIY: Showing viewers how to craft or create something in a do-it-yourself fashion.
AI-generated lessons: Using artificial intelligence to create educational content.
Sports
In the U.S., live sports viewership is expected to exceed 90 million in 2025 — and that’s just one aspect of this category. It also includes sports highlights, analyses, and interviews with athletes. YouTube has become a significant platform for sports enthusiasts to stay up-to-date with the latest news and events in their favorite sports.
Sports news and analysis: Delivering the latest sports news and analyzing recent games.
Sports highlights and recaps: Sharing commentary around shocking or interesting moments in various sports.
Sports science and medicine: Discussing the medical side of sports, such as sports physiology, injury prevention and recovery, and nutrition for athletes.
Sports equipment: Making content about the tools used to play a sport, like athletic shoes, apparel, and hand-held gear.
Coaching and development: Exploring coaching techniques, team management, training drills, and strategies for developing athletes.
Comedy
Comedy is one of the biggest genres on YouTube with over 77% of total viewers watching it. Comedic sketches, parodies, and stand-up comedy always seem to perform well on YouTube.
For many years now, popular comics have been saying that open mic sets should be recorded and uploaded to YouTube. Seeing the numbers, you can’t help but agree!
Popular Comedy Niches on YouTube:
Sketches, spoofs, and parodies: Short, scripted comedy scenes that put a humorous spin on real-world scenarios.
Stand-up comedy and improvisation: Performing humorous monologues, often in front of a live audience.
Satire news and commentary: Presenting news and commentary in a satirical format, often mocking current events, politics, and social trends.
Comedic shows and podcasts: Long-form comedy that features a mix of sketches, interviews, discussions, and humorous insights.
Pranks: Playing jokes or tricks on unsuspecting people and recording their reactions.
Animals
This is where it all began. From being perceived as an exclusive repository for cat videos to becoming the destination for all pet content, YouTube has come a long way! Animal videos are still as popular as ever.
Since 66% of American families have a pet, most people can relate to them and share a passion for them. This category may be fantastic for your YouTube channel if you work with animals or have a cute pet of your own.
Popular Animal Niches on YouTube:
Pets and domestic animals: Showing everyday life with common pets, especially dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits.
Animal training and education: Explaining how to train pets and educating viewers about animal behavior.
Animal rescue and rehabilitation: Documenting the rescue, rehabilitation, and recovery of animals in need.
Pet vlogs and animal personalities: Showing the lives of specific pets while showcasing their personalities and adventures.
Wildlife and nature documentaries: Creatingeducational content about wildlife and natural habitats.
Exotic pets: Covering less common animals like reptiles, amphibians, insects, and exotic mammals.
Which Niche Will You Choose?
YouTube has become a vast platform with many niches that cater to different audiences. These niches are only expected to grow and evolve as viewers and their interests change over time.
Ultimately, you need to find a marriage between your passion and what works on YouTube. That’s the secret to a winning niche.
In addition to being an avid movie and gaming enthusiast, Uttaran Samaddar is an experienced writer who has lent his creativity and unique perspective to various publications. He loves hearing and telling stories.
