9 Video Ideas to Go Viral with YouTube Shorts

Why do some YouTube Shorts go viral while others don’t? If you break it down by what makes a good video, the best ones always have the following:

• A strong idea
• The right hook
• Emotional transfer (happy, funny, moving, etc.)

In this post, we’ll focus on the most critical part — creating a strong concept for your video. So if you want more views this year, here are nine YouTube Shorts ideas to go viral!

1. Tutorials

YouTube Shorts may be brief, but there’s more than enough time to squeeze in a tutorial. That could be anything you’re good at, such as DIY projects, art, tech repair, or another topic related to your niche. Just make it brief and informative!

If you need some inspiration, here’s a skin-retouching tutorial from Grapexels. It’s pretty short, but you get a step-by-step guide on improving anyone’s skin in Adobe Photoshop. Plus, the tutorial also has more than 5 million views!

2. Life Hacks

Of all the viral YouTube Shorts ideas, life hacks may be one of the best. After all, everyone loves a shortcut to achieving their goals!

There are two ways to execute this idea on YouTube. You could react to a life hack that’s already trending, or you could film yourself attempting the hack in a brand new video. Either path could lead to a viral moment if the topic flows with your niche.

Watch this video from Lionfield to see how it's done!

3. Before and After

Before and after videos have a strong appeal on YouTube. They're just satisfying in a way that most videos will never be, especially when something goes from dirty to clean or from boring to beautiful.

With these videos, just make sure the “after” looks better than the “before.” The gap between those states is what creates the “wow” factor.

Need an example? Study this video from DIY Home Decor.

4. Quick Tips

Quick tips are like tutorials, except you have more space to play around with the format. You don’t have to go step-by-step, but you can find creative ways to break complex topics into bite-sized pieces of information.

For example, Max Klymenko posted a Short about answering tricky interview questions. Instead of showing a list of tips, this creator mimicked an actual job interview! There are also captions to help people memorize what they’re learning.

5. Common Myths

Have you noticed any myths within your YouTube community? What about common mistakes people always make?

If so, set the record straight in a short, punchy video. Your findings may shock viewers so much that they have to share the video with someone else.

For example, Davidjustinn Shorts has a video about mistakes people never catch in popular movies. It has over 7 million views!

6. Motivational Videos

Motivational content works best for people chasing popular goals, such as getting in shape, staying healthy, or adopting the right mindset. They're extremely hard to accomplish, so a little motivation goes a long way.

You can make a difference by sharing a goal you achieved over time. Show a time-lapse of your progress, or find creative ways to break down your journey and get people inspired!

Growingannanas has a great example of this, where she documented her full-body transformation in exchange for 38 million views.

7. Fun Facts

Need a video idea that never disappoints? You can’t go wrong with fun facts!

For this idea, you’ll expose hidden truths that appeal to a curious audience (which includes most viewers). Combine that with super rare facts, and you’ll go viral while entertaining millions of people.

But that’s just one side of the coin. Some facts can simply be relatable (not rare) and still get millions of views.

For example, Icycol posted a Short about actors who do the same thing in every movie. It has over 29 million views!

8. Unboxing/Reviews

Want to become a product influencer?

We have good news! You don’t have to post long videos on YouTube to start getting discovered. Many people create short, viral, unboxing videos, proving anyone can transform the idea for YouTube Shorts.

Take MrTechCrown, for example. This creator posted an iPhone XR unboxing with more than 6 million views. Not bad for one YouTube Short!

Bonus: Repurpose Your Long-Form Content

If you have popular long-form videos, why not turn those into YouTube Shorts? You can see the most-replayed segment of a video now, making it easier to spot popular chapters that could go viral.

Once you find that special clip, it’s just a matter of “dressing it up.” Add music, captions, and special effects, then give it a title people can’t ignore. All of this helps you go viral on YouTube!

Need more guidance? Here's a video explaining all nine of the Shorts ideas we mentioned above.

Now that you have some video ideas, it’s time for the next step: getting more views on your Shorts!