What Are the Most Watched Videos on YouTube in 2021?

Want More Clicks, Likes, and Shares? Check Out This Analysis of the Most Watched Videos on YouTube.

Marketers can learn a lot from the most watched videos on YouTube, or more specifically, from YouTube’s data about what videos and video channels are the most popular.

Of course, YouTube isn’t the only great source of data. I recently ran across two surveys about corporate videos, or the YouTube videos posted by brands.

One was a Vidyard survey that lists the most common types of video posted by brands. And the other, from Wyzowl, was the types of video people want to see from brands.

Here are the two charts:

Most Common Types of Video Posted By Brands

Types of Video People Want to See From Brands

Look At the Difference

Now, it doesn’t take a data analyst to spot the differences in these two charts.

The videos people want to see from brands, by nearly a two-to-one margin, are “explainer videos,” followed by “entertaining videos.”

“Entertaining videos” isn’t really a video format, but I assume it means “videos that are funny or entertaining and aren’t just trying to sell me something.”

But now, look at the types of videos that brands are posting. “Product demos” are number one, followed by “how-to videos.”

“Explainer videos” comes in at number three, along with “webinars,” “training videos” and “social media videos.”

“Entertaining videos” didn’t even make the list. I guess brands are more interested in selling stuff than in entertaining anyone.

How about “edu-tainment?” Would that count?

The Most Watched Videos on YouTube in 2021

Of course, those charts are based solely upon corporate videos—the type that are currently being posted and watched. But what about non-corporate videos?

What were the MOST WATCHED videos on YouTube in 2021? Can we learn anything from that?

It turns out every single video in the top ten is either a music video or a children’s song.

The reason for that is pretty simple. Those are the kind of videos that people play again and again. They have infinite replay potential. I mean, who wants to add a corporate webinar to their play list?

Another interesting trend: yoga videos have exploded in popularity in the past year, nearing 3 billion annual views. This is most probably due to the pandemic, as health-conscious people were stuck at home and gyms wee getting locked down.

In a relate trend, vlogs and “day in the life” video creators have surged, also due to the pandemic. People at home alone crave connection—even connection to an online personality.

And lastly, Legos is the best performing brand channel on YouTube, with over 10 billion annual views. That’s almost double the views of its closest competitor.

And this is all from YouTube’s own data—who better to tell us about the most watched videos on YouTube?

Key Takeaways

So what can we learn from all this? How can you make your videos more engaging and connect with more customers?

For a start, I would think about the videos that are trending right now. If your product isn’t music related, maybe run YouTube ads on music-related channels. Or on yoga channels.

You might also consider doing more explainer videos and product demos (people seem to like them). You could also start a video blog, creating content that mimics that format.

Or at the very least, think about making your content more entertaining. It’s obvious from the data—after a year of 24/7 pandemic news, people are craving something more lighthearted.

About the Author: 

Harry Hayes is the owner and executive producer at Content Puppy Productions, a corporate video production agency based in Charlotte. Before starting Content Puppy, he spent 20+ years as an advertising writer and creative director.