10 YouTube Shorts Niches Behind the Videos With the Most YouTube Views

Finding out what videos on YouTube have the most views isn’t always easy, but a lot of the top-performing content comes from Shorts. Many creators try making Shorts but struggle to pick topics that actually attract attention. By understanding the niches behind the videos with the most YouTube views, you can create content that clicks with viewers and grows your channel faster.

In this guide, we’ll share the best YouTube Shorts ideas based on data from millions of videos. You’ll also see which niches perform consistently well, so you can plan Shorts that get more views, engagement, and opportunities to monetize.

#1 Entertainment (Number 1 Shorts Niche)

Entertainment is the most-watched YouTube Shorts category, making up over 17% of all Shorts views in our 90-day study. Viewers are especially drawn to pranks, fun challenges, and a type of content called “oddly satisfying.”

These videos do well because they can be enjoyed by anyone, anywhere. They often don’t need spoken language, so people all over the world can watch and understand them easily. Creators can use the Keyword Explorer and Trending Topics Tool to find trending entertainment ideas and see what viewers are responding to.

Because entertainment content appeals to a wide audience and is easy to enjoy globally, it consistently ranks among the video with the most YouTube views.

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#2 Food & Drink

The second most popular YouTube Shorts niche is food and drink. This category covers cooking tutorials, food reviews, mukbang, and more, but the videos that tend to perform best focus on chocolate, gummies, and meat-filled recipes.

A great example is the creator albert_cancook, who brings his cooking niche to life by recreating popular dishes from restaurants, TV shows, and movies. His creative short-form content has helped his channel grow rapidly, with Social Blade reporting around 20,000 new subscribers every day.

Food Shorts perform well because they align closely with what videos on YouTube have the most views, especially visually satisfying and repeatable formats, a trend also highlighted in the TubeBuddy Shorts Optimization Guide.

#3 Video Games

The third most popular YouTube Shorts niche is video games. Gaming content attracts viewers of all ages, making it easy for creators to reach a wide audience. One of the easiest ways to get more views is to focus on popular games or new releases. Since people are already searching for these games, your videos can ride that wave of interest and gain attention quickly.

Some of the games that perform best on Shorts include:

• Minecraft
• Grand Theft Auto
• Fortnite

Gaming Shorts do well because they tap into trending titles that already rank among the top searches on YouTube, helping creators reach viewers who are actively looking for this type of content.

#4 Sports

Sports is another top-performing YouTube Shorts niche, covering activities like basketball, football, martial arts, and fishing. These types of videos are perfect for creators who enjoy capturing fast-paced action.

What makes Sports Shorts stand out is that they work well as niche clips. Viewers are drawn to intense, exciting moments that are easy to watch repeatedly and share with friends, giving your content a better chance to go viral.

#5 Crafting

If you are wondering what do the best performing YouTube Shorts have in common, crafting videos give a great example. They show a project from start to finish in a clear and satisfying way, which keeps viewers watching until the end. Popular types include drawing, woodworking, paper art, sewing, and pottery. Each video focuses on showing the process in a visually engaging way.

People love these videos because they get to see something being made that they might not be able to try themselves. Watching the project take shape is fun and relaxing, which makes viewers want to watch more and even share it with friends.

#6 Family & Parenting

Family and parenting content attracts viewers because it shows real-life moments people can relate to. For example, gender reveal videos often reach tens of millions of views. Marriage and wedding videos together have pulled in billions of views, while pregnancy, childbirth, and fatherhood clips also draw large audiences.

This niche works well because it taps into emotions. Content that makes people feel happy, nostalgic, or inspired tends to get shared more, which is why emotion-driven videos reflect what videos on YouTube have the most views.

#7 Animals & Pets

Everyone loves watching animals, and Shorts with pets are some of the most fun videos on YouTube. Clips of pets playing, reacting to everyday situations, or doing cute little tricks get a lot of attention. Even short skits featuring pets tend to be widely enjoyed because they are easy to watch and share.

Pet niche clips work so well because they provide instant entertainment without needing any explanation. Viewers can enjoy the video right away, which keeps them coming back for more.

#8 Movies & Television

If you create content around popular movies or TV shows, you can attract a lot of attention quickly. For instance, when Netflix released Wednesday on November 23rd, 2022, channels that made videos about the show during its spike in popularity gained massive views. In fact, seven of the top ten videos for TV series over the past 90 days were about Wednesday.

Whenever a new movie or show is released, tracking trending titles can help you create timely content that viewers are searching for. Netflix even highlights the top 10 movies and shows people are watching, which makes it easier to spot what’s trending right now.Trend-jacking popular shows helps creators rank in top searches on YouTube during peak release cycles.

#9 Science & Technology

Science and tech content continues to attract viewers on Shorts. In this niche, consumer electronics, particularly smartphones and tablets, lead the way, followed by robotics and science experiments. Channels that post iPhone tips, hacks, and fun challenges often get the most attention.

Tech content works best when it’s visually engaging and easy to follow. Short, eye-catching videos like experiments, hacks, or demonstrations keep viewers interested and encourage shares.

Tech Shorts work best when they follow viral YouTube Shorts ideas like experiments, hacks, and visual demos.

#10 News

Short-form news has become a go-to way for people, especially Gen Z, to stay updated on current events. Surveys show that 57% of Gen Z rely on social media for news rather than traditional outlets like TV or newspapers. Younger audiences turn to Shorts for quick updates on trending news, politics, and viral stories.

These News Shorts work best when they deliver information quickly and in a way that’s easy to understand. Highlighting the key points of a story or giving instant reactions keeps viewers engaged and encourages them to share the content.

If you’re wondering why some news Shorts consistently get high views, it’s because they follow what do the best performing YouTube Shorts have in common: they are timely, relevant, and capture attention right from the start. This makes viewers come back for more updates and share content that matters.

YouTube Shorts Niche Trends for 2026

• Entertainment and food will dominate Shorts discovery
• Trend-jacking will outperform evergreen Shorts
• Visual-first niche clips will beat talking-head content
• Shorts aligned with top searches on YouTube will grow fastest