Introduction

Studying the most viewed YouTube videos of all time can provide valuable insights into what makes video content go viral and attract millions of viewers. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the top 5 most viewed YouTube videos of all time. Whether you are a marketer or business owner, this knowledge can help you optimize your content strategy and stay ahead of the competition.

Why study these videos?

Studying the most viewed YouTube videos of all time is an invaluable tool for marketers and business owners. With this knowledge, you can create more effective campaigns and optimize their content strategies to get the most out of the platform. By understanding what has worked in the past, you can stay ahead of the competition and maximize reach and engagement.

Top 5 videos

While some videos are backed by large companies, others are home-grown success stories that have gone viral. By reviewing these videos, you can learn what it takes to create content that resonates with audiences and encourages them to watch, share and interact. 

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1. Baby Shark Dance

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The "Baby Shark Dance" video provides valuable insights into creating successful video content by utilizing catchy hooks, engaging visuals, and social media promotion. By understanding the factors that contributed to its success, video marketers can create content that resonates with audiences and has the potential to go viral.

Why this became a hit:

• Simple, memorable, and universally appealing themes
• Using bright and engaging visuals
• Promoting on social media such as YouTube and Tik Tok
• Encouraging UGC
• Creating an interactive experience (The dance moves)
• Releasing content in multiple languages

2. Despacito

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"Despacito" is a Latin pop song by Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi featuring rapper Daddy Yankee. The song was released in 2017 and became a global phenomenon, breaking several records and becoming the most viewed video on YouTube.

Why this became a hit:

• Collaborating with popular artists (Luis Fonsi feat Daddy Yankee)
• Incorporating cultural elements into content
• Visually impressive as it features stunning dance performances, and a captivating storyline

3. Johny Johny Yes Papa

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"Johny Johny Yes Papa" is a popular nursery rhyme video that has gained immense popularity on YouTube. The video features a simple storyline, catchy tune, and colorful visuals, making it a hit with children and parents alike.

Why this became a hit:

• Simplicity and relatable subject matter
• Catchy tone
• Colorful visuals
• YouTube SEO

4. Bath Song

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The "Bath Song" video is a popular children's song with millions of views on YouTube. Its success showcases the effectiveness of creating engaging, targeted content that appeals to a specific audience.

Why this became a hit:

• Audience-specific content (Creating content that resonates with the target audience)
• Simple and yet memorable lyrics and visuals
• Using hand gestures and movements has made it interactive and engaging

5. Shape of You

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The "Shape of You" music video by Ed Sheeran is a prime example of how to create a visually stunning and emotionally engaging video that connects with audiences. With its focus on storytelling, choreography, and social media promotion, the video serves as a valuable reference for video marketers looking to create impactful and memorable content. Why this became a hit:

• Using storytelling
• Creating emotional connection with the audience
• Visually stunning locations and choreography
• Influencer partnerships and social media promotions

A few cool facts

On June 17, 2016, the Korean education brand Pinkfong released their video "Baby Shark Dance", which became a super viral and currently has 12.3 billion lifetime views on YouTube. In January 2021, it broke the record for the most-viewed YouTube video of all time, surpassing "Despacito". While "Baby Shark Dance" currently holds the title for the most-viewed video on the platform, it is worth noting that music videos have dominated the top spots for over a decade as they dominate viewership within the first 24 hours of release. 

Movie trailers, particularly those related to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, also generate significant traffic within the first 24 hours of release, making them highly popular video content on YouTube. For example, “Avengers: Endgame” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home” official trailers generated a whopping 289 million and 255 views within the first 24 hours respectively.

What’s next?

Creating videos even as simple and intuitive as Baby Shark can be challenging sometimes, especially when you don’t know how to work with tools such as Adobe Premiere. Maybe you have an idea that could be on this list. So, with Zebracat you can easily jump from idea to video. Give it a try!

Conclusion

Analyzing the top 5 most viewed YouTube videos of all time can provide valuable insights for marketers and business owners. These videos share common factors that contributed to their success, such as catchy hooks, engaging visuals, social media promotion, and audience-specific content. It's worth noting that music videos dominate viewership on YouTube, but movie trailers, particularly those related to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, also generate significant traffic within the first 24 hours of release. By leveraging these insights, businesses can optimize their content strategies and stay ahead of the competition on the platform.