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How to Find YouTube Trends
You can find YouTube trends by looking at three things in turn: videos that are popular right now, channels whose views far exceed their subscriber count, and keywords that have been rising for several days. Rather than copying a popular video as is, you're more likely to succeed by picking a topic that blew up on a small channel and making it your own way.
Updated · By the TRYIT team
1. Start with what's trending now
Check top YouTube videos in Korea to see which videos are getting the biggest reaction today. If you're curious about other countries, look at the US and Japan pages too. Topics that take off abroad often reach Korea later.
2. Find videos where a small channel broke out
A big channel's popular video may owe its numbers to the channel's own pull. The YouTuber ranking shows channels whose views are far larger than their subscriber count first. A video like that worked because of its topic or format itself, so it's worth modeling your own on it.
3. Check whether the keyword is rising
Look up the topic that caught your eye in keyword analysis. If it has just started to rise, now is your chance; if it has already turned down, move on to the next topic.
4. See whether it's trending on short-form too
In Reels & Shorts trends, check whether the same topic is also rising on Shorts, Reels and TikTok. If it's rising on several platforms at once, you can post one planned idea on each platform.
5. Adapt it to your own channel
What you take from a video that did well is the topic and the structure of the first 3 seconds. Don't reuse the video as is; remake it with your own experience, voice and visuals. When you're ready to make it, continue with the Shorts maker tool.
Once you've picked a topic — how to earn the click and the watch time
Even with the same topic, results split on how well it gets people to click and how well it keeps them watching to the end.
| What | Try this |
|---|---|
| Title | Put the key words up front and promise just one thing viewers will get from watching. Example: "5 convenience store combos, don't miss #3" |
| Thumbnail | Keep the text to three or four words, at a size that's readable on a smartphone. Don't repeat the same words as the title. |
| First 3 seconds | Show the result or the scene viewers are most curious about first, and save the explanation for later. |
| Tags & description | Work the video's topic words and the phrases people actually search for naturally into the first two lines of the description. |
| Length | Follow the length of videos that did well on the same topic. If you pad it with filler just to stretch it, viewers leave midway. |
If you're aiming for a breakout with Shorts
- Put just one story in each video.
- Show the topic as text on the very first frame.
- When the end flows naturally back into the beginning, more people rewatch.
- In Reels & Shorts trends, look at the length and opening scene of the Shorts getting the biggest reaction right now.
Free official tools that pair well with this
- The Analytics screen in YouTube Studio — see what your viewers search for and which videos they come in from.
- YouTube search bar autocomplete — type a topic word and it shows the phrases people actually search together with it.
- Google Trends — switch the search scope to YouTube Search to see how interest in a word changes over time.
What to check after you post
- Check the click-through rate after a day or two. If it's low, change the title and thumbnail.
- In the audience retention graph, find the points where people leave and cut that part in your next video.
- For a topic that got a good response, make one more video from a different angle.
A table for choosing a topic
| What to look at | Good sign | Sign to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Channel size | Small channel with big views | Only big channels get big views |
| How long it's been rising | Started rising a few days ago | Has been falling for weeks |
| Platform | Rising on two or more at once | Only briefly on one |
| Fit with your channel | A topic your current viewers will like | A topic far from your channel's style |
How do I make a YouTube video blow up?
There's no fixed formula, but the easiest approach to copy is to spot a topic that blew up even on a small channel early, then make it your own way. Decide what to show in the first 3 seconds, plus the title and thumbnail, first.
What does the YouTube algorithm look at?
YouTube explains that it looks at whether viewers click on a video, how long they watch, and whether they were satisfied afterward. So the basics are to earn the click with the title and thumbnail, then keep people watching to the end with the opening scene and structure.
How should I write a title?
Put the key word first and promise just one thing viewers will get from watching. An exaggerated title that doesn't match the video makes people leave quickly and ends up hurting you.
Should I start with Shorts or long-form videos?
Shorts work better for reaching many people quickly, while long videos work better for building watch time and a loyal audience. One approach is to test a topic as a Short first, then turn it into a long video if the response is good.
Can I view it for free?
Yes. The popular videos, YouTuber rankings, keywords, and short-form trend pages mentioned in this article can be viewed without logging in.
Can I view it by category?
Yes. You can see popular content by topic on category pages such as mukbang, beauty, travel, and AI.