You don't need to reinvent the format for every video. These fill-in-the-blank templates cover the vast majority of ranking videos that perform well, across the most common sub-formats.

The classic countdown template

Title: "Top [5/10] [Topic] That [Specific Outcome]"
Example: "Top 10 Deliveries That Went Hilariously Wrong."
Structure: weakest clip first, strongest last, one rank number and keyword per clip.

The "you won't believe #1" template

Title: "Top [5/10] [Topic] - #1 Is Unreal"
Works best when your final clip is genuinely the strongest by a clear margin, so the promise pays off instead of feeling hollow.

The head-to-head comparison template

Title: "[Thing A] vs [Thing B]: Which One Actually [Verb]?"
Structure this as alternating clips rather than a strict countdown - cut back and forth between the two sides before landing on a clear winner.

The "ranked by how bad it got" template

Title: "[Topic] Fails, Ranked by How Bad They Got"
This framing gives viewers an explicit axis to judge against, which tends to boost comments as people argue with your ordering.

The niche-specific template

Title: "Top [5/10] [Specific Niche] Moments Every [Audience] Will Recognize"
Example: "Top 5 Moments Every Home Cook Will Recognize." Naming the audience directly increases the odds they self-select into watching.

A simple on-screen structure that works with any template

Two-line title card → countdown from your lowest rank to #1 → "wait for it" card before the final reveal → progress bar the whole way through. See our full step-by-step guide for the mechanics behind each piece.

Drop a title into a template, get a finished video

Shortszilla builds the two-line title, rank overlays, and hook card automatically once you paste your clips and pick a title.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reuse the same template every video?

Yes - most successful ranking-video channels rotate between two or three templates rather than reinventing the structure each time. Familiarity is part of what makes the format binge-able.

Should the title always include a number?

Almost always. The number is what signals the format instantly, and removing it tends to lower the immediate recognition that drives the first tap.