How to make ranking videos people argue about in the comments.
A ranking video is a list with an order and an opinion. Here is how to choose the scale, order the entries, pace the reveal and label every pick, whether it is a 30-second countdown Short or a narrated ranking for YouTube.
- FormatsCountdown, tier list, ranked
- Items per countdown2 to 9
- AI voices16,000+
Ranking countdowns made in Clippie’s Top 5 editor, with the list filling in as each entry is revealed.
How to make a ranking video. Five steps.
- 1
Choose the scale
Decide what the entries are ranked on and say it in the title: fastest, most underrated, hardest, best value. One scale, no ties.
- 2
Choose the format
A countdown (2 to 9 clips, number 1 last) for Shorts and TikTok, or a narrated ranking with a scene per entry for YouTube.
- 3
Order the entries
Weakest first, strongest last. Put the pick people will disagree with at number 1 or number 2, where it gets the most attention.
- 4
Label and narrate each pick
A short label on screen and, if you narrate, one sentence on why it earned the spot. Rankings without reasons feel random.
- 5
Build it and post with a question
In the Top 5 editor: upload, drag into order, type labels, add a voice, music and captions, export. Ask in the caption what you got wrong.
Ranking videos, in depth. Formats, pacing and why people comment.
The three ranking formats
Most ranking videos are one of three shapes, and each suits a different platform and length:
- The countdown: a numbered list revealed from last place to first, one clip per entry. 20 to 45 seconds, vertical, the format of top 5 videos on TikTok, Reels and Shorts. This is what Clippie’s Top 5 editor makes.
- The narrated ranking: the same countdown with a narrator explaining each pick, 3 to 12 minutes, usually 16:9 for YouTube. Make it in the AI story editor with a scene per entry, or film it. The top 10 guide covers this shape.
- The tier list: entries sorted into S, A, B, C and D rows instead of a single order. Good for 20+ entries and for live or reaction formats; harder to make punchy in under a minute.
Pick one scale and say it
Every ranking needs a rule people can check the order against. “Top 5 Premier League goals” is a list; “Top 5 hardest Premier League goals to score” is a ranking, and viewers immediately start testing your order against it. Put the scale in the title and keep to it: a “most underrated” list where number 1 is the most famous entry will be called out.
Pace the reveal
A countdown holds attention by promising a better entry next. Keep the clips short (4 to 7 seconds), mark each new entry with a bass hit, a sound effect or a spoken number, and show the list so people can see how far from number 1 they are. Faded placeholders for the unrevealed numbers do this well; Clippie’s “show upcoming numbers” setting turns them on.
For narrated rankings, give each entry roughly the same time, except number 1, which can run longer. Name the entry first, then the reason; do not make people wait through the reason to find out what it is.
Where the clips come from
Rankings of other people’s work (goals, plays, movie scenes) are the formats most often claimed, because the clips belong to someone else. Use your own footage, screen recordings of your own gameplay, AI-generated clips or licensed stock. For a ranking of films, games or products, an AI-generated scene that represents each entry avoids the footage problem entirely; the narrated AI story version does this with an image or animated scene per entry.
Make a ranking video. Two ways.
Free to tryOpen the Top 5 video makerUpload your clips, type the labels and export a 1080p countdown. No editing skills needed.
AI storyNarrated top 10 for YouTubePaste a top 10 script and get a 16:9 video with an AI scene for every entry, a narrator and captions.- GuideHow to make top 5 videosThe full guide: topic, clips, order, labels, voiceover, music, captions and export.
- How-toHow to make top 10 videosNarrated top 10 lists for YouTube, and the countdown Short that sends people to them.
IdeasTop 5 video ideas100 ranked-list ideas by niche, from gaming and sports to true crime and money.
Built for rankings. Everything the countdown needs.
Top 2 to top 9
Pick how many items the countdown has. The list on screen, the numbers and the colours follow.
Your clips, in order
Upload MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV or WebM clips, trim each one, drag them into rank order, mute or replace any clip.
Title and transition voiceovers
An AI voice reads the title, and can announce every entry over a freeze frame before the clip plays. 16,000+ voices.
Fonts, colours and animations
127 fonts including Komika Axis, Anton and Bangers, a colour and stroke for every number, and ten entrance animations.
Music, bass boost and SFX
Background music from the library or your own file, a bass-drop transition between clips, and a sound effect on any entry.
Captions and blur
Word-timed captions generated from the voiceovers, and a blurred copy of each clip as the background.
Frequently asked questions.
How do I make a ranking video?
Choose what the entries are ranked on, order them from weakest to strongest, and reveal them in that order with a label and, if you narrate, a reason for each. For a countdown Short, upload one clip per entry to Clippie’s Top 5 editor, drag them into order, type the labels, add a voice, music and captions, and export. For a narrated ranking on YouTube, write the script and make it in the AI story editor.
What makes a good ranking video?
One clear scale in the title, entries people can compare on it, a surprising but defensible number 1, short clips, a hit between entries, and a reason for each pick if there is a narrator. The comments should argue about the order, which means the order has to be yours.
How many entries should a ranking video have?
Five for a Short: it fits in 30 to 45 seconds and people know the format. Three works for very short clips; up to nine fits on screen in the countdown editor. Narrated top 10s for YouTube run 5 to 12 minutes.
Can I make a ranking video with AI?
Yes. Clippie builds the countdown from your clips and labels, with an AI voice for the title and transitions and generated captions. For a narrated ranking with no footage, the AI story editor makes a scene for every entry from the script.
What is a top 5 video?
A top 5 video is a short countdown: a title like “Top 5 scariest places on Earth”, a numbered list on screen, and one clip for each entry, played from number 5 down to number 1. Each entry’s label appears as its clip plays, often with a bass hit or a voice announcing the number. The format is popular on TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts because every entry gives people a reason to keep watching to number 1.
Where do I get clips for a top 5 video?
Use footage you own or have permission to use: your own recordings, screen recordings of your own gameplay, clips you generate with AI, or stock and Creative Commons footage that allows reuse. Re-uploading other creators’ videos is the fastest way to get a ranking video taken down or demonetized, even with credit.
How much does it cost to make a top 5 video in Clippie?
You can open the Top 5 editor and see the format without an account. Uploading clips and exporting the finished video needs a Clippie plan: exports use the plan’s export minutes, the title and transition voiceovers use its AI voice minutes, and captions are free. Plans are listed below.
Why ranking videos get comments
Rankings are opinions presented as lists, and lists invite correction. Three things turn that into comments: a defensible but surprising number 1, a missing entry people expect, and a question in the caption. Do not make the order random to provoke; the comments should be “how is X not number 1”, not “this list is nonsense”.