How to Make a Tier List Video for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube

A tier list video is a screen-recorded ranking where you place related items into labeled rows such as S, A, B, C, and D. The format works for TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and longer videos because the audience can understand the visual ranking quickly and debate the choices in the comments.

Use SocialGrow’s free tier list maker to add text or images, customize the rows, and download a clean PNG without signing up.

1. Choose a topic people can judge quickly

The best tier list topics have three qualities:

• The audience recognizes most of the items.
• People have different opinions about what belongs at the top.
• You can explain your ranking using a simple rule.

Good starting points include:

• Fast-food chains or snacks
• Movies, TV shows, or albums
• Video games, characters, or game mechanics
• Creator tools and editing apps
• Travel destinations
• Products you have actually used
• Content formats, hooks, or social media strategies

Avoid combining unrelated items. “Ranking every app I use” is harder to follow than “Ranking video editing apps for beginner creators.” A narrow topic gives viewers a clear standard for judging your list.

2. Set a ranking rule before you record

Decide what the tiers mean before you start moving items. Your rule could be:

• How often you would recommend the item
• Value for money
• Ease of use
• Entertainment value
• Performance for a specific audience
• Whether you would use it again

Write the rule in the first line of your video or say it out loud. Without a standard, viewers may assume you are changing the criteria whenever a controversial item appears.

3. Build the board

Open the tier list maker and choose whether you want to use text, images, or both.

1. Add your items one by one, or paste a list in bulk.
2. Upload your own images, paste them from your clipboard, or add image URLs.
3. Drag each item from the unranked pool into a tier.
4. Rename and recolor rows if S-to-D does not fit your topic.
5. Reorder items inside each row so the strongest choice is easy to see.

Keep the first version simple. Five or six tiers are usually enough. Too many rows make the ranking difficult to read on a phone screen.

4. Use a hook that creates a clear question

The opening should tell viewers what is being ranked and why your opinion might be useful or surprising.

Examples:

• “I tested seven video editors. Here is the only one I would recommend to a beginner.”
• “Ranking every fast-food breakfast from would order again to never again.”
• “These Instagram content formats look similar, but only two are worth your time.”
• “I am ranking the most popular creator tools, and this unpopular choice belongs in S tier.”

Show the board early. The visual structure is part of the hook, so avoid a long introduction before viewers see the first tier.

5. Record the ranking

You can record the screen while you drag items into place, or create the ranking first and use the finished board as a visual in an edited video.

For a live ranking:

1. Start with one easy placement so viewers understand the format.
2. Explain the rule in one sentence.
3. Move quickly through obvious choices.
4. Slow down for the two or three placements that need context.
5. Save the most debatable choice for the end.

For an edited ranking, record a clean screen capture and add voiceover afterward. This makes it easier to remove pauses and keep the explanation concise.

6. Turn disagreement into comments

Do not end with a vague “What do you think?” Give viewers a specific decision to challenge:

• “Which one did I rank too low?”
• “What belongs in S tier that I missed?”
• “Should this one move up if price is not a factor?”
• “I will make a part two from the top comment.”

Specific questions are easier to answer than general requests for feedback. They also give you a natural follow-up topic for another video.

7. Export the finished list

When the ranking is finished, click Download PNG in the tier list maker. Use the image as a thumbnail, a final frame, a carousel slide, or a reference while editing the video.

The tool saves your working list locally in the browser, so you can return to it without creating an account. Uploaded images are processed on your device rather than sent to SocialGrow.

Tier list video ideas to try next

If you are stuck, start with a topic where you already have first-hand experience. Rank your camera gear, editing apps, coffee orders, travel destinations, recent purchases, or the content formats you use every week. First-hand rankings are easier to defend and usually produce better explanations than a list assembled only for search traffic.

Once you have a topic, make your tier list and turn your most controversial placement into the opening question for the video.