How to Make a Tier List Video for YouTube & TikTok (2026)

Before you can record, you need the tier list itself and the software to capture it. First, go to a site like TierMaker.com to create your ranking grid.

You can choose from thousands of community templates or upload your own images to make a custom list from scratch. Once your template is ready, prepare your recording software.

For a free and dependable option, download OBS Studio. It allows you to capture your screen and audio simultaneously.

A critical first step in OBS is setting the correct canvas resolution. For YouTube Shorts or TikTok, set your canvas to a 9:16 vertical aspect ratio, like 1080x1920 pixels, to ensure your video fills the entire mobile screen.

For a standard YouTube video, a 1920x1080 resolution is appropriate. This initial setup prevents formatting problems during your edit.

With your tier list open in one window and OBS Studio in another, you are ready to record. Start by configuring your audio source.

While a built-in laptop mic works, a USB microphone like the Blue Snowball (approx. $50) will produce noticeably clearer audio, which is crucial for viewer retention. Do a 15-second test recording to check your audio levels and ensure your voice is clear without peaking.

When you're ready, press 'Start Recording' in OBS. As you drag each item into a tier, explain your reasoning.

Be opinionated and clear in your judgments—this is what creates engagement and discussion in the comments. Keep your explanations concise to maintain a good pace.

Once you have ranked all the items, stop the recording. Your raw video file is now saved and ready for editing.

Raw screen recordings need editing to become engaging videos. Start by importing your footage into a video editor; CapCut's desktop app is a free option with many features.

The first task is to trim the beginning and end of the video to remove any dead air where you were setting up or stopping the recording. Next, cut out any long pauses or mistakes to make the video flow better.

Add simple zoom-ins on specific items as you discuss them to create visual interest. Adding background music at a low volume (around -25dB) can make the video feel more professional.

Finally, add captions. A 2022 study by Verizon showed that 80% of consumers were more likely to watch a video to completion if it had captions.

This step is essential for reaching a wider audience, especially on mobile platforms where many users watch with the sound off.

Manually transcribing and timing captions can be the most time-consuming part of the editing process. If you prefer not to use your own voice or want to speed up captioning, AI tools can help.

You can use a text-to-speech tool to generate a clean voiceover from a script. For an integrated workflow, an AI video generator can handle both voice and captions.

For example, a tool like FluxNote can create a human-sounding voiceover from your text and automatically generate perfectly synchronized, word-by-word captions in minutes. This method can reduce your editing time by over 30% compared to manually creating captions in an editor like CapCut or Adobe Premiere Pro.

The final step is exporting your video with the correct settings for your target platform. For both YouTube Shorts and TikTok, the optimal format is an MP4 file using the H.264 codec.

Set the resolution to 1080x1920 pixels to match the vertical format. A frame rate of 30 FPS is standard.

For the bitrate, a setting between 8 and 12 Mbps provides a good balance of quality and file size for high-definition online streaming. A common mistake is placing text or key visuals too close to the edges of the screen.

Remember that TikTok's interface (username, description, like buttons) will cover parts of the bottom and right side of the video. Keep your important content within the central 'safe zone' to ensure it's always visible to viewers.