What if you could record YouTube videos and generate all the content you need for a robust Instagram presence?
Welcome to the wonderful world of repurposing YouTube content for Instagram.
Instagram isn’t a long-form video platform, so much of your content will need adjusting. But with the proper editing, you can turn your YouTube content into Instagram Reels, Stories, and Carousel posts to maximize your reach.
In this article, we’ll help you figure out how to choose clips and snips to repurpose for Instagram. This essential skill will help you build your following on Instagram and YouTube simultaneously.
We’ll also share the best ways for how exactly to reuse YouTube content on IG.
In a Nutshell 🌰
- Pick YouTube content based on engagement & analytics.
- Reformat suitable clips into IG Reels.
- Turn step-by-step breakdowns into Carousels.
- B-roll and behind-the-scenes content make great Stories.
- Key takeaways are good Quote graphics or Reels.
- Use Live and QA to discuss fresh YouTube content.
Keep reading for the full scoop!
Contents
How to Choose Clips to Repurpose
If you’re reading this as an influencer, you already know how to create amazing YouTube content. You’ve learned what hooks, pacing, and storytelling techniques resonate most with your audience.
On Instagram, those rules change.
People are more scroll-happy on Instagram, so you must get their attention immediately.
Also, you’re not just looking for clips to turn into Reels. Depending on your goals, a non-video format might be better. For example, a Social Cat report found that Carousel posts have the highest engagement rate on Instagram, while Reels have the highest reach.
Pro tip: When repurposing your content, think beyond Reels. Rewatch your YouTube videos with Instagram in mind, and ask, “Would this make a good Reel, Story, or Carousel slide?”
Here are some practical ways to pick moments to do just that.
Identify High-Engagement Moments
First of all, look at your YouTube analytics. Watch for the following:
- A high number of likes might indicate that a video resonates with many people and would be great to repurpose.
- Comments can point out specific parts of the video that people enjoyed most.
- And, of course, spikes in viewer retention can mean something exciting is happening.
Use these metrics to identify moments worth moving to Instagram. If the clip is easy to edit into a Reel, change the aspect ratio and post it. If people are rewatching because the point is super good, leverage that as a quote in your feed. If it might be hard to understand, repurpose it as a Carousel post and go deeper.
Focus on Shareable Takeaways
One of the things the Instagram algorithm focuses on is interactions – aka engagement.
Basically, if you want people to see your posts more often, post content they want to save, share, comment on, or like.
One thing that YouTube content does well is create shareable takeaways.
If you’ve spent 20 minutes expounding on a topic in one of your videos, ask yourself: What are the main points people can take from this video? Where and how did I say them in my content?
Concise tips, quotes, reactions, or surprising takeaways can often stand alone. Edit these clips for Instagram Reels to spark interest in your content, and convert them into Carousel slides for saving and sharing.
Find Visually Appealing Scenes
Strong, eye-catching visuals are the best way to grab attention on Instagram. (And TikTok. And YouTube Shorts.) And you need it fast.
Start your Reels with eye-catching graphics and keep them coming.
To quote reporter Julie Jargon, “Now that [kids] binge on 15-second TikToks, those YouTube clips seem like PBS documentaries.”
Instagram Reels are more like TikToks than YouTube videos.
With long-form YouTube content, you have time to hook viewers, develop your story, and build tension.
With Instagram Reels, instant gratification is the name of the game. So cut to the coolest-looking parts of your video and make sure your audio is super clear. That’s the only way you’ll stop the scroll.
Ditch Lengthy Explanations
Long explanations simply don’t work on Instagram.
For short-form content, you need short explanations of things. Edit your content for Reels to 3 minutes or less.
For Carousel posts and photos, you need to condense it further. 1‑50 characters is the ideal caption length for Instagram posts.
How to Repurpose Your YouTube Content
Here are our five favorite ways to repurpose YouTube content on Instagram:
Turn Long-Form Videos into Instagram Reels
Once you know which parts of your videos are best, cut your long-form videos into clips for Instagram Reels.
How long should Reels be? Instagram recently introduced a 3-minute Reels option, so that’s the upper limit. Experiment with different lengths to see which works best. One easy way to do this is to hire a video editor to extract the clips and cut them to different runtimes.
Then, add trending audio and bold captions where appropriate to make the video fit the expectations for Reels. Obviously, use hashtags to make your video easier to discover on Instagram.
Create Carousel Posts with Step-By-Step Breakdowns
If you’ve created a complex tutorial – or explained a complicated concept – YouTube is a great place to provide all the context and additional information.
Instagram, not so much. Break the information down into easier-to-understand parts. One of the easiest and highest-performing options is a Carousel post: Make a collection of slides to break down a process into its essential parts.
A factual, helpful Carousel post is a great way to create engagement and promote your YouTube channel on Instagram.
Then, use video stills or quick Canva graphics for each slide. Add a concise caption to encourage people to swipe and save, then watch your engagement numbers climb.
Share Behind-the-Scenes Clips on Instagram Stories
A lot of content gets edited from YouTube videos. Repurposing that content on Instagram Stories can create interest without adding extra work.
The best clips to use on Instagram Stories are:
- Fun footage – maybe you’re taking a dance break or being goofy and caught it on film.
- Bloopers – funny mistakes add humor and interest. They also show your human side.
- Candid shots – These serve as a great backdrop and give a behind-the-scenes look that followers LOVE.
Use this footage as your base and add interactive elements like polls, quizzes, or questions to your Instagram story. Include a clear call to action and link to the full video on YouTube, too.
Design Quote Graphics for Key Takeaways
Quotes from your YouTube videos are a great way to start conversations on Instagram, create interest, and promote your YouTube channel. They are super shareable, which helps with engagement and reach.
For these graphics, pick impactful quotes, key statistics, or the main takeaways from your content. Then, choose a format.
If you want to go the classic route, use branded design templates to create static images for your feed that keep your aesthetic consistent.
High-contrast, colorful quotes that match your brand are a great idea for Instagram.
If you want to try the newer method, superimpose text over a vertical video and post it as a Reel. (You can pull the clips mentioned in #3 to give you a great background).
Superimposing text over your YouTube B‑roll is a great option for Instagram.
We’ve seen Instagram accounts use both options with great success, so experiment to see what works for you. Don’t forget to remind people to share the post!
Host IG Live Q&A Sessions Based on Your YouTube Content
The other items on this list are about repurposing content you’ve already filmed. This one isn’t – it’s about reusing your preparation.
Instagram Live – especially a Q&A – is a fantastic opportunity to connect with your followers and build engagement and loyalty.
The problem? You need to be prepared to answer the questions they throw at you.
Using the content from your most recent YouTube video as a starting point is easy because you already know a lot about that topic, and the information will be fresh in your mind. People can ask questions, and you’ll be prepared.
Use this as an opportunity to explore the content further without repeating your entire video. You can always direct people to the YouTube video for the full context.
It’s also an excellent opportunity to share things you had to cut out of your video. Chances are, there was information you left out of your video or examples and Stories that had to be cut. You can talk about them live, either as part of the Q&A or to kick it off.
Finally, save the IG Live session to repurpose those clips as Stories and Reels later, too!
Ready, set, cut!
Now that you know where to start, it’s time to repurpose your YouTube content for Instagram. You’ll have more content with less effort and a greater reach. Before long, you’ll have a thriving presence on two platforms.
That’s an incredible feeling. And all you need to get there is a little video editing magic.
FAQs
You can post engaging Instagram content without much extra effort, growing your reach on both platforms.
Reels, Stories, and Carousels are the most engaging formats to recycle YouTube content. Reels and Stories are good for teasers and key takeaways, while Carousels let you break down a concept or process.
First, check YouTube analytics and look for high-engagement moments. Then pick out the best shareable takeaways and visually appealing scenes.
The shorter, the better. The ideal caption length is under 50 characters.
You can break down long videos by selecting the most engaging moments and short statements. Turn them into several Reels, Carousel posts, or even a whole series of IG Stories.
