Many creators have the need to upload content to multiple platforms. In most cases, existing content can be published as short-form content on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
See also: TikTok NewMusic: The new music search feature
This guide will help you effectively use your YouTube videos to create short-form content.
1. Use YouTube Remix
In the YouTube app, you can use any video as a base to create Shorts with the Remix button. You can use the audio from a video, cut out a section of it, or use a green screen effect to use the video as a background.
If it's a video you uploaded, you have the additional option to Edit into a Short. This option is handy but quite limited, as you can only choose a limited video length of up to 60 seconds. And the editing options are quite limited compared to using the regular TikTok creation tools, Reels or Shorts.
You can select a section of a video and then add additional clips either recorded in-app or from your phone's storage. The main advantages are simplicity and that the Short will be linked to the original video. You can also then save the Short to your device and upload it to TikTok.
2. Re-arrange your video using editing software
This process is primarily aimed at people who have already made horizontal videos in editing software like Premiere Pro and want to optimize that content by turning it into one or more TikToks. You can also edit TikTok from scratch with Adobe Premiere Rush.
In your editing software, create a new sequence in your existing video project. In Premiere Pro, simply right-click the project folder, click New Item , and then click Sequence. Adjust the sequence settings to 1080×1920 (9×16) or 1080×1080 (1×1) and the same frame rate as your existing video. This will help your video fit the vertical view of TikTok, Reels, and Shorts.
For 1080p (1920×1080) video in a 1080×1920 sequence, scale the clip to 180% to enlarge it to fit the frame. Then, horizontally adjust to the center. If your video source is 1920×1080, consider creating your TikTok sequence in 720×1280 (720p at 9:16) or 1080×1080 (1080p at 1:1) for a closer resolution match.
In the case of a static shot across your entire set of clips, right-click and copy the clip you adjusted. Then select all the clips with the same frame, right-click and select Paste Attributes.
In the pop-up menu, select Motion to copy the position and scale settings. All clips must have the same scale and position settings as the custom one.
If your video is too enlarged to fit in the frame with the method above, zoom in to fit yourself completely, and then add a background.
A fun, more elegant way to fill the frame is to duplicate the same video clips below the main ones and add a blur effect. If you're a streamer and prefer to avoid most of the editing process, you can also create pre-made TikToks in OBS while you're streaming.
See also: What to avoid to avoid getting banned from TikTok?
3. Create stylized captions using editing software
In short-form content like TikTok, many viewers watch without sound or in an otherwise more passive way than long-form content. Adding subtitles to at least part of the video, if not all, can help serve these silent or passive viewers, making it easier for them to understand the video’s topic at a glance.
First, use speech-to-text to quickly transcribe your TikTok sequence. Edit this transcription, then use it to create subtitles. If they seem simple, you can apply bulk edits to all of them to make them more elegant.
To do this, select all the subtitles in the newly created subtitle track. In the text settings window on the right side of the screen, you can find adjustments for the font and position of the text. There are also settings such as drop-shadow for depth and stroke for the outline.
It's somewhat limited compared to manually writing and editing subtitles using the text tool, but it's a much faster way to format your subtitles to your liking.
Your specific caption style will vary, but we recommend moving the text closer to the center of the screen via a negative Y value in the Align and Transform setting and making the font larger as well.
4. Create a TikTok thumbnail from your video
The last technical step to consider is creating a TikTok thumbnail in your editing timeline. You can choose any frame from the video to be the thumbnail, but when uploading, the first frame is the default thumbnail, so it's more efficient to make a good first frame.
Keep in mind that on a TikTok user's profile, the thumbnail cuts off the top and bottom of the video in a 3:4 aspect ratio, so whatever you want to have should be in the middle 75%. In the case of a 1080×1920 video, the specific thumbnail frame is 1080×1440, so the top and bottom 240 pixels will be cut off.
It’s also worth noting that Instagram Reels have a 1:1 aspect ratio for thumbnails on your main profile and a 9:16 aspect ratio on the Reels tab. While YouTube shorts have a nearly 9:16 aspect ratio with a slight top/bottom crop. In either case, framing a thumbnail to fit in the middle 75% of your frame will optimize it for most platforms.
As for creating a thumbnail, add stylish text that summarizes the topic of the video and make sure the graphics are eye-catching. Another strategy would be to simply create an eye-catching thumbnail in photo editing software and set it as your first video frame in Premiere.
On TikTok, thumbnails aren't the most critical step, as most people discover content through the For You.
See also: TikTok: £12.7 million fine for data leak
That said, if someone checks out your profile after discovering you, your videos should be easily recognizable with clear thumbnails. As critical as these technical tips are, remember to create engaging content! The more engaging your original YouTube video is in terms of shot composition, B-roll, stock footage, and audio, the easier it will be to convert it to TikTok.
