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Repurpose.io is a content repurposing service which saves me a lot of time when I repurpose my social media content. Here are tips on how to repurpose YouTube videos for TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels.
What We Gonna Talk About
TL;DR
If you want to try repurpose.io, a service for repurposing content across social media channels, just click here.
What’s The Problem?
Ever since I started creating my wildlife videos and photos, I’ve faced the same problem: How can I create content for several social media platforms without doubling or tripling my workload? My main social platform is YouTube, and I almost always use my Nikon camera, not my mobile phone, for creating high-quality videos for this platform. I then edit them on Filmora and publish. This takes time. And then, long-form YouTube videos are horizontal, while all other platforms—the one that has more reach, too—are vertical (TikTok, YouTube shorts, Instagram Reels).
When I just started publishing my videos, a bit more than a year ago (my first bird video is from July 2021) this question really bothered me. Should I directly shoot a vertical video in the field as well, and edit it, too? But then, what happens when I see something really impressive I want to capture… should I film it twice, once for YouTube and one for all the rest? This made no sense. After all, filming is just a hobby for me, this hobby shouldn’t become a taxing and annoying work.
So, until recently, I used to film high-quality content only horizontally. I also used my mobile phone camera for sort-of short form teasers for TikTok, Instagram, and shorts. Only when I had the mood for it, would I sit in front of my desktop and edit some long-form videos into short-form too.
But that, again, double the work, and so much good content is wasted.
The solution for this is automated tools.
Repurposing Content From YouTube To TikTok using Automated Tools
I used Munch trial version to repurpose YouTube videos for a while and really liked it. Munch automatically cuts the most capturing parts of your published video and make them vertical and available for direct publishing elsewhere or for further editing. For instance, on TikTok. Later, though, I had to say goodbye to munch because the monthly fee was a bit too mu(n)ch for me: around 80 US Dollars for monthly analysis of 150 hours of content.
Then, I found Repurpose.io (check it out here).
This tool allows you to set up workflows to best satisfy your content repurposing needs. So, for example, I automatically publish most of my TikToks to YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels. I use exception hashtags, such as #duet, when I think the content would not fit the other platforms. Repurpose.io has many other source and destination platforms apart from the ones I’m using (Facebook, LinkedIn, Podcast, and more). I use the 25$ tool for video creators and love it.
Here’s an example of my workflows on Repurpose.io:
But the problem remains: unlike munch, Repurpose.io does not automatically cut or ‘edits’ parts of your content into vertical clips. Even though the tool allows reusing horizontal clips, I usually do not publish them. Even with the added background instead of the black bars, the image does not fill the screen, and it doesn’t look good, in my opinion.
TikTok Editor: Last Piece of the Puzzle
Finally, the last piece of the puzzle for my repurposing workflow, for now, was found this week with TikTok’s new editor. Maybe I’m a bit late to the party, after all, Germany sometimes gets updates later than the US, nonetheless, I’m excited: TikTok now allows zooming in on your video content in the editor. That is, you can now, among other things, transform videos from horizontal and fill in the vertical screen.
Therefore, when your original footage is not too close-up to begin with, it can be used for creating new TikTok clips, using TikTok sounds and all the rest.
My new workflow is now something like this:
After filming, editing, and publishing a long form YouTube video, Repurpose.io automatically saves my published video on my Google Drive. When I want to create a new TikTok, I download the video and use it in the TikTok app. After publishing, Repurpose.io automatically publishes my TikTok in Shorts and Reels, too. And that’s it! No more wasting good content or working twice as hard for publishing similar content.
More Content Repurposing Services
I also use Later for scheduling content. Later is another service for content repurposing. It allows you to easily publish across platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, making the necessary customizations really easy. Currently, I use it for Instagram photo posts and stories, not a lot for repurposing video content, but even with this limited use it’s a very helpful app. I pay 18$ a month for the starter plan.
Here’s how my plan looks like on Later:
More Content Creator Tools
I hope this post has been helpful in providing you with tips for time-saving content repurposing and scheduling, in particular for repurposing YouTube videos for TikTok. You can read about more recommended tools here.
If you have more ideas and recommendations, please share them in the comments below.
Note: The cat in the cover photo is not Rocky, it’s a Dall-E cat!