Video Marketing

How to post a YouTube video on Instagram 

Updated July 27, 2022
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Want to share your YouTube videos on Instagram? Whether it’s a promo video, sneak peek trailer, how-to tutorial, or a funny skit, you can easily share YouTube videos to Instagram in a few simple steps. 

Read on to learn how to post a YouTube video on Instagram as a post, Story, and video link, and explore how to quickly resize a video for Instagram with Clipchamp's online video editor.

How to resize YouTube videos for Instagram

YouTube videos are in a different aspect ratio to Instagram’s requirements, but that doesn’t mean you can’t post them. All you have to do is follow these steps with Clipchamp's video editor.

  1. Log in to Clipchamp 

  2. Upload your YouTube video then drag and drop it onto the timeline 

  3. Change the aspect ratio from 16:9 to 1:1 or 9:16

  4. Adjust the borders, position, or rotate your video

  5. Export your new Instagram video in 720p or 1080p resolution

How to post a YouTube video on Instagram as a video post and Reel

To post YouTube videos on Instagram, start by downloading your videos to your computer. Are you saving another creator's YouTube video? Make sure to have permission from the original creator before downloading.

Step 1. Upload your YouTube video to the video editor 

Log in to Clipchamp’s video editor or sign up for free. Click on the + symbol to upload your YouTube video to the Your media library. Drop your YouTube video on the timeline or click on the green + symbol to start editing.

Step 2. Edit the video aspect ratio

Click on the 16:9 aspect ratio on the right side of the video editor. Select the 1:1 or 9:16 aspect ratio suitable for Instagram posts. We recommend using the 9:16 aspect ratio for all Instargam Reels posts. Your video will now have a black border. Click on the video preview, then click on the Fill button. You can move your video preview using the free hand tool to change the center of your video.

You may also need to trim your YouTube video to Instagram’s video length requirements. The maximum length of an Instagram video is 3 seconds to 10 minutes.

Step 3. Save your new Instagram video

Click on the Export button at the top right corner of the video editor. Select the video quality you would like to save your Instagram video. We recommend saving in 720p or 1080p resolution for social media uploads. Your video will automatically save to your computer or save your video to your smartphone using Google Drive, One Drive, and Box. 

Make sure your video does not exceed 650MB and 10 minutes.

Step 4. Post your YouTube video to Instagram

Head to your Instagram account and click on the + Create a new post button. Click on Post or Reel, then upload your video from your files. Follow the on-screen instructions.

How to post a YouTube video on Instagram Story

  1. Save your YouTube video to your computer

  2. Edit the aspect ratio of your video with Clipchamp 

  3. Save your new video to your smartphone 

  4. Head over to Instagram and tap on the + symbol, then tap Story

  5. Upload your video from your camera roll 

  6. Tap either Your Story or Close Friends to publish

How to post YouTube videos on Instagram Story as a link

Do you have over 10,000 followers on Instagram? Share YouTube videos to Instagram Stories as a video link using the Swipe-up feature.

  1. Open the Instagram app on your smartphone 

  2. Tap on the + symbol, then tap Story

  3. Tap on the chain icon at the top of your screen

  4. Tap URL, paste the link to your YouTube video, then tap Done

  5. Tap either Your Story or Close Friends to publish

If you don’t have over 10,000 followers, use the Instagram Story sticker link button instead. Just paste your YouTube video URL into the URL box, customize your sticker text, and share it with Your Story or Close Friends.

Why should you post videos from YouTube to Instagram?

1. Reach new audiences

Viewers who watch your YouTube channel videos might not follow your Instagram account so they won’t know about your long-form video content. Help increase brand awareness by expanding your audiences on different platforms. Repurposing YouTube videos to Instagram can grow your audience on other platforms and attract new followers.

2. Save valuable time and money

Creating new videos for Instagram can be a time-consuming task. Instead of starting from scratch, all you need to do is edit the aspect ratio and length of your existing YouTube videos. Adapt your YouTube videos to Instagram’s format to save time and money by batch creating videos.

3. Improve SEO

Improve your SEO rankings by posting popular YouTube videos to Instagram. To Instagram, it’s new and fresh content relevant to your target audience. You can reach new audiences using the right hashtags and captions in no time.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I share post to story Instagram?

If you can’t share an Instagram Story, ensure you have ‘Allow sharing to story’ toggled on. Tap on Settings > Privacy > Story > toggle on Allow sharing to story.

Do I need to use a YouTube video converter?

No. If you have a YouTube Premium account, you can download YouTube videos legally and for free. Instead of using a YouTube video converter, upload your videos directly to Clipchamp to edit and resize suitable for Instagram.

Easily post from YouTube to Instagram today

Ready to grow your audience and entertain your followers? Share videos from YouTube to Instagram in no time with Clipchamp.

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