How to Repurpose Content Across Reels and TikTok and Shorts

Published on 13.08.2026 by Chizoba T

In recent years, the internet has been dominated by short-form content, with these videos accounting for around 82% of global internet traffic. According to one study, 85% of marketers consider short-form videos the most effective content format. This often raises the need to choose between Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts.

However, creating video content can prove challenging. This is especially true when you need to create content for all three different platforms: Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok. If you have to shoot a TikTok video, edit it, post it, and then repeat the same process for TikTok and YouTube Shorts, a good idea would be to repurpose content for the different formats. In this article, we will guide you on how to repurpose social media content across platforms.

What is Short Video Repurposing?

Short video repurposing involves re-editing short footage to get maximum value. This is key in an era when short-form videos have transformed B2B marketing. You can repurpose the content in different ways, such as adjusting the length, pace, aspect ratios, and visual style. This can be a good strategy for getting the maximum ROI to reach your target audience. 

However, a common mistake that creators make is to assume that content repurposing is all about removing the logo of one platform before posting on another or trimming the long videos to 30 seconds. You also need to change the context and format and match the behavior of each platform.

Why You Should Repurpose Your Short-Form Videos

There are several reasons to consider repurposing your short-form videos. These include:

Get Maximum ROI

According to one study, 26% of social media marketers say the biggest challenge they face is the lack of time for uploading. When you invest a lot of resources in a video, publishing it once on a single channel can be inefficient.

Repurposing social media content enables creators to turn a single short-form video into several of them without having to create completely new content. It could be that you created a TikTok video or a reel that performed completely well. If you posted the video on TikTok, you may realize that not all your audience is on the platform, so you may need to post it on YouTube Shorts or Reels to reach a bigger audience.

Upload Consistently

YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Reels all reward consistent content uploads. Since you may not have enough time to create a lot of content, repurposing the content ensures that you have a consistent stream of content to upload. It can, therefore, be a good strategy for B2B brands using TikTok to drive sales.

Factors to Consider When Repurposing Content

Before you begin editing a TikTok video to post in Shorts or Reels, you need to consider the following.

  • Lifespan of the content. Viral content often doesn't last long and may not be a good choice for repurposing. On the other hand, evergreen content repurposes better. If you made a TikTok video on a home workout that performed well, it will still perform better when repurposed for Instagram Reels in the next 18 months.
  • Your target audience’s platform. You want to consider which platform your target audience is mostly on. If your TikTok audience isn't on YouTube, there is no need to repurpose the video for the platform. Instead, you want to consider Reels if you think that is where your audience is.
  • Content goal. If you want to grab your audience’s attention and stop people from scrolling, the top of the funnel content is a good choice to do so. You can also use mid-funnel content to explain how your product works. You want to ensure that the platform you are repurposing fits the different stages of the sales journey.

Creating a Content Repurposing Workflow 

Now that you understand the goal of content repurposing and the key considerations before you do it, let us look at the actual steps involved in the process. A good content repurposing strategy involves a three-step process. Instead of creating three separate videos, you create one video and adjust it for the different platforms. 

You can do that in the following steps:

  • Film your TikTok video first. TikTok often uses a casual, trendy style, making it a good place to start. You can film in the 9:16 format and at the highest resolution possible.
  • Remove the watermark to export. You can download the original video to repost. But make sure you have removed the competitor watermark, or the video’s reach will be suppressed. Already, Instagram has confirmed that it de-prioritizes videos with TikTok watermarks.
  • Add platform-specific hooks. Each platform has a different hook. TikTok hooks often consist of provocative treatment or trending sounds. A visually outstanding framework works well for Reel hooks, while you can use a searchable question to match the search query people use on YouTube.
  • Add the caption for each platform. The caption that works for TikTok won't work for Reels, Shorts, or vice versa. That is why you need to custom-make the reel for each platform. TikTok captions are usually casual and filled with hashtags. On the other hand, a Reel caption should have a clear call to action, while a caption for YouTube Shorts should include the relevant keyword to enhance discovery in search.
  • Understand the best posting time. You don't have to post everything at the same time. You can begin by posting on TikTok, where trends tend to peak earlier, followed by 24 to 48 hours, and Shorts after 48 to 72 hours. That means you can leverage the performance data to improve your campaign.

Platform-Specific Repurposing Strategy

Here are ways to repurpose specifically for the different platforms:

Repurpose TikTok Reels for Instagram Reels

A common strategy that people use when repurposing short-form videos is to start by creating content for TikTok. This is because the platform offers more features they can leverage to make their videos outstanding. However, this strategy comes with one challenge: short videos downloaded from TikTok also feature the watermark. Therefore, consider using third-party tools to remove the watermark before uploading to Reels.

Before you post your TikTok on Instagram Reels, a good idea would be to mute the original sound and replace it with the video editor on Instagram. This works because the more native Instagram platform features you use, the higher the chances of your videos getting recommended.

Sharing Instagram Reels on TikTok

It is easier to post Instagram Reels on TikTok, as Instagram doesn't leave any watermarks. So, all you need to do is create the reel, download it, and save it. You can also use third-party tools, such as InstDown, to save your reel to the camera roll.

Sharing TikTok to YouTube Shorts

Since both TikTok and YouTube support vertical videos, you can also share your TikTok on YouTube Shorts. However, you need to repurpose the content using the steps outlined above to match the audience behavior, algorithm preference, and the technical needs of each platform.

You can use the following steps to repurpose TikTok to YouTube Shorts:

  • Use your camera roll or editing software to download the original TikTok video. If the only available option is the TikTok version, you can re-export the file using the original file name.
  • Check the video duration. You need to ensure that the TikTok video is less than 60 seconds, as that is the maximum length for YouTube Shorts. If it's longer, you need to edit it and remain with the top-performing 60 seconds. Alternatively, you can consider splitting the longer TikTok video into two.
  • Reviewing and replacing audio. Confirm whether the video has background sound or music in the YouTube library. If it isn't, you can find another track with a YouTube license. If the video uses original audio, you don't have to make any changes.
  • Change captions and text. Check the text overlays to ensure they will not get blocked by the UI elements of YouTube. If there are some texts sitting close to the edges, move them. Consider the caption timing, especially if you will be using auto-generated captions.
  • CTA rewriting. If there are any words in the CTA referring to TikTok, you should rewrite them. For instance, you need to use the words "link in description" to replace "link in bio". Also, remove features that mention TikTok, such as duet or stitch, and replace them with a CTA that is suited for YouTube, such as subscribe for more.
  • Title & description optimization. The search engine considers the title and the description for YouTube Shorts, so you need to make them full of keywords that accurately describe the Short. Adding a detailed description and hashtags to TikTok content doesn't have as much weight as it does on YouTube.

In Conclusion

Repurposing content across social media involves adapting a single short-form video for different platforms. Rather than creating original short-form videos for different platforms, you can create a single pillar video and ensure it is optimized for the different channels. However, you need to avoid a common mistake that creators make: not adapting the content to each platform's requirements. 

According to a Hootsuite study, 73% of creators repurpose content across different social media platforms, but only around 30% adapt the content for each platform. This is despite the fact that a successful cross-posting strategy requires the content to be adapted to each platform