Making a good short video is the expensive part. Posting it once wastes most of that work. Here’s how to put one video on all four platforms without working against yourself.
Why post everywhere
Each platform has its own audience, and many people use only one or two. A video that works on one usually works on the others, so posting it four times reaches people the first post never would. On every plan, we post each video on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Shorts, and count the views on each.
The watermark rule
Instagram’s rules for recommendations say an eligible post “has no visible watermarks”, and when Instagram finds two or more identical posts, it recommends only the original (Instagram for Creators, 30 April 2024). So save the finished video from your editor, and upload that same file to each platform. Don’t download it from TikTok and repost it on Instagram.
Post your own videos
The same Instagram rules keep accounts that repeatedly post content they didn’t create, or change in a meaningful way, out of recommendations. Post what you made. If you share someone else’s video, add something of your own to it.
Length and shape
Film vertically, and keep it short: many of our films run under twenty seconds. YouTube classes a square or vertical video of up to three minutes as a Short (YouTube Help), and every start or replay of a Short counts as a view (YouTube Help).
Captions and on-screen text
Keep the on-screen text inside the middle of the frame, where no platform’s buttons cover it, and write each caption for its platform. The video stays the same; the words around it can change.
What we do
We plan the month, film at your business, edit, and post every video on all four platforms. Then we count the views: every post, on each platform’s own numbers, until a month after the month ends. See the plans.
Questions owners ask
Can I post a TikTok on Instagram Reels?
Yes, but upload your own original file, not a download with TikTok’s watermark. Instagram’s rules for recommendations ask for posts without visible watermarks.
Is cross-posting bad for reach?
Not when each upload is your own original file. Instagram recommends the original when it finds copies, so make sure the original is yours.
How long can a YouTube Short be?
Up to three minutes, for a square or vertical video. Every start or replay counts as a view.
How do I start?
Book a free thirty-minute video consultation with a partner: a few quick questions, then pick a time. Book a consultation