[FAQ]

I’ve got a 12-minute YouTube tutorial that’s begging to be chopped into Reels, but I’m stuck on the workflow.

• How do you pick the right hooks?

• Clip length these days—7 sec, 30 sec, 90 sec?

• Any AI tools that spare me hours of vertical-cropping + captions?

• Drop the whole mini-series in one week or drip it out?

If you’ve cracked the code, I’d love your playbook before I disappear into the edit cave.

[Jeff Bullas]

Repurposing a 12-minute YouTube video into bite-sized Reels is one of the simplest ways to multiply your content without multiplying your workload. Here’s the steps we use:

1. Start with the transcript
Paste the YouTube link into Descript, Opus Clip, or Munch. Let the tool auto-transcribe and highlight the high-energy sound-bites. Scanning text is ten times faster than scrubbing video.

2. Keep clips to 15-45 seconds
Instagram’s sweet spot is under 30 seconds for pure awareness clips. Push to 45 seconds only if the tip is pure gold. Anything longer usually tanks retention.

3. One idea = one Reel
Break the long video into 5–8 standalone clips. Each clip should have:

A hook
One clear takeaway
A micro-CTA (e.g. “Full deep-dive on YouTube—link in bio”)

4. Edit vertical and add captions
1080 × 1920 aspect, speaker centred
Brand-coloured, burned-in subtitles (silent scrollers stay longer)

5. Nail the first three seconds
Open with a bold claim, stat, or question. You’re fighting for thumb-stop time.

6. Use a micro-CTA
Pin a short action: “Watch the full tutorial on YouTube” or “Save this for later.” Also add the YouTube link in your profile or a pinned comment.

7. Release as a mini-series
Drop one Reel per day for a week. Label them “Part 1/5,” “Part 2/5,” etc.—the binge factor trains both audiences and the algorithm.

8. Cross-post everywhere
Same file, fresh metadata: TikTok, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn vertical feed—easy reach boost.

9. Track two core metrics
Watch-time percentage – Aim for 60 %+.
Profile-visit-to-follow rate – 7 % or higher signals you’re attracting the right viewers.
Anything that beats those numbers is a candidate for a $5–$10 engagement boost.

10. Iterate fast
After the first week, inspect the analytics: reorder weak hooks, swap thumbnails, or add quick B-roll where viewers drop. Tiny tweaks can add big retention gains.

Tool stack cheat-sheet

Opus Clip – auto-splits and captions viral moments
Descript – text-based editing plus templates
CapCut / Canva – quick vertical resizing and branded overlays

Follow these steps and you’ll squeeze eight or more high-performing Reels out of every YouTube upload—no weekend-long edit marathons required.

Go repurpose and prosper! 💪
— Jeff

[Author]

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