How to Share a YouTube Video on an Instagram Story

You created a fantastic YouTube video, and now you want to guide your Instagram followers to watch it. You head to your Story, ready to share, only to realize there's no big, easy Share from YouTube button. Promoting your YouTube content on Instagram Stories is one of the best ways to drive views and subscribers, but getting it done isn't as direct as you'd think. This guide will walk you through the most effective methods to share your YouTube video on your Instagram Story, turning your followers into engaged viewers.

First, Why Can't You Just Directly Share a YouTube Video to an Instagram Story?

Before jumping into the "how," it helps to understand the "why." You can't directly share a YouTube video to an Instagram Story because YouTube (owned by Google) and Instagram (owned by Meta) are competing platforms. Each one wants to keep users inside their own ecosystem for as long as possible. Instagram isn't built to make it easy to send people away to a competitor's video platform. Additionally, the formats are different - YouTube traditionally favors horizontal, long-form video, while Instagram Stories are built for vertical, short-form content. Because of this, we need a few smart workarounds to bridge the gap and get your video shared effectively.

Method 1: The Go-To Strategy - Using the Instagram Link Sticker

This is the simplest and most direct method for sharing any YouTube video, and thanks to a great update from Instagram, it's now available to everyone. Previously, you needed a "Swipe Up" link, which was only available to accounts with over 10,000 followers. Now, the Link Sticker has democratized sharing, making it accessible to creators of all sizes.

Step-by-Step Guide for Using the Link Sticker

1. Copy the YouTube Video URL: Open the YouTube app or website. Navigate to the video you want to share, tap the "Share" button, and then select "Copy link." This adds the video's URL to your phone's clipboard.
2. Create a New Instagram Story: Open Instagram and swipe right from your feed or tap the plus icon and select "Story" to start a new creation.
3. Design Your Story's Background: You need a visual to attach the link to. You can take a quick picture, use a solid-color background, or - ideally - upload a relevant image or short clip. A great option is to use your video's thumbnail, a compelling behind-the-scenes photo, or even a simple graphic that teases the video topic.
4. Add the Link Sticker: At the top of the Story editor screen, tap the Sticker icon (the square smiley face). From the tray of options, select the "LINK" sticker.
5. Paste Your URL and Customize the Text: A new screen will pop up. Paste the YouTube link you copied earlier into the "URL" field. You'll also see a "Sticker text" field. Instead of showing the full, messy URL, you can customize this text with a clear call to action. Try things like:
   • WATCH THE NEW VIDEO!
   • FULL TUTORIAL HERE
   • TAP HERE TO WATCH
   • NEW EPISODE LIVE
6. Position and Customize Your Story: Once you tap "Done," the sticker will appear on your Story. You can resize it by pinching and dragging, move it around, and even tap it to change its color style. Place it somewhere prominent where it won't be covered by your profile icon or the reply bar at the bottom. Add any other relevant GIFs (like an arrow pointing to the link sticker), text, or polls to make your Story more engaging before you share it with your followers.

Pro-Tips for Making Your Link Sticker Irresistible

• Design for the Tap: Don't just slap the sticker on a random photo. Create a graphic template specifically for new video announcements. It strengthens your brand and makes the link look more intentional.
• Talk to the Camera First: Before posting the Story with the link, consider recording a short video of yourself talking about the YouTube video. Explain what it's about and why your audience should watch it. Then, on the next Story slide, post the graphic with the link sticker. This personal touch really builds anticipation.
• Use Other Stickers to Build Context: Use poll, quiz, or question stickers to warm up your audience. For example, you could ask, "Struggling with [problem]? My new video has the solution!" on one slide, then share the link sticker on the next.

Method 2: Give Them a Sneak Peek with the Screen Recording Method

While the Link Sticker on a static image is effective, a short clip of the video in action is often more compelling. A visual preview gets people invested and curious to see the rest. The screen recording method lets you show your audience exactly what they're about to click on, increasing the chances they'll follow through. Caution: This method is only appropriate if you legally own the content that will play, which most of the time you do if you own the YouTube channel your content is playing on, but this method may violate other companies' copyrights or rights of publicity. It will be helpful to retain an independent expert lawyer to discuss the details for how that may be relevant for your independent situation.

How to Share via Screen Recording

1. Prepare Your YouTube Video: Go to the YouTube app and find your video. Cue it up to the most dynamic, interesting, or value-packed 15-second segment.
2. Rotate Your Phone and Enter Full-Screen: Turn your phone horizontally to watch the video in full-screen mode. This ensures you're capturing just the video, without the extra buttons and text from the YouTube interface.
3. Start a Screen Recording: On an iPhone, swipe down from the top-right corner to open the Control Center and tap the screen record button. On an Android, swipe down for Quick Settings and find the "Screen recorder" option. After a short countdown, your phone will start recording everything on the screen.
4. Play the Clip: Let your chosen 15-second clip play. Make sure your phone's volume is up if you want to capture the audio from the video.
5. Stop Recording and Trim: Once the clip is done, stop the screen recording. The video will be saved to your photo gallery. Use your phone's built-in editor to trim any awkward pauses at the beginning or end, leaving just the clean video preview. Don't forget to crop the video to a vertical 9:16 aspect ratio so it fits the Story format perfectly.
6. Upload to Instagram and Add the Link: Now, go back to Instagram Stories, but this time, upload your newly trimmed and cropped screen recording. This is the critical part: you still need to add the Link Sticker directing viewers to the full YouTube video. This gives them the preview and the path to watch the entire thing.
7. Add a Clear CTA: Since your Story is now a video, your audience might assume that's all there is. Add some text overlay like "Tap the link above for the FULL workout!" or "See the rest of the tutorial - link in sticker!" This explicitly tells people where to go next.

Method 3: The Most Professional Approach - Create a Custom Vertical Teaser

If you want your promotion to look totally native and polished, this is the way to go. Instead of using a static image or a raw screen recording, you repurpose footage from your YouTube video into a dedicated, vertically formatted video teaser specifically for your Instagram Story. It takes a bit more effort, but the results look far more professional and often lead to better engagement.

How to Create a Custom Trailer for Your Story

1. Select Your Best Clips: While editing your main YouTube video (or after), identify a few standout moments, punchlines, or 'Aha!' moments. Export these short clips separately.
2. Edit in a Vertical Format: Use a mobile video editing app like CapCut, InShot, VN Editor, or a desktop tool like Adobe Premiere Rush. Start a new project with a 9:16 aspect ratio (the standard for Instagram Stories and Reels).
3. Add Captions and Graphics: A huge percentage of people watch Stories with the sound off. Burned-in, dynamic captions are essential for getting your message across. Add a catchy title at the top of the video like "3 Mistakes You're Making in the Gym" or "My Secret to Fluffy Pancakes."
4. Keep it Short and Punchy: Your goal isn't to summarize the whole video, it's to create an information gap or spark curiosity. A well-edited teaser between 15 and 30 seconds works best. End it on a cliffhanger that makes viewers want to click to get the full story.
5. Upload to Stories and Add the Link: Just like the other methods, upload your finished vertical teaser to your Instagram Story. And, of course, add that all-important Link Sticker with a strong call to action to guide people to the full video on YouTube.

Final Thoughts

Promoting your YouTube content on Instagram doesn't have to be complicated. While a direct-share feature isn't available, you can easily bridge the gap using the Link Sticker on a custom graphic, an engaging screen-recorded preview, or a polished vertical video teaser to drive your audience exactly where you want them to go.

When building a brand across a lot of social channels, consistency is crucial. Part of my social marketing work process involves using our visual content planning calendar in Postbase to plan YouTube promotions. You can see your custom teasers planned out alongside our scheduled Reels and other video content. It provides a bird's-eye view, ensuring our content plan remains an organized machine instead of chaos.