Playbook · YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok, LinkedIn, X (Twitter) and Threads
How to make brand promo videos for Shorts, Reels and TikTok
Short answer
Communicate a brand offer / product launch / partnership clearly enough that the viewer knows what to do next. Deliver 9:16 on YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok and 1:1 on LinkedIn, X (Twitter) and Threads. Burn captions in on YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok; the others take plain text.
Start from: brand assets, product photos, founder talking head and demo footage.
The steps
- Pick the offer: One offer per clip. Multiple offers = no clip.
- Hook + body + CTA: 3-second hook, 20-second proof, 5-second CTA.
- Reframe + safe-zone: Subject on-screen, CTA inside safe-zone. (Safe-zone overlay)
- Caption or voiceover: Pick one, not both. (Burn-in)
- Export per platform: Use the platform's safe default preset. (Export preset)
What to produce: Vertical promo short (9:16, 30 s); Vertical story version (9:16, 15 s); Offer / benefit carousel (1:1).
Platform by platform
| Platform | Aspect | Length | Captions | Reframe from 16:9 | Safe zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube Shorts | 9:16 | up to 30 s | Burned in | Yes | Apply before upload |
| Instagram Reels | 9:16 | up to 30 s | Burned in | Yes | Apply before upload |
| TikTok | 9:16 | up to 30 s | Burned in | Yes | Apply before upload |
| 1:1 | up to 30 s | Plain text | No | Not required | |
| X (Twitter) | 1:1 | up to 30 s | Plain text | No | Not required |
| Threads | 1:1 | up to 30 s | Plain text | No | Not required |
Brand promo videos on YouTube Shorts
- Hook
- First 3 seconds decide Shorts retention - open on the strongest beat.
- Captions
- Burned-in captions; Shorts allow heavier caption styling.
- Deliver
- Vertical promo short (9:16); Vertical story version (9:16); Offer / benefit carousel (1:1)
Extra steps for YouTube Shorts
- Reframe for YouTube Shorts: 16:9 to 9:16 reframe; subject tracking. (Reframe)
YouTube Shorts export preset · YouTube Shorts safe-zone overlay
Brand promo videos on Instagram Reels
- Hook
- Lead with motion; Reels favours strong visual hooks.
- Captions
- Burned-in lower-thirds; Reels tolerates heavy captions.
- Deliver
- Vertical promo short (9:16); Vertical story version (9:16); Offer / benefit carousel (1:1)
Extra steps for Instagram Reels
- Reframe for Instagram Reels: 16:9 to 9:16 reframe; subject tracking. (Reframe)
Instagram Reels export preset · Instagram Reels safe-zone overlay
Brand promo videos on TikTok
- Hook
- Lead with the surprising beat; TikTok rewards pattern interrupts.
- Captions
- Burned-in captions; place inside the platform safe-zone.
- Deliver
- Vertical promo short (9:16); Vertical story version (9:16); Offer / benefit carousel (1:1)
Extra steps for TikTok
- Reframe for TikTok: 16:9 to 9:16 reframe; subject tracking. (Reframe)
Brand promo videos on LinkedIn
- Hook
- Lead with the contrarian or non-obvious point; LinkedIn rewards dialogue.
- Captions
- Burned-in captions are essential; LinkedIn feeds are predominantly muted.
- Deliver
- Offer / benefit carousel (1:1)
Brand promo videos on X (Twitter)
- Hook
- Lead with the take, not the topic; text-first voice.
- Captions
- Plain text or single-line captions; no banner overlays.
- Deliver
- Offer / benefit carousel (1:1)
Brand promo videos on Threads
- Hook
- Lead with the take, not the topic; text-first voice.
- Captions
- Plain text or single-line captions; no banner overlays.
- Deliver
- Offer / benefit carousel (1:1)
Pitfalls to avoid
- Burying the offer in the middle of the clip
- Multiple CTAs in one clip
- Logo-first opening
Turn one source into the clips
Koldflux turns one long video into ready-to-post vertical clips with captions.
Questions people ask
What aspect ratio should brand promo videos use?
9:16 on YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok and 1:1 on LinkedIn, X (Twitter) and Threads.
How long should brand promo videos be?
YouTube Shorts: up to 30 s, Instagram Reels: up to 30 s, TikTok: up to 30 s, LinkedIn: up to 30 s, X (Twitter): up to 30 s and Threads: up to 30 s.
Do brand promo videos need burned-in captions?
YouTube Shorts: burned-in recommended, Instagram Reels: burned-in recommended, TikTok: burned-in recommended, LinkedIn: plain text is enough, X (Twitter): plain text is enough and Threads: plain text is enough.
Related playbooks and guides
Sources
- Hootsuite social content playbook, verified September 18, 2026.
- HubSpot content types overview, verified September 18, 2026.