Playbook · YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok, X (Twitter), Threads and Spotify Canvas
How to make vlog clips for Shorts, Reels and TikTok
Short answer
Cut a single self-contained moment from a vlog for short-form discovery. Deliver 9:16 on YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok, 1:1 on X (Twitter) and Threads and no video ratio (loop and audio) on Spotify Canvas. Burn captions in on YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok; the others take plain text.
Start from: long vlog footage.
The steps
- Scan for the moment: Pick the strongest 30-60s.
- Reframe 16:9 to 9:16: Subject tracking on the speaker. (Reframe)
- Burn captions: Lower-third style. (Burn-in)
What to produce: Vlog highlight (9:16, 60 s).
Platform by platform
| Platform | Aspect | Length | Captions | Reframe from 16:9 | Safe zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube Shorts | 9:16 | up to 60 s | Burned in | Yes | Apply before upload |
| Instagram Reels | 9:16 | up to 60 s | Burned in | Yes | Apply before upload |
| TikTok | 9:16 | up to 60 s | Burned in | Yes | Apply before upload |
| X (Twitter) | 1:1 | up to 60 s | Plain text | No | Not required |
| Threads | 1:1 | up to 60 s | Plain text | No | Not required |
| Spotify Canvas | n/a | up to 60 s | Plain text | No | Not required |
Vlog clips 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
- Vlog highlight (9:16)
Extra steps for YouTube Shorts
- Apply platform safe-zone overlay: Use the YouTube Shorts safe-zone overlay so subjects stay visible. (Safe-zone)
YouTube Shorts export preset · YouTube Shorts safe-zone overlay
Vlog clips on Instagram Reels
- Hook
- Lead with motion; Reels favours strong visual hooks.
- Captions
- Burned-in lower-thirds; Reels tolerates heavy captions.
- Deliver
- Vlog highlight (9:16)
Extra steps for Instagram Reels
- Apply platform safe-zone overlay: Use the Instagram Reels safe-zone overlay so subjects stay visible. (Safe-zone)
Instagram Reels export preset · Instagram Reels safe-zone overlay
Vlog clips on TikTok
- Hook
- Lead with the surprising beat; TikTok rewards pattern interrupts.
- Captions
- Burned-in captions; place inside the platform safe-zone.
- Deliver
- Vlog highlight (9:16)
Extra steps for TikTok
- Apply platform safe-zone overlay: Use the TikTok safe-zone overlay so subjects stay visible. (Safe-zone)
Vlog clips 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
- Vlog highlight (9:16)
Vlog clips on Threads
- Hook
- Lead with the take, not the topic; text-first voice.
- Captions
- Plain text or single-line captions; no banner overlays.
- Deliver
- Vlog highlight (9:16)
Vlog clips on Spotify Canvas
- Hook
- Open on the signature 3 seconds of the track; loop seamlessly.
- Captions
- Spotify Canvas is loop + audio. No on-screen text.
- Deliver
- Vlog highlight (9:16)
Pitfalls to avoid
- Including the vlog intro
- Music louder than the moment
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 vlog clips use?
9:16 on YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok, 1:1 on X (Twitter) and Threads and no video ratio (loop and audio) on Spotify Canvas.
How long should vlog clips be?
YouTube Shorts: up to 60 s, Instagram Reels: up to 60 s, TikTok: up to 60 s, X (Twitter): up to 60 s, Threads: up to 60 s and Spotify Canvas: up to 60 s.
Do vlog clips need burned-in captions?
YouTube Shorts: burned-in recommended, Instagram Reels: burned-in recommended, TikTok: burned-in recommended, X (Twitter): plain text is enough, Threads: plain text is enough and Spotify Canvas: plain text is enough.
Related playbooks and guides
Sources
- YouTube Help - Creator playbooks, verified September 18, 2026.