How to Create YouTube Shorts from Existing Videos

Repurposing your lengthy content into short videos has several benefits that will work to your advantage when combined with the YouTube algorithm. But how to turn long videos into short, viral clips with ease? AI Video Cut is a tool that allows you to create short clips from existing videos without spending hours rewatching, planning key points, cutting, and compiling them yourself. It actually does all that for you within a short period of time. Even more, it can suggest several versions and always allows you to restart the process if you are unsatisfied with the result. This is an excellent tool for a content creator, as editing the initial video and video editing in general is already time-consuming enough. So why not repurpose already existing content and expand your reach and engagement without doing extra steps?

Why Repurpose Your YouTube Videos as Shorts?

Shorts are a featured format on the YouTube homepage, which means they're more likely to be seen by new viewers. It's good to keep your brand consistent across different content formats so that your channel identity is strong because it’ll help your videos reach a different and potentially larger audience compared to your regular content. Short, easy-to-digest content is more likely to be shared, which increases engagement and attracts more viewers.

Sometimes, if you can grab viewers’ attention quickly, you are more likely to keep them engaged and retain their interest. Watching Shorts might be the first step that motivates a viewer to click on your channel and watch the full video. This can also lead viewers to your other longer content, which boosts overall channel watch time and attracts new audiences.

Moreover, turning your old videos into shorts is a great way to give them a new life. By focusing on the best bits, you can make your original videos more relevant and reach more people. The best thing about repurposing is that it's a cost-effective way to create content without having to spend a lot of additional resources.

How to Create YouTube Shorts from Existing Videos with AI Video Cut

Here are the easy steps to effortlessly create a YouTube Shorts video from an existing clip with the help of OpenAI technology in the desired format without manual editing. There are currently two main formats AI Video Cut offers: Trailers and Topics-Clips. These are available on the website, and you don't need to download anything extra. The only thing you need is an email to get notified and receive the links once your files are ready.

Trailer for the Video

This format is designed to show the most engaging points and focus on the most intriguing aspects of a full video to attract more viewers. Here is how to make it:

1. Go to the AI Video Cut website.
2. Insert the video link into the upper field.

3. Choose the video type “Trailer”.
4. Choose the duration (Short – max 7 quotes/ Medium – max 15 quotes/ Long – max 25 quotes).
5. Press “Submit”.
6. Wait until the video is processed, and then download it directly from the website or using the link you receive in your email.

On the website, you will be able to watch the video to decide whether you need to restart the process. You can also see the transcript of the video and further use it as captions if you need to add them while editing.

Topics-Clips

If you need to highlight specific topics of the video and make dedicated YouTube Shorts, this might be the feature just for you. You don’t need to formulate the topics yourself by watching the whole video—AI Video Cut will do it for you, and at the end of the process, it will offer several videos with separate topics so you can choose the ones that suit you.

Here are the steps:

1. Go to the AI Video Cut website.
2. Insert the video link into the upper field.
3. Choose the video type “Topics-clips”.
4. Choose the duration (Short – max 7 quotes/ Medium – max 15 quotes/ Long – max 25 quotes).

5. Choose the number of topics (min 1 and max 10).
6. Press “Submit”.
7. Wait until the video is processed, then download one or several suggested videos directly from the website or using the links you receive in your email.

As a result, you will receive one or several videos (depending on how many topics you’ve chosen), each dedicated to a different idea mentioned in the video. Using this format for making Shorts lets you get the most out of your existing video material without having to produce entirely new footage and attract an audience that might be interested in various topics in the initial video.

YouTube Shorts Format Recommendations

First and foremost, YouTube Shorts is a platform made for vertical videos. Therefore, an aspect ratio with a vertical orientation is needed, namely 9:16, with a resolution of 1080 pixels by 1920 pixels. Editing programs such as CapCut can quickly create this. You can learn how to do this here.

The maximum length for YouTube Shorts is 60 seconds, so try to make your video as concise as possible.

You can also add captions that AI Video Cut has already extracted for you, as it can help viewers stay engaged by providing a textual way to follow along with the spoken content. It also ensures that your content is accessible for silent viewing, hearing-impaired people or for those who are not fluent in the language.

Besides, you can add filters to your video or music to make it more attention-grabbing.

Wrapping-Up

The short, bite-sized format of YouTube Shorts is excellent for reaching a broad audience, including those with limited time or shorter attention spans. By repurposing your existing content into Shorts, you can get this segment of viewers, potentially drawing in new subscribers who enjoy quick, engaging content. AI Video Cut is a fantastic tool for making these videos without exhausting editing and scriptwriting. It's a smart move for creators who are always looking for ways to reach more people and get them engaged. It's a great way to repurpose long-form YouTube videos into YouTube Shorts.

This approach makes the most of existing content and taps into the growing popularity of short-form video. While AI Video Cut lets you create a great video, you can also add captions, filters, and sound effects to grab your target audience’s attention, make your video even more engaging, and expand your audience.