You just finished editing a video — and now you need to publish it on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and Facebook simultaneously. Each platform has different aspect ratios, caption limits, hashtag strategies, and optimal timing. This checklist walks you through every step without missing anything.
Phase 1 — Pre-export preparation
- Identify all target platforms to know which aspect ratios to export (9:16 for vertical, 16:9 for landscape, 1:1 for square)
- Check background music — copyrighted tracks may be muted on certain platforms
- Verify subtitle positioning is within safe zones (won't be cropped on mobile)
- Export all required versions: 9:16 for TikTok/Reels/Shorts, 16:9 for long-form YouTube
Phase 2 — Per-platform checklist
TikTok
- 9:16 video, max 10 minutes (under 3 minutes typically performs better)
- Caption up to 2,200 characters — put your keyword in the first 2 lines
- 3-5 relevant hashtags (avoid overly generic tags)
- Choose an engaging cover frame
- Enable auto-captions if you don't have subtitles embedded
YouTube (Shorts and long-form)
- Title 60-70 characters with primary keyword
- Description: 2-3 paragraphs with keywords, timestamps, and relevant links
- Tags: 5-10 relevant tags
- Custom thumbnail (don't rely on auto-generated for long-form videos)
- Add to appropriate playlist
- End screen and cards (for long-form videos)
- Add chapter timestamps for videos over 5 minutes
Instagram Reels
- 9:16 video, max 90 seconds for Reels
- Caption up to 2,200 characters — put your hook in the first sentence
- 3-5 hashtags (Instagram has reduced hashtag weight significantly)
- Add alt text (good for SEO)
- Set a cover image (avoid black frames)
- Upload natively (do not share from YouTube — native video gets priority in feed)
- Caption with a clear CTA
- Add subtitles (Facebook auto-generates but verify accuracy)
- Choose audience setting (Public or Friends?)
Phase 3 — Scheduling and tracking
- Stagger publishing across platforms if possible — spread 1-2 days to maximize reach
- Log publish times per platform in a tracking sheet
- After 48 hours: check views, reach, and engagement rate per platform
- After 7 days: compare performance to identify which platform best suits this content type
Helpful tools
- Buffer, Later, or Hootsuite — multi-platform scheduling
- Notion or Google Sheets — performance tracking spreadsheet
- Klypio — download your video from one platform to re-upload to another at full quality
Also see video shipping checklist from export to analysis and how to turn 1 long video into 5 Shorts automatically.
Download your videos from one platform to re-upload to another via Klypio Web App or @KlypioBot.