How To Turn A YouTube Video Into An X Thread

So you want to repurpose your YouTube videos into X (Twitter) threads to reach a broader audience?

You’re right.

You’ve probably spent hours creating amazing long-form video content, and the thought of reconfiguring it all for an entirely different platform feels overwhelming.

Maybe you’re worried about the time investment, or perhaps you’re unsure if your video content will even translate well to text-based threads.

You’re not alone.

Many content creators leave valuable content siloed on a single platform, missing out on massive reach opportunities.

But what if I told you that your YouTube videos are goldmines waiting to be repurposed into engaging X threads that could reach an entirely new audience?

Let’s see how:

Why You Should Repurpose YouTube Videos to X Threads

X (formerly Twitter) offers unique advantages that YouTube simply doesn’t.

While YouTube is fantastic for in-depth explanations and tutorials, X gives you direct access to engaged communities who love bite-sized, value-packed content.

Repurposing content isn’t just about saving time—it’s about maximizing your content ROI.

The content you’ve already created deserves to be seen by more people, in more places.

Back in 2020, I created a series of YouTube videos about note-taking. They were performing decently, but when I decided to repurpose that content into written articles on Medium, something magical happened.

That repurposed content helped me launch a profitable five-figure course and add 3,000 email subscribers to my list in just 12 weeks.

All from content I had already created.

The reason this works is simple: different audiences consume content differently.

Some people prefer watching videos, while others would rather quickly scan through a thread.

By repurposing, you’re reaching different types of people.

The Main Differences Between YouTube Videos and X Threads

Understanding the platform differences is crucial for effective repurposing:

YouTube:

Long-form content (10+ minutes is common)
Visual and auditory experience
Users expect thorough explanations
Algorithmic discovery based on watch time and engagement
Slower content consumption

X Threads:

Short-form content (280 characters per tweet)
Primarily text-based with supporting visuals
Users expect quick insights and actionable tips
Real-time, fast-paced environment
Content spreads through retweets and engagement

The key difference?

X is all about concision and punchiness, while YouTube thrives on depth and comprehensiveness.

Here’s a perfect example of this strategy in action:

As you see, the creator Marc Lou used the same concept of “He hacked my site… so I paid him $300” and created two pieces out of it:

a long-form X post
and a long-form YouTube video.

What Makes a Good X Thread

The best X threads aren’t just chopped-up YouTube scripts. They’re strategically crafted pieces that:

1. Start with a powerful hook that promises specific value

2. Break complex ideas into digestible, standalone tweets

3. Use simple, conversational language

4. Include relevant visuals (screenshots, GIFs, or short clips from your YouTube video)

5. End with a clear call-to-action

For example, a successful thread might start with:

“I analyzed 100 viral YouTube videos and discovered 5 thumbnail patterns that doubled click-through rates.

Here’s what I found 🧵”

Each subsequent tweet should deliver a complete thought while building toward your main point.

The most successful threads mix insights, examples, and personal experiences—all elements you can extract from your YouTube content.

Build Your Swipe File Of Winning X Threads

The best way to understand what works on X is to study successful threads—particularly from creators who’ve recently gained traction.

Don’t just study the big accounts with millions of followers.

They can post anything and get engagement. Instead, focus on creators who’ve gone from 0 to 5,000 followers in a few months—they’re clearly doing something right that algorithms and audiences love.

Look for threads that:

Gained significant engagement despite coming from smaller accounts
Cover topics similar to your YouTube content
Have strong hook tweets and clear formatting
Use effective visuals to enhance text points

Save these examples in a dedicated folder to reference when creating your own threads.

Download my free X thread templates specifically designed for YouTube video repurposing.

Simple Workflow to Turn YouTube Videos into X Threads

Okay, so now that you’ve had these laid out…

You could either do this manually like a monkey.

Hire a VA that you need to train for weeks on Fiverr…

Or (my favorite way):

You could use AI and automation tools to make this process as smooth as butter.

Here’s an example:

As soon as you publish a YouTube video, you can automatically trigger a workflow that extracts the key points and transforms them into an X thread draft. You review it, make any necessary tweaks, and schedule it for optimal posting time.

Tools like n8n, Make (formerly Integromat), or Zapier can create these automations. Here’s a simple workflow that works right now:

1. YouTube video published → webhook triggers workflow

2. Transcript is automatically generated using YouTube’s API

3. GPT-4 processes transcript with this prompt: “Convert this YouTube transcript into a 10-tweet X thread. Focus on the key insights, use simple language, and include 2-3 specific examples from the video. Make tweet 1 a compelling hook and the final tweet a CTA to watch the full video.”

4. Draft thread is sent to your email or directly to a scheduling tool like Hypefury

This takes a 20-minute video and transforms it into a shareable thread in minutes, not hours.

Stop letting your YouTube content collect dust in one corner of the internet.

Those videos represent hours of your expertise and insight—they deserve to be reformatted and shared with new audiences who might never discover your YouTube channel otherwise.