Adding Videos to WordPress — What Works Best for Me

I’ve tried different ways of sharing videos on my blog, and I’ve come to prefer uploading them to YouTube first, then embedding them into my WordPress posts. It’s simple, tidy, and doesn’t take up storage space on my blog.

Why I Use YouTube First

Uploading videos directly to WordPress might seem easier at first — but it can quickly eat up your storage space, especially if you’re on a free or basic plan. Videos are large files, and just a handful can use up your limit before you know it.

That’s why I now upload to YouTube first. Once the video is on YouTube, I just use the YouTube block in WordPress. All you need to do is paste the link into the block, and WordPress takes care of the rest. The video shows up beautifully, and it works well on both phones and computers.

How to Add a Video or Short

Finding the right link is the key to getting a tidy video frame instead of an oversized one. Here’s what works for me:

1. Upload your video or Short to YouTube.
2. Open the video so you’re on its own page.
3. Click Share (or, for Shorts, tap the share arrow).
4. Copy the link that appears — this is the one you’ll use.

💡 Tip for Shorts:
If the link looks like:

https://youtube.com/shorts/ABC123

replace shorts/ with watch?v= so it becomes:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ABC123

This gives you a smaller player with a handy Watch on YouTube option.

Back in WordPress:

• Add a Video block or a YouTube embed block.
• Paste the link

You’ll get a clean, compact frame that works beautifully on phones and computers.

A Note About Music

Sometimes when I’m out and about, I make short videos or reels on Instagram first. If I think of it, I might upload them straight to YouTube as well — or I’ll download them later when I’m home and ready to write a blog post, especially if it’s a travel one. It’s a quick way to reuse content across both platforms. YouTube usually trims them to a maximum of one minute for Shorts, but that’s often just right — it adds a bit of visual context to go with the post I’m writing.

Just one thing to be aware of — if you’ve used music from Instagram’s music library, that audio often won’t carry over to YouTube. YouTube has its own music rules and library, so you’ll usually need to add a track from there instead. So if the background music sounds different — that’s why!

Does It Save Memory?

Yes — a lot! When you embed a YouTube video, it doesn’t use your WordPress storage at all. It’s being streamed directly from YouTube, which is built to handle video hosting. That keeps your site loading quickly and saves you from needing a paid upgrade just to get more memory.

Should I Go Back and Update Older Posts?

If you’ve uploaded videos directly to WordPress in the past, it’s worth having a look. If storage is running low or your site is slow, swapping them out for embedded YouTube links can help. It’s not urgent, but good to keep in mind, especially if you’re planning to post more videos in the future.

Thinking of sharing your own videos?

Give the YouTube embed method a go — it’s easy and keeps your blog running smoothly. And if you haven’t already, pop over to my YouTube channel and subscribe to see more recipe demos, travel clips, and more.

Happy blogging! – ♡ Janet.