A podcast Short can introduce a specific question from your longer episode. Treat it as a complete answer, not an unexplained trailer. Start with a recording you own and make the connection to the full conversation easy to understand.
Choose a question with a complete answer
Look for a useful “how”, “why” or “what changed” moment. Keep enough context to distinguish opinion, a personal example and a factual claim. When a guest draws on a board, a tight face crop can remove the explanation; preserve the frame or choose a passage that works without the drawing. CastCuts exports up to 90 seconds per clip; that is an editor limit, not a statement of YouTube’s maximum.
Make the clip in CastCuts
Bring a recording you can use
Upload an MP4, MOV or WebM with audio, or paste a direct HTTPS video-file link. A YouTube watch link is different: YouTube import is currently blocked on the public service. Keep your original file and respect your guest’s permissions.
Set the start and end
Open the episode’s clip studio and select a 1–90 second passage. Start where the idea becomes clear and end after the payoff. Listen to the sentence before and after the cut so trimming does not change its meaning.
Choose framing and text
Use a fixed portrait crop for a close-up or keep the full frame when two speakers, a slide or a whiteboard provide context. Add an opening headline. Editable on-video captions require an existing timed transcript; automatic transcription is not enabled publicly.
Preview, export and upload
Review the rendered video with sound and once muted. Download the 9:16, 720 × 1280 MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio. Upload it to the platform yourself; CastCuts does not publish or schedule posts. Check the platform’s current requirements before posting.
Give the moment a clear opening
Illustrative writing example. Adapt it to what your guest actually says.
Opening headline
Why your first interview question matters
Suggested post caption
A short lesson from our full discussion on asking better questions. The guest explains how a specific opening changes the conversation.
The topic can become a descriptive upload title. Avoid a title that claims the clip answers a broader question than it really does.
Upload the file and describe the answer
Download the finished MP4 and upload it through your YouTube account. Review the title, audio, subtitles and audience settings in YouTube before publishing. Where available, use YouTube’s own options to connect the Short to the longer episode. Check current Shorts guidance, especially if you add music. You do not need a YouTube download link when you have the original recording.
Check before you publish
- The title describes the question the clip actually answers.
- Slides or drawings needed for the explanation remain readable.
- Music, guest permissions and the source recording are cleared for use.
Practical questions
Will the editor automatically find a viral moment?
Choose your own moment in the public editor. Automatic clip suggestions and free English transcription remain local previews. A useful hook, clear context and careful editing can improve a clip, but views and virality are not guaranteed.
Are captions the same as a post description?
No. On-video captions represent speech and need accurate timing. The post caption is the text you write when uploading to a social platform. CastCuts lets you edit existing timed captions; the sample post copy here is an editorial example.