Choose YouTube if you want to share explanations or stories that people can look up later. TikTok suits you if you want to share short ideas and see how people respond. For short videos, you can also use YouTube Shorts. First write down what you want to achieve with your videos and how much time you have each week. That way, you are not choosing based on views alone.
Below, you can see what suits your plans and how to try both platforms without making everything twice.
Choosing YouTube or TikTok based on your goal
Complete this sentence: ‘I make videos so people…’ Think of ‘learn to play guitar’, ‘discover my music’ or ‘get to know my shop’. Then consider what your viewer needs: a quick impression or more explanation.
These imagined situations can help you choose. They are examples, not fixed rules.
| Situation | Logical first choice | One video to get started |
|---|---|---|
| You have a local shop and want to show new products | TikTok for short demonstrations | Show what the same jacket looks like with three outfits |
| You are a coach and want to explain an exercise calmly | YouTube for the full explanation | Demonstrate one exercise and discuss common mistakes |
| You make music and want to share a new song | TikTok or Shorts for a clip, YouTube for the full performance | Play an original clip and briefly explain how it came about |
| You want to make videos alongside your studies | One type of short video on TikTok or Shorts | Show how you make an affordable meal, from start to finish |
| You offer a service to other businesses | YouTube if your customers need a lot of explanation | Answer one question customers often ask |
Short on time? Start on one platform. Making long YouTube videos and posting a new TikTok every day require two different approaches. Choose something you can keep up alongside your work or studies.
Considering Instagram for your shop too? See TikTok or Instagram for your business.
Finding your audience on YouTube or TikTok
Lots of views do not tell you everything. Above all, you want to reach people your video is intended for. Suppose you are a bicycle mechanic in Ghent. You will probably get more value from questions from local residents than from lots of viewers who live far away.
Do not rely only on the idea that TikTok is for young people and YouTube is for older viewers. Do you want to reach people in the Netherlands or Belgium? Then look at what they search for and respond to:
- Search both platforms for three questions about your subject.
- See which videos you find: short examples, detailed explanations or personal stories.
- Read the comments. Which questions still have no answer?
- Is your subject about your local area or city? Search with your place name included as well.
Want to try out short ideas and see which subjects get responses? Then you can start on TikTok. Do not expect this to quickly bring you lots of viewers. A short video may also receive very few views.
Want to answer questions that still come up months later? Then start with YouTube videos based on questions people can look up. Think ‘How do you tune a guitar?’ rather than ‘Today’s practice session’. The first title makes clear what someone gets from your video, even if they do not know you yet. It does not guarantee that your video will be found.
Short videos on TikTok or longer explanations on YouTube?
Choose the length you need to make something clear. It is not only a choice between short on TikTok and long on YouTube: YouTube also has Shorts.
In a short video, you can show one thing, such as a chord, a hairstyle or a finished drawing. A longer video is better if you also want to explain the steps in between.
Suppose you show how to put a loose bicycle chain back on. A short clip can show what to watch out for. For the complete process, you may want to calmly show what you do and when it is better to ask for help. Do not cut out explanations the viewer needs just to keep the video short.
Also think about making the video itself. Do you enjoy editing, or mainly want to record something quickly? A short video is not automatically less work. Multiple takes, subtitles and making the footage fit together neatly take time too.
Prefer making calm videos with soft sounds? Read what ASMR is on TikTok . Let the type of video you enjoy making influence your choice.
Making money with YouTube or TikTok
Money from a platform is different from making money through your videos. For example, you may be paid for a collaboration. Or someone may buy your own creation or book a lesson with you. That is separate from a payment by YouTube or TikTok.
YouTube has requirements for joining its partner programme. Read the YouTube Partner Programme requirements before counting on advertising income.
Want to make money through TikTok’s Creator Rewards programme? Check the requirements for original videos, video length and participation in your country. Only count on this income once you know whether you can participate.
A brand collaboration raises different questions. Does your subject suit that brand? How do viewers respond to your videos? And how much time does it take to make the requested video? Lots of views alone say little about what a collaboration will deliver.
So do not choose based only on possible income per video. Suppose you teach guitar. A clear lesson video that generates an enquiry may be more useful than a funny clip with lots of viewers.
Using one video for YouTube Shorts and TikTok
You can try the same short idea on TikTok and Shorts. For this, keep your own video file without a watermark. Check that you are allowed to use the footage and sound on both platforms. Music you can add in one app cannot automatically be used everywhere.
- Choose one idea that is clear on its own. For example, one tip for repotting a houseplant.
- Record the video. Make sure the most important part is clearly visible in a portrait video.
- Keep your own file. Then you do not need to retrieve a posted video from an app first.
- Adapt the text accompanying your video. Make clear what you are showing, including for someone who does not know you yet.
- Track the extra time. Also include uploading and replying to comments.
Already making longer YouTube videos? Then try a short clip on TikTok. Viewers’ questions can give you ideas for your next in depth video. Do not expect those viewers to automatically go to your YouTube channel.
Want to use Reels too? First see the differences between Instagram Reels and TikTok before adding a third platform.
Comparing YouTube and TikTok fairly
Compare the same type of video. A twenty second TikTok beside a twelve minute YouTube explanation tells you little about which platform suits you better. For example, start with four short ideas that you post on TikTok and Shorts.
This is how you can approach the trial. Four ideas are a practical starting point, not a fixed rule for how much data you need.
- Choose one goal. For example, do you want to receive questions about your explanation or let more people hear your original music?
- Use the same four subjects. Keep the length and explanation roughly the same on both platforms.
- Give each video the same amount of time. For example, review the results seven days after posting each time.
- Record more than views. Also track questions, new followers or subscribers and the time you spent.
- Review all the results together. Do not let one unusually good or bad video determine your whole choice.
A fictional calculation example: your four TikToks receive 2.000 views and 20 comments in total. Your four Shorts receive 1.000 views and 15 comments in total. To compare this, calculate how many comments you receive per 100 views:
- TikTok: 20 ÷ 2.000 × 100 = 1 comment per 100 views.
- Shorts: 15 ÷ 1.000 × 100 = 1,5 comments per 100 views.
So you divide the number of comments by the number of views and multiply that by 100. In this example, TikTok has more comments in total. Shorts has more comments per 100 views.
Comments are actions, not numbers of different people. One person may comment or watch more than once. So this calculation does not tell you which platform reaches more people who are interested in your videos.
Also read what people write. Ten questions about your explanation may fit your goal better than twenty unrelated emojis. Also look at your hours. An approach that delivers slightly less but takes much less time may suit your week better.
Testing your longer YouTube videos to see whether people still find them later? Then review the results at a later point too. A measurement after seven days does not yet tell you what a video does in the long term. A small trial can help you adjust your approach, but it cannot predict how many viewers you will continue to get.
Mistakes when choosing between YouTube and TikTok
- Only looking at your most watched video. Review several of your own videos before drawing a conclusion.
- Treating views as customers or fans. Track the result that matches your goal separately.
- Trying to do everything on both platforms. Start with one type of video that you can make more often. Only add something when you have time for it.
- Randomly cutting a long explanation into pieces. Each short clip must also be understandable without the rest.
- Basing your choice only on money. First check the participation requirements and see whether you can keep making the content.
Now write down four video ideas and choose where to start. Can you show each idea briefly and clearly? Try TikTok or Shorts. Do your subjects need more explanation? Then start with longer YouTube videos. Add a second platform once you know what you want to use it for, for example to test short ideas alongside your detailed explanations. If you also publish your own content, our TikTok services includes packages for views and followers. The product pages show the available quantities and prices.
