YouTube. TikTok. Instagram. Facebook. LinkedIn. These are just some of the social media platforms to which you can upload video content. And if you’re not a social media mogul or think algorithms are something to do with how a former Vice President of the USA keeps time, then figuring out what to post where can be mighty daunting.
So, let’s start with a reassuring truth: you do not need to make a new video for every platformer audience you speak to. In fact, if that’s what you are doing, I want you to put your hands in the air and step away from the Premier Pro project… Have you stepped away? Good, then I’ll continue.
One well-made video can work very hard for you if you know how to let it. The trick is to stop thinking of video as a single, precious artefact, and start thinking of it as a resource you can slice, stretch, and repurpose without guilt.
Here are seven ways you can take one core video and use it across dozens of channels, without watering it down or losing your mind in the process.
Start with one core asset
Everything begins with one strong, well-thought-out video.
This might be:
An overview of your lab’s research
A project explainer
A methods walkthrough
Or a short “Why this matters” piece
The key is that this video does the heavy lifting. It clearly explains what you do, why it’s important, and who it’s for. Get this right, and everything else becomes much easier.
Think of it like Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner. You have one, really great meal with lots of components. And in the days after the holiday, you don’t make a whole load more meals. No, you take components of the big meal, and remix it into new and exciting dishes.
One meal, days of turkey to enjoy. One video, loads of different ways to use it.
Slice it into shorts for social
Once you’ve got your core video, it’s time to chop it up. The aim of a short is to spark interest in your audience and give them an entry point to start exploring more of your content.
If you’re a whizz with editing software – such as Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve – this should be relatively straightforward. But even if you’re about as technically adept as I am – which is to say, not very – then there are options; freelancer marketplaces like Fiverr are packed with great people who know exactly what to do.
So, when it comes to making shorts, you’re going to want to pull out:
One strong insight
One clear explanation
One memorable quote
And suddenly you’ve got short clips ready for LinkedIn, X, Instagram, or wherever your audience happens to be doom-scrolling.
Bonus points if they include captions, because most people are watching on mute while pretending to work.
Not me though. I’m a very hard worker, and I’d never get distracted by… oh my, is that man making a burrito-stuffed Beef Wellington?!
Use still frames in lectures and slides
Video isn’t just for… video places.
Great work on the wording there, Cat, this is why they pay you the big bucks.
What I’m getting at is that you can do far more than just chop a video into smaller videos. Why not pull high-quality still frames from your footage and drop them into:
Conference presentations
Teaching slides
Funding applications
Public lectures
A good still image from a video instantly feels more human and less “stock photo of scientists smiling at clipboard”. Plus, it creates visual consistency across everything you present.
Your audience may not consciously notice this but their brains absolutely will.
Use a silent version on posters and screens at conferences or around your lab
Conferences are loud. People are tired. Nobody is standing still long enough to listen to audio.
This is where silent video shines. And no, I’m not talking the sort of thing your great, great grandmother went to see in the 1920s.
Loop a muted version of your video on:
Poster displays
Exhibition stands
Departmental screens
Add captions or on-screen text, and you’ve got something that communicates your work effectively even when someone’s walking past with a lukewarm coffee and a Teams call-induced thousand-yard stare.
Embed it on lab and department websites
If your website still relies entirely on walls of text… we need to talk. If you’ve read our blog on What TikTok Can Teach Scientists About Attention (link here if you need it) you’ll know that these days, most people have the attention span of a highly-caffeinated goldfish, so if your website is just paragraphs and paragraphs of text, it’s time to switch things up.
Embedding your core video on:
Lab homepages
Project pages
“About us” sections
gives visitors a fast, accessible way to understand what you do without reading War and Peace first.
Don’t get me wrong, some people love text. But some people prefer video. And sensible websites cater to both.
Adapt it for grant applications and impact statements
I am by no means saying here that you should use the same video you’ve posted on TikTok to replace a proper application for grants or the like. With that said, however, your video already explains your impact, and you can use this to your advantage.
Pull language, framing, and messaging from your script to support:
Grant applications
Impact statements
Reports to funders
You can also share the video itself as supporting material where appropriate, helping reviewers quickly grasp the significance of your work without wading through dense prose.
Anything that makes a reviewer’s life easier is very much going to be in your favour.
Use it internally for onboarding and training
Finally, don’t forget the people inside your organisation.
That same video that tells the general public who you are and what you’re about can support:
New starters
Students joining the lab
Collaborators coming up to speed
It saves you repeating yourself, ensures consistency, and gives newcomers a friendly, human introduction to how things work, rather than just handing them a folder and wishing them luck.
In summary
One really good video – if used to its maximum potential – can:
Communicate your research
Strengthen your brand
Support funding
Save time
And reach far more people than you might expect
So no, you don’t need dozens of videos. You just need one, used intelligently.