Last Updated on March 9, 2024 by Eric Cantu
If you’re a content creator, you may be asking yourself, “Can you embed YouTube videos without permission?” Would this be considered stealing? Plagiarism?
Can You Embed YouTube Videos Without Permission?
Yes, you can embed YouTube videos without asking permission. This is because by uploading to YouTube, you give YouTube a non-exclusive license that allows sharing and embedding of your video.
In this article I’m going to share with you the massive benefits of embedding YouTube video into your content and why it’s not only ok, but 100% encouraged.
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Why Embedding YouTube On Your Site is a Must
For YouTube video creators, this is actually a good thing! More and more people have the potential to see your video! And for website builders this is a good thing, too! Why?
When you embed a video, you place the video right into your content. Not only does this look very professional, but your reader doesn’t have to leave your website to view it. This keeps your audience on your website longer, and this is always a good thing.
Related Article at WorkFromYourLaptop.com!
Check out “Does Elementor Slow Down Your Site?” and learn why Elementor is the perfect choice for a website builder with creative ideas but no coding skills!
What are the Legalities Involved?
As I mentioned, when you upload videos to YouTube you are thereby allowing other users use your content.
But what about copyright issues like there are with using images?
With images on the web, you can’t just go using them on your website unless you are the copyright holder or have permission from the copyright holder. To avoid any issues, many use any of the popular websites with thousands of images licensed under a creative commons license that makes them available for free use.
However, many don’t.
The reason this gets tricky is because there’s nothing inherently obvious when looking at an image from the web as to who owns it.
An article from Blogpros.com states:
Well, one of the biggest problems with image usage is that it’s easy to save an image and upload it to your site, which is what most people do. You’re not embedding the image from another source, you’re using it locally. This means you’re likely stripping out attribution to do it.
However, YouTube video is much different.
The reason YouTube video copyrights aren’t nearly as tricky as image copyrights is because when you embed a YouTube video all the attributions stay with the video. There is a direct link to the video creator.
What if the Uploader Doesn’t Own the Video?
Things can get a little murky here. Let’s say someone uploads a video to YouTube but doesn’t actually own the content and then you embed it to your website. Maybe it’s a music video stripped from another site, or they’ve taken a video from another YouTuber and are trying to pass it off as their own.
When this happens, the video itself will have a high likelihood of being removed from YouTube as this is a violation of YouTube’s terms and conditions.
This actually happened to me once when someone took one of my earliest reviews and posted it to their channel. It was just my voice in the video and not my face. One of my subscribers alerted me to it, so I found it and left a comment. “Great video! This guy sounds EXACTLY like me. Oh wait. It is me. Reported!”
Within minutes the user was begging me to remove my report to YouTube. Of course, I didn’t. Problem solved.
So let’s say you had found that video on your own and embedded it not knowing it was basically stolen from me.
The good news here is that you as the embedder weren’t a party to the video stealing, so you wouldn’t get in trouble.
You’d just have a “This video has been removed by the user” screen embedded in your website and would need to find another video.
How to Embed YouTube Videos in a Website
So now that we know that you’re pretty much in the clear with sharing and embedding great YouTube content, how do you go about embedding it in your website?
It’s very, very easy actually.
Step 1: Find the Video You’d Like to Embed
Almost 5 billion videos are watched on YouTube every single day! This means you can type in just about anything into that YouTube search bar and chances are you’ll find a video that suits you.
Once you’ve found a video you’d like to embed, click on its “share” button which is found below the video. Clicking on “share” will open the options below.
Step 2: Click on “Embed” to Get the Embed Code
When you see “Embed”, this means you have a green light to share this video.
So click on “Embed” and a window with some code will pop up. Want an even easier way to embed your YouTube video into your website? Watch the video above and see how you can do so with just the url!
Step 3: Copy the Embed Code
You’ll see the embed code at the top right of that window. It’s as simple as copy and paste, or just clicking on the “copy” button in the lower right corner. Check or uncheck the embed options to tailor the video to your liking. As you modify it, the code will also update.
Click on the copy button at the bottom right, and this embed code will be copied to your clipboard.
Step 4: Paste the Embed code Into Your Website
If you’re using Gutenberg blocks, it’s just a matter of creating a block where you can add HTML code. Paste this html code into your block, and you’re done. Your video will be placed seamlessly into your website.
If you’re using WordPress’ Classic Editor, all you’ll have to do is go into the text editor of your post and paste this code where you’d like the video to appear. I like to add the center tags before and after the embed code so the video is centered on the page.
Sharing your favorite YouTube videos to your social media platforms is even easier. When you find the YouTube video you’d like to share, just click on its share button and several different social media platform buttons will appear.
When you click the platform of your choice, you’re taken right to it and all you have to do is post.
To get better engagement, give a little bit of context with your post. Ask your following for their honest opinion of the video and add a couple sentences of context that explain why you’re posting it.
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Final Thoughts
When creators upload new video content to YouTube, they are inherently allowing for other users to share, embed, and distribute it. This means you don’t have to ask for permission to embed YouTube videos.
What kinds of YouTube videos are you looking forward to embedding into your website? Are you a social media YouTube sharer? Have you considered trying to make money on YouTube? How about using YouTube for affiliate marketing?
Leave any questions or comments in the comments section below. I always reply and I look forward to hearing from you!
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I have a question and if you can not answer it, no problem. It is a little specific. I use Elementor site builder and one of their tools allows you to easily insert videos into a post without using the embed code. Basically, you click on the video tool and it asked for the youtube URL, You enter the URL and the video is inserted into your post. Do you know how this is read by google? Would this be an embedded video? Do you think it would be better to just insert a yet editor block and put the embed code in when adding a video to an article? I am curious if my videos get credit for being shared when I use that video URL option.
Hope that makes sense. Thanks for your help.
I believe it’s just a shortcut for the user but on the back end it embeds the video. I’m not 100% on that though. And yes, the views on embedded YouTube videos count towards their total views, with a few exceptions. Thanks for the comment!
It looks nice to have an embedded video in your blog post and staying on your page while watching it. I usually embed my own videos, like this I know there are no issues with copyright. How will I know, though, that a video by another user has no copyright issues? Aren’t youtubers supposed to attribute credit in their video description if it’s required?
The good thing is that you don’t have to worry about it. 🙂 When you embed a video from another user, you assume that they have the right to upload that content. If it comes out that they don’t, the video will be removed, but you are at no fault in that. Thanks for the comment!
This is exactly the answer I was looking for. I wasn’t sure if there was a chance someone could get in trouble if the video you embed had copyright issues. Now I know! And there are many really good videos on YouTube, so I am delighted to learn this and start embedding. I wish I had learned this earlier, but it’s never to late when the news are good! Well explained. Thank you!
Very happy to help! Thanks for the comment!
Hey, just wanted to leave you a few kind words, Eric! I really fancied the article. I truly admire how easy to follow and understand you made it be. Other than that, I believe it really is as you said – it’s very relaxed and convenient to just click play, sit back, and enjoy the video while also learning. For me, personally, this is without a doubt the preferred information input. I’ve never been too much of a reader. And I imagine it must be for many other people as well.
And, yeah, haha, I tested the fact that if you put that code in the visual editor it doesn’t do anything. It just sits there. So, guys, do not try’en go full hipster on it. It won’t work, haha. Keep it simple, go with the text editor every time. Lol.
Will also check out that very popular Youtube video of yours. Love the success stories. <3
Again, thank you, Eric, for all the insights you provided. They helped me a great deal! <3
Have a Wonderful Day!
Rasa
Thank you, Rasa! Video has really been huge for me both in terms of explaining concepts and gaining an audience. I think it’s something that everyone who is running a blog and looking to building a successful online business and work from their laptop should utilize. Thanks for the comment!
Hello, I will say I do embed my videos in my blog already, although I really like how you laid out your blog post! It was super easy to go through… You gave me some awesome ideas on how to better present my content. For someone who doesn’t know how to embed videos or wants to learn about it… this would be the go-to article!
Very glad you enjoyed this! Thanks for the comment!
Hi Eric,
That was a very helpful article. Video has definitely become the no.1 way of information consumption. Followed the easy steps mentioned and all worked out fine! I’ll be looking to embed more video for each of my posts. It really adds professionalism to each post. Thanx a lot mate 🙂
Kind Regards
Harry
Very happy to help. Glad you enjoyed it!
Hey, Eric!
Really solid guide. I feel you’ve done such a good job with this one. I tried the process on my website and it worked like a charm. And overall it’s definitely really straight forward. I wouldn’t have guessed that the “share” button also provides with the option of code. It makes sense but definitely wouldn’t have thought of that on my own. I would have probably searched for a plugin, haha. One last thing I wanted to add. Do you personally feel that posts tend to rank better with embed youtube videos in them? Or does it not matter?
Cheers, and have a Great One!
Matiss
Ranking really has everything to do with content, but user experience can definitely play a role with ranking and most importantly conversions. When more and more people are liking what you’re putting out, they’ll tend to interact with it more, share it more, etc., and this can all lead to high ranking which, over time, will lead to revenue. Thanks for the comment!
Thanks for sharing this valuable information. It really helped me.
Always glad to help! Thanks for the comment!
Great advice! I’ve been having some trouble embedding Vimeo videos, and YouTube seems much more intuitive and practical for this purpose. On a side note, I watched the video of your Wealthy Affiliate review – is this a program that you’ve used yourself with any success to make money from home?
Thanks!
Vimeo is great for embedding video as well, and the process is pretty similar, however the spectrum of topics Vimeo videos cover is nowhere near as expansive as that of YouTube. And yes, the platform I link to at the end of this article is Wealthy Affiliate, and I’ve had nothing but positives from it. If this type of training is something you’d be interested in trying, I highly recommend creating your own free starter account through my link above and you’ll get me personally as your support coach 🙂 Thanks for the comment.
Hi Eric,
This post is really helpful. I’m gonna try embedding a video to increase my traffic. I have been planning to embed a Youtube video to my posts but I thought it’s complicated, so I kept on procrastinating. Your video made it look so easy, I hope I’ll be able to follow your training to the letter.
Thanks a lot.
Marita
I’m really glad I was able to help, Marita! Thanks for the comment!
Hey Eric,
Helpful article! I got a lot of newbie bloggers asking me the same thing – How to embed videos and I keep telling them one by one on how to do. I’ll just show this video next time.
Out of curiosity, will there be a case whereby the video owner won’t be comfortable with people sharing his video?
Feel free to share this video 🙂 I appreciate the support! In fact, embed away! And to answer your question, if you’re able to see the embed code and share buttons for a video you’d like to use, then that means the video owner is totally cool with it being shared. That’s what’s great about YouTube. Thanks for the comment and for the support!
I’ve not created any videos for my site yet. Just curious, what do you use to record your videos? Yes, I agree that video is a great tool to create engagement with our content and it does help a lot with ranking. Thanks for sharing the video!
Thank you for the comment 🙂 As I mention in the article above, I use ScreenFlow. It’s great!
I learn something new everyday! I have just been sharing a youtube video, but then I have no control over size, or anything. I am going to go back and redo some posts, using the embed option. So glad I found this information, thanks!
Really glad this post helped you out 🙂 I think it will make a big difference for you with bounce rate and any time you can keep your reader’s eyes on your page longer, it’s a good thing! Thanks for the comment!
Hey, Eric was looking for ways to embed videos in my posts. I glad I stumbled upon your site. Thank you.
I always shy away from making videos but the article makes me think a lot about it. Now, you have made it very easy for me how to embed YouTube videos in my posts.
Thank again for sharing your insights, and plan to check in and see where you go next.
Thanks so much for the comment. I’m really glad this has helped out, and if you’re looking for more insights, I’m only echoing the training I’ve received through the platform I link to above. It’s the best! Thanks again!
Hi Eric,
Been a big fan of video for a while now and I thoroughly endorse your views. Loved the video you used. Really easy to follow instructions on how to embed. Videos are so important now on social media to get people interested. So much other ‘stuff’ that gets posted but yes people love video.
Definitely a skill to know – how to embed a Youtube video in a website. Great work mate 🙂
Kev
Thank you so much for the kind words, Kev! I really appreciate your continued support. Thanks, man!
Hi Eric!
Great advise which I will follow. Can you please explain though again what is the difference with Embed your video or just use the link? On my wordpress platform, I use Elementor and drag a video component where I only have to put the link. So I would love for you to explain to me what is the difference between this and Embed…
Thank heaps!
Hi! Great question. There are some plugins that you can add to your WordPress site that allow for drag and drop capabilities when you’re creating a post. In this case, it sounds like Elementor is automatically embedding the video into your post for you by you simply identifying it with its link 🙂 The great thing is that if you ever decide to remove this plugin or need to embed a youtube video manually, you can see just how easy it is using these 4 steps mentioned in the article. Thanks for the question!
Hi Eric, It took me forever to figure out how to embed a video in the post. I wish I had seen your post here first! You explain step-by-step in a simple manner to make it easy to follow. Much appreciated! I know there are many viewers who will appreciate this post (as well as your videos). 🙂
I really appreciate that! Thank you and thanks for the comment!
Great post Eric!,
Thank you for your breaking it down so simply. Now I will know how to insert a video in my posts.
Also thanks for the reminder of the power of personal video and your own YouTube channel.
Wishing you success, John
I really do feel it’s a huge tool that many shy away from for whatever reason. I owe most of my success to the fact that I’ve been able to connect with people via youtube in a way that’s more tangible than through just words on a screen. Definitely an avenue to look into. Thanks for chiming in!
Hi Eric, I have not any videos on my posts and pages because I have not created videos.
But some people recommend it if they add value even if they are not your own videos. For this reason, I am looking to learn how to add them on my posts.
However, I would like to read your opinion about adding other people’s videos on your blog.
There’s nothing wrong with adding relevant videos made by other people off YouTube. Sometimes though, videos from other people will direct viewers to their site instead of keeping eyes on yours. This is why creating your own videos is so powerful. Thanks for the comment! I appreciate it!
Hi Eric. Definitely I will try your tips in my website. I think it will be nice to put how to cook a recipe video in my baby website ??. Thank you for writing this very useful article and look forward to your next tips.
Hey Melani! I think adding a cooking video to your post would be a great idea! Cooking videos are EXTREMELY addictive! And it’s truly the best way to learn how to cook a simple recipe and every foodie (including myself) loves watching videos of food being prepared. I’m glad this was able to help you! Thanks for the comment!
Never realized it was that easy to put a video on my website, I am glad I came across this post because I have plenty of good videos that I want to incorporate into my posts, so thank you.
That’s exactly what I’m doing now. Going back into my old posts and giving them a boost of new life by adding video content to them. It’s a great way to improve SEO and ultimately build more traffic. I like the way you think.
Thanks Eric for sharing about this.I agree with you, adding a video into a blog post will help in boost up the traffic. I wonder any way to find out and compare the traffic drawn by the blog post and the traffic drawn by the video. If this comparison can be made, then I believe it will help to know whether we are using a correct video on our post
I think it all boils down to user experience. Whether or not traffic was drawn to your site by the video or not doesn’t matter so much to me. It’s all about creating a user experience that the reader wants more of. This makes them stay longer and click on more of your posts. This repeated process raises your rank and will thus build traffic. And with this increased traffic comes the opportunity for revenue. Thanks for your great insight!
Thank you for your post! Now I will know how to insert a video in my posts. By the way, what do you think about gifs? What power they have? Maybe you can even make a blog post about this I would love to read about them because I think they can make posts come to live!
You know that’s a pretty solid point. Adding images is a must when it comes to creating a good user experience on your website, and gifs are like a hybrid between images and video. It’s just a matter of finding good relevant gifs to use, as gif sites aren’t nearly as popular as image and video sites. Good insight. Thanks for the comment!
Hey Eric,
Thanks for posting this about how to embed YouTube vids into WordPress! I have a site where I have embedded other stuff, like google forms, my calendar, and even a Vimeo video, but not from YouTube yet. This is very helpful for when I get my YouTube channel set up! I definitely agree that video is the new trend!
Cheers,
Justin
A lot of people had asked me “how do I embed a video into a blog?” and so I decided to put this up. It’s so much easier than most think. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the comment1
Thanks for the lesson. I find it helpful. I have been blogging for some time now, I think my website bounce rate if high at 77% and I need to improve it. Practicing what is in this training will sure help me.
However, Eric Cantu, I have a question apart from YouTube videos, do all videos have the option to embed?
Any yet another question suppose I am using a video from an Affiliate, where do you add your Affiliate ID?
Thank you. I am looking forward for your answers soon.
Hey Jonathan! Yeah 77% is a high bounce rate. There are several good ways to improve your bounce rate. Check that article for some solid tips. If you’re linking to a WA video that you want to have you affiliate link in just make sure to use the video’s affiliate link when linking to it.
This was just what I needed to read so thanks for this article! I have been thinking about putting youtube videos into my articles for a while and this has convinced me that I should really get on and do it, especially as it seems so simple.
Are there any restrictions on the videos too can use and do you have to reference any copyright etc?
Thanks
Louise
The best part about video is that the author of the video sets it’s usability when they upload it. By default they can all be shared, but if the author of the video doesn’t want it to be shared, then the share button will not be available and this code won’t be available to you. So feel free to share away! That’s what youtube is for so take full advantage of it!
Thanks, Louise!
Hi Eric,
I usually use Embed Responsively to help me post a responsive YouTube video. Sometimes the code from YouTube doesn’t work properly (responsive wise). The website is embedresponsively.com.
It is so easy. You just copy your video link and put it in the website and they will create a new code. Just like the CSS code from YouTube but this one will be responsive.
Have you ever try it?
I haven’t tried it myself. The reason that some Youtube videos end up not being responsive from mobile (video appears too large or is cut off) is due to the theme you’re using, not so much the video’s code. My theme is responsive and the youtube videos look fine on mobile so I haven’t needed to use it. But it’s a great idea if you notice your YouTube videos are cut off when you’re checking them out on mobile and you don’t want to change themes. Good point. Thanks for the comment!
Great post Eric,
I like to embed videos in my posts but wasn’t aware of how to do the spacing or centring. I really love the spacing idea, simple but very effective.
Great video too, you explain the process really well. I am going to jump onto my site now and work on the spacing. It looks so much better. I have wordpress and use Youtube so I will follow your video step by step. Sounds great. Thanks for a great post,
Kev
It really is easy once you see it done, isn’t it? Glad you’re now going back and throwing some video into your posts. Keep it up! Thanks for the comment!
Hi Eric
You have made this so simple to do and I have been wondering about how to do this for ages. I didn’t realise how easy it was.
I have my own website but wasn’t sure if I was allowed to put a video on there.
Can you put any video from YouTube onto a personal website or have you got to own said video?
Cheers
Matthew
How’s it going, Matthew. You can use any video on YouTube. When you can use your own, it’s great, because if your reader clicks on the video to see more videos, you’re getting exposure to your YouTube content that way as well. And yes even if you use video by someone else, you’re really giving them free exposure too. So feel free to use any relevant YouTube video you like (especially if they’re mine) lol.
Thanks for the comment, Matthew!
I’ve seen another way to put a youtube video in a post in wordpress where you copy the url address of the youtube video, then go the post and click “add media” button, then click the “insert from url” button and in the empty field that opens, paste the url and save. I guess now that I think about it, it’s the same thing lol. Going to YouTube, copying some code or in this case a url, then going over to WordPress to paste it. Have you seen this method?
How are you doing, Daniel! There’s also an ultra simple way where you simply go to the text editor and in a line by itself you enter the url of the video and when you update the post, WordPress will have automatically put in the embed code for you. But this way I’m showing in the video here is the correct and simple way using the embed code.
Shortcuts are great, but when you see just how simple the actual steps are to embedding a youtube video into a WordPress blog post as shown above, it gives you that much more confidence moving forward 🙂 And yes I’d agree that the way you mentioned in your comment is a “shortcut” that uses the same amount of steps as the regular way, lol. Might as well do it right, right? Take care, Daniel!