Resources · Make integration

YouTube Make integrationAutomate YouTube with Make.

Your channel can file, reply and publish while you film. The YouTube Make integration gives you 16 modules: 4 triggers that watch videos and comments, 12 actions for videos, playlists and your channel. This page connects your account and walks you through a first scenario.

Try the YouTube integration on MakeSee the 16 modules

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What you can automate

What can the YouTube Make integration automate?

The YouTube Make integration links your YouTube account to Make, a no-code tool where you build a scenario (the automation itself, a chain of modules). Each module is one brick: a trigger that notices a new video or comment, or an action that uploads, edits or files something on your channel for you.

Playlists that sort themselves. Watch Videos in a Channel spots each new upload, and Add a Video to the Playlist drops it into the right series. Viewers find the latest episode without you touching the playlist.

Comments that never slip by. Watch New Comments hands every fresh comment to the next module, so a community manager can log it in a sheet or answer it with Reply to a Comment.

Publishing from your production pipeline. When a finished file lands in cloud storage, Upload a Video sends it to YouTube and Set a Video Thumbnail adds the cover image right after.

Know the edges before you start. All four triggers are scheduled: Make checks YouTube on the scenario's clock, it is never pinged by YouTube. There is no search module either, and the Make documentation lists no numeric limit for this app. For any other endpoint, Make an API Call reuses the same connection.

YouTube also has an n8n node, covered on the YouTube n8n integration page; the n8n vs Make comparison helps you pick a tool. New to the editor? The Make training starts from zero.

Connect

How do you connect YouTube to Make?

  1. 01

    Add a YouTube module

    You need a Google account, since YouTube runs on it. In your scenario, add any YouTube module and click Create a connection. The Connection name field is optional; a clear name helps when you manage several channels.

  2. 02

    Accept the terms

    Read YouTube's Terms of Service and Google's Privacy Policy, then select Yes to confirm you accept both. Skip Show advanced settings unless you want to use client credentials from your own Google Cloud Platform project.

  3. 03

    Sign in with Google

    Click Sign in with Google, pick the account that owns the channel, and grant every permission Google asks for. The connection is then saved in Make and every YouTube module of your scenarios reuses it.

First scenario

Your first scenario: file every new upload into a playlist

GoalWhen a video is published on your YouTube channel, Make adds it to the playlist you picked.

  1. 01

    Create the scenario

    On the Scenarios page, create a new scenario and click the big +. Search for YouTube and pick Watch Videos in a Channel as the first module.

  2. 02

    Point the trigger at your channel

    Select your YouTube connection, or create it now with Create a connection. Then tell the module which channel to watch: yours, or any public channel.

  3. 03

    Add the playlist action

    Click the + on the right of the trigger and choose Add a Video to the Playlist. Pick the playlist, then map the video ID coming from the first module into it.

  4. 04

    Test with Run once

    Click Run once. Make runs the scenario a single time and shows the bundles each module received, so you can check that the right video reached the right playlist.

  5. 05

    Schedule and switch it on

    Open the clock on the first module. A new scenario checks every 15 minutes by default, and the Free plan allows no shorter gap. Then switch the scenario on.

Triggers

What starts a YouTube scenario

4 modules start a scenario when something happens in YouTube. A scheduled trigger is checked by Make on the scenario's schedule; an instant one is called by YouTube as soon as it happens.

YouTube1Watch Videos in a Channel

Watch Videos in a Channel

Scheduled trigger

In Make“Triggers when a video is published on a public channel or your channel”

You get each newly published video of a channel as a bundle, ready for the next module. It works on your own channel and on any public channel, which makes it handy for both your publishing routine and keeping an eye on other creators.

How it fires
scheduled. Make checks YouTube on the scenario's schedule, so a video shows up at the next check, not the second it goes live.
When to use it
as the starting point of anything that should follow a new upload, such as filing it in a playlist or announcing it elsewhere.
YouTube2Watch Videos by Search

Watch Videos by Search

Scheduled trigger

In Make“Triggers when a new video appears in the search results.”

This one hands you the videos that newly show up in a YouTube search, instead of following a single channel. Think of it as a saved search that feeds your scenario with fresh results on a topic, a product name or a competitor.

How it fires
scheduled. Make runs the search again on the scenario's schedule and passes along the new results only.
When to use it
topic watch, when the interesting videos come from many channels you do not know yet.
Watch out
a broad query brings many bundles, and each module run on a bundle counts as an operation on your plan.
YouTube3Watch Videos in a Playlist

Watch Videos in a Playlist

Scheduled trigger

In Make“Triggers when a video has been added to a specified playlist.”

Here the scenario starts when a video is added to a playlist you pick. The playlist becomes a control panel: drop a video in, and whatever follows in the scenario runs on that video.

How it fires
scheduled. Make looks at the playlist on the scenario's schedule and picks up the videos added since the last check.
When to use it
a team workflow where an editor marks videos by moving them into a playlist named for review or for a partner.
YouTube4Watch New Comments

Watch New Comments

Scheduled trigger

In Make“Triggers when a new comment related to a channel or a video occurs.”

Every new comment on a channel or on a specific video reaches your scenario, one bundle per comment. Nothing gets buried under the next upload, even when replies pile up on older videos.

How it fires
scheduled. Make collects the comments posted since its last check, at the rhythm set on the scenario.
When to use it
community management, to log questions in a shared table or route them to the person who answers.
Watch out
scope it to one video when you only care about a launch, otherwise every comment on the channel costs operations.
Modules

What the YouTube modules can do

YouTube gives you 12 modules in 5 groups. For each one: what it does for you, when to reach for it, and what to watch out for.

Videos

4 modules
YouTube1

Upload a Video

Action

In Make“Uploads a video to YouTube and optionally sets the video's metadata.”

Sends a video file to your channel and, if you want, fills in its metadata in the same step. The file has to come from an earlier module, such as a cloud storage download.

When to use it
the edit is exported to a shared folder and should go online without anyone opening YouTube Studio.
Watch out
the Free plan caps files at 5 MB, so check your plan before routing real videos through it.
YouTube2

Update a Video Details

Action

In Make“Updates the metadata of an existing video by its ID.”

Changes the metadata of a video that is already online, found by its ID. Your catalog stays accurate without opening each video in YouTube Studio.

When to use it
a sponsor or an offer changes, and the videos that mention it must follow.
Watch out
you need the video ID, so place this module after a trigger or a step that provides it.
YouTube3

Set a Video Thumbnail

Action

In Make“Uploads a custom thumbnail and sets it for the video.”

Uploads a custom image and makes it the cover of a given video. It pairs naturally with Upload a Video: one publishes the file, this one gives it the cover you chose.

When to use it
your designer drops the finished thumbnail in a folder and it should land on the matching video.
Watch out
the image travels as a file, so an earlier module has to fetch it first.
YouTube4

Delete a Video

Action

In Make“Deletes a YouTube video.”

Removes a video from YouTube for good. It saves you from cleaning test uploads or expired offers by hand, and that is also why it deserves care.

When to use it
a time-limited video, such as a private preview, has to disappear once a condition in another app is met.
Watch out
a deletion cannot be undone, so add a filter and test with Run once on a throwaway video.

Channels

2 modules
YouTube5

Update a Channel Banner

Action

In Make“Uploads and sets a custom banner on the specified channel.”

Uploads a new banner image and sets it on the channel you choose. The top of your channel page can change with a campaign without a manual login.

When to use it
a launch or event starts and the channel header should announce it as soon as the campaign starts in your planning tool.
Watch out
like thumbnails, the banner is a file that an earlier module must provide.
YouTube6

Update a Channel Details

Action

In Make“Updates details of the specified channel.”

Edits the details of a channel you specify, as opposed to its banner image. Useful when the same information lives in a CRM or a sheet and the channel should mirror it.

When to use it
your team updates the brand information in its reference sheet and wants the channel to match without a separate edit.
Watch out
the new details take the place of the current ones, so save the current text before the first run.

Playlist

4 modules
YouTube7

Create a Playlist

Action

In Make“Creates a new playlist in a channel of the authorized account or on behalf of a content owner or their channel, if specified.”

Opens a brand new playlist in a channel of the connected account, or on behalf of a content owner when you specify one. Each series, course or client gets its own shelf automatically.

When to use it
a new project is created in your planning tool and its episodes need a home on YouTube.
Watch out
run it once per project, otherwise you end up with duplicate playlists.
YouTube8

Update a Playlist

Action

In Make“Updates a playlist in the authorized account or on the account of the owner or their channel, if specified.”

Edits an existing playlist, in your own account or on the account of an owner or their channel when specified. The playlist stays in step with the project it belongs to.

When to use it
a season wraps up or a course gets renamed, and the playlist should say so.
Watch out
the module targets one playlist, so keep its identifier at hand in the scenario.
YouTube9

Add a Video to the Playlist

Action

In Make“Adds a video to the playlist by its ID.”

Places a video into a playlist using the video's ID. This is the module behind playlists that keep themselves up to date, since it plugs straight after a watch trigger.

When to use it
every new episode, or every video returned by a search, should join a given series.
Watch out
map the ID from the previous module rather than typing it, or the same video keeps getting added.
YouTube10

Delete a Playlist

Action

In Make“Deletes a specified playlist.”

Removes a playlist you name, which keeps your channel page tidy once a series or a campaign is over and nobody needs that grouping anymore.

When to use it
a temporary playlist, built for an event or a client review, has served its purpose.
Watch out
there is no way back, so test on a spare playlist before pointing it at real ones.

Comments

1 module
YouTube11

Reply to a Comment

Action

In Make“Creates a reply to the specified comment.”

Posts a reply under a specific comment, from the connected channel. Viewers get an answer even when nobody is watching the comment feed.

When to use it
after Watch New Comments, once a filter or a teammate has approved the answer to send.
Watch out
the reply is public and signed by your channel, so avoid sending a generic text to every comment.

Other

1 module
YouTube12

Make an API Call

Action

In Make“Performs an arbitrary authorized API call.”

Calls any endpoint of the YouTube API with the connection you already set up. It covers what the eleven other actions leave out, without a second login.

When to use it
you need a YouTube feature that no listed module handles.
Watch out
you write the request yourself, so this is the one module on the page that expects some knowledge of the API.
Need help

Need help automating YouTube with Make?

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FAQ

YouTube and Make: common questions

01Is the YouTube Make integration free?
Yes. YouTube is a standard app, available from the Free plan onward. The Free plan comes with its own limits: 2 active scenarios, at least 15 minutes between two scheduled runs, 5 minutes of execution per run, files up to 5 MB and 512 MB of data transfer. Paid plans (Core, Pro, Teams and Enterprise) bring the interval down to 1 minute and remove the cap on active scenarios. Usage is counted in operations, one per module run on one bundle.
02What do you need to connect YouTube to Make?
A Google account, because YouTube sign-in goes through Google. If you do not have one, you can create it from youtube.com with Sign in, then Create Account. In Make, add a YouTube module, click Create a connection, accept the terms by selecting Yes, then Sign in with Google and grant the permissions. Your own Google Cloud Platform credentials are optional, set under Show advanced settings. The connection is then shared by every YouTube module you add later.
03Do YouTube triggers in Make react instantly?
No. The 4 YouTube triggers are all scheduled: Make checks YouTube on the scenario's schedule and picks up what changed since the last check. A new scenario checks every 15 minutes by default. On a paid plan you can shorten that to 1 minute; on the Free plan, 15 minutes is the minimum. None of the YouTube modules is instant, meaning YouTube never calls Make through a webhook. Keep that delay in mind when a scenario answers comments.
04What if a YouTube module is missing in Make?
Use Make an API Call. It reaches any endpoint of the YouTube API from your scenario and reuses the connection you already have, so you are not limited to the 12 listed actions. The Make documentation gives no numeric limit for this app. If the gap is on the data side rather than YouTube, another app in the same scenario can usually fill it, since Make offers 3,000+ standard apps on every plan.
05Should you use Make or n8n for YouTube?
It depends on the tool your team already runs. YouTube exists on both sides: in Make it comes with 16 modules, including 4 scheduled triggers and Make an API Call for the rest; n8n offers its own YouTube node, described on a separate page of this site. Compare the modules each tool offers against your use case, and read the n8n vs Make comparison before committing a whole workflow to one of them.
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