Can You Use YouTube Videos in an Online Course 

When it comes to the creation of an online course, many e-learning platforms and course programs actually require a minimum amount of video be included in conjunction with course lectures or other content. If you’re thinking about creating an online course, and you already have YouTube videos that you’ve created which may compliment your online course, you’re probably wondering, “Can You use YouTube videos in an online course?” 

While there are many instances in which you can use YouTube videos in an online course that you create, there are equally many in which this would not be allowed. So if you’re trying to figure out whether or not you can use YouTube videos in an online course, the answer is – maybe!

When Can You Use YouTube Videos in an Online Course?

The use of YouTube Videos for an online course that you’re creating is contingent upon where you intend to post your course. Many educational course platforms, like Udemy or Thinkific, have limitations on the type of video that you can and cannot include with your course. In fact, these platforms specifically require that you create unique video content for your course to upload to the platform and, therefore, you cannot include YouTube videos if you’re sharing your online course on these platforms.

If you intend to share your online course on your own website, then of course you can use your own YouTube videos as part of the course. In fact, as long as you are using your own content, you should have no problem with any type or style of video that you want to use if you’re hosting your online course along your own website. 

Can I Use Someone Else’s YouTube Videos in an Online Course?

The rules change when it comes to using a video that you do not own in an online course. Regardless of where you host the course, on an educational platform or your own website, if you do not own the content that you’re posting you could face potential challenges. If you’ve found a YouTube video that you love, and you’re interested in sharing it on a course that you’re creating, you do have some options. Consider the following:

• Reach out to the owner of the video and ask if you can use it as part of your online course.
• Consider creating a video that is similar, but that you own, and use it as part of your online course.
• Apply for a license to use the content, if it is copyrighted, before you incorporate it into your own course or for any other use.

When it comes to using any YouTube video content that you find for the purpose of producing an online course, it’s very important to consider U.S. Copyright rules, first. You must receive permission from the original owner of the video if you wish to use it for your own purposes, especially if you intend to use video in a way that you will potentially profit from! Most videos on YouTube are covered by a Standard YouTube License which means that you would need to request permission from the video owner before you could use the content in your course. 

However, if the YouTube video you wish to use is NOT covered by the Standard YouTube License, it may be covered by Creative Commons license in which case you would need to provide a link to the video and attribution of authorship if you use it in your course. If the video is also not covered by a Creative Commons license, then whether you can use it in your course or not is contingent upon individual state regulations and licensing agency requirements. In other words, it’s complicated!

Alternatives to Using YouTube Videos in an Online Course

If you’re trying to create an online course, and wondering how you can generate engaging video content that your audience is going to love, you’re not alone! So, if you can’t use YouTube videos in an online course, what can you do?

Fortunately, there are alternatives to using YouTube videos in an online course that you create. For instance, you could create your own video content and upload it to the course platform directly. This is the required process for Udemy, Thinkific, and many other educational course platforms. Likewise, if you’re hosting your online course on your own website, consider producing your own video content for the course and then you have the option of posting it to YouTube and then embedding it to your website or you can post it only on your website. 

The value in producing your own video content for your online courses is that you have full control over what you can and cannot do with the content. So, can you use YouTube videos in an online course? Sometimes! It really depends on how you intend to distribute the online course as some platforms such as Udemy and Thinkific will require unique videos to be created for the platform, and it also depends on the copyright. If the copyright owner provides you with permission to use the YouTube video in your online course, and there are no rules against using YouTube videos on the particular course platform that you’re utilizing, then you can!