Integrating YouTube playlists into your website enhances user engagement and boosts SEO by offering visitors a smooth viewing experience. This strategy can also help you attract more subscribers and expand your channel.
At CanadaCreate, we have been successfully embedding YouTube videos on our blog for over ten years. We have witnessed how YouTube videos and playlists can significantly enhance user engagement.
Many users prefer video tutorials over written instructions, and providing this option has allowed us to grow our audience and increase website traffic.
In this article, we will guide you through the simple process of embedding a YouTube playlist in WordPress.
Reasons to Embed YouTube Playlists in WordPress
If you’re looking to make your content more captivating, adding YouTube videos is an excellent way to capture your visitors’ attention.
There are numerous advantages to embedding YouTube content:
- You can keep visitors engaged and encourage them to spend more time on your website.
- Video content enhances your WordPress SEO, as higher engagement and lower bounce rates signal positively to search engines.
- It allows you to promote your YouTube channel and increase your subscriber count.
There are several ways to incorporate YouTube content into your website. You can embed a single video, display the latest uploads from your channel, or create a video gallery.
So, what are the benefits of using a playlist?
Embedding a playlist allows you to keep the videos centered around a specific theme.
A playlist also enables you to guide your visitors through the videos in a sequential manner, enhancing their engagement on your site.
Now, let’s explore how to embed YouTube playlists on your WordPress site.
How to Embed YouTube Playlists in WordPress
By default, WordPress does not support playlist embedding. The simplest way to add a YouTube playlist to your WordPress site is by using the YouTube Feed Pro plugin by SmashBalloon.
This is the top plugin for YouTube on WordPress, allowing you to create customized YouTube feeds for your site. It enables you to add your playlists and offers a variety of customization options.
The plugin automatically updates the playlist whenever you add new videos on YouTube. You can also embed live YouTube streams directly into WordPress.
For this guide, we will be using the premium version of YouTube Feed Pro, as it provides additional features. There is also a free version available for you to try.
Begin by installing and activating the YouTube Feed Pro plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our guide on installing a WordPress plugin.
Once activated, navigate to the YouTube Feed » Settings section in the WordPress dashboard to enter your license key.
You can find this information in your account on the Smash Balloon website.
Next, go to the YouTube Feeds » All Feeds section in the WordPress dashboard.
Click the ‘Add New’ button at the top to begin creating a new feed.
This will take you to the ‘Select Feed Type’ page, where you can choose to embed a single video, your entire channel, live stream videos, or more.
Since you want to embed a playlist, select the ‘Playlist’ option and click the ‘Next’ button to proceed.
A prompt will appear on your screen asking you to enter your YouTube API key to connect your channel with the plugin.
If you have an API key, simply paste it into the prompt.
How to Create a YouTube API Key
If you don’t have a YouTube API key, go to the Google Cloud Platform website and log in to your Google account.
Then, click the ‘Select a project’ button at the top.
A popup will appear on your screen showcasing all the projects you have previously created.
Click the ‘New Project’ button located in the top right corner.
This will lead you to a new page where you can enter a name for your project. Choose a name that will help you easily recognize it later.
Next, select an ‘Organization’ and its location from the dropdown menu. If you prefer, you can choose ‘No Organization’ and click the ‘Create’ button to proceed.
After creating your project, you will be redirected to the project dashboard.
Here, click the ‘+ Enable APIs And Services’ button in the top menu.
You will then be taken to the API Library, which showcases various Google services for which you can create APIs to use in your projects.
Now, type ‘YouTube Data API v3’ into the search box.
When the ‘YouTube Data API v3’ appears in the results, click on it.
This will bring you to a new screen. Click on the ‘Enable’ button to activate the YouTube API key.
You will now be directed to the ‘API/Service Details’ page.
Once there, click the ‘Create Credentials’ button at the top.
On the next page, simply check the box next to the ‘Public Data’ option.
Next, click the ‘Next’ button to generate your API.
Your API Key has been successfully created and will be shown on the page.
Copy this key and then click the ‘Done’ button.
Now, go to your WordPress dashboard and paste the API key there.
This will redirect you to another page where you need to enter the playlist ID.
To find this ID, visit your YouTube channel and navigate to the playlist you want to showcase on your website.
The playlist ID is the string of letters and numbers that appears after the ‘=’ symbol in the URL.
Copy the ID and paste it into the ‘Playlist ID’ field.
After that, click the ‘Next’ button.
Customize and Embed Your YouTube Playlist
The Smash Balloon feed editor will open, displaying a preview of your YouTube playlist on the right and customization options on the left.
Here, you can adjust the width, height, and background color of your YouTube feed.
You can also modify the layout of your feed, with options for grid, gallery, list, or carousel formats.
Depending on your selected layout, you may have additional settings to configure.
The plugin provides additional customization options for your YouTube feed. You can select which details to display, including the play icon, title, views, date, and more.
You can also enter translations for informational text, modify header options, adjust the settings for the Load More and Subscribe buttons, implement moderation, and access other advanced features.
For comprehensive guidance, check out our tutorial on creating a video gallery in WordPress.
After making your changes, click the ‘Save’ button at the top to apply your settings.
You can now showcase your YouTube playlist on any page or post within WordPress.
To begin, create a new page or edit an existing one. In the WordPress content editor, click the ‘Add Block’ button and insert the ‘Feeds for YouTube’ block.
Your YouTube playlist will now be displayed on your page.
Publish your article to see the YouTube playlist feed in action.
Bonus: Use a YouTube Video as a Full-Screen Background in WordPress
In addition to embedding a playlist, you can set a YouTube video as a full-screen background for your website. This will instantly capture visitors’ attention and encourage them to explore your site.
To get started, install and activate the Advanced WordPress Backgrounds plugin. For step-by-step instructions, refer to our guide on installing a WordPress plugin.
Once activated, navigate to the block editor and insert the ‘Background AWB’ block onto your page.
Next, open the YouTube video you wish to use as a background and copy its URL.
Return to your WordPress page and paste the URL into the ‘Video URL’ field in the block settings.
Finally, click the ‘Update’ or ‘Publish’ button to save your changes. Visit your WordPress site to see the fullscreen video background in action.
For more information, check out our tutorial on adding a YouTube video as a fullscreen background in WordPress.
We hope this article has helped you learn how to embed a YouTube playlist in WordPress. You might also want to explore our beginner’s guide on creating a social media website or our tutorial on adding a YouTube subscribe button in WordPress.
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