Stop Wasting Time on Instagram and Start Creating Evergreen YouTube Content
It feels like you’re wasting your time creating content because, honestly, you are. If your marketing plan is built on Instagram posts, reels, and stories that disappear after 24 hours, then all that energy vanishes almost as quickly as you hit publish. The good news? You don’t need to start from scratch. You can take the content you’ve already created, repurpose it, and turn it into evergreen YouTube content that continues to work for you long after it goes live.
I’ve been where you are, spending hours crafting the perfect Instagram caption or recording reels that get a little burst of likes and then vanish into the void. It’s frustrating, it’s exhausting, and it feels like no matter how much effort you pour into it, you’re not getting clients or sales. But the problem isn’t you. It’s the platform.
Why Instagram Content Doesn’t Pay Off
Let’s be real. The shelf life of Instagram content is brutal. Most posts live for less than 24 hours, and that’s being generous. On average, the lifespan is closer to 21 hours. That means every time you spend half an hour creating a reel or a post, the clock immediately starts ticking. By the next day, your hard work is practically invisible.
I know that stings, because I’ve put hundreds of hours into Instagram over the years. And maybe you have too. But here’s the math that made it clear for me: 28 pieces of Instagram content in a month equals about 14 hours of work, and in exchange you get 28 hours of lifespan. That’s not a marketing strategy, it’s a hamster wheel.
Now compare that with YouTube. Even the most conservative data shows that a YouTube video lives at least nine days, and many of my videos from four years ago are still driving leads and sales today. That’s a return that Instagram simply can’t match.
YouTube Is Indexed by AI and Google
The other big problem with Instagram is that AI can’t read it. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity are now where people go to ask questions, get recommendations, and decide who to hire. And AI doesn’t recommend based on reels, stories, or carousels, it recommends based on indexed content it can actually crawl.
YouTube is not only searchable inside the platform itself, but also indexed by Google and visible to AI. That means when someone asks ChatGPT “Who’s the best coach for launching an online course?” your YouTube content could be the one recommended, if you’ve taken the time to put it out there.
So while Instagram continues to bury your content in less than a day, YouTube and AI keep serving it up to new people, weeks, months, and even years later.
You Don’t Have to Start from Scratch
I know one of your first thoughts might be: “But I’ve already spent so much time on Instagram. Do I really have to start over?” The answer is no.
Everything you’ve created so far, your Instagram posts, reels, captions, even Facebook Lives and podcasts, can be repurposed into YouTube videos. I like to call this process “YouTubeifying” your content.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Go back through your old content and find what performed best. Look for the posts that got the most engagement, not just views—the ones with comments, shares, or meaningful saves.
Take those topics and expand on them. That reel you recorded in 45 seconds could easily become a five-to-eight-minute YouTube video where you go a little deeper, add examples, or share case studies.
Use a simple scripting framework, a strong hook, clear content, and a call to action. No fancy equipment needed.
I promise, you don’t need to create TED Talks. You just need to expand slightly beyond what you already have and put it on a platform where the content can actually live.
Nobody Notices Repetition
Another fear I hear all the time is: “But I’ve already said this. Won’t people get annoyed if I repeat myself?” Let me tell you, I’ve repeated the topic of “how to script your YouTube videos” at least 16 different times on my channel in the last 10 years. Not only do those videos still get views, but I also sell a course on video scripting every single day.
The truth is, nobody is paying as close attention to your content as you are. People need to hear the same message over and over before it clicks. Repetition isn’t annoying, it’s essential for building trust and authority.
Real Client Case Studies
I don’t want you to just take my word for it. Let’s look at real numbers from clients who have made the leap from Instagram to YouTube.
One client stopped posting entirely back in February. She had built up a library of about 100 YouTube videos over the years. For six months she didn’t upload a single new video. And yet, during that time she had 52,000 views on her channel, gained over 1,000 subscribers, and earned $1,000, all without lifting a finger. If she had taken a six-month break from Instagram, her account would have gone dark. No visibility, no growth, no income.
Another client started from absolute zero just five months ago. She has under 200 subscribers, and her first five videos got only 50 to 100 views each. But those five videos made her $42,000 in a combination of low-ticket offers and coaching clients. Zero to $42,000 in five videos. That’s the power of YouTube.
And it’s not just rare success stories. I hear this again and again from clients who consistently post one YouTube video a week. Even small channels with less than 500 subscribers are landing high-ticket clients because YouTube attracts the right viewers, the ones ready to buy.
YouTube Videos Compound Over Time
Here’s the part that still amazes me, even after years of working with YouTube: videos compound.
Every time you publish a new video, it not only reaches new viewers, it also sends people back to your older videos. That means your library of content becomes more valuable over time. Each video strengthens the others.
Contrast that with Instagram, where every new post essentially erases the one before it. The hamster wheel never ends. But on YouTube, your content becomes a growing sales asset. That’s the difference between hustling endlessly and building something that lasts.
Why YouTube Wins for Business Owners
There are three main reasons YouTube beats Instagram for coaches, course creators, and service providers like us.
First, long-form content converts better. People scrolling reels are in an entertainment mindset. People searching YouTube are in a problem-solving mindset. When someone sits down to watch a 10-minute video, they’re more invested, more focused, and more likely to trust you enough to buy.
Second, YouTube is discoverable by AI and Google. That means your content isn’t just on one platform, it’s part of the broader ecosystem where people are actually searching for help.
And third, YouTube gives you freedom. One video a week is enough to keep your business visible, attract leads, and generate sales. You don’t need to spend 14 hours creating 28 pieces of disappearing content. You can put that same time into YouTube and build something that compounds over months and years.
Proof That AI Recommends YouTube Content
This isn’t just theory, it’s already happening. I’ve seen traffic to my own website from ChatGPT and Perplexity. Clients tell me all the time that when they ask prospects how they found them, the answer is “I asked ChatGPT, and it recommended your YouTube video.”
One colleague of mine had a lead sign up for her highest-ticket offer in a single day after finding her through ChatGPT. That client had no prior relationship with her. They went from lead magnet to low-ticket product to high-ticket application all within 24 hours, all because AI recommended her YouTube content.
This is the new reality of marketing. If your content can’t be read by AI, you don’t exist. But if you’re on YouTube, you’re in the game.
Your Next Step
If this is resonating with you and you’re ready to stop wasting time on Instagram, then your next step is simple: start YouTubeifying your content. Take the posts, reels, and captions you’ve already created and expand them into short YouTube videos.
Don’t stress about perfection. Don’t wait for fancy equipment. Just start getting your message on the platform that will keep working for you long after you hit publish.
And if you want to learn the full system, the exact strategy for creating evergreen YouTube content that AI recommends, that builds your reputation, and that brings in clients daily, then I want to invite you to my Build Your Big Reputation Summit. Over three sessions, I’ll walk you through how to future-proof your content and your business on YouTube. You’ll learn how to get off the content hamster wheel, how to be seen as the go-to expert, and how to attract leads and sales with just one video a week.
Instagram isn’t broken because of you, it’s broken because the platform itself isn’t built to serve business owners anymore. Posts expire in 24 hours, reels barely last a few days, and even ads are getting harder and more expensive.
YouTube, on the other hand, gives you evergreen, searchable, bingeable content that compounds over time and gets recommended by AI. That’s why one YouTube video a week can change everything.
So stop wasting time creating content that dies in a day. Start creating content that builds your business for months and years to come. YouTube is where your clients are, and YouTube is where your content can finally pay off.
