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If you’ve ever thought, “I hit that insane Yasuo combo, but no one saw it!” — it’s time to fix that.
Whether you play League of Legends, Valorant, or any competitive game, knowing how to create highlights for TikTok and YouTube can grow your personal brand, boost engagement, and even open doors to content monetization.

Let’s break down everything you need — from tools and editing workflows to posting tips that help your clips go viral.

1. Why Highlights Matter

Short-form and long-form highlights are now the core of gaming content creation.
Platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels reward fast, entertaining, and visually clear content.

Benefits of Posting Highlights:

• Grow your following even without streaming full-time
• Recycle your Twitch or OBS footage for more reach
• Build a consistent content pipeline
• Attract sponsors, collaborations, or esports recognition

Consistency beats complexity — one 20-second highlight a day can build massive reach over time.

2. Capturing Your Gameplay Footage

Before editing, you need clean footage.

Best Recording Tools:

• OBS Studio (Free) – Stream and record at 1080p/60FPS.
• Medal.tv – Automatically clips highlights based on in-game events.
• Outplayed (by Overwolf) – Perfect for League of Legends; records kills, assists, and pentas automatically.
• NVIDIA ShadowPlay – Instant replay capture with minimal performance loss.

Recommended Settings (for Smooth Recording):

• Resolution: 1920×1080 (Full HD)
• Frame Rate: 60 FPS
• Bitrate: 10,000–16,000 kbps
• Format: MP4 or MOV

Pro Tip: Record with separate audio tracks for game and mic — this gives you flexibility when editing later.

3. Choosing the Right Format for Each Platform

TikTok & YouTube Shorts:

• Vertical video (9:16)
• 15–60 seconds
• Use captions and zooms to keep viewers engaged

YouTube Highlights / Montages:

• Horizontal (16:9)
• 3–8 minutes long
• Combine multiple plays with music or commentary

Format tip: For every YouTube highlight video, create at least two short vertical versions for TikTok and Reels.

4. Editing Tools for Highlights

Beginner-Friendly:

• CapCut (Free) – Best for TikTok vertical edits.
• DaVinci Resolve (Free) – Powerful color and sound editing suite.
• Vegas Pro – Streamlined, perfect for montage-style videos.
• Adobe Premiere Pro – Industry standard for pro creators.

Mobile Options:

• CapCut Mobile – Easy templates for TikTok.
• VN Editor – Lightweight, fast, and great for captions.
• InShot – Clean transitions and background music integration.

LoL content creators love CapCut because it’s fast, free, and integrates with trending sounds directly from TikTok.

5. Highlight Editing Workflow (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Collect Your Clips

Export footage from OBS or Outplayed and organize by folder — e.g.,

Highlights > Yasuo Pentas > Patch 15.3

Step 2: Choose Your Best Moments

Keep your clips short, sharp, and clear:

• Kills and outplays
• Funny fails
• Epic teamfights
• Reactions or voice comms

Step 3: Cut & Zoom

Trim to the most exciting part (first 3 seconds are crucial).
Use zoom-ins on kills or reactions to increase impact.

Step 4: Add Captions

Use animated subtitles for key moments — especially funny or intense lines.
Tools like CapCut Auto Captions do this instantly.

Step 5: Music and SFX

Match gameplay rhythm to sound.

• Epic montage → bass drops or LoL soundtrack
• Funny clips → meme sounds or silence with punchline captions

Step 6: Transitions & Filters

Smooth transitions make even short clips feel professional.
Keep filters minimal — focus on clarity and motion.

Pro Tip: Use hit sound or ability audio sync with music beats for maximum hype.

6. Adding Branding and Watermarks

To build your brand identity, always include:

• Your logo or tag (bottom corner)
• lolinsider.com or your content page
• Subtle outro with your socials or call to action

Example:

“Follow for more League highlights ⚔️ #LeagueofLegends #YasuoPlays”

Keep branding consistent across all platforms — same color scheme, font, and placement.

7. Optimizing for TikTok & YouTube Algorithms

TikTok:

• Use strong hooks in the first 1–2 seconds
• Include on-screen reactions (even webcam cutouts)
• Add text like “Unreal Outplay 😱” or “This Baron Steal… 💀”
• Use trending music or sounds
• Post 2–3 times daily for maximum growth

YouTube Shorts:

• 15–30 seconds work best
• Title: Include keywords (“Insane Lee Sin Kick – Worlds 2025 Meta”)
• Hashtags: #LeagueOfLegends #LoLClips #GamingHighlights
• Maintain a consistent upload schedule

The key: First 3 seconds = hook, next 10 seconds = punchline.

8. Thumbnail & Title Tricks for YouTube Highlights

Even highlight videos need strong visual identity.

Thumbnails:

• Use close-ups of champions or expressions
• Add glow or motion lines
• Use big fonts like “EPIC PENTAKILL” or “1 HP CLUTCH”

Titles:

• Emotional + Descriptive:
  • “I Outplayed 3 People as Yasuo 😤”
  • “The Funniest Baron Steal You’ll Ever See”
  • “When Faker Tries to Kill Me and Fails”

Use caps for emotion, numbers for credibility, and emojis for appeal.

9. Bonus: AI Tools for Highlight Automation

If you want to scale faster, try AI-powered highlight editors.

Recommended AI Tools:

• Eklipse.gg – Auto-detects highlights from Twitch or YouTube.
• Powr.ai – Clips high-action moments with AI tagging.
• Crossclip – Converts horizontal gameplay into vertical TikToks.
• Sizzle.gg – AI editing for esports and commentary moments.

Combine AI with manual touch-ups — automation saves time, but human timing makes clips go viral.

10. Community Inspiration – Top LoL Highlight Creators

Want ideas? Watch how top LoL creators structure their highlights:

Study how they cut dead time, sync kills to music, and keep energy constant.

11. Cross-Promoting Your Highlights

Post Highlights Everywhere:

• TikTok: Short, funny, or intense clips
• YouTube Shorts: Reposts with hashtags
• Instagram Reels: Polished, captioned versions
• Twitter/X: Teasers with GIFs or 10-second versions

Use the same video multiple ways — it multiplies your reach.

12. Avoid These Common Mistakes

❌ Overusing slow motion – ruins pacing
❌ Ignoring captions – loses viewers fast
❌ Cluttered screen text – distracts from gameplay
❌ Uploading raw VODs – people want moments, not matches

Think highlight, not replay. Viewers should feel every moment, not skip it.

13. Final Checklist Before Posting

✅ High-quality video (1080p or higher)
✅ Strong thumbnail and title
✅ Hook in first 2 seconds
✅ Branding/logo visible
✅ Background music balanced
✅ Captions easy to read

Your highlight isn’t done until it’s optimized for view time and retention.

14. Conclusion

Learning how to create highlights for TikTok and YouTube is one of the best ways to grow in today’s gaming scene.
It’s not just about showing skill — it’s about creating moments that feel epic, funny, or relatable.

With the right tools, timing, and creativity, your clips can turn into content that entertains thousands — maybe millions.

“It’s not about recording every play — it’s about highlighting the ones worth remembering.”