WTF is Smart YouTube Plugin?

In this latest “WTF” video (I’ll try to do one of these at least once a week) I’m showing you a nifty WordPress plugin that anyone who puts YouTube videos on their blog will want to have: Smart YouTube Plugin.

(Can’t see the video? Click here.)

Why is thing so cool? Well, from my viewpoint it’s amazing, because it gives me everything I want in video embedding: fast & lazy and with very specific settings and features.

Here’s the thing: WordPress lets you just throw a YouTube URL into a post (right in the Visual tab, no pasting of <iframe> code necessary) and it will automagically embed the video, like so:

What you see there is the default settings, which I don’t want.

What I want is what you see in the first embedded video on this page, which is the same video except it’s taking advantage of Smart YouTube.

Once you install Smart YouTube you configure it so all your videos have the settings you want. I wanted bigger videos, I didn’t want related videos to appear afterward and I wanted the YouTube logo removed (yes, it does that).

To trigger Smart YouTube for your video URL, just sneak the letter “v” into it right after the “http” with no spaces, like this: httpv://.

See the “v” in there?

THAT’S ALL YOU HAVE TO DO.

Smart YouTube also solves a problem I was having. The way I was embedding videos before was to just paste in the <iframe> code into the HTML tab in WordPress. That was a great way to do it before WordPress upped its game, but what happens is that the video rests on top of anything else and blocks it from view. So nobody could +1 the post on Google+ because that button’s flyout menu was blocked by the video.

That could be fixed by adding ?wmode=transparent at the end of the URL string in the <iframe> code, but what a pain in the ass to have to that every time! I thought to myself there has GOT to be a WordPress plugin that solves this problem. After only a few minutes of searching around I found the Smart YouTube plugin.

I love this thing.

And by the way these are not affiliate links nor do I get anything out of this other than a better video blogging workflow—for myself and for you.

Filed Under: Blogging

http://willpowerisforfatpeople.com Drew

FYI: The video doesn’t appear in Google Reader, just a link to it. For my money, I’d rather have the video in my RSS feed than be able to automatically resize it.
- http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine
  
  Drew, thanks for your comment. I’m sure the reason why it does not appear is because of the “v” inserted to make the plugin do its thing.
  
  UPDATE: I may have had a setting wrong. I’ve changed it and hopefully that will resolve the issue, but we won’t know until I post another video.
  - http://superghostwriters.com Minna
    
    The video appeared in my RSS but they looked exactly the same, so I “had” to click through to see what the fuss was about.
    - http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine
      
      Yeah it’s already gone out and won’t be resent via RSS, so we’ll just see how it goes for the next post with video in it.
http://barrymorris.net Barry Morris

Thanks, Michael. Love the part: “Close, but no sitar.”
- http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine
  
  Heh… that was terrible, I know!
http://www.30daysinitaly.com Donna

I guess we will just have to wait for the next video and see how it works out.

Thanks for this smart plugin. I just love when somebody else does the research for me
- http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine
  
  A great many people appreciate that. It’s a great way to create content (and services/products) that matters to people.
http://blog.findinghawaii.com Cory Beadle

I love the title. Nice! I have not been posting videos on my site yet. thank you for the updates after the post. I am glad it has the ability to customize the settings. makes things quick and easy.
- http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine
  
  Thanks, Cory. I absolutely and shamelessly stole the idea from a YouTube gaming channel where “TotalBiscuit” does that for game reviews.
http://www.euroflorist.se Skicka Blommor

A really neat solution for a small everyday problem. I really do dislike having to put up with default settings, so thanks for the tip!
Ynna

This innovative gadget can be very useful for bloggers. Cool plugin! Wanting to use this too.
http://oxyhivesexosed.com/feed Shelly

Thanks for giving me the low down on the Smart Tube WordPress plugin. I will be using it soon.
http://zetclearexposed.net/ Sherry

Really Good Plugin. Thanks for the tumbs up on it. Anymore recommendations.
http://www.theskykid.com George

My only issue with the plugin is that the videos are not automatically re-sized when viewed on mobile browsers ( tested safari on ipod and ipad and few on android tablets ). Other than that the plugin is great and I am using it on the site I manage.
- http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine
  
  Thanks for bringing that up. I’m sure it’s something people would want to know when deciding about this plugin.
Derek

Would you still favor this plug in over the Headway Media block for embedding video. Do you know if the media block is iPhone friendly?
- http://remarkablogger.com Michael Martine
  
  The Headway media block is more for permanent page design elements as part of the page structure, rather than as content within a blog post. Everything Headway does is designed to be iOS-friendly that I know of. Those guys are huge Mac users.
  - Derek
    
    Many thanks. I hadn’t thought of that.
http://hoodiagodoniiplusreview.com/ Sharon

That problem must have really frustrated you. Glad to hea that you were able to solve the problem with the Smart You Tube Plugin.
http://flotolexposed.com/feed/ Shannon

Look at it but there is a problem with Samrt Tube plugin not resizing. Other wise it is good.
http://idollashexpose.net/feed/ Arlene

Thanks for introducing me to Smart Tube Plugin, may be there there is a problem with resizing which I am sure the develop will rectify soon, if enough people complain.