How to incorporate a YouTube playlist on your website

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Often, when we are writing a post or creating a content page, we want to enrich it by adding YouTube videos. So far, so simple. The problem arises when those videos are not just one, but part of a complete playlist.

In my case, I needed to show an entire series of videos, not just a single one. And this is where YouTube starts making it less easy than it should be. If you have ever clicked the Share button on a playlist, you have already seen that YouTube only embeds the selected video, completely ignoring the rest of the list.

In this guide, I explain, step by step and without detours, how to correctly incorporate a YouTube playlist into your website, starting with the most reliable manual method and ending with alternatives for WordPress and automatic tools.

However, the procedure for incorporating a playlist is not as direct as it should be, and when we go to a playlist, we will see something like the following:

As you can see, it only shares the video you have selected regardless of whether it is part of a playlist or not.

The common problem when sharing playlists from YouTube

This is where I encountered the first obstacle myself.

When you are inside a playlist and click on Share → Embed, YouTube generates an iframe… but only for the active video, not the full list. It doesn't matter if that video belongs to a playlist: the embed ignores the rest.

This is confusing because visually you are inside a list, but technically it is not embedded as a list.

The solution involves manually constructing the correct player URL using the playlist ID.

Method 1: Incorporate a YouTube playlist with iframe (the most reliable method)

This is the method I always use when I want full control and maximum compatibility. It works on any website, regardless of the CMS.

How to get the ID of a YouTube playlist

First, you need the playlist ID.

Open the playlist on YouTube.

To insert a playlist, we have to use the following URL token as a base:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=<YOUR ID>

Look at the browser URL. It will be something like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUBWM3Z6Ns4&list=PLB5SYDBi8M3HkA4pHjmu-BFi5TqcXPSC4

The ID is the value that appears after list=:

PLB5SYDBi8M3HkA4pHjmu-BFi5TqcXPSC4

Save it, because we are going to use it now.

And of course its usual iframe:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay"></iframe>

So, with this in mind, go to the playlist you want; in my case, it would be:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUBWM3Z6Ns4&list=PLB5SYDBi8M3HkA4pHjmu-BFi5TqcXPSC4

And you copy what would be the ID, which is indicated by the list parameter:

PLB5SYDBi8M3HkA4pHjmu-BFi5TqcXPSC4

The playlist you are going to incorporate into your website will look like:

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLB5SYDBi8M3HkA4pHjmu-BFi5TqcXPSC4" width="560" height="315" src="" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay"></iframe>

Difference between videoseries and listType=playlist

Here is one of the points that most articles do not explain well.

Option 1: videoseries (the simplest)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLAYLIST_ID

It is the most direct way and works perfectly for embedding full lists.

Option 2: listType=playlist

https://www.youtube.com/embed?listType=playlist&list=PLAYLIST_ID

It is an alternative more aligned with the YouTube API, useful if you need advanced parameters later.

In practice, both work, but for a standard website I recommend videoseries for simplicity.

Full and functional iframe code

Once you have the ID, the final iframe would look like this:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLB5SYDBi8M3HkA4pHjmu-BFi5TqcXPSC4" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen> </iframe>

This was the key point: by using videoseries, the player started correctly showing the entire list, not just one video.

Useful parameters to customize the playlist

You can add parameters to the iframe URL to adjust its behavior:

• autoplay=1 → plays automatically (not recommended for SEO).
• controls=1 → shows controls (better to keep it active).
• rel=0 → avoids external related videos at the end.
• loop=1 → repeats the list (requires playlist=ID).

Example:

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=ID&autoplay=0&controls=1" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen> </iframe>

Method 2: Embed a YouTube playlist in WordPress (without plugins)

If you use WordPress and don't want to install plugins:

• Open the page or post.
• Add a custom HTML block.
• Paste the iframe as is.

WordPress does not block this type of iframe, and it works without problems in both the classic editor and Gutenberg.

On more than one occasion I have preferred this method because:

• it reduces unnecessary load
• it avoids external dependencies
• it maintains full control of the code

Method 3: Embed playlists with plugins and automatic tools

Solutions like EmbedSocial / EmbedFeed or Smash Balloon come in here.

• When it makes sense to use these tools
  • You manage many playlists.
  • You need custom designs (carousels, grids).
  • You want automatic synchronization without touching code.
  • Your website is 100% WordPress and you depend on visual widgets.
• Disadvantages
  • They add extra JavaScript.
  • In many cases, they require an account or a paid version.
  • Less technical control over the player.

Therefore, although they are useful, they do not replace the manual method when looking for simplicity and performance.

Key tips to improve performance and SEO when embedding playlists

• Use a single playlist per page if possible.
• Avoid autoplay to not increase the bounce rate.
• Accompany the video with contextual text (Google does not rank iframes alone).
• Make the iframe responsive using CSS if your theme does not do it automatically.
• Do not embed irrelevant lists: they must provide real value to the content.

Common errors when inserting YouTube playlists

• Using the Share button embed expecting it to load the entire list.
• Copying only the video ID, not the playlist ID.
• Inserting multiple heavy iframes on the same page.
• Depending on plugins for something that is resolved with a line of HTML.

Frequently asked questions about YouTube playlists

• Does this method work in any CMS?
  • Yes. HTML + iframe works in WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Wix (with HTML block), Shopify, and static websites.
• Do I need the YouTube API?
  • No, to embed public lists it is not necessary.
• Does the list update itself?
  • Yes. When adding new videos on YouTube, they will automatically appear on your website.
• What is the best method for SEO?
  • The manual iframe, accompanied by relevant and well-structured content.

Conclusion

Incorporating a YouTube playlist into your website is not complicated, but YouTube does not make it as obvious as it should be. The key is using the correct player URL and working directly with the playlist ID.

After trying different approaches, the method with videoseries is the one that has given me the best results: simple, stable, and compatible with any website.

If you want control, performance, and clarity, start there. And only resort to external tools when you really need them.