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Creating a Course in Empath Using the YouTube Playlist Import Tool

Learn how to quickly create a full Empath course by importing a YouTube playlist. This guide covers prerequisites, finding the correct playlist URL, importing lessons, cleaning up course details, and publishing content for employee training.

Summary

Empath allows Content Admins to rapidly create a complete course by importing an entire YouTube playlist. Each video in the playlist is automatically converted into an individual lesson and assembled into a single course container. This article explains when and why to use playlist imports, how to find the correct YouTube playlist link, how the import process works, and what cleanup and customization is recommended before assigning the course to your team.

What This Feature Is (and Why It Exists)

In Empath, a course is a container that includes:

  • A title and thumbnail

  • A course description

  • Defined skill areas

  • One or more lessons (videos, text, embeds, quizzes)

Many MSPs want to leverage high-quality public content, especially vendor or certification-aligned material, without manually creating dozens of lessons one at a time. The YouTube Playlist Import tool exists to solve exactly that problem.

Instead of importing individual videos one by one, Empath can:

  • Pull an entire YouTube playlist

  • Create one lesson per video

  • Preserve lesson order

  • Automatically assemble everything into a single draft course

This allows you to go from “idea” to “assignable course” in minutes.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure the following:

  • You have the Content Admin role in Empath

  • You can see the Create button in the upper navigation or Content Admin in your profile menu

  • You have access to a YouTube playlist URL (not a single video link)

If you do not have the Content Admin role, you will not be able to create or import courses.

Video Walkthrough Of This KB

Creating a Course from YouTube Playlists in Empath 📚 - Watch Video

Step-by-Step: Importing a YouTube Playlist as a Course

Step 1: Confirm Content Admin Access

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You can confirm you have Content Admin access if:

  • You see the Create button in the top navigation

  • OR you see Content Admin in your profile dropdown

If neither is visible, contact your Empath Admin.

Step 2: Start Course Creation

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  1. Click Create

  2. Select Course

  3. Click Start

This opens the course creation modal.

Step 3: Choose the YouTube Playlist Import Option

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At the top of the course creation modal:

  1. Click Import

  2. Select YouTube Playlist

  3. You will be prompted to paste a playlist URL

Finding the Correct YouTube Playlist Link

This is the most common point of confusion.

What Will Not Work

  • A single YouTube video URL

  • A channel homepage

  • A “Watch” URL without the word playlist

What Will Work

  • A YouTube URL that contains the word playlist

  • A page showing multiple videos grouped together


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To find the correct link:

  1. Search YouTube for a course-style playlist

  2. Click the playlist title, not an individual video

  3. Confirm the URL includes playlist

  4. Copy that URL

Bonus: Using Curated Playlists

Empath maintains a running list of commonly used and recommended playlists in the Herd Help Hub.

This can be a good starting point if you are unsure what content to use.

Step 4: Import the Playlist into Empath

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  1. Paste the playlist URL into the Import field

  2. Click Import

  3. Wait while Empath pulls in the videos

Empath will:

  • Create one lesson per video

  • Preserve the playlist order

  • Populate lesson titles and descriptions from YouTube

Step 5: Review Imported Lessons

Once the import completes, you will see:

  • A list of lessons corresponding to each video

  • Lessons already ordered correctly

At this stage, you can:

  • Add quizzes or knowledge checks

  • Insert your own internal lessons

  • Leave the imported lessons as-is for now

Many partners choose to import first, then iterate later.

Step 6: Clean Up Course Metadata

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Before publishing, you should review and update:

Course Title

Imported titles often come directly from YouTube and may be overly long. Simplify the title so it is clear and internal-friendly.

Course Thumbnail

A fast option is to:

  1. Right-click the YouTube playlist thumbnail

  2. Save the image

  3. Upload it as the course thumbnail

This does not need to be perfect. Speed matters more than polish early on.

Step 7: Add a Course Description and Skills

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Empath strongly recommends adding:

  • A short course description explaining:

    • Who the course is for

    • Why it exists

    • What learners should expect

  • Skill areas with sub-skills

Many partners use AI tools to accelerate this step. A simple prompt like:

“Create an Empath course description and three skill areas with sub-skills for a CCNA 200-301 YouTube playlist.”

is usually sufficient.

Adding context helps learners understand:

  • Why the course was assigned

  • Whether it is exam prep, practical reinforcement, or exploratory learning

Step 8: Set Level, Roles, and Tags

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Before saving:

  • Set an appropriate course level (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)

  • Assign relevant roles (Support Engineer, Network Engineer, Project Engineer, etc.)

  • Add tags to improve discoverability

Step 9: Save, Preview, and Publish

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  1. Save the course as a Draft

  2. Preview it to confirm:

    • Lessons are present

    • Metadata looks correct

  3. Unflag the course to publish it internally

  4. Save again

Once published, the course becomes assignable.

Step 10: Assign the Course to Employees

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You can now:

  • Assign the course like any other Empath course

  • Set due dates

  • Track progress and completion

Advanced Tip: Create Your Own Playlists

You are not limited to pre-existing playlists.

You can:

  • Create your own YouTube playlist

  • Mix videos from multiple channels

  • Import that playlist into Empath using the same process


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This is a powerful way to curate content without hosting videos yourself.

Common Cleanup and Follow-Up Tasks

After import, you may eventually want to:

  • Edit lesson descriptions

  • Remove unnecessary YouTube metadata

  • Add internal commentary lessons

  • Insert quizzes or knowledge checks

None of this is required upfront. The goal is momentum.

Troubleshooting and Support

If you encounter issues:

  • Confirm the URL is a playlist link

  • Ensure you have Content Admin permissions

  • Verify the playlist is public

If problems persist, contact support via: