The Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Vlog

Vlogging, or video blogging, is a type of blogging where most or all of the content is in video format. Vlogs help you easily grab the attention of the audience and create a deep connection with them.

Vlogging is supported on a lot of platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitch, Vimeo, Dailymotion, and DTube. Vlogs can be made about anything and everything. It can be about your daily life or it can be about a particular niche like traveling or fashion.

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Vlogging is an extremely competitive field owing to a large number of vloggers. In order to start a good vlog and become a successful one requires a lot of time and effort.

Tips to start a vlog

Deciding your niche

After you have made up your mind to start vlogging, it is necessary to have an idea of what you want to blog about and what your blog should look like. It is the first task to be completed since all other planning and strategy are decided by your area of interest. While choosing a niche, you should make sure that it is something you are informed and comfortable with. Choosing vlog topics that seem fashionable but that you are entirely unaccustomed to can do more harm than good.

Understand your audience

A vlog needs to be constantly in tune with its audience. The content that is posted should suit the needs of the audience as well as keep them engaged. If you are targeting an audience belonging to a specific age group, then you can use colloquial language and slang that might resonate with your viewers. But if you are targeting an audience belonging to a wide demographic, then the language and mannerisms should be carefully crafted so as to not offend any of your audience. Because in this digital world, if one of the viewers is offended and blows it up, it may negatively impact your image and you may lose followers.

Knowing the platform

If you are posting vlogs on a platform like YouTube, it is important to know the ins and outs of it. You must be aware of how the algorithm works and understand the changes as and when they come. A platform like YouTube utilizes several metrics to decide whether or not to recommend the video to the next viewer, like:

• Watch time: It denotes the amount of time someone has watched your vlogs as well as the number of videos they have watched on your channel. If they watch your videos for a longer time and try several of your other videos, then the chances of your video getting recommended to others are increased.
• Engagement: It indicates how long people were interested in continuing to watch your video as well as when they stopped. It will help you determine the quality of the video and how engaging it is.
• CTR or Click-through Rate: It indicates how many viewers have clicked on the CTA given and how well the video is getting noticed by the viewers.
• Conversion rate: It indicates the number of subscribers gained from a video. This will help you to determine what your viewers like and make videos accordingly.

Gadgets

To make a good vlog, it is important to have all the appropriate gadgets. It is not necessary to have expensive equipment, but you have to identify the best one suited to your needs. A good quality camera is the most important piece of gear you need, like a DSLR or dedicated camcorder.

Along with that, you have to invest in other important pieces of equipment like lighting, mics, and other accompanying gear. Using a simple external mic or boom mic, or a high-quality mic like a lapel mic, can make a remarkable difference in your video. You can also use windscreens when you are filming outside. Similarly, tripods are necessary to stabilize your camera while shooting. You should also take care to provide ample light for the shoot.

Making video

After you have made a plan and the equipment has been set up, the next step is to shoot the video. Always make an outline before the shoot and keep things as original as possible. People resonate with authenticity more than anything else. Interact with your audience, speak freely, and have fun.

Editing

Edit your videos to make a clean and professional-looking vlog. Take out any extraneous parts and create cohesive clips. You can choose a good video editing app from those available on the market. If you are not sure about editing, you can always hire a professional.

Upload

The final step is to upload. During this stage, you should remember to create eye-catching titles and thumbnails for your videos. Use tags that can improve your chances of being recommended.

Vlogging is a bit of work, but with proper management and audience engagement, it can be developed as a successful venture.