Looking to turn your favorite hobby into an income stream? Over the years, YouTube video blogging (vlogging) has become a popularized hobby turned career for many people. It started as an entertaining way to share moments of daily life, but people quickly figured out how to make posting content a lifestyle and get paid for their vlogs. Anyone can pull out a camera, hit record, and upload a video, but a good vlog takes a bit more effort than that. Let’s talk about it.
What is a vlog?
A vlog is almost like a video version of a blog except you are sharing your own life with the world. They are also different from other YouTube videos because you are the topic as well as the creator of the content.
What do you need to do?
- Find your audience – There are many different types of vlogs that exist but you will need to know what relates to your life that you can share and attract viewers. You can create vlogs based on your lifestyle, beauty and fashion, food, games, and even traveling. It all comes down to finding the right fit and knowing what your audience wants. Some forms are more popular than others but you don’t want to venture into a category that you know nothing about. For example, if you aren’t good at games then you probably should not try to be a gaming vlogger. On the other hand, if you enjoy adventures and going to new places then travel vlogging might be a good style for you.
- Have a good setup – This includes the type of camera you use, lighting, audio quality, and the right angles. You are more likely to have someone stay through the entirety of your vlog if you have clear visuals and good audio that is consistent. If you appear blurry to the viewers or have shaky audio then it takes away focus from the point of the vlog. Along with this, you will also want to take time to edit the video before uploading. There are many editing platforms that even a beginner can use to enhance the outcome of your video. This allows for seamless transitions between clips, adding effects, adding background music, and allows you to use your creativity and stand out.
- Be authentic and creative – The best part about being a vlogger is that you get to be you. This is your opportunity to share your unique qualities and amazing personality with the world. Being vulnerable and personal is what allows your audience to connect with and relate to you. This creates a sense of community around you because your viewers feel that they know and can understand you as a person. Since many different people create the same type of content, you want to make sure you can stand out. This can be done by being creative and adding something to your vlogs that makes it special to you or that you don’t see in many others. For example, some people have a personalized intro and outro while others have more interactive videos.
- Choose a good title and thumbnail – You want to draw in your viewers. The first part of any video they see is the title and the chosen thumbnail. To stand out and make them click on your video before any others, you have to catch their attention. Your thumbnails should essentially capture and summarize the content of the video and your title should utilize keywords related to the video.
Putting it into action
Vlogging isn’t for everyone, but it could be for you. By understanding who your audience is, staying true to yourself, and delivering quality content you can be on your way to building a successful platform. It won’t happen overnight, but if you follow these tips you can definitely get there. The first step is easy, so grab a camera and hit record when you’re ready to start!
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