The internet has made it easy to have a personal log online — both in written as well as video format. And the best part? You get to share it with the rest of the world if you want! This article talks about how you can get started with your very own video log.
Wouldn’t it be cool to have your very own mini TV show where you talk about the things that interest you? But for normal people like you and me, bagging a TV show is next to impossible.
But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your dreams! This is exactly where vlogging comes in. Let’s look at what it is and how you can get started with it!
What is Vlogging?
A vlog is just a blog that is in video format. Vlogging usually consists of the vlogger creating a video of themselves where they talk about particular things in front of the camera. For example: a vlog about their travel experiences.
A vlog is usually candid and can be about anything — you can even capture your daily walks! The video can be edited or unedited and can range from being just a few minutes long to hours. What matters is that you connect authentically with your audience.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can get started with your very first vlog:
#1 Find a niche
Just like blogs, vlogs also need a niche, especially if you want to be successful, so the first step is finding one. Think about your interests. Do you like reading books, shopping, or traveling? You can also vlog about your daily life as long as you find a way to make it interesting.
You don’t need to be an expert in the niche you choose, but make sure you are genuinely passionate about it. If you have several interests, you can combine a few of them if they are closely related. For example: combining makeup tutorials with a fashion vlog. But stick to your niche.
Your niche also helps you determine your target audience. So, spend some time understanding what they need and what kinds of problems they face. This will help you create better content and increase your viewer count.
#2 Choose a platform
When it comes to vlogging, there is no shortage of platforms on the internet. We have YouTube, TikTok, and Vimeo among others. Knowing your target audience will help you choose the right platform for your vlog.
Find out where most of your target audience tends to camp out. YouTube is, of course, the most popular. But Twitch is on the top when it comes to gaming vloggers. So you need to go where your audience is.
After choosing a platform, spend some time familiarizing yourself with how everything works there! Once this is done, it is time to create an account.
Make sure you come up with a great brand name for your vlog
Choose a nice profile picture
Write your bio in such a way that it lets people know what your blog is about. It should also reflect your personality
It seems like everybody has a vlog these days. So how do you make sure that yours stands out? By having your own personal style! People should be able to look at your videos and identify that they are yours. In short, you need to sell yourself. So, develop your own style by doing a few practice vlogs.
#4 Study other content creators in your niche
If you want to understand your audience better and be successful, researching others in your niche is important. Pay attention to the things they are doing and make note of which videos get the most engagement.
For example: do they use songs in their vlogs? How do they begin and end their videos? Do they interact with their audience in every video? Do they feature guests? How long are their videos?
You can also make a note of the things that you didn’t like on their vlogs and make sure you don’t repeat the same. Since you are a beginner, this exercise will help you understand the dos and don’ts.
#5 Plan out your content themes
If you plan on vlogging for a long time, you need to have a list of content ideas. For example, let’s say you are planning on starting a fashion vlog. List out some of the major content themes that you can do. These could be:
Budget hauls
Brand reviews
Styling tips
Fashion mistakes you should never make
..and so on. This will help you come up with ideas faster, help you categorize them into various content themes, and also let your audience find different types of content on your vlog easily.
Let’s be honest. Nobody likes watching blurry videos where the camera keeps shaking. To prevent this, you absolutely need high-quality equipment so that your video as well as audio quality can stay top-notch. This also shows your audience that you mean business.
Here are some of the things you need:
High-quality camera
Recording device
Lighting equipment
You can also use your smartphone as long as the camera quality is good. You can find plenty of devices on a budget, so do your research and go for the ones that fit your needs.
Once you have chosen your equipment, spend some time learning about filming techniques, angles, and lights. Your videos will come out better, saving you editing time.
#7 Map out your main talking points
You don’t need a script, but that doesn’t mean you need to be 100% spontaneous, either. It is always a good idea to have the main talking points written down. This will help you stay on topic while also allowing you to fill in the gaps by improvising, so you appear prepared as well as authentic!
#8 Edit your videos well
In point #6, we talked about how your videos need to be high-quality. After that comes editing. Learn how to use basic editing software and use it to polish up your video.
See some boring parts in the middle? Cut them out! Want to add some sound effects? Go for it! Overall, editing will make your videos better.
#9 Publish your first vlog and promote it
Now that your vlog is ready, click on that publish button! That is, after you make sure that the title, thumbnail, as well as video description are good. Use relevant tags as well.
The next step is obviously getting viewers. But if you want people to view it, you need to promote the video.
Send it to your friends and family, and post it on your social media channels. You can cut out some interesting clips from your vlog and post them as previews to let people know what is coming.
Bonus Tip: Engage with other content creators and network yourself. If you genuinely interact with them, chances are that they will check out your content. Most importantly, don’t feel dejected if your first vlog doesn’t get a lot of views. Everything takes time, and with consistent effort, you will definitely get there!
Well, there you have it! In just 9 steps, you can start your very own vlog and publish your first video. Share this article so that others like you can start working on their dream.
Karina Gandola was born and raised outside the city of Charleston, in the beautiful mountain state of West Virginia. Karina loves writing about the influencer marketing space and an area she is passionate about. She considers her faith and family to be most important to her. If she isn’t spending time with her friends and family, you can almost always find her around her sweet yellow Labrador retriever, Poshna.
Wouldn’t it be cool to have your very own mini TV show where you talk about the things that interest you? But for normal people like you and me, bagging a TV show is next to impossible.
But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your dreams! This is exactly where vlogging comes in. Let’s look at what it is and how you can get started with it!
What is Vlogging?
A vlog is just a blog that is in video format. Vlogging usually consists of the vlogger creating a video of themselves where they talk about particular things in front of the camera. For example: a vlog about their travel experiences.
A vlog is usually candid and can be about anything — you can even capture your daily walks! The video can be edited or unedited and can range from being just a few minutes long to hours. What matters is that you connect authentically with your audience.
[Unsplash]
How To Get Started With Vlogging
Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can get started with your very first vlog:
#1 Find a niche
Just like blogs, vlogs also need a niche, especially if you want to be successful, so the first step is finding one. Think about your interests. Do you like reading books, shopping, or traveling? You can also vlog about your daily life as long as you find a way to make it interesting.
You don’t need to be an expert in the niche you choose, but make sure you are genuinely passionate about it. If you have several interests, you can combine a few of them if they are closely related. For example: combining makeup tutorials with a fashion vlog. But stick to your niche.
Your niche also helps you determine your target audience. So, spend some time understanding what they need and what kinds of problems they face. This will help you create better content and increase your viewer count.
#2 Choose a platform
When it comes to vlogging, there is no shortage of platforms on the internet. We have YouTube, TikTok, and Vimeo among others. Knowing your target audience will help you choose the right platform for your vlog.
Find out where most of your target audience tends to camp out. YouTube is, of course, the most popular. But Twitch is on the top when it comes to gaming vloggers. So you need to go where your audience is.
After choosing a platform, spend some time familiarizing yourself with how everything works there! Once this is done, it is time to create an account.
[Unsplash]
#3 Develop your own personal style
It seems like everybody has a vlog these days. So how do you make sure that yours stands out? By having your own personal style! People should be able to look at your videos and identify that they are yours. In short, you need to sell yourself. So, develop your own style by doing a few practice vlogs.
#4 Study other content creators in your niche
If you want to understand your audience better and be successful, researching others in your niche is important. Pay attention to the things they are doing and make note of which videos get the most engagement.
For example: do they use songs in their vlogs? How do they begin and end their videos? Do they interact with their audience in every video? Do they feature guests? How long are their videos?
You can also make a note of the things that you didn’t like on their vlogs and make sure you don’t repeat the same. Since you are a beginner, this exercise will help you understand the dos and don’ts.
#5 Plan out your content themes
If you plan on vlogging for a long time, you need to have a list of content ideas. For example, let’s say you are planning on starting a fashion vlog. List out some of the major content themes that you can do. These could be:
..and so on. This will help you come up with ideas faster, help you categorize them into various content themes, and also let your audience find different types of content on your vlog easily.
[Unsplash]
#6 Invest in high-quality equipment
Let’s be honest. Nobody likes watching blurry videos where the camera keeps shaking. To prevent this, you absolutely need high-quality equipment so that your video as well as audio quality can stay top-notch. This also shows your audience that you mean business.
Here are some of the things you need:
You can also use your smartphone as long as the camera quality is good. You can find plenty of devices on a budget, so do your research and go for the ones that fit your needs.
Once you have chosen your equipment, spend some time learning about filming techniques, angles, and lights. Your videos will come out better, saving you editing time.
#7 Map out your main talking points
You don’t need a script, but that doesn’t mean you need to be 100% spontaneous, either. It is always a good idea to have the main talking points written down. This will help you stay on topic while also allowing you to fill in the gaps by improvising, so you appear prepared as well as authentic!
#8 Edit your videos well
In point #6, we talked about how your videos need to be high-quality. After that comes editing. Learn how to use basic editing software and use it to polish up your video.
See some boring parts in the middle? Cut them out! Want to add some sound effects? Go for it! Overall, editing will make your videos better.
#9 Publish your first vlog and promote it
Now that your vlog is ready, click on that publish button! That is, after you make sure that the title, thumbnail, as well as video description are good. Use relevant tags as well.
The next step is obviously getting viewers. But if you want people to view it, you need to promote the video.
[Unsplash]
Send it to your friends and family, and post it on your social media channels. You can cut out some interesting clips from your vlog and post them as previews to let people know what is coming.
Bonus Tip: Engage with other content creators and network yourself. If you genuinely interact with them, chances are that they will check out your content. Most importantly, don’t feel dejected if your first vlog doesn’t get a lot of views. Everything takes time, and with consistent effort, you will definitely get there!
Well, there you have it! In just 9 steps, you can start your very own vlog and publish your first video. Share this article so that others like you can start working on their dream.