12 min read
Everything You Need To Know about Vlogs for Beginners
Vlogging is a new trend that is taking over the world by storm. From teenagers to parents and industry experts, almost everyone is Vlogging. So how do you start a vlog? What do you need? What are some of the skills and equipment needed to start a vlog?
Vlogging is usually a self-taught skill that requires a lot of practice to perfect. Vlogging usually requires a platform, a message, purpose, and more. It gives you an opportunity to interact with your online audience and gain new followers for your fan base.
FACTS: 99% of people who use video for marketing say they’ll continue using video in 2021. In point of fact, 88% of video marketers reported that video gives them a positive ROI. (hubspot)
What is a Vlog?
A vlog is simply a video blog that documents someone’s life or expertise in a video format. It is basically a video version of the type of content on a typical blog. The main difference between vlogs and other video content types is that the vlogger is the main subject of its content. You can learn how to make a vlog in your own style and format.
There are usually two main styles of Vlogging, including follow me around and talk-head. Follow me around vlog, the vlogger is in different locations as they record videos throughout their day. This style is very popular for dedicated a day in the life and travel videos. On the other hand, in talking-head vlogs, the creator sets the camera on a tripod and remains static as they talk about a topic. They are especially popular with make-up tutorials and cooking videos.
Types of Vlogs
It is crucial that you determine what type of vlog you are going to create before you start. This will help you to target a specific type of audience to your channel. You can also diversify your vlog other than sticking to one type of vlog. The main objective is to have a central theme for your channel. Here are some of the popular types of vlogs.
Review and Unboxing Products
This type of vlogs offers more insights on products, pros and cons and recommendations. They help people know more about a product and see what is inside the packing before buying it. They may feature new tech, product releases and new inventions. These vlogs are very effective especially if you offer informative and unbiased product reviews. For example:
(Image Credit: Forward Influence)
Pranks and Comedy
Pranks and comedy videos are a hit on YouTube since almost everyone loves to see a good prank. When many people like and share the video, it gains the potential to go viral. A good prank video requires a lot of preparation and a great personality to bring out the comedic qualities.
Beauty/Fashion/Fitness
Beauty, fashion, and fitness are among the biggest markets for different types of products since people are obsessed with aesthetics and good health. Targeting this market requires that you are well vast with knowledge so that you know what you are doing. Ideally, it is best if you are already beautiful, fit, and healthy to be more effective.
Education
People usually go to YouTube to learn how to do stuff. Education vlogs show people how to do certain things. Helpful videos get a lot of views, and viewers can find them through YouTube search engines. These vlogs are frequently re-watched by viewers and may end up earning a lot of views. The below shows another example of an educational vlog:
(Image Credit: George Couros)
Life Style Vlog
Lifestyle vlogs basically show your day to day life to the viewers. It is like doing a video diary and showcasing it to the rest of the YouTube world. They are usually authentic and unscripted with varying frequency. You can do the vlog live to make it more unique and interesting. Other tips for making the vlog more interesting include good editing and creativity.
Gaming
Video games are increasing in popularity, and many people are now launching full careers from the platform. Gaming vlogs focus on gaming, gaming lifestyle and culture. They include walkthroughs, Let’s Plays, machinimas, and reviews of new games and gaming products. You can record yourself playing the game to show off your skills to your viewers and offer interesting takes on the game. For instance:
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Movie/TV/Book Reviews/Book Review
Many people like reading reviews before watching a movie, TV show, or book. You can vlog a review and offer insightful and interesting content. Viewers can search the content and watch the reviews online and on your channel.
Travel
Travel vlogs showcase travel destinations and travel experiences. People who love to travel but simply lack the time or money are the main target of these vlogs.
Pop Culture/Gossip
These vlogs offer celebrity gossip and pop culture commentary. People are interested to know what their favorite celebrities are up to and controversies.
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How to Make Money as a Vlogger
You make money as a vlogger and even turn it into a full-time career. Making money as a vlogger is an accessible online business idea. Here are four main ways you can earn money as a vlogger.
- Advertising: Many video hosting platforms have opportunities where creators can include ads on their videos. The vlogger gets paid each time a viewer sees an ad or clicks on it. This is a great way to earn money, but it does not offer much since most of the money goes to the hosting platform.
- Subscriptions: You can charge viewers on subscription fee depending on the type of content you create. You can easily set up a monetization platform and benefit from it.
- Affiliate Marketing: Affiliate marketing is a type of collaboration between a vlogger and a brand. The vloggers link the brand’s products on their video and receive some discount coupons. When a viewer buys the product, the vlogger receives a percentage of the cost.
- Sponsored Content: This is the most lucrative way of earning money and is also the hardest to get. Vloggers are paid to mention business brands in their videos. You will need a strong fan base and a lot of followers before you get the sponsorship deal.
(Image Credit: Mediakix)
Did you know? 83% of video marketers say video has helped them generate leads. What’s more…84% of people say that they’ve been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video. (Hubspot)
How to Make a Vlog
After you have decided to start Vlogging, there are key components that you need to ensure that your Vlogging experience is a successful one.
- Content: The first thing you will need is content, which takes time to get traction unless you get one viral hit.
- Amount: Most bloggers make one video per day, and consistency is very important. Posting frequently will ensure that your old videos get more views which lead to new subscribers. You will also be able to retain your current subscribers by posting frequently as well as attracting new ones.
- Quality: The quality of your content also matters and plays a role in your success as a vlogger. Some of the factors that make a quality vlog include good picture and sound quality and useful and interesting topics.
- Equipment: The next requirement you will need is Vlogging equipment. In order to make quality videos with quality sound and picture, you will need the best equipment. Some of the items you need include a camera, microphone, tripod or support. Other optional equipment includes lighting, filter, and green screen.
If you are a beginner, start with a camera since it is the most important vlogger tool. Some of the latest phones have a quality camera that can be used for vlogs. A microphone will help you get good sound quality. It will pick up quality sound while blocking background noise. You can start a vlog without a tripod stand but they are really important when you want to get the right angle and relieve your hand while filming.
- Filters and Lighting: A filter is optional and will help you to improve the lighting quality, especially when filming in different environments. Lighting enhances the quality of the video. To make good videos, you will need to edit them. An editing software will help you to make your videos more engaging and add advanced features. If you are not good at editing, you can hire someone to do it for you. You can also get a free video editing software program that is easy to use to get great results.
FACT: 92% of marketers make videos with assets they already have. (Hubspot)
Things to Keep In Mind
There are numerous vlogging tips to keep in mind before starting (and in order to continue) a successful vlog.
Be Yourself
This may sound obvious, but it will make your vlog unique and exciting and attract more viewers. Just sound natural by saying and doing what you want to. Put a smile and enthusiasm to bring out your personality.
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Focus on the Composition and Lighting
This is one of vlog ideas for beginners. Composition is how you appear in the shots, and it is enhanced with a good camera. The perfect composition emphasizes the subject and makes the frame look more beautiful. The lighting also improves the vlog’s quality, and a poor lit environment will lead to a poor quality video. You may need to use some lighting equipment but if you do not have it, avoid filming in direct sunlight. Here is an example of good lighting equipment for vlogging:
(Image Credit: Vlogger Gear)
Make the Vlog Frames Lively
To make your image lively and attractive, use multiple shooting methods such as time-lapse shooting and slow-motion shooting when you film the vlog.
Engage with Your Audience
It is important to know your audience and engage with them when making a vlog. This helps to make the content unique and build a fan base. Interacting with your viewers is a great way to build a following. You can also get ideas, inspiration, and feedback on how to improve your future vlogs.
Make the First 15 Seconds Count
People have a very short attention span, so it is important that you capture their attention in the first 15 seconds of your vlog. This will ensure that the viewers watch the vlog till the end.
Do a lot of Practice
As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Doing a lot of practice in the film will ensure that you get a high-quality vlog. You can try out the best environment, sound, speaking speed, lighting, and camera angle to identify what you need to improve.
Vlogging with a Mobile Phone
You may not have enough money to film your vlog with a phone, thus you may just use your phone to record. Most modern phones have high-quality cameras that produce high-quality videos. In fact, most vlogs for beginners are usually filmed using phones. Here are some tips for vlogging with a phone.
Use Landscape Mode
When using your phone, try using the landscape mode to record your videos. They have better quality than portraits and capture more area when in horizontal mode. You will be able to cover different objects and keep your audience more attractive. Ensure that you add low movements to your vlog to make it more interesting and avoid talking to the camera all the time. For instance:
(Image Credit: Gearbest)
Learn Proper Video Editing
Video editing is very crucial in Vlogging, especially if you want to adopt vlogging as a career. Editing your video will help you attract more viewers. There are various mobile applications that you can use to edit your video. You can add features like slow-motion, fast forward, fun background and voiceover using video voiceover software or any online transcription tool to make the vlog more interesting.
Add Time lapse to Video
Adding time intervals while you are performing or traveling will make your video more attractive. You can download framelapse applications if your phone does not have it. This will help you to add recorded time intervals to your video.
Make Attractive Thumbnail
A thumbnail will help to attract many viewers to your site. An attractive thumbnail will help you be successful as a vlogger. You can watch videos and learn how to use the color scheme to make interesting videos. Here are a couple examples of attractive thumbnails:
Focus on Video Resolution
Using the appropriate video resolution will help you make an attractive video. It is important to learn basic editing skills to improve the quality of your videos. Other features you can learn include matching the video resolution on the phone with the export resolution in the software. It is also important to export in WMV format instead of MP4 or AVI to improve the video’s quality.
7 Practical Vlogging Tips for Beginners
Many aspiring vloggers are always looking for ways on how to start a successful vlog. After getting the right content and getting your gear now, you are ready to start your vlog. Here are seven tips on how to start a vlog and vlogging tips for beginners.
Watch Other Creators
You can take a look at what other vloggers with similar content are posting to get more inspiration and learn how to start a vlog. You can choose by popularity or by publishing date to experience how the field has evolved. Check out the most popular vloggers and establish what makes them stand out from the rest. The more knowledge you get, the more you will grow your skills as a vlogger.
Follow Your Passion
Find something that you love and are passionate about and use it in your vlog. If you make vlogs based on what you think will get the most views, you will not become successful as a blogger. If your viewers note that you do not like what you are doing, they will spot any fake enthusiasm. You will also lack the motivation to vlog.
Follow Trends and Participate
Try to stay up to date with popular trends and participate in as many as possible. Vlogs around a current trend have a great potential to go viral. You can also do videos about current events going on around the world. Mentioning them or doing a short clip about them will help you remain relevant.
Consistency
One of the keys to a successful vlog is consistency. Once you have your vlogging equipment ready and have an exciting topic, start creating and posting videos consistently. You must post a lot of content especially the first three months after starting your vlog. Building an audience takes time and you may not see visible results in those first few months. Do not give up after a few videos, keep posting and your break might come. A lot of videos means that you will retain your audience and keep them engaged.
Set a Goal
It is important to have goals for your vlog. This means defining the purpose of your vlog and what you want to achieve with the vlog. Come up with an overall strategy to achieve your goals and monitor your steps in reaching those goals. Inform your audience about these goals since the more they know about your goals the more they will be willing to help.
Track Your Performance
It is crucial that you monitor your vlog’s performance and identify areas of improvement. Read your viewer’s comments and use constructive criticism to improve your vlog. Learning from your own experiences and improving your videos and content will help you become successful.
To improve your performance, you can diversify your content into various online platforms. Building a strong online presence will maximize your audience reach. A video website can help you bring all your social media accounts together and increase your visibility online.
Call-To-Action
When you are ending the video, ask your viewers to like, share, and subscribe to your channel. This is an important step as many viewers may forget to do so. A lot of likes and comments will boost your morale and give you the necessary feedback to improve your video. The closing remarks should be unique and interesting just like the beginning. You can ask the audience to wait till the end of the video for a giveaway or challenge.
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FAQ’s
This is the great thing about vlogging, you can start with just the most simple equipment. You’ll need a camera (or phone) with recording capabilities, a tripod or selfie stick, and some sort of editing software. Obviously, you can get more complex and in-depth with your equipment and scale, but to start, it could be as simple as we mentioned.
There are so many tips, some we’ve already mentioned. Here are a few: 1) Be interesting with great content. 2) Watch for trends (social media is a great place to find them). 3) Practice talking to the camera. 4) Develop amazing transitions. 5) Post regularly.
In short, some do and some don’t. Most make money from AdSense. In other words, advertising for someone else on their vlog. They also make money from sponsorships and affiliate marketing.
Here are a few of the best free Vlog editing apps. Keep in mind, some of these apps have in-app purchasing.
- Quik
- Magisto Video Editor
- Adobe Premiere Rush
- Splice
- InShot
- iMovie
- Anchor Videos
- Vizmato
Vlogging is a great way to catch people’s attention as people like to watch content rather than read it. Vlogging is also a great way to promote products and services while providing information.
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