Vlogging is one of the most popular forms of digital storytelling. It’s an effective way to connect with an audience, build relationships, and create an emotional connection. So, let’s start with the basics!
What is Vlogging?
Vlogging is a form of video blogging that involves recording and editing videos to share online. It typically involves discussing topics, sharing experiences, or providing information about a subject. Since vlogging is done through video, it is often considered a more personal form of content creation.
Vlogging can be used to express opinions, share stories, give advice, and more. It is a great way to connect with an audience and has become increasingly popular recently. With the rise of the influencer economy, vlogging has become a popular way for creators to make money, grow their audience, and connect with their viewers.
With approximately 500 hours of video being uploaded to YouTube every minute and about 25.5% of viewers saying they enjoy influencer videos and vlogs, it is easy to see why vlogging is a great way to connect with your audience. Even better, it’s easier to start than you might think!
Vlogging 101: 10 Things You Need to Know to Get Started
Vlogging has become an increasingly popular way for video marketers to reach their audience. It’s a great way to engage followers and create entertaining, informative, and memorable content. To help you get started, here are 10 essential vlogging tips:
1. Choose a Platform
Choosing the right platform for vlogging is essential for success. Different platforms have different features, audiences, and monetization options, so choosing a platform that best suits your needs is important.
Additionally, different platforms offer different tools and features that can help you create engaging content, such as storyboard templates, video editing tools, and analytics, so selecting the platform with the features that best suit your content is essential.
2. Know Who You’re Talking To
Identifying your target audience is one of the most critical steps in creating successful vlogging content. You must know who you are trying to reach to create relevant content. The adage “you can’t sell to everyone” rings true even in vlogging. It is essential to find your people so you can create content that resonates with them and helps to build a relationship.
3. Have a Plan for Your Vlog
Whether you’re looking to create a vlog for your personal or your company’s brand, you need to sit down and create an action plan. So, what does this look like?
Your plan should include the following:
- Defining your goals
- Determining your target audience
- Outlining the topics and ideas you want to cover
- Where to post
- How often to post
- Will you cross-share with other social media platforms?
- Do you plan to repurpose content?
- How will you define success for your vlog?
Each of these things needs to be carefully thought out so that you know what direction you’re taking and how to keep track of your progress.
4. Don’t Be Afraid to Stay in Your Niche
One of the biggest mistakes people make when they start vlogging is trying to appeal to too broad of an audience. When it comes to vlogging, it’s okay to fall into a niche because you’ll have more of an opportunity to build a community around your specific interests.
As you grow, you’ll have the opportunity to expand your niche and experiment with new content types and ideas, but for now, it’s important to stay focused on your core audience.
5. Map Out Content Pillars
It’s important to map out content pillars when vlogging because it gives you a foundation to build on and helps you stay focused. Content pillars give structure to your vlog and will help you stay consistent with the topics, ideas, and content you’re creating. They can also help you identify ways to repurpose content and create a cohesive brand for your viewers.
When mapping out content pillars, consider the topics and ideas you want to explore. This could include issues related to your niche, specific content series, or ideas to explore in different episodes. It can also be helpful to create a content calendar so that you know what you’ll be posting and when.
6. Create High-Quality Video Content
When starting off small, it can be tempting to cut corners and find the easiest, most convenient way to record your vlog. However, it’s essential that you take the time to create high-quality video content because it will set you apart from your competitors and help you build a brand that your viewers trust.
Start small and invest in a good camera and simple-to-use editing software. This will ensure you have the necessities to get started and allow you to make a solid first impression with your vlog.
7. Always Have a Call to Action
When you’re just starting, it can be easy to forget to include some form of call to action. That’s a big mistake. You want to encourage your viewers to take action after watching your video. This could include sharing it on social media, clicking on a link to visit your website, or subscribing to your YouTube channel.
The whole point is to encourage interactions and build a community. You can’t do that if you aren’t giving your audience a method of interaction.
8. Find Ways to Expand Your Content Offerings
As you build your vlog, you’ll find that you’re amassing a lot of content that can be used in several ways. For example, you may have a vlog that touches on a secondary topic within the main one. Instead of going off on a tangent, you could create a second video on that topic. Or, you could take to social media, mention how that secondary topic came up, and start a poll to see if your audience would like to explore that topic more.
Once you see how these content pillars begin to spider out into other conversation areas, you’ll want to start expanding your content offerings and creating a strategy that allows you to build your presence and create a greater community around your brand.
9. Post Consistently
Consistency is vital when it comes to vlogging. Whether you post once a week or once a day, it’s essential to be consistent with your content to build an audience and keep them engaged. You need to establish a schedule and stick with it.
10. Optimize Your Vlogs for SEO
Finally, you need to optimize your vlogs for search engines. How you go about this will depend on the platform that you’re using. For instance, those using TikTok to post videos will have different optimization requirements than those using YouTube. Make sure you are researching your platform, the algorithms they use, and the best ways to create and share content with like-minded individuals.
Get Expert Video Production Help to Maximize Your Vlog’s Potential
Vlogging can be a great way to express yourself, build an audience, and impact the world. It can be hard work, but the rewards can be significant. If you want to maximize your vlog’s potential, consider getting help from a professional video production company.
Our Orlando video production company, NG Production Films, can communicate effectively and efficiently to produce high-quality video production. We have over a decade of experience in producing the next video production project for your organization. Call NG Production Films today for a free no-obligation consultation at 407-233-3236 or fill out our contact form for a prompt reply.