How to Start a Successful Vlog in 10 Simple Steps
Last update: 28 July 2023 at 10:09 am
5.00/5When it comes to current content, there’s no debate that vlogs are winning! It’s not surprising since a vlog is basically an interactive and entertaining video blog. Although almost every Tom, Dick, and Harry is vlogging nowadays, it can be challenging to create a successful vlog…but how do you start a vlog?
There are many ingredients that can help you start a successful vlog and maintain a loyal audience. Once you meet all the requirements, you can cook up a quality vlog. Honestly, most of the things you’ll need are not out of reach, but dedication is the most important. We’ve put all these ingredients together in this article so you can start vlogging on the right foot.
What is a Vlog?
Since there are so many vlogs out there, you may be asking yourself, what exactly is a vlog and what is a vlogger? Well, a vlog (video blog) is pretty much anything you would write in your blog except in a video instead. There are two main vlogging styles:
- Talking head: In these video blogs, the vlogger will position the camera at a set angle, and they’ll talk about a specific topic. It’s usually just talking, kind of like a podcast. There isn’t much to see as it’s exclusively focused on listening to what the speaker says.
- Follow me around: These videos are generally a lot more action-packed. The vlogger will take their viewers around, typically showing places they frequent. It’s entertaining and makes viewers feel like they’re there for the journey.
So what makes vlogs different from other video content? In a vlog, the vlogger is always the main subject. For example, a travel video may show all the cakes at a bakery, but a vlog will show the vloggers thoughts and feeling at the bakery.
Why Start a Blog?
There are many reasons people start blogs: sharing a passion, inspiring others, trying new things, gaining exposure, etc. By far, one of the biggest motivations is to bring in money. To date, the highest-paid YouTube has made $26M. So how do people make money from vlogs? There are four main ways:
- Sponsored Content- Vloggers are paid by businesses to talk about their products or services or mention their brand.
- Affiliate Marketing- Think of this as a commission. Every time someone makes a purchase using the vloggers’ code, they get a percentage of the cost.
- Subscriptions- Sometimes, a vlog channel may charge a subscription fee.
- Advertising -Vloggers have the option of ads. For every view or click, they get paid.
How to Start a Vlog
So now that we’ve discussed some of the benefits of vlogging, you’re probably wondering how to start a vlog. We’ve put together a to-do list that you can check off to determine when you’re ready to start vlogging.
Find your Niche
Finding a niche is essential for finding a loyal audience. If you have a specific place, it’s more likely that your target audience will want to see more of you, so you’ll get more subscribers.
You should find your expertise. Think about what you’re good at and what you have a lot of knowledge of. Some popular categories include make-up, gaming, and fitness. You should also do your research to make sure that the kind of vlog you want to make is in demand.
An easy way to do this is to just search for similar vlogs on YouTube and see the engagement levels on those videos. You can also look at the number of subscribers that those vloggers have. Using this method, you’ll know if your niche will be useful or if you might have to tweak it a bit.
Define your Content
You need to make sure that your content stands out from the rest. Check out the other blogs and see what you can offer to make you different from other video blogging channels. You should also prepare whether or not you’re going to do scripted or improvised content.
You should aim for some structure on your youtube channel, l especially. Try to give your vlogs and homepage a set vlogging style. For example, you may use an unusual greeting at the beginning of each one of your vlogs. Another great tip for maintaining structure is to post at regular times.
Use the Right Equipment
Depending on the kind of video blogging you want to do, you’ll know what type of equipment to get. You may also need to upgrade your technical skills. Here are some of the equipment pieces you’ll need for starting a vlog:
- Camera
- Lens
- Tripod
- Backdrop/Background
- Microphone
- Lighting
- Editing software
Build an Online Presence
Try to get your vlogging channel onto more than one platform. Aside from posting on your youtube channel, you’ll need to upload your vlogs on multiple platforms. You should also build a video website where you can use blog posts or menus to discuss and organise your vlogs. Ensure that your website is organised well and use branding to your advantage.
It’s pointless having a fantastic website and making videos if your audience can’t reach you. To get more viewers, you’ll need to learn how to do proper search engine optimisation (SEO). Using efficient keywords can help get more traffic to your blogs and raise your subscriber count. Using SEO is the easiest way to gain a bigger audience.
Learn Video Editing
To really get your vlogging to meet most viewers’ high-quality standards, you must learn how to edit your videos. With all the competition out there, your video quality needs to be top-notch. It’s a good idea to use some of the best free video editing software, such as Veed, and take a look at how other vloggers edit their videos.
It’s best if you maintain consistency using editing. You can do this by using similar styles of cuts and music styles. Another excellent editing tip is to create a set introduction clip that will appear at the beginning of all your videos. This will help you to be more recognisable and identical.
Collaborate with Others
When you’ve built a name for yourself as a vlogger, it’s a good idea to join forces with other creators. Do your best to reach out to other vloggers in your field but focus more on building relationships. Avoid pressuring or concentrating too much on partnership offerings. Focussing on building relationships will make your youtube vlogs more interesting to watch.
Track your Performance
The best way to ensure that your vlogging channel stays successful is to track your performance. Look out for comments, including negative comments. You’ll find some constructive criticism that’ll help you know what works and what doesn’t work. These comments will help you improve your video quality and make more content that people want to see.
Get Inspired
There are so many techniques for how to vlog but learning from other successful youtube channels or vlogs is one of the best. You can check out some of the well-known vloggers in your field. If they’re making videos that are getting lots of engagement, you could make a video on a similar topic. You could also go the opposite route and make a video that those vloggers haven’t made.
Get to Know the Platform
If you just post your vlogs without knowing how YouTube works, you’ll be doing yourself a great disservice. Keep up with the media, and you’ll find that even big companies make this mistake. When vlogs are posted that have nothing to do with trending topics, that content is lost in the sea of other irrelevant content. That’s why it’s essential to familiarise yourself with the platform.
A good tip is to check out the trending videos section and create content around those topics. You can type some long-tail keywords into the search engine to check out the types of titles that come up. Another tip is to look at the thumbnails and keywords that other vloggers are using.
Use the YouTube Creator Studio
Youtube has a great feature where you can access vital information on any of your uploads. The YouTube creator studio has an audio library and video management system that will help you format your videos to upload your videos according to necessary specs. You should also cut your videos at a specific time. For example, if most gaming vlogs last for 20 minutes and you’re a gaming vlogger, you should keep your videos to a similar length.
Track your Progress
Rome wasn’t built in a day. When you first start a vlog channel, it probably won’t be an overnight success. Many vloggers take years to make a name for themselves and gain a loyal following. Even if you get only one view on your first vlog, you shouldn’t stop. Maintain a consistent posting schedule, even if you don’t have much of an audience. Over time, consistently posting good-quality vlogs will get you to the top.
Final Thoughts
Vlogging is an essential part of marketing any content and promoting your brand. As you can see, it’s relatively easy to get started vlogging, and the equipment is minimal. Of course, you don’t even need all the equipment just a phone camera will do if your content is top-notch. Remember that whatever your vlog is about, it has to always provide something of value to your audience. However, if you want some help, check our video production agencies or our social media agencies that can give you a hand! We hope this article provided some weight on how to start a vlog. Good luck and happy vlogging!
