Are you looking to start a YouTube vlog channel? YouTube is the largest video-sharing platform with more than 2 billion users. It is the best platform for YouTube creators to start their vlogging channel, but this easy idea might seem very challenging without the right information.
In this blog, we will discuss how you can vlog like a pro and become famous by using a camera. Here are the top 6 tips to be a conversational vlogger and how you can go from being camera-shy to becoming camera-confident.
What is a vlog?
Vlog, short for video blog, is a type of content that is in a video format. People, websites, and social media handle post videos or vlogs to review, report or share their perspectives.
You might wonder why vloggers aren’t called YouTubers! Vloggers post their video content on different video-sharing platforms, while YouTubers create content strictly for YouTube. Today, you will come across many vlogging channels on YouTube where creators share videos showcasing their “day in the life” and “travel” videos. These videos are created by vloggers themselves; they are either pre-recorded or live-streamed.
Benefits of Vlogging
As a creator, YouTube vlogging gives you a chance to reach an entire community of people who enjoy your content and want to know more about you. Once you reach out to your target audience who listen and watch your vlogs, it will be effortless to turn them into a strong, loyal community of youTube subscribers than watch your video after video.
How to start a YouTube vlog?
Starting a vlog on YouTube is just like starting anything else. You do it in phases and steps. Here’s how to get started with your YouTube vlog. Of course, you need to start with setting up a YouTube channel.
Once you’ve set up your channel, follow these steps to get started on how to vlog on YouTube.
Planning
Before you start, remember to conduct thorough research on the subject to understand what people are already doing on the platform and how you can differentiate yourself from them. What uniqueness are you bringing to the platform that should get users to your channel? Join vlogging communities to understand how they interact with their audience and their tone, voice, and style in their vlogs.
The planning part of vlogging involves:
- Narrowing down your niche
- Creating an interactive script
- Being yourself in front of the camera
Shooting
After choosing a vlogging topic and writing a script for yourself, it’s time to take all this to the camera. Being in the spotlight might be difficult for some creators who are camera-shy. Remember to rehearse and record yourself before shooting your final footage. Once you have taken a few takes and you are ready to record your final shot, look for the right equipment needed for the shoot.
For a great shot, you will need:
- Lighting
- Video camera
- Microphone
- Backup batteries
Editing
You might think that your raw footage is now shot and ready for upload. NO! After filming any video, you will need to do some basic editing for a perfect delivery. Editing software helps remove unwanted parts of the footage, crop and trim, and add branding elements to make your video more engaging and appealing to your audience.
For the editing part of your video, you will need to rely on video editing software that is readily available online. You can choose the one that suits your needs the best and turn your videos to grab more user attention.
Follow Competitors
Keep track of what other successful bloggers are doing. The type of content they upload, their style, etc., can help you connect with your audience. Creatively shoot and edit the videos in ways that are engaging and hold viewers’ attention. Study your competitor’s best-performing videos, take inspiration from them, and create a similar video on your channel. Then, check if it resonates with your audience.
Create Appealing Thumbnails and Titles
Your title and thumbnail are the first things people see. Make the title both curious and clear, and design a bright, eye-catching thumbnail that hints at the content of the vlog. This helps improve clicks and views.
6 ways to be a conversational vlogger
Here are a few vlogging topics you can explore if you aren’t sure about the type of content you want to upload on your channel. These topics will help you become a more conversational vlogger by giving you a chance to create informal and relaxed content.
According to Creator’s Academy, here are the 6 topics you can use for your YouTube vlogging channel.
Personal
Many YouTube vloggers create vlogs showcasing what they do in their personal lives. These videos help the audience know you on a personal level and open you up to your audience.
General
General topics cover everything generic and nothing related to your personal life. This includes product reviews, tutorials, how-to, etc.
Storytelling
As the name suggests, YouTube creators create video content shared with their audience in a storytelling manner. It can be a funny, sad, or interesting story. It depends on how appealing and intriguing your content is for your channel to be watchable.
Fictional character
YouTube vloggers transform themselves into fictional characters and share that character’s journey through their videos. Many YouTube award-winning projects prove that the audience enjoys such content, even if they are role-playing in front of the lens.
Supplemental
Supplemental videos are a part of your regular content. These videos also help build a strong community of subscribers, with a simple shot appearing before your main video starts or towards the end of it. It could be a simple greeting or a call to action to reach out to them personally.
Responding to comments
Responding to comments on YouTube has become a trend many vloggers follow on the platform. Users seem very excited to hear their name called out on their favorite vlogger’s channel. This shows your audience that you are paying attention to their comments, which further builds loyalty and trust.
4 Tips for Vlogging
As you have understood, the step-by-step guide on how to vlog on YouTube is in this section. We will help you learn the tips on how to vlog correctly.
Upload Consistently
Following a consistent upload schedule of vlogs will help the audience understand when your next video will be. This promotes engagement and allows the video to capture the viewer’s attention. Additionally, it keeps your channel active on the YouTube Algorithm.
Be Authentic
Authenticity helps build a loyal community that viewers can relate to. Viewers can easily see the difference between being fake and real. Just be natural, be yourself, and speak as if you are sharing things with your friends.
Plan Your Content
Even casual vlogs require a little planning. A rough outline of what you are going to show on the vlog will help you save a lot of time during editing. Before hitting the record button, it’s essential to plan ahead.
Cross Promote & Collaborate
Collaborate with like-minded creators in your niche to introduce your content to newer audiences and grow your channel faster. Also, promoting your videos on other social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, will give your content a boost to attract more views.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How do I boost my YouTube vlog?
Here are ways in which you can boost your YouTube Vlog!
- Request that viewers hit the notification bell if they don’t want to miss your video uploads.
- Share your videos on other social media platforms and encourage viewers to share them too.
- Encourage viewers to like your videos if they want you to continue a series or challenge.
- Choose topics that interest users by going through their feedback, or by hosting polls and asking for their opinions.
- Promote video on YouTube
Q2. How do I get more views on my YouTube vlog?
Here are tips to get more views on your YouTube vlogs!
- Select keywords and hashtags with low competition and high search volume.
- Refine your choice of keywords and hashtags based on user interactions and impressions.
- Buy YouTube views from organic sources.
Q3. Do YouTube vloggers make money?
Yes, vloggers can earn from the following avenues: video ads, premium subscriptions, memberships, patron support, affiliate marketing, securing sponsorship deals, and merchandise sales!
Q4. How long should a YouTube vlog be?
Typically, a YouTube vlog must be at least 12-15 minutes long. The entire point of uploading a vlog is to make it engaging and interactive for the audience, so they enjoy watching the videos and come back for more. Since the audience’s attention span is shorter, you can still upload longer videos if your content is engaging and can hold their attention.
Q5. How often should you post a vlog?
If your YouTube content niche is vlogging, it’s best to follow a consistent upload schedule. You must upload a vlog on your channel 2-3 times per week.
