A video blog, also known as a vlog, is a blog created with video as the primary medium compared to the text-based blogs that first emerged in the early 2000s. Videos convey much more information than text. Therefore, video blogs can attract more views and carry greater potential to go viral.
We know that starting a video blog from scratch can seem like a daunting task. However, this article has you covered, explaining the basics of video blogging and the key points to consider when creating your own blog. Keep reading to find out more.
How to Start a Video Blog
Video viewership and popularity are on the rise, and starting from scratch can seem difficult, especially in such an oversaturated market. Luckily for you, we have compiled some key points to think about when starting your own video blog.
1) Pick an interesting subject
An effective video blog is one that is focused on a specific niche. Video blogs exist on every conceivable topic such as cooking, product reviews, music, book reviews and gaming, among many more!
Consistency in your subject throughout your episodes is vital for attracting an audience to your video blog. Besides, choosing a subject you are passionate about brings out the best in you as a creator too. Filming about your preferred niche helps develop new content ideas more easily and sustain a loyal base of followers, viewers and subscribers.
2) Acquire the right equipment
Video blogging can carry much more information than text blogs, but this comes at the cost of putting more effort and investment into equipment. Producing high-quality content used to require high-quality hardware and software, such as a high-end microphone and camera and a video editing application. Whether you are a beginner or a more experienced content creator, there are many professional video editing software that provide industry-standard features to help you create stunning videos.
However, with the video blogging market only growing, creators no longer need to rely on bulky hardware as plenty of better alternatives exist. One example is Podcastle, a high-performance software tool for recording and editing audio files.
Thanks to Podcastle’s new video feature, there is no need for a microphone or professional editing equipment for high quality video and audio production. Not only does the new interview feature offer industry-leading audio, it also allows you to craft a deeper connection through video and seamlessly integrate both in post-production.
An in-built recorder and editor provide a viable alternative to investing in expensive hardware. A feature creators might find most helpful is background noise cancellation, which significantly improves the quality of your video blog and can help take your content to the next level.
3) Choose a distribution platform
It is important to choose a platform where you will initially be releasing your video blog, then to work toward diversifying and spreading your content across other platforms too. There are many to choose from, like YouTube, Vimeo, Twitch or even Instagram.
For example, you could upload your video blog episodes to YouTube, while posting short highlights on Instagram Reels.
YouTube is by far the most common choice for video bloggers because of how big and reliable it is as a platform for both creators and their viewers. YouTube has a staggering 2 billion monthly users, and is in fact the second largest search engine after Google.
Anyone can upload content, all they need is a free account to do so. Moreover, YouTube content can be easily monetised due to the size of the platform. We will explore this further in the ‘Growing Your Audience’ section.
"How To" Video Blog
How long should your video blog be? How often should you upload? These are all important questions to consider when starting your own blog. Defining the following three variables will help your content grow more familiar and consistent for your viewers over time.
4) Decide on the length
There is no ideal length for a video blog, as this largely depends on your type of content. However, retaining viewers is crucial and overly long videos are less likely to succeed. For instance, the optimal length for a YouTube video is between 7 and 15 minutes. Regardless, the quality of your content and what you bring to your audience are far more important, so do not restrict yourself in video length if you have more to say.
5) Figure out how frequently you will be posting
Prioritise frequency of uploads over creating a video blog that requires hours of editing and post-production work. This could range from daily to weekly uploads depending on your content. Frequent uploads help keep things real and personal with your viewers, and the frequency helps retain audiences and attract new viewers too.
How to make your video blog a success
Authenticity
An effective video blogger is someone who engages with their viewers on a personal level. Do not be afraid to open up to your audience, share personal stories, and avoid using a script where possible. This is valued highly among viewers. It is important to be authentic and let your personality shine through in your video blog to build a genuine connection with your viewers and followers.
Growing Your Audience
By now you are aware of all the crucial components of video blogging, and your video blog is up and running. The next step is to learn to promote your video blog and continue growing your audience and your brand.
Promoting Your Video Blog
While a video sharing platform like YouTube may be where you host your video blog, promoting your content involves the use of other social media channels. Sharing your content on social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter is important for growing your viewer base. By remaining active across several platforms, you are able to attract more active viewers and followers.
Video clips are also a useful way to promote your content. They act as short highlights of your video blogs that can attract new viewers from other platforms. Nearly all platforms now promote these clips, with platforms like Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and Twitch Clips as notable examples.
The attention spans of viewers are continually decreasing and short clips are key to not only capturing attention, but also redirecting users to your video blogs and retaining them.
Monetising Your Video Blog
Now more than ever, video bloggers have an abundance of tools available to earn money from their content. These include advertisements, tips and subscriptions on platforms such as Patreon, Twitch or YouTube.
For example, YouTube has a partner program available for creators who have more than 1,000 subscribers and over 4,000 public watch hours to help them monetise their content.
How to Record Your First Video with Podcastle
Here’s how you can record your first video blog in 4 quick steps:
- Head over to Podcastle and register
- Podcastle will then offer you its recommended package depending on what best describes you as a creator.
3. Welcome to your dashboard! Click the ‘Create’ button and select ‘Project’ from the drop-down menu.
4. And there you have it, you are now ready to start recording your first video with Podcastle! It’s as simple and quick as that!
