Thanks to the internet and digital tools we now have, everyone can be their own media and content producer. Whether you’re a student, an artist, a blogger or a company, read about these essential vlogging tips and improve your marketing and business strategy to reach those goals you have. And, the beauty is that you really don’t need any expensive equipment or a crew, no. Most of the time, your phone and camera you own can do just fine! So follow these steps, implement them, use the tools we’re about to describe and share your experiences with us!
Did you know?
- According to Cisco’s report, by 2019, more than 80% of all web traffic will come from the video. Goes to say that video production is significant and something to think about in your business strategy.
- More than 55% of people watch videos online every day! If that does not reason enough for you to start vlogging… All jokes aside, video content is and should be one of the most essential tools you use for reaching your audience, providing them value and improve your business along the way.
- The average user spends 88% more time on a website with video, and ⅓ of all online activity is dedicated to watching a video. All the more reasons to start vlogging so hear our say about the topic, will you?
Now, most vloggers nowadays use channels like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and that’s all fine. Just, what happens when owners of all those platforms decide to change the rules or shut it down or start charging it (more)? Like we said in our earlier posts about starting a travel blog from scratch, Social Media is a great tool but not YOUR platform to play on. That’s why we are going to talk about starting a vlog by using your platform, your media – which is your blog or a website.
Why should you vlog?
Besides being a fun and different way to produce content, vlogging is becoming a primary way people want to interact with content. And speaking from the marketing point of view, it is a reliable way for you to improve your brand further, talk about your products and services and fulfill people’s needs. Sometimes (most often) it’s much easier to explain something with video than in writing. It’s easy to consume, tracks attention and entertaining in the same tame.
Ultimate vlogging tips
1. Know your goal
What is your focus, what are you trying to achieve with vlogging? Think about what your end goal is then to find the way to include vlog into it and come up with an overall strategy that will track your steps to reaching that goal.
2. Research the topics
What it is that makes you different from all the others in your niche? Is it aligned with what your audience wants to know, something they will value? Tell a story people will love, identify with, a story that will move and engage them. If you are in the event management business, then you probably know people want to know how that works for their business. Show them how you work, make vlogs about some of the event management insights. Or do interviews with your employees about the tasks they do, maybe showcase some previous works. Conduct keyword research of related keywords to come up with the new ideas and create targeted content people will want to interact with.
There’s a saying that there’s no boring niche or business you just need to know how to tell it. And it’s something we described in one of our earlier articles, how to do storytelling with WordPress. The same principles go for vlogging too.
3. Vlogging topic ideas
Just in case you’re stuck not knowing what to vlog about, here are few ideas you might want to think through.
- Stories about your beginnings
- Employees testimonials
- How-to videos
- Reviews
- Editorials
Basically, any type of content you would write about can be covered as video as well. Think of a way to present a relevant topic through video format and a more detailed explanation write down as an article. That way, you have meaningful content for a different kind of consumption.
4. Have a consistent tone of voice
Be yourself, be real and not some polished version of yourself. The point of vlogs is to provide value, answer the question your audience asks, solve their problems, show them something that’s of interest to them. If it’s you standing in front of the phone or a camera talking, fine. If it’s presentation with animated popups, fine. Just as long it’s something you are most comfortable doing and is aligned with your brand, your company, your overall presence out there.
Also, don’t overheat yourself. It’s one thing to have a script or a list of key messages you want to enhance, just don’t go overboard and rehearse too much. Try to stay as natural as you can and just deliver the message in your own tone of voice. One of the basic vlogging tips in this matter is to act like you’re talking to your friends. That will put off any pressure you might have and help you feel more natural.
5. Know your tools
One of the things that push people away from vlogging is the equipment. Most often, they think it costs too much and that it’s not worth it. But the truth is, we all have the tools we need to start vlogging, and we use them daily! Nowadays, we can make vlogs just by using our smartphones, and it’s a fact. Especially given the fact that we can tell a story within 3-5 minutes, filming it with a phone is really not a big deal! Just buy some handy tripod for more stable recording and get to it! And with so many video editing apps, even a novice can handle it in no time. The point is, you have your phone, you have all those apps (which well cover in details in another article) like Vlogr, Viva Video, Pocket Video, to help you film and edit your video content. Invest some time in learning to use them and start filming.
6. Own the platform
YouTube might be the biggest vlogging platform out there but… It is a video search engine, you know? Yes, it’s great for distributing and promoting your video content, but it’s not your media to deal with. That is why you need a solid ground that you’ll own to publish videos you create. Own the platform and build your business through it. Vlogging on your site will help make a name, give you more traffic to your site, and help people find you. With that in mind, here’s where I recommend you to check out this Vlog premium WordPress theme designed especially for video content creation. Highly customizable and can be used as a magazine website or a blog niche video platform as well.
7. Engage with people
The purpose of a vlog is to inform, explain, answer or entertain and a way to do it is to integrate your vlog platform with Social Media further. Use those networks where your audience hangs out, have a proper sharing plugin on your site so people can easily share your content across the internet. Connect with people, talk with them through Social Media and get them to know you. That way they will remember you and come to your site the next time they search for a solution or an answer that you might have.
Vlogging tips from actual vloggers
Scooter Magruder: Find someone who inspires you. Look at their techniques and tips. Copy the methods but give them your own personal spin.
Laurie Lyons: Remember that a vlog is just like a blog post, you want to engage your audience. You don’t necessarily have to be a stand-up comic extraordinaire, but you do have to find a way to grab their attention and keep it.
Francesca Banducci: Say what it is you have to say and then stop filming. People have an incredibly short attention span. The second you find yourself starting to ramble, end the clip. A great vlog is usually only a couple of minutes long.
Creative Hustle: Perfection is not realistic when vlogging – there will be rough edges. Just do your best to nail the shot and cut down on “fixing it in the post” as much as possible — top vloggers pump out multiple videos a week. So focus on developing a workflow that is not too draining and finds the right line between quality and quantity.
Stephanie Clegg: Start engaging with video consumers, bloggers, and creators. Vlogging is a community, so get involved. The more involved and committed you are, the more likely you are to get nods of approvals from the big guys out there.
Bonus tip
Have patience and enjoy the journey. If you do all the right things, people will come back to you, watch and learn from you and share your content with others. Be consistent, have a steady posting flow, and in time, you’ll achieve your goals. In the end, it’s a learning, and in time you’ll grow and improve yourself which is also an excellent experience to share. How you’ve started and where you end up with your vlogging efforts – it’s the stories people would like to know, too.
