Multimedia entertainment nowadays is not only confined to television shows and radio broadcasts. As much as technology goes, there is a rapid increase in the popularity of social media platforms. This innovation continues to pave the way towards new sources of entertainment, including online streaming and video-sharing websites.
Video blogs, which are often hosted on online platforms, function as video diaries. They’re a logical continuation of the early-2000s text-based contents, with the difference that since they’re hosted on a particular website, discoverability rises and content-sharing barriers are lower.
Smart Vlogging 101
Are you interested in becoming a vlogger? Perhaps you’re looking for an outlet to share about your personal life, or you want to do it as a hobby without any specific purpose. Either way, being a content creator is not as easy as it appears to be.
To start your vlogging adventure, you need to establish your niche. As a content creator, you must have a specific area that your videos will revolve around.
To decide the content of your vlogs depends on what you are comfortable sharing with the public. It can be your daily life, your collections, your hobbies, and your passions. Finding the topic that you are passionately in love doing in front of the camera will help you be motivated to continue releasing videos regularly.
Video Camera or Any Camera-Enabled Device
Suppose you want to do vlogs as a long-term endeavor. In that case, a good-quality camera is what you should put up as an investment. But if you have budget restrictions, starting with a smartphone with a decent recording quality will be enough to do the job.
Storage Cloud or Service
Perhaps one of the most crucial parts of being a vlogger involves file preservation. Many beginner content creators fail to back up their records, leaving them vulnerable to data loss. This situation can cause hours or even days of content.
So, after filming your videos, you need to make it a habit to back up your files. If you don’t want your data to be bricked and be gone forever, it will be best to invest in data loss prevention software. Slack DLP solutions can help store and archive raw data in a cloud instead of using bulky hard drives.
Personal Computer or Laptop
Video editing is another area that you should prepare and learn. There are many tutorials on how to do simple editing of your videos. You can also ask for help from your friends.
Others hire video editors to add more style and personality to their vlogs. A professional video editor is advisable if you plan on doing vlogs for a living.
Growing Your Vlog
Maintaining a vlog and posting frequent material certainly requires dedication, whether it’s regularly or occasionally. But, if you learn how to do it properly, it’s a great platform to express your ideas and have your voice heard.
Here are some ways to grow your vlog.
Social Media Account or Website
After you are done with your video editing process, the next thing to do is to set up your account on various social media websites or any other platform. You can opt for the ones that offer revenue after reaching a certain amount of views or likes. Be patient after uploading your first videos. Some vloggers take time to gain traction until it becomes available for monetization.
Sponsors
Depending on your content, some big brands will contact you if they see that you are gathering many views. They will pay you depending on what both parties have agreed upon. In return, you will endorse their brand in your videos. However, other viewers may find sponsored videos to be biased in some ways. There will also be a risk of losing popularity if the brand you endorsed is not good. Remember that your name and the brand you endorsed now will have some connection. Other vloggers think through if the brands are the ones that they are willing to support and if it is a relevant product in their contents.
Merchandise
Another way of having extra income through the use of vlogging is selling your merchandise. If you have achieved your popularity, there will be loyal fans that will follow your story. They will even buy your products as a way of support to you and your content.
Wrapping Up
Being yourself in front of the camera is the best way to let your audience feel the sincerity of what you are showcasing. The only way you can give back to them is by regularly creating knowledgeable and entertaining content.
After reaching your goals, maintaining your name as a vlogger will be as hard as you are making it. Do not let issues or other circumstances tarnish the reputation you build. Instead, try to use it to help others and inspire your audience to achieve their goals.
