If you are keeping up with the latest marketing trends, you must be aware that the demand for video content is increasing. It’s understandable if you’re wondering how to start a vlog on YouTube.
Experts forecast that videos would account for 80% of the world’s Internet traffic. Video content is said to be generating the highest ROI by most marketing executives.
When compared to blog posts without videos, blog posts with videos have three times the number of inbound links.
According to these figures, it’s fair to assume that people enjoy watching videos. However, setting yourself to be the best vlogger on YouTube may be difficult, especially if you have no experience doing it before.
Many factors need to be considered in order to make it happen.
What type of equipment should you bring? How do you act before the camera? How can you get the word out about your latest vlog on YouTube?
You’re just not the only marketer who’s noticed the rise in video trends. According to research, companies expect to expand their content delivery platforms in the coming years.
Blogging is my favorite method for driving traffic to a website and engaging with the audience.
You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for advice on how to start a vlog on YouTube or develop an existing one.
12 Tips For Vlogging On YouTube
1. Invest In A Good Camera
Let’s continue the discussion of equipment. You’ll also need a reliable camera along with the lights and microphone.
Again, I’m not implying that you should invest a lot on camera. Just ensure that you take certain things into consideration before getting one.
You won’t always have a power source accessible depending on where you’ll be shooting. If you’re shooting a video on the fly, battery life is crucial.
Take into account the size of the memory cards as well. You don’t want to be stuck while shooting some amazing content when your camera runs out of memory.
The camera size should also be considered. Make sure it’s compact, simple to carry, and transportable.
It’s not the end of the world if you don’t have access to your camera all the time. Some videos can be done on your smartphone or computer.
However, if you’re serious about vlogging on YouTube, taking a good-quality camera wherever you go would enable you to shoot great content whenever you get an idea or come across something interesting and worth shooting.
You also need to understand the format of the video recorded by your camera.
.mov, mp4 and .avi are some of the most common formats. This is vital to know if you plan on editing, exporting, or sharing the videos. You must ensure that the video format can be easily converted.
2. Try To Be Engaging And Personable
Being a good vlogger on YouTube necessitates having a strong personality. Don’t be timid, boring, or shy.
If you have a sense of humor, show it off.
Keep in mind that this is a video blog. With regards to the content you share, there are no rules.
Just keep in mind that whatever you do or say will have an effect on your professional and personal brand. I would advise keeping away from topics that are controversial. But if that’s a gamble you’re fine with taking, go for it.
To make the content more engaging, mix it up. Nobody likes to view the same content on a daily or weekly basis, or whatever posting schedule you follow.
3. Purchase A Top-Of-The-Line Microphone
A critical aspect of vlogging on YouTube is the audio quality. It is important that others can clearly hear what you are talking about.
A good microphone will ensure that you don’t waste any time when recording the video.
There will be occasions when the video quality is low. Even if the video is terrible, you can still save the recorded audio and turn it into a podcast. You may also apply the audio as a voice-over to a presentation or other materials.
Your computer comes with a microphone, but it could be better. In addition, cheap cameras do not have good microphones.
High-quality audio should be a priority if you are serious about vlogging on YouTube and producing videos on a regular basis.
Which microphone do you purchase? To be honest, I’m not an expert on this kind of equipment. You’ll have to do your own analysis.
However, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on this. You could get something for under $100.
Simply ensure that you can balance the audio levels using the microphone. Before you start broadcasting, test it every time so you don’t waste too much time recording something that cannot be used.
Pick a comfortable spot. Where are you planning to do the recordings?
Certain microphones are designed for specific situations, such as recording in a large space having echoes, among crowds with background noise, or outdoors that are windy.
Choose a microphone that is appropriate for your broadcasting space. It’s a worthwhile expense.
4. Learn To Use Vlogging Editing Tools
Before you post your videos, you’ll need to learn to edit them. Just don’t go overboard with it.
It is not professional to do a lot of edits and cuts. If you have a Mac, a simple vlogging editor software like iMovie can be used to complete the task.
If you’ll be filming on several iOS devices, this is ideal.
Movie Maker is a free vlogging editor alternative for people using Windows.
These are helpful tools for simple vlogging editing jobs like trimming videos and putting them together.
You can also tweak the sound and make other edits. Just be careful and use the filters and effects in moderation, or it would come across as unprofessional.
5. Ensure That You Have Enough Lighting
We all know videos that are not professional. They could be low-budget ads or videos made at home with family.
It’s unfortunate if your vlog on YouTube appears to be this way. It’s important that you grasp the fundamentals of a 3-point lighting technique.
Sure, you’ll be shooting randomly at times. It is not always practical to bring all of your supplies with you.
However, if you plan to film a lot of the content for the video blog in your apartment or house, you should have all the lights set up.
Lighting has a major impact on video quality. There are 3 items you should become accustomed to:
- Backlight
- Key light
- Fill light
Key Light
The Key light will be your main light. It’s more towards the left of the camera, and it should be about 3 feet higher than eye level.
The brightest of the 3 lights will be the key light. It should be angled downward to create a natural light feeling like the sun.
Fill Light
A shadow will be cast by the key light. You’ll need to use a fill light on the camera’s opposite side to cover the shadow with light.
Backlight
You’ll need to use a backlight and two lights in front of you to make the lighting appear normal. You could end up having dark shadows over your shoulders if you don’t.
The backlight with the lowest level of brightness compared to the others should be diffused.
You don’t have to get high-end lighting, but just remember that a cheap vlog lighting kit won’t last for a long time. If you’re in it for a longer period, it might be worthwhile to spend now in order to save money later.
You must position yourself appropriately in terms of natural lighting opportunities if you are shooting outside of your home or workplace.
When shooting outside, use the sunlight to your advantage. In a studio setup, try to aim the camera so that the sunlight is coming at an equal angle as the key light.
6. Choose The Appropriate Screen Capture Program
You won’t always have to use a camera for vlogging on YouTube—at least not for every blog post.
You’ll need software like ScreenFlow to document your process if you would like to teach your viewers how to perform actions on the computer.
It’s paid software, but if you intend to do some screen recordings on your Mac, it’ll be well worth it.
Camtasia is the alternative for PC users.
Other options exist, but these are my favorites for both PC and Mac. If you’re shopping around, these options can be used for comparing features and prices.
7. Add Captions To The Videos
Not everybody watches videos with the sound turned on. This is why you should include captions in your content.
If you include captions in the video blog, you’ll notice much better interactions. Videos using captions receive a 40% increase in views. Furthermore, including closed captions increases the likelihood of the audience viewing the entire video by 80%.
Are you thinking of posting a link to your video blog on social media such as Facebook?
85% of Facebook videos are viewed without sound. Captions boost watch time by over 12%.
Consider the various scenarios in which someone might be watching the content on your video blog. Viewers could be at school, work, or inside a room with people that they don’t want to bother.
Do you watch all the video content with the sound turned on? Most likely not. Remember to add captions to all your videos.
8. Entice The Viewers To Consume The Content
This is related to my previous point about engaging with the audience. Before you begin shooting, you must first think about what you are planning to cover in the video.
What exactly is the purpose of the video? Is it a new skill that you are teaching the audience? Do you have the credentials?
Yes, vlogs are supposed to be both fun and insightful. However, you must ensure that your audience is motivated to watch.
Nobody wants to keep listening to you talk about your day unless you are a popular figure with a great personality.
Recognize what the audience desires and include it.
9. Record On A Regular Basis
You may not be able to use all of the footage you shoot. Don’t hesitate to record as much as possible.
That is why it is important to carry a camera wherever you go.
You can go back and filter the recordings later if they are not that good. You can also save them for a later broadcast.
Regardless, be prepared to record at all times so you don’t miss out on something.
It’s one thing to tell your viewers about an experience; having the ability to show them the video would elevate your blog to new heights.
You may also be interested in checking out the YouTube shorts title generator.
10. Encourage The Audience To Leave Feedback
Enticing people to comment and leave feedback on the vlog is another way to keep them interested. This is simple if your videos are positioned for it.
Ask for opinions. Try to start a debate or a conversation.
If you have an opinion on a subject, you can say something along the lines of, “Leave a comment below and let me know what you think.”
Reply to the comments. Even if you haven’t posted a new video, it is quite effective in keeping people interested in your content and bringing them back to the blog.
You would be seeing new comments on blogs you posted weeks or even months ago if you handle this correctly.
11. Make The Content Easily Accessible
You need to get as many views as possible with your video blog. YouTube is the biggest video-sharing website.
The YouTube channel is where I launch all of my video content.
The beauty of YouTube is that you are able to repurpose the videos after they’ve been uploaded to your website.
Use social media to share these videos. Links to the video blogs should be added to your site. Email your subscribers with the video content.
If you already have a written personal blog, you can write about the video blogs and include links to your videos in the post to increase traffic to the videos.
I’d begin with YouTube. However, there are vloggers who prefer to use different platforms, such as Vimeo or blip.tv.
12. Bring In A New Guest
Bring on guests if you feel that your content is starting to get boring or if you want to change things up a bit.
Even though you may have some fans, seeing a similar type of content over and over can become tedious.
Host an expert and conduct an interview on a relevant topic. Are you able to connect with a movie star, athlete, or other popular figures? A new face, even if it’s a D-list celebrity, will help you create buzz for your vlog on YouTube.
Ask around, even if you don’t have any direct connections. I’m sure you know someone who has a great personality or a good sense of humor in your contacts.
It’s all about being trendy and keeping your content interesting. The videos that you post don’t have to be all about you.
Final Thoughts
Starting a video blog is a great idea, particularly with the growing trend in videos. However, it can be difficult to stand out when there are so many others doing similar things.
If you are wondering how to start a vlog on YouTube, use the tips for vlogging I’ve shared above.
Begin with the basics, such as purchasing the vlogging editing software and required equipment.
After that, getting your content out to the hands of the people comes down to your personality and marketing strategy (use the YouTube clickbait titles generator to create the titles).
If you follow these guidelines, your vlog should see a significant increase in traffic, interaction, and viewing time.