How to Start Vlogging
Whether you're looking to make a little extra money on the side or you want to take your blog to the next level, vlogging is a great hobby that's both fun and budget friendly!
I’m not sure why I decided I wanted to use video in my blogs. It’s not a new concept. Not new at all! I heard about vlogs through social media around the same time I heard about blogging. I learned more about vlogs by participating on YouTube, too.
It’s not hard to create vlogs. Basically, you make a video, edit the video as you wish, upload it to YouTube and embed it into your blog. Different blog sites have different steps to embedding, but it is a simple process.
Create a Schedule and a Structure
Here are a few ways that you can structure your vlogs:
- A daily or weekly tip or piece of advice
- A daily or weekly review
- A product of the week
- A demo of the day or week
- Trend watch videos
- Reviews of other popular sites and blogs
- Creative thoughts
Make Time to Film, Edit, and Upload Your Vlogs
For me, each video takes about 15 minutes to set up and tape, 15 minutes to edit, and another 15 minutes to upload, but this can vary a lot based on your style, the scope of the video, and the purpose the video will serve.
I also embed it and write a few words of copy in a blog post. I am lucky to have a FaveCrafts.com editor, Kari, help me by posting the videos on the FaveCrafts Blog. So if you have techie friends, let them help!
We get lots of fun responses and comments and it really is a way to engage your readers.
Things to Include in Your Vlogs
- Product reviews and new products I’ve found
- Finished projects (especially if you're using your channel to sell items).
- Upcoming events and new projects you're working on
- Updates on holidays and events
- Current events and things in the news
- A call-to-action to follow or subscribe to social media accounts
Vlogs are an option if you aren’t into writing as a way to build your personal brand. May people don't care for writing, and it does take a lot of time! There isn’t a need for words when you let the video tell your message.
Use this medium to build your character. By that, I mean let the video be a way to connect your true creative self to your market. Vlogging does take some time at the start if you are learning as you go, but the time investment will pay off! Once you've built an audience, vlogs are a great way to engage your followers, make some money, and build your personal brand.