Vlogging, which is blogging using videos as your content, first became popular around 2005. Today, its popularity is still skyrocketing which really isn’t surprising.
Vlogging is effective in reaching the target audience because videos are usually quicker and easier to understand, and more entertaining than standard text posts.
The Vlogging trend is far from over. So, it’s never too late for aspirants to start their journey as Vloggers.
Of course, once you heard the word “Vlogging” the first thing that will come to mind is YouTube. It’s a Vlogger’s most popular video-sharing platform choice it’s free, easy to manage and has over a billion of users and viewers worldwide. It’s not the only one of course, but it’s the biggie for vlogging.
Though its prevalence is always touted as making it easy to bring in views, I think it really means you are one tiny speck in an avalanche of uploads. Sorry to be so cynical, I mean, practical. 🙂
It’s incredibly difficult to stand out. We’re here to help!
Here are six Vlogging tips to help you have a successful YouTube channel.
1. Plan catchy titles for your Vlog
Videos wouldn’t be complete without titles. The title is one of a viewer’s deciding factors on whether to watch. The title needs to be both appealing to the potential viewer. One strategy is to go with a title full of accurate, highly-searched keywords, so it will come up when people are looking.
On the other hand, that can be boring. In creating a title, don’t create plain and traditional one. You must create a catchy, straightforward or intriguing, informative title. A good title will pique your audience’s’ interest.
2. Use the most popular styles of video content
Choosing the right style and tone for your Vlog is usually the most difficult part of the process. This is because you have to align it into your niche, the audiences’ interest (and yours), and latest trends online.
On YouTube, there are three popular styles of video content for Vlog and those are:
*Informative
People search online because they want information information that can either help them solve a problem or make creating a decision easier. So, in creating your content make sure to compose it as detailed and complete as possible. Tutorials, game walkthroughs, and product reviews are just some of the examples of an informative type of content.
*Entertainment
Everybody loves to be entertained! This is everyone’s way to relax their mind and somehow forget all the stress they have encountered for the day.
So if your Vlog’s main purpose is to showcase your talent in sketching, or daily life experiences, comedy animated videos or reality TV-like videos are some of the best formats to use. Reality TV shows are produced in a way I call documentary style.
*Educational
If you’re a professional in a certain field and the main purpose of your Vlog is to share your expertise, educational is the best format to use.
Educational doesn’t necessarily mean boring. An educational format may sound boring with all its technical terminologies and data and it can be but you can also make your videos lively and appealing by including relevant music and design. Visual storytelling is your friend. 🙂 Educational differs from informative in that it is typically more academic in style and more likely to be created by actual instructional systems designers.
For best results, all videos should actually be as entertaining and informative as possible. YouTube just likes stuff in categories. You should do your best to fit into how these categories have evolved, so reaearch before you commit.
3. Focus on quality as well as uploading frequency
Just like in any other careers, success always lies in the quality of work.
In Vlogging, your content AND video must have the highest quality possible. Yes! They both must have high quality because no matter how amazing your brilliance, if your video has a poor technical quality, you will have a much harder time getting your audience’s attention.
Do this on a regular basis – uploading high-quality videos – is an essential step for securing loyal fans to your channel.
4. Get the right lighting
Lighting is everything when creating videos. Video images essentially ARE light and nothing but light. Too little or too much of it can ruin the overall quality of your video. So, it’s important for you to find the right blend of light to complement the effect you want to achieve.
Normally, the best time to shoot a video outside is during morning and noon. But if you want to add some golden glow effect to your video, you can shoot at dusk.
It is often easier to achieve quality lighting inside because you have total control. Make sure the subject is not directly in front of the light or you get a silhouette. Lighting for a face is a special art unto itself. Often, it’s heavily diffused, yet directional. If that makes any sense. 🙂
5. Build a Vlogging community
YouTube is just like any other social media platforms if you want your channel to succeed for a long time you have to interact with the audience and build a strong relationship. You can do this by:
- *Replying to a comment left by a viewer to your channel. Give ’em a well-thought out response, so they know you’re a person and not a bot.
- *Comment on other Vloggers’ videos that has the same niche as yours,
- *Invite other Vloggers to your channel and listen to their feedback.
This part of Vlogging may sound difficult to achieve because it requires a lot of time to make it work. But don’t worry, once you get used to the process everything will become easier and it can be a lot of fun. It’s a necessary step so don’t try to skip it!
6. Optimize your video metadata
Just like with titles, optimizing your video metadata can guarantee a better rank in YouTube’s search engine result pages.
Video metadata includes, but is not limited to: title, tags, description, annotation, thumbnail, and file name. Metadata will help the search engine bots properly identify the content of your videos. The love of bots make it easier for people to find you.
To make it easier for search engine bots, you must include relevant keywords and pair it with captivating descriptions and call-to-action statements.
Managing a YouTube channel isn’t a simple task but hopefully, with the tips mentioned above, you can pull it off successfully. I wish you much success with your efforts to attain YouTube fame.