Tips On Starting A Vlog On YouTube
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Vlogging,
or video-logging, has become a pretty big thing for the YouTube community. A lot of
the big YouTubers do it, even if it’s not their main form of content. There is
something particularly personal and direct about vlogging, and it can be a
unique form of valuable social content. While
there is no right or wrong way to vlog, and by all means no two vloggers vlog
the same way (which is part of what makes the format such a unique one), here
are some do’s and don’ts that may help you on the way to starting your very own
vlog.
DO find your own style: Vlogging is a great
way to express your own personal flair and style. Being the controller of your own
creative content allows for you to truly be free in your expression and
opinions. So above all else: Be yourself.
DON’T just copy someone else: Nothing is more
detrimental to your vlog than to just be copying someone else’s style and
format, as audiences may feel there isn’t anything new to be offered. You want
to attract your own audience, not someone else’s. Whilst it is completely okay
to take inspirations from other successful vloggers (and it can be extremely
helpful to do some research), be sure not to just mimic them. No one likes a Ditto.
DO try to keep a regular schedule: Whilst
this is not compulsory, it can be helpful in growing a subscription list
because audiences may prefer to have a regular stream of content from you. It
also keeps them hooked when they know there’s more coming. Just be sure that
you create reasonable expectations you can meet.
DON’T make it a chore: Vlogging should be a
platform you are comfortable in. If you do have a schedule, but you don’t feel
like vlogging, inform your audience (such as viaFacebook and/or Twitter). People have sick
days off work too. Don’t force yourself to produce something if you’re not
confident it will be content you are proud of.
DO accept helpful criticism: As with any
another form of creative content, it’s important to be open to helpful criticism.
Even if your vlog content on YouTube may be free entertainment for them, it
shouldn’t stop you from taking well-thought-out comments from people to improve
yourself. Vlogging should be as much for your audience as it is from you!
DON’T be fazed by haters: An unfortunate, dark
underbelly of the Internet is that “haters” and “trolls” roam it freely. If you don’t know what those two
words mean: Welcome to the Internet. In short, they are people that maliciously
target people online, out of no logical reasoning or evidence. Try to ignore
them. If they have no backing to their criticism, try not to let their hateful
comments get to you. They are doing it for their own sadistic pleasure.
DO be consistent with your content: Whilst
it may be good to cover a wide range of topics in your vlogs, ensure you’re not
stretching too much. People tend to like a general expectation to be met, and
when you suddenly verge off into a different style, it might not be met with
warm reception. Your subscribers are there for a reason. A one-off vlog that
tackles an isolated matter or incident is mostly acceptable, but try not to
jump from style to style too much. Instead, evolve and develop your style into
a format you’re comfortable with.
DON’T be a bore: It is key to remember that
this is free content on YouTube. People watching on YouTube aren’t mostly looking
for serious, heavy content, and will not hesitate to skip over something
unappealing. If you want to talk about serious things, it is completely doable,
so long as you’re confident that your audience is the right kind to receive it
well. News and scholarly topics can be equally tackled well if you have the
right presentation with it.
And
finally, DO have fun with it: This
is YouTube, not television!
This is completely your own content. So have fun with it! It’s always good to
inject some humour into your vlogging (but be wary of your subject matter, of
course). Find a way you can have fun making your vlogs, and naturally, people
will enjoy watching them too.
That’s
it! I hope this article inspires you to vlog. I genuinely believe vlogging to
be such a uniquely wonderful form of entertainment, and there are plenty of
amazing vloggers onYouTube right now. But the awesome thing is that anyone can
join their ranks. So grab a camera and get talking! Good luck! Also,
remember that SocialGO can be a great place to promote your vlogs! Embed yourYouTube videos, and start
discussions about your content. Get to know your audience, add extra content
such as accompanying blogs, and improve your vlogs!
Posts
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