On a technical aspect, vlogs or a video log is a journalistic video documentation on the web of a person’s life, thoughts, opinions, and interests. It can either be topical, timeless, instructional, or entertaining. But the main gist of vlogging is trying to communicate on a personal level with your audience.
And over the years, since its initial introduction back in 2005, the world of vlogging has expanded, and nowadays, has become even more competitive.
You have people all over the globe dabbling in the world of vlogging. From ten-second Snapchat posts to full-length entertainment (or topical) videos on YouTube, everybody is doing it. The world’s biggest YouTubers host illustrious careers borne out of constant vlogging.
But there is more to vlogging than just ranting about daily life.
It’s about creativity. It’s about marketing. It’s how well you relate to your audience that gets the comments and subscribers pouring in. And of course, no one will deny the teeny smudge of luck that accompanies starting off.
For this reason, we bring you the 5 Be’s that are in most famous vloggers’ roads to success:
If you’re starting out from being a complete nobody, then content consistency is the key. There are people who upload videos on a daily basis, while others have a specific schedule.
The obvious reason for such a move is to give your potential audience something to look forward to in their own days.
Posting daily vlogs constantly allow your videos to become a part of your audience’s day-to-day routine.
But we’re not only talking in terms of uploading schedule here…
You also need consistency in the video content itself. Keep your audience engaged with the relevant content. Try to avoid jumping from one niche to another. Vloggers who have already established their channel can do this in a timely manner, no problem.
But for a channel that is just starting to grow, you might want to stick to one thing first and branch out to do other things, depending on what your audience wants and asks for.
If you’re looking to make a career out of your vlogging, then you’d better start thinking of the activity as more than just a fun hobby.
It’s your source of livelihood, so treat it like one…
Just as businessmen in the corporate world constantly check the competition, you will find that it’s something you’ll have to do as well. But that doesn’t mean you have to start treating every other vlogger like an enemy.
Do collaborations where necessary. Increase your visibility on the social media platforms. Should you shorten or lengthen your vlogs? Be aware of the audience’s wants. What are the latest trends? What is everybody’s common denominator?
The tricky part about vlogging is that every factor for success should be in the right amount. Being too overly consistent on the type of content you push out, can cause your viewers to bore quickly.
Once in a while, think about ways to switch it up.
And of course, be innovative — as much as possible. It’s cool to follow the status quo, but finding ways to rise above it and stand out will help your channel gain the attention you want it to get.
It was mentioned before, but increasing your visibility on every social media platform can be very useful. And for good reason to.
Apart from the comments section where your viewers are free to engage in discussion, interact with your audience through your videos as well. Encourage them to participate in your videos. Say, for example, you put up a vote or a poll and you let your audience decide for you. And furthermore, invite them to follow your social media accounts if they’re interested in what you have to say.
Add annotations in your videos to suggest your other relevant content, and don’t shy away from editing a detailed ‘how-to’ of subscribing to a channel.
Be Real and Honest
If there’s anything every internet user craves nowadays, it’s the truth tea.
A persona on camera is one thing, but being real in your videos will subconsciously tell your audience that you’re just like everybody else.
You’re not detached from the rest of the world. You’re not on a separate or elevated plane. Showing your humanity in videos will let your viewers know that you’re not ashamed of who you are and that you value honesty.
On some weird unexplainable level, your viewers are kind of like your friends. Earning their trust and respect is a key to maintaining a good relationship with your audience and sustaining your channel.
Your viewers are, after all, the reason why your channel exists in the first place.
The Vlogging Career
Timing is everything. Whether you would care to acknowledge it or not, even vlogs take planning and strategy. You need to be able to feel out your audience’s wants, and at the same time, you need to constantly think of what you can do to keep them around.
Like any other marketing strategy, get to know your target audience fully. Viewers leave comments and likes and dislikes on videos for a reason, after all.
Meeting all these 5 Be’s will not guarantee a million subscribers right off the bat. If there’s anything any YouTuber can agree with, it’s that growing your channel takes time, a lot of patience, and hard work.
Even Jake Paul took months to grow his YouTube channel to millions of viewers. Yes, it’s a smaller amount of time compared to most people, but it sure as hell didn’t happen overnight.
Anyone can vlog, but only the dedicated truly make a living out of it.