If you're looking to increase your social media presence, there's nothing quite like a video that gets people's attention. Whether you're running a business or just looking to be a part of an online community for fun, vlogging is one of the best ways to promote yourself, your products and your services. Perhaps the best part of vlogging is that there's no right way to do it, and you can look at it as a constant experiment. There's no need to be perfect right off the bat when you upload your first video, and some of the most seasoned vloggers tweak and change their vlogging habits even years after they started so their content stays interesting and their viewers stay satisfied. Before you excitedly jump on board with your own vlogging journey, there are a few things you should plan and look into before getting started.
Pick a niche
Vlogs are in high demand by users that will subscribe to your channel if they like what they see. You will, however, need to pick a niche that meets the needs of your intended followers.
The more you narrow down your genre the better equipped you will be to gain viewers.
Your vlog niche should be on a subject that you are knowledgeable about and can easily and informatively talk to your viewers about. Maybe you provide makeup tutorials or are an Italian cook that makes easy recipes; no matter what you do decide to do for your vlog, keep it simple and don’t try to cover a million topics on your channel. Viewers like informative content and can be fickle if they don’t get what they want from your vlogs. Be sure to entertain your audience and create content that has value in your vlog.
Find Inspiration from Watching Other Vloggers
Pick a few vloggers and spend at least a week or two studying their vlogging style. You certainly don't want to completely copy them, but getting a look at what makes them seem interesting can give you some good ideas for your own vlogs.
As you spend time watching, take notes on the below:
What topic are they vlogging about?
What makes their vlogs interesting?
How long are their videos?
What trends can you pick out in every video?
Do they edit their videos?
Do they film their vlogs in one take?
How often do they upload new vlogs?
What are their viewers saying in the comments?
How are they interacting with their viewers?
You're doing research here not only to explore your own possible vlogging style, but also to see what works for the pros. If you find several vloggers using the same little techniques, make a note of it. Do a search for your favourite interests on YouTube to see what comes up.
Be Patient
To see the success vlogging that other YouTube stars have achieved will take time.
You will not see vlog-success overnight rather it will take months to years to reach your goal of making vlogging your career. You need to be patient and stick to it. Don’t give up on your video blog as before you know it; you will have an audience that commands top dollar. Remember it takes time. Don’t get discouraged and whatever you do, don’t give up.
Stay Active
When you finally develop an audience for your vlogs, you don’t want to disappoint them in any way. This means that you need to continue to provide them with video content on a regular basis. You need to be an active vlogger and post content on a consistent basis. If you are going to go dormant for a while, let your viewers know. If you suddenly disappear, your audience may desert you. You need to give your fans what they demand, and that is good quality content that entertains and informs. Be sure to vlog every day and watch as your subscribers grow with your vlog library. By keeping up the hard work, you will see your efforts pay off with a larger audience base and more money coming in.
Decide What Equipment You'll Use to Film, Edit and Upload
You don't need a fancy camera, light fixtures or editing software to get started with vlogging. Most vloggers start off with simple or everyday technology they already have, then progress to investing in cameras and other more specialized equipment as their audience grows and they want to improve the quality of their vlogs. If you have a smartphone, you can do all of your filming, editing and uploading through that. Today's smartphones have such high-quality cameras ideal for filming awesome videos, and there are both free and paid apps you can use to edit them. On the other hand, if you have a laptop, you won't even need a camera to film your video if it has one built-in. Lots of vloggers start out by vlogging with their laptops, eliminating the need to transfer the video to the computer later to edit and upload.
Promote Your Videos on Social Media
Filming, editing and uploading your vlogs is often the easy party. The hard part comes when you're competing against all these other vloggers and creators for viewers. Popular vloggers often promote their vlogs on all sorts of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Snapchat, Reddit, Vero and so on.
Tell Your Viewers To Subscribe
It is also important to get subscribers to build your audience base.
You know that your subscribers are watching videos but what about their friends and family?
You have to remember that your vlogs are not only viewed by people on YouTube, but they are being shared on social media as well. Turn these casual viewers into regular subscribers by asking them to subscribe in each and every video that you make. Remember the more subscribers you have, the more influence you will have with companies looking to gain visibility from their products with your vlog.
Use Google AdSense
Once you’ve built up your audience, you might want to start making money on YouTube.
Google AdSense is the easiest way to make money on YouTube as a vlogger. The way that AdSense works is by placing an ad in the front of your vlog. These ads run before a viewer can see your vlog. If a viewer clicks on the ad, you will get paid. While AdSense only pays a few cents per ad, if you have thousands of viewers, it will add up quickly. If you are posting vlogs on YouTube, you certainly should be using AdSense as a way to make money with your vlog. AdSense is an easy way to start making money vlogging without having to do much else than create the video blogs that you are already making for your videos.
Build Sponsorship Relationships
As you build a strong relationship with your audience, you will be able to create sponsorship with companies that want you to showcase their products. Having thousands of viewers can help you get a company’s attention as they look to promote their brand with your audience.
Your viewers already look to you to provide them with information, and having a promotional product in your vlog can help you bring in more money with your video blog.
Sponsorships are how many professional bloggers make a good living off their vlog.
A relationship with a brand can allow you to demand the amount you want for showcasing a product that you might talk about or use on a regular basis. Keep in mind that you still need to be true to your audience that means abiding by the 80/20 rule. A total of 80 percent of your content should be educational, and the other 20 percent should be promotional.
Making the majority your vlog as valuable as possible for your audience will keep them enticed, and they won’t be bothered sponsorships you are promoting in your vlog.
Showcase Merchandise
You may also want to consider selling merchandise on your vlog. Your viewers are already coming to you to be informed, and they will also listen to you about the products that you recommend. Having products that represent your vlog can help you sell more merchandise over time.
The more your products related to the vlogs that you are already creating, the more apt your viewers will be to buy from you.
Be Original
You want to make your YouTube channel stand out from the others. This means that you need to be your original self. Think about what makes you unique, special and stand out from the crowd. This is where you will succeed and be a voice that viewers can turn to as an authority. You want to be the expert of your niche through vlogging and knowing how to make money vlogging is all about reaching your audience with the best, most original content possible.
Using this helpful information can give you all the tools you need to get started vlogging and increase your vlog earnings month-to-month.
You can make a good income vlogging and become a respected vlogger in the industry. Start now and be patient; the returns will come from your hard work. And remember it’s never too late to start!!