Think ‘Vlogging’ Could Be For You? Here’s What To Figure Out First

In terms of working a job that allows you to be remote, turning your hand to ‘vlogging’ could be a great decision. For someone already willing to share at least part of their life with the online world, whether through a blog or a social media profile, making videos around your life and what you get up to isn’t too much of a further step. 

Indeed, vlogging allows you to build on the blog you’ve already made, by supplementing your written content with some video content that anyone can sit down and watch. Whether these videos are short form or long form, made in your home or out and about, offer a ‘slice of life’ or give advice etc., they can all maximize your online presence and start making you more money. 

And that’s great for anyone willing to share themselves on camera. Hit the record button, pick your platform, learn to edit, outline your video style, and build an audience that resonates with what you do. It’s a real dream! But it’s also a career you need to think very carefully about. 

Because of that, we’re here to help. If you think vlogging could be for you, we’ve got some questions you need to ask in order to figure out how it’s going to work for you. Forming a plan of action for the future, instead of just picking up a camera and pressing record, will make pulling in an audience much more manageable. 

And when you’ve got an engaged audience that’s growing day by the day, you could net yourself a very profitable side hustle in the long run!

vlogging
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Going From Blogger to ‘Vlogger’

We said above that this isn’t too big a step, but it does come with some nuance. After all, you’re now speaking into a camera, rather than writing everything down. That can be quite intimidating to some people, and it may take you some time to find your groove when being on film. 

That being said, you don’t necessarily need to appear yourself. For example, you can record a voice over to accompany your footage. Similarly, if you’re worried about your thoughts not coming across properly, it’s still OK to write a normal blog post first and then read that out for the camera. 

You could also link the two together, with the video acting as an explainer if someone doesn’t want to read through your post in full. Sharing the video on TikTok or Instagram, and linking back to your website, is also a great way to get traffic from social media! 

Of course, you’ll also need to sharpen up your image and video editing skills. You most likely have more of these than you think, seeing as you’ve been blogging for a while, but it’s always good to go through a refresher. Practice with smaller bits of content first to find your stride or think about hiring someone to do all the editing for you. 

What Will You Record?

The first step to becoming a ‘vlogger’ is to figure out what you want to record. If you’re using your blog as a basis here, making content in the same niche usually works just fine. If you’re a fitness blogger, make fitness videos. If you’re a lifestyle blogger, cover all your usual lifestyle topics. It’s a natural progression. 

However, even when you can choose a niche to fill, it can be hard to decide on what exactly you want to film. You’re still going to need a range of topics to talk about, and you’re going to need an idea of how to approach them via this new medium. 

After all, video content, while technically more appealing than written content, can still be regarded as boring, stale, and people may just click off or scroll by. If you want to appeal to your audience in the same way, some tweaks to your usual content formula will be needed. 

For example, if you write about food and drink, instead of writing up a review of your week trying a certain diet, start creating ‘challenge’ videos that showcase this instead. 

How Will You Record?

You’ve got an idea of what you’re going to record, and you’ve got some plans for making your first video. Great! Now it’s time to think about how you’re going to record your content. This is another thing to weigh carefully, as you could just grab your phone and make the video, but that’s not quite a best practice here. 

Indeed, if your phone’s camera doesn’t come with plenty of pre-installed options for capturing high quality footage, you’re going to be out of luck. The footage may be blurry, there may be no proper lighting, and your phone’s storage is likely to run out after just a few recording sessions. 

You need better hardware here. You need equipment that’s going to capture the shot just right. 

Start with your video lighting; if you’re going to be recording static shots within a studio, setting up ring lights in strategic places (and not using much overhead lighting) is essential. 

If you’re recording while out and about, try to keep dark areas to a minimum. Daylight is usually great, but you don’t want the shot to be overexposed either, and that can be a common issue depending on where the light is coming from. 

You should also invest in a drone you can take around with you. Of course, the drone you choose for the job will matter as well. Invest in something that’s both affordable and brings a high quality level with it. DJI drones usually fit this bracket very well; you can learn more about the DJI Flip and others in their range before you buy too. 

Use a drone to capture shots from afar, provide aerial footage that’s great for adding in post, and to bring a dynamic level to your content. When it looks good, people pay attention! 

How Often Will You Upload?

Your upload schedule can vary – that’s perfectly OK – but most video creators will have a set amount of videos to get out week by week. For most it’s once per week, but some put all their time, effort, and resources into making ‘bigger’ videos once per month. 

It’s totally up to you, but it’s something you’ll want to think about now. What do you want your audience to expect from you? And remember, the more consistent your uploads, the faster your account and/or channel will grow. 

Monetizing Your Online Presence

Unlike writing a traditional blog on your own website, when you upload videos to another platform – Youtube in particular – you’re likely to start making money off of views alone. 

In the blogging world you need to make use of affiliate marketing, sponsorships, and even running ads on your website to start generating any income, and you’re the one in charge of overseeing all of that. When you vlog on a platform that ensures this monetized incentive before you even get started, this pressure is taken out of your hands. 

Of course, you’ll have to sign up for this monetization, and you can only do that after achieving certain milestones, but you can make money through content alone. 

Most video content platforms automatically run ads alongside videos. These occur usually before the video starts, sometimes throughout (usually known as ‘midrolls’), and sometimes after the video has ended as well. 

The more ads on a video, the more money you can end up making. You can even place ad spots throughout yourself, to try and ensure you get as many opportunities to generate revenue as possible. 

But how much can you make? This is going to vary. 

On Youtube, you’ll have something known as a ‘CPM’, which is how much you make per 1000 views. Every creator has a different CPM and there isn’t really a standard, but the higher this figure is, the more money you’re going to make. 

Remember though, not every video you upload will be monetizable, and some viewers may even be using ad blocking extensions to prevent any ads from interrupting your content. 

You can also turn to sponsorships to increase your total revenue, but make sure you put time into researching the companies who either reach out to work with you or those you contact yourself. 

Want to Start Vlogging? Keep These Points in Mind

Making videos that either supplement or even substitute your blog content will be challenging – that’s the first thing to expect. It’s something you’re very capable of, and if you’ve got some ideas already in the works, it’s clear there’s a future in it for you! 

But you do need to be careful about how you approach the video creation process. In the same way you’d put some time and effort into researching and fact checking and editing a blog post, you need to curate your visual media. Throwing up any old video and expecting it to enhance your online presence simply won’t work!

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