As audiences began to appreciate videos as a way to showcase talent, convey opinions and ideas, or demonstrate a lifestyle, more internet users and YouTube enthusiasts have turned to vlogs to make a name for themselves. Today, over 300 hours of video content are being uploaded on YouTube every minute, each from different genres such as beauty, technology, travel, lifestyle, pets, and even digital marketing.
What’s a Vlog?
It all started with online journals. In the past, people created their own microsites where they post daily musings similar to how they would in a diary, minus the lock and key. Blogging is about producing and publishing content that entertains and educates.
Vlogs are the same, albeit in video format. Fast forward to 2000, when Adam Kontras decided to record his moving journey to Los Angeles so he can show it to his friends and family. Shortly after, vlogging has grown more popular and has become the business that it is today. Another example of a successful figure in the field is Ralph Wunsch, who has made a successful career in content publishing.
A vlog’s main goal is to capture the attention of its target audience and maintain their interest. Vlogs should be share-worthy, to get as much views and engagement. Today, there is a multitude of vloggers with millions of followers who are now considered celebrities and influencers in their own right.
To help you analyze if converting your blogs into vlogs is a positive step for your business, here is a list of pros and cons to run through.
Pros of Vlogging
Helps people make an informed decision.
A lot of people who turn to video reviews learn better through a more visual medium. That’s why the beauty community is as influential and as massive as it is today. When people see cosmetic products being used, reviewed, and recommended, especially by their favorite YouTuber.
Of course, it could also be about other matters such as a recently released movie, the best selling books, the latest toys and gadgets, or other tutorial videos. A lot of product reviews by popular vloggers, in fact, sell out within the same day that the video is posted.
Allows you to express your creativity.
Vlogging is your creative outlet for expressing your talents and ideas in a way that you couldn’t in writing. Aside from that, you’re also in charge of how you create your content. Remember, people crave authenticity and credibility when it comes to vlogs.
If you want your video to stand out from the noise, you need to come up with unique content that showcases your personality.
You can monetize your work.
Before you can monetize on YouTube, there are specific requirements you have to meet. But once you gain a significant following, your videos will start to generate income. Ad sponsorships, brand collaborations and product endorsements will come knocking on your door. You could even get paid from merely mentioning a product in one of your videos.
You develop a new skill.
While there will always be room for growth when it comes to blogging, vlogging can help you learn new skills. You’d learn about video production and editing, scriptwriting, content strategizing, and so much more.
Your face will be out there.
Unlike blogs, where a byline is enough to claim that you wrote the article, vlogging needs to have someone speaking directly to the camera.
You have to work on your confidence, and you need to have a good set of communication skills. That means working on the right approach and maintaining a professional yet friendly tone to your video. Avoid mannerisms that are distracting or unbearable. Lastly, make it sound natural; don’t make it seem like you’re just reading a script.
Cons of Vlogging
Attentions spans are growing shorter.
What makes blogging relevant until today is the fact that people can quickly scan for pertinent information. But with videos, one wouldn’t know which part of the video contains the information they need. So, your audience would have to watch the whole thing.
If your vlog fails to maintain the interest of your audience, most of them might end up skipping parts of it; making them miss essential points in the video. With attention spans getting shorter and the number of videos published increasing each day, it’s becoming trickier to stand out and keep audiences delighted.
You’ll need to invest in equipment.
Unlike in blogging, where a working laptop, stable internet connection, and updated software is enough to produce a good article, vlogging requires specific types of equipment. The tools and gadgets you’ll need depend on what kind of project you’re working on. But, if you want to create quality videos that your audience will appreciate, then you will need to invest in cameras, lighting equipment, and photography accessories.
The final output requires a bit more work.
Even though blogging does take more work than what most people think, vlogging takes up twice the time and effort. There’s setting up the camera, checking the sound quality, and finding and creating a well-lit environment. And that’s just the production work. Post-production refers to time-consuming and editing and rendering of the final video.
If you feel like vlogging is something you can transition into, you’re welcoming a new medium of self-expression that can potentially get your content shared all around the world. But before you go out there and turn your blog into a vlog, you first have to know what you’re doing, who you’re doing it for, and why you’re doing it. Things work a lot better when there’s purpose behind it.