Social Media Marketing Glossary

What Is a Vlog?

A vlog is a video documenting the life of a person. As the name suggests, a vlog is a video blog that records the thoughts, opinions, and interests of an individual usually for internet publication and online audience.

What Is the Difference Between a Vlog and a Blog?

You might be thinking “this word is similar to “blog!” While we totally agree, there’s quite a difference between the two terms. The distinction between a blog and a vlog is that a blog is a written piece of communication, while a vlog is made in a video format.

Types of Vlogs

There are two popular types of vlogs: a “talking-head” video where the camera is on a tripod while the vlogger is talking about a certain topic or a “follow me around” vlog where the creator takes the camera and records clips as they go about their day.

While vlogging covers a wide range of topics and styles, there are the main types of vlogs that gained popularity in the last years:

• Lifestyle vlogs: These types of personal videos document an individual’s daily life. Lifestyle vlogs usually feature activities such as cooking, shopping, travel, exercise, and more. The aim of lifestyle vlogging is to inspire viewers by giving them a glimpse into the everyday lives of their favorite influencers and content creators.
• Tutorials and how-to guides: This type of video log is designed to help viewers learn something new, such as a new skill or a recipe.
• Vlogs about current events: These vlogs specialize in reporting news and giving commentary on important topics.
• Review vlogs: Such video blogs are dedicated to reviewing products, services, or experiences. Reviewers will typically share an honest assessment of their experience, giving viewers honest feedback on the product or service being reviewed.
• Gaming vlogs: This type of vlogs features vloggers streaming and discussing video games, often with commentary and gameplay footage.
• Music-related vlogs: Music vlogs show the creator playing music or talking about the latest music releases.
• Sports vlogs: This type of video revolves around talking about a particular sport, either in terms of news, strategies, or game highlights.
• Educative vlogs: These videos are educational in nature and provide viewers with information on a variety of topics, such as history, science, art, and much more.
• Beauty vlogs: Beauty content is often dedicated to talking about makeup, skincare, and fashion and providing different beauty tips, as well as showcasing new products and techniques from this area.
• Comedy/sketch vlogs: This type of video allows vloggers to create comedic skits or sketches for their viewers’ entertainment.
• Reaction videos: Reaction vlogs feature the creator reacting to content from other sources, such as TV shows, movies, and vlogs.

What’s the Purpose of Vlogging?

Vlogging is the act of creating and sharing video content with an audience in order to share information, tell stories, inspire others, or express oneself.

It can be used for many different purposes such as promoting a business, documenting everyday life, teaching topics of interest, raising awareness about important issues, and more.

Moreover, vlogging can be a fantastic way to connect with your online community and gain new fans.

Vlogs can also serve as a way to share your artistic side. Some vloggers also use it as a way of sharing the new music or performance art they have made.

With or without an established online community, vlogging can help you create loyalty by making more personal connections with your audience. And if you’re trying to start your own vlog, YouTube is a great place to start because it’s the most popular video-sharing platform in the world.

How to Create a Vlog

To succeed in the vlogging world, having a plan is key. Don’t worry if you don’t know where to begin; we’ve got your back!

Here are the steps to creating a vlog:

1. Decide on a niche: Focus on a niche that you are passionate about and make it your own. This will not only help you create useful and engaging content for your viewers but also allow you to differentiate yourself from other creators.
2. Brainstorm ideas: Create a content plan where you can organize all your vlog ideas. Prioritize topics that are related to your niche or business and alternate those with fun and light-hearted content ideas.
3. Gather any necessary equipment: Invest in quality cameras and microphones to create a high-quality vlog. You might also need to purchase additional items like props, backdrops, and lighting equipment.
4. Write a script: Writing a script before filming will help you stay organized and ensure that your video flows smoothly. This is especially important for videos that relay educational content.
5. Record your vlog: Use your outline as a guide as you record yourself speaking or performing on camera. To ensure a high-quality, refined outcome, take the time to practice before hitting record.
6. Edit your video content: Use a video editing program to add special effects, transitions, and music. Trim any unnecessary footage or pauses so that the final product looks professional.
7. Upload your vlog: Choose which platforms you want to upload your vlog to and format it according to each platform’s guidelines.
8. Promote your video: Share your vlog with your social media followers and post about it in relevant forums or groups. You can also consider paid ads to help you get a head start.
9. Monitor your performance: Track your vlog’s progress to see how it is performing and make changes based on the feedback you received.

Vlogging Tips

If you want to skip being an amateur vlogger, start learning the ways established creators film their video content

Here are some tips to help you become vlog like a pro:

1. Use a tripod: Using a tripod is essential to achieve steady, smooth shots. Investing in one will help you produce more professional-looking content.
2. Use natural lighting: Natural lighting is the best choice for most video projects because it’s free and looks great on camera. Avoid shooting in direct sunlight as it will create harsh shadows and make your video look too bright.
3. Add background music: For vlogs, it’s indicated that you use some background music just to set the tone. We all know how important is to have both great visuals and sounds (that you own fully + that match your visual content perfectly), for this reason, you can hire a freelancer to help you out with custom tracks. 
4. Invest in good audio: Achieving good sound quality is just as important as good video quality. Invest in a good microphone and make sure you take the time to do some sound tests before shooting your vlogs.
5. Use wide-angle lenses: A wide-angle lens will help capture more of your surroundings in each shot and create a better sense of depth within your video.