A vlog is simply a video blog or video log, and it is a type of blogging for which the medium is a video. It is a form of web television created by making a video of yourself or an event, uploading it to the internet and publishing it within a post on your blog or on your YouTube channel.
Your video blog could be your own video, your favourite collections of videos or just some exciting videos you record with your phone or a digital camera. A lot of people like to make videos about interesting topics, such as beauty, lifestyle, art, their opinions and points of views, or just recording their daily life and posting it.
We have a good number of vloggers in Nigeria and they are increasing in number by the day. So, if you want to be a vlogger and you are not sure how to go about it, here are easy steps.
Find a Reason and Theme
Before you start a video blog, you’ll need a reason or a theme for it, or else you will run out of content after a few posts. Video blogs can be created for various personal and professional reasons. You can vlog about anything as long as it doesn’t offend people unnecessarily.
Find a Platform
After finding a theme, the next thing to find is a platform. For vloggers, I would recommend YouTube. The reason is that YouTube currently ranks among the top three most-visited sites on the web, and it is a high traffic area for vloggers. YouTube has created a platform for participants to present their personal videos, which oftentimes are filmed using hand held point and shoot cameras or a simple phone camera. So, go on YouTube and register a video channel.
Prepare Content and Name Your Vlog
It is easy to generate some content when you are just starting anything, especially anything that has to do with media. You will need to add new content regularly, especially the type that will generate a lot of interest from your target audience, or else people will lose interest and stop checking your vlog. So, before you go live with your video blog, make sure you have enough content to keep it going for a little while until you are able to glide naturally.
As for the name, though the content is more important than the name, having a catchy yet easy-to-remember title can attract more viewers and keep them coming back.Get a Camera and Make a Video
Any recording digital camera can be used to record your content. Also, any video-capable camera will do. Although the quality might be low, with a little extra lighting, you can make it look professional enough for the eye to look at. You can mount your camera on a tripod or give it to someone else to hold for you as long as they can stay steady so that your videos won’t have much jerking around. However, I would recommend a tripod for shot stability.
Edit Your Videos
After making your video, save it as a file on your computer and use any of the free software to edit and compress it. If you are using Apple systems, Final Cut Pro or iMovie will work for you. And if you are using a Windows 8 or XP Windows, you can try Movie Maker. Try to cut down the length of your videos; a lot of people won’t have the patience to watch a video longer than 10 minutes.
Upload, Share and Promote
With a relatively recent computer with a high-speed connection, you can upload your vlog online. Remember to upload to your platform with appropriate title; you don’t want your audience to be put off by watching you blabbing about things totally unrelated to the title of your video. After uploading, get the embedding code of your uploaded vlog file and share on social media with your friends and their friends.
You also need to promote your vlog to gain greater audience for it; you’ll need to let the world know that it exists. You can do this through blog aggregation sites, search engine optimization and good old fashioned self-promotion, i.e. sending out an email to all your contacts or sending the link through their BBMs.
Keep at it, Stay Connected
To have a successful video blog you’ll need to continuously create and update your content. If you’re creating videos about a topic that you love, keeping an up-to-date vlog should be a joy and not a chore. Also communicate with your followers, don’t shut them out or ignore them. Take time to respond to comments, messages, and video responses you receive. You can’t be too busy for your audience; it will leave an impression on them. So what are you waiting for? Start a vlog today.
About the author: Chris Bamidele is a passionate and unapologetic Nigerian, who believes in God and humanity. He is a writer, blogger, and an aspiring Television Director; and an optimist to the core. He blogs at www.chrisbamidele.wordpress.com and tweets @Chrisbamidele. He currently lives in Lagos.
