Should Your Blog Have a Vlog Too?

With the meteoric rise of video stars such as Zoella, vlogging is becoming increasingly popular – allowing you to place yourself in front of a whole new audience and providing your readers with great new content.

But should you run a YouTube channel alongside your blog? Whilst there are numerous benefits, a vlog could take up time you don’t have and require you to splash out on expensive equipment. So is it a good idea?

Vlog Pros

Allows you to connect more personally with your readers

A vlog gives you a face and a voice – bringing your personality to life for your readers. And as a result, it can help them to feel like they know you better, helping you to connect with them like no other blogging format. Plus, a vlog provides them with even more great content to enjoy!

Visual content can be more effective

Video blogging can be particularly effective for bloggers in visual niches, such as beauty, food and fashion. For example, when it comes to a make-up tutorial, there’s no contest between written or visual instructions, with a video much easier to follow and learn from.

Allows you to reach a wider audience

Vlogging is a great way to reach a wider audience and can even drive new visitors to your site. Uploading a video to YouTube gives you access to people who prefer visual content, who you might not reach through Twitter, Facebook and other social networks. It might even be worth re-creating some of your blog posts in video-form, so that they can reach an audience who might not enjoy a written version.

Attract advertisers

People like to see products in action – and advertisers know this. As a result, a popular vlog (particular in niches such as fashion and beauty) can attract advertisers like moths to a flame. For example, the Daily Mail reported that advertisers can be willing to pay the biggest stars up to £4,000 for each mention of their product.

Improve your video-editing skills

For most of us, video-editing isn’t something we do on a day-to-day basis. However, it’s a great skill to have in the modern world and can even be useful for certain careers – particularly if you work in media or marketing. Starting a vlog can be a good way to learn the basics.

Practise public speaking

Hate public speaking? You’re not alone. Although there’s no physical audience watching you, vlogging is a good way to hone your speaking skills – alerting you to common traits such as excessive ‘umming’ or ‘uhhing’. Improving your skills at home can help you to feel more confident if you do have to give a presentation or get up on stage.

Vlog Cons

Equipment can be pricey

If you want to buy a high quality video camera, or equipment like a tripod, the cost of vlogging can quickly mount up. As a result, if you’re saving the pennies vlogging may not be for you.

It can be time consuming

Many bloggers already have a tight schedule as it is. So adding vlogging into the mix may take up time you don’t have – particularly if you’re new to video editing. If you’ve already got droves of loyal fans and vlogging will mean that you can’t give your blog your all, it might be worth giving it a miss.

How to Start a Vlog?

If you do decide to take the plunge, setting up a vlog is relatively simple. Most bloggers set up a channel on YouTube, where they can post all of their videos. YouTube also has a simple editing facility, which is handy for video novices.

If you’re feeling nervous, it’s worth writing a bullet pointed script, which you can place somewhere in your line of sight that’s visible to you but not to your audience. However, the best part of vlogging is that it’s not live – so you can practice to your hearts content!

Although there are some downsides to starting a vlog, there are lots of benefits that can make it a worthwhile move for bloggers. Do you think starting a vlog is a good idea? Let us know in the comments.

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