VLOG

How to Start Vlogging on YouTube

So you’ve decided to start a vlogging channel on YouTube and you don’t know where to start? Long time vloggers make it look so easy! Well, we are here to help get you off your feet and onto YouTube with these effective tips on how to start a vlogging on YouTube.

Planning

The planning stage is very important! It’s not as simple as turning on your camera and start talking. In order to be successful, you must create a solid structure for how you want your vlogging career to go!

Choose Your Vlog Topics

Having a focus for what you’re going to make your video blog about will help you on every single other step in the process of starting a YouTube channel. Make sure you choose a subject or topic that is meaningful to you and that you can talk about. Decide if you want to make review videos, talk about fashion, or record video of your daily activities. Choose a vlog topic that you are passionate about!

Decide on Your Audience

Viewers will be watching your YouTube videos but do you have any idea who you’d like that to be? For example, if you have a fashion channel, are you talking to men or women, luxury or budget, older or younger? Decide who you want to have watching, sharing, and commenting on your YouTube videos and speak to those people as you create content.

Have a Good Background

Just like how your favorite TV shows use the same settings (whether it’s the kitchen or a specific background, etc.), your setting for where you film is important. It needs to say something about your vlogging channel while also giving new viewers a hint of what your videos may be about. Put up some posters on your wall or sit in front of your desk and computer. Whatever you decide, make sure you have a background that is effective and are consistent with it in your vlogs.

Good Lighting is Important

If you can’t film your videos during the beautiful, natural light of the day, then you’re stuck trying to figure out how to light your videos without affecting quality. Try lighting up an entire room while also having light pointing at your face from different angles. Lighting is one of the most important things that distinguishes a good video from a bad one. If you have good lighting in your vlogs, it makes a big difference in a good way!

Editing your YouTube Videos

Editing your YouTube videos and vlogs is just as important as filming them. No matter how much you enjoy video editing, it is something that has to be done. Adding transitions, intro, and other effects to your videos requires a great program. One great choice is the YouTube Video Editor. It is a free tool for YouTube creators that is simple to use and allows you edit your video uploads.

Make a YouTube Schedule

Create a vlogging schedule for yourself and to upload your videos. Include when you plan to film and edit (this doesn’t necessarily have to be all in one day). Setting up an expectation of when you’ll be creating content for your vlogging channel will increase the likely hood of that happening. You’re also setting the expectation for your fans of when to keep an eye out for you. Even if they don’t check their YouTube subscription feed every day, this helps them know when to expect a video from you.

Create A YouTube Account

Now that you’ve brainstormed how you plan to start your vlogging channel, you need to actually create your YouTube channel. Remember, all your branding and videos need to fall in line with the main niche of your channel. For example, you should be uploading vlogs about sporting news, previews, and updates if your channel covers the sports world.

Decide on a YouTube Channel Name

You’re channel name is your name. It’s what people will know you by. For example, if you have a gaming channel about video games, your name can have the words, “gaming”, “gamer”, “vidgamer” and etc. Keep in mind that it’s likely for people to call you by your YouTube name and not your given name. Choose something that you like. Generally speaking it’s also good to stay away from using numbers in your screen name. That’s more of a stylistic choice though.

Be sure to read this mini guide on How to Choose a Good Name for your YouTube channel.

Have a Great Profile Picture

Choose or create a profile picture that shows off your personality and describes what your videos are about. Make sure that you are the only one in the picture and that your face is clearly visible if it’s your own image. You can even create a logo for your YouTube channel and use that as your official image. Your profile picture should help your viewers easily understand what your YouTube channel is for.

Make a Google Plus Profile

Make sure to also set up your corresponding Google Plus profile page. Google Plus is a great way to get more viewers and to encourage people to share your content. It is a social media platform that is important for vloggers. You can use it to keep your subscribers and fans updated about your channel and future vlogs.

Check out this great article on how to promote your channel with Google+.

Start Filming Your Vlogs

Now that you’ve planned what you’re going to do and have created your YouTube account, it’s time to turn on the camera and start filming! Before you start, take a look at these few tips that will help you stay on track and record a great vlog:

• Have good lighting.
• Be sure to film extra footage.
• Use a tripod or a flat surface to have a steadyshot.
• Speak clearly.
• Have the right distance between you and the camera.
• Don’t make them too long.
• It’s ok if you mess up. (editing)
• Have the right camera angle.

Editing

Video editing doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated. It just requires self-control and determination.

Software

If you’re just starting out as a Youtuber, don’t make the mistake of selecting an editing software that will take you hours to learn and is confusing. Or even costs you way too much money. Most likely, your computer came with software that is free and easy to use. Remember, you may not even need lots of editing depending on what your vlogs are about. As mentioned above, give the YouTube video editor a try as well to see if it does the trick for you. Other options you could use for editing your videos are programs like Movie Maker and iMovie.

Video Editing Tips

• Record your videos in a way that’s easy to follow. This will make editing your footage a lot easier. If you’re filming the end first or the middle scenes last, take notes while filming so that you know which pieces go where.

• Using transitions in your editing will create a polished look for your video. Effects such as fades, cuts, and dissolves smoothly transition one scene into another.

• Adding background music to your YouTube videos is something that many vloggers do because it works! Choose a beat that goes well with the theme of your vlogging channel and is not distracting. It should not be louder than your voice! Go with something that you think gives a lift to your videos and can be used as great background music.

The hardest part of creating something you’re proud of is waiting for other people to notice how great it is. Don’t worry! It takes time to grow as a vlogger so it’s important to have patience. The harder you work, the faster you can expect results. By working hard, we mean that you must put in great effort and use strategies that work. Here are a few more tips:

Success Does Not Happen Instantly

Even the most successful YouTube vloggers did not see thousands of views on their very first video. Take this time to plan your next video. There are new channels being created every day so you must plan on how your YouTube channel will stand out. Success is different for everyone. Be sure to set your goals. Are they to get a1000 subscribers for your channel? Get one million views on YouTube? After you set your goals, you will know when to expect success.

Be sure to check out our article on characteristics of successful vloggers on YouTube.

Share Your Vlogs

Ask your friends and family to watch your vlogs and gather some honest feedback from them. Sometimes, it may hurt a little but take this as a chance to improve your vlogging style. What did they like? What didn’t they like? Also, consider creating social media profiles if you don’t have any already. Platforms like Twitter, Google Plus, and Facebook are great ways to get your video content out there. Through social media, you may end up sharing your videos with people who would have never found them to begin with.