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Its become a revolution for our generation that making yourself cyber famous is the next best thing to being actually famous. I mean, there are even WIKIHOW instructions on How To Become Famous On The Internet. But let's take a step back. Why is it so appealing to become famous, no matter what kind of famous it is? The problems with fame are many: Loss of trust, because people value what you can do for them, rather than the person you truly are; The fishbowl that come with fame; You can’t not be noticed by the public in certain situations; The loss of being able to be anonymous in public is huge; The impact on your non-famous friends and family; The fickle nature of fame, you never fully control what the public thinks of you. We want to be known, because we want others to accept us. We want to be accepted, because we want other to truly value us. We want to be valued, because we want to be loved.
Back to what I was saying. There's a big wide cyber world audience out there just waiting for the next big thing to entertain them. We'll go over the up's and down's of Blogging Vs. Vlogging and how to get started through each of them! But first, we can try to define what each of these mean.
Pros of Blogging and Vlogging
Blogging and vlogging are very effective strategies for brands and individuals who want to generate the maximum amount of traffic for their websites. Be it amateur blog owners, beauty gurus on YouTube, or experienced professionals in the field of social media marketing – everyone is trying their hand at promoting their businesses, or promoting themselves through the two mediums. For many well-known bloggers and vloggers, it is their primary source of income, and way of making a living. You can see for yourself how the top vloggers attract huge numbers of views and subscribers on their YouTube channels. However, how does one decide on the perfect medium to convey their thoughts and impart their knowledge? Well, first it is important to know which method of communication is right for you or your business.
Starting a blog is easy. The steps to beginning a blog are dead simple. You can choose a template from websites like Blogger (Ford's choice), WordPress (Wolf and Henderson's pick), or Tumblr. Adding posts is almost as easy as sending e-mail.
A blog gives people a reason to visit your website. "For the most part, your business website is pretty static, unless you're constantly adding new projects," says Ford. "A blog gives you an opportunity to add more depth and dimension to your voice." Because it's updated frequently, it can keep people coming back.
It can help create a sense of community. "Our industry is very closed, and designers are usually very isolated from one another," says Wolf. "My blog puts subjects out there for people to discuss. I'll also use it to address problems that we have in the industry." Reader responses—both from other designers and the general public—can help generate new ideas. "You get feedback on things that make you think," says Wolf.
A blog is a living archive of personal sources of inspiration. "It's a place to gather the things that inspire you," says Henderson, pointing out that, unlike printed photos, blog posts don't clutter up your desk. And, you can quickly find past posts via Google.
The outreach can be incredible. You never know who might land on your blog, including potential new clients and press. "On Facebook, I have almost 6,000 people that like my blog," says Ford. "So, when I post something, all of those people see it. Even if just a fraction of them re-post it, suddenly their followers see it, and who knows who may end up coming to my website."
Blogging does not require a vast array of equipment. The only things you might require are a laptop or a desktop and a working Internet connection. If you can write well, and convey your thoughts through written words – blogging can really work for you. By using techniques like affiliate marketing, or by optimizing your blogs using proper search engine optimization [SEO], you can make a living through writing blogs.
63% of people are more likely to buy a product if they have seen it in a video. Apply this to your company and through the use of video, you could increase your customers, investors and audience. The options are limitless really.
It can set you apart from the crowd. Yes, using video may fast be becoming the norm, but corporate “vlogging” is still in its infancy so it will definitely make you stand out from the crowd. It’s important to remember that videos don’t just have to be about someone sitting in front of a camera, they can include animation, drawings, infographics...(the list goes on).
You can use vlogging as a visual aid. For example, if you’re trying to teach someone how to bake a cake, you can physically show them a step by step guide, rather than writing one. This proves more than useful, as people can follow your guidelines in a step by step fashion. Plus, they can see what to do rather than read what to do. A picture is worth a thousand words after all!
Since Google bought YouTube, videos have been a key part of search engines. So, you can incorporate SEO into your videos by including subtitles, an appropriate description, as well as a catchy title. Therefore, you don’t need to rely on wordy articles to push you up that all important list, video works just as well.
A good blog requires regular updates. Although starting a blog is easy the more difficult part is being disciplined enough to stay on it with frequent posts. For some, that means a more formal commitment.
Being too honest can lead to trouble. "You might expose yourself too much," with regular posts about your daily work. "If I'm bitching about a client, a prospective client may read that," and be put off.
Because it's a reflection of your business(or yourself), a blog shouldn't be done haphazardly. Some use it as another facet of their business, so you have to make sure it's done professionally. That means taking the time to make sure that the grammar and spelling are correct and that you have really good-quality images.
Unexpected technical issues can require extra time. Technical issues sometimes crop up, and that's probably the most time-consuming thing. For instance, some posts may have disappeared, your platform may have technical issues, your layout may look different when viewed on different devices. Anything is possible.
Getting the speech right. It may seem easy, but getting the tone and approach to a video blog is often a lot more difficult than a written blog. You need to understand how to make your voice, mannerisms and dialect understandable as well as speak in a manner that correctly represents your brand and company. Simple things such as slang, umming, erring, etc, can make or break a vlog. It may sound obvious, but it’s hard to do right.
Short attention spans. The joy of having a written blog is that it’s easy for the user to skim read it in their lunch break, quickly scroll down to see what relevant and so on. However, with a video blog this isn’t as easy to do. Yes, the user can fast forward, but how are they supposed to know which part in the vlog is going to be relevant? Furthermore, you could miss out on vital information, whereas if you were reading it, the information could be in bold, or red, or underlined or….(you get the gist).
Successful Blogs and Vlogs of 2017
AgoraPulse consistently provides content several times a week, using screenshots to show readers how to use social media.
Tyler Oakley - 25-year-old Tyler is an American YouTube personality and advocate for LGBT youth and gay rights. On his YouTube channel he vlogs about hard-hitting topics including queer politics, but also discusses pop culture and makes his fair share of silly videos too.
Buffer Social publishes strong content with lots of value and original angles. This blog has the right balance; it’s valuable and interesting.
Jackson and Finn Harries - Attractive twins Jack and Finn Harries vlog and blog about ‘the world around them’. They launched JacksGap, an online blog and video project, on Youtube in 2012 as a way of recording their gap year.
Dustn.tv publishes extremely thorough content that looks good, sounds good, and reads well for the best social media management tools.
Dan Howell - a professional vlogger and radio personality. He is best known for his YouTube channel danisnotonfire, known as The Internet Support Group For People That Hate People, which has reached four million subscribers.
Socially Sorted has a nice focus on all things visual, helping businesses leverage visual content as much as possible.
Charlie McDonnell - Charles Joseph “Charlie” McDonnell is an English vlogger, musician and filmmaker from Bath. In 2011, his YouTube channel became the first in the UK to reach one million subscribers, and in May 2013, his channel reached two million subscribers.
The Social Media Hat stuffs posts with quality information. The content approaches social media from interesting angles so the reader doesn’t feel like everything’s been done before.
Weylie Hoang - Weylie describes herself as “the sister you never had.....or the sister you never wanted”. Predominately a beauty blogger, her YouTube channel I Like Weylie has over one million subscribers and nearly 100 million views. Her video How To Put On A Tampon has had over seven million views.
Conclusion
Do you think that this is for you? I recommend it! Believe me, despite all the cons I've mentioned, all you really need is something that you're passionate about! If its just that simple, anyone can do it! If I can do it, so can you!
Back to what I was saying. There's a big wide cyber world audience out there just waiting for the next big thing to entertain them. We'll go over the up's and down's of Blogging Vs. Vlogging and how to get started through each of them! But first, we can try to define what each of these mean.
Pros of Blogging and Vlogging
Blogging and vlogging are very effective strategies for brands and individuals who want to generate the maximum amount of traffic for their websites. Be it amateur blog owners, beauty gurus on YouTube, or experienced professionals in the field of social media marketing – everyone is trying their hand at promoting their businesses, or promoting themselves through the two mediums. For many well-known bloggers and vloggers, it is their primary source of income, and way of making a living. You can see for yourself how the top vloggers attract huge numbers of views and subscribers on their YouTube channels. However, how does one decide on the perfect medium to convey their thoughts and impart their knowledge? Well, first it is important to know which method of communication is right for you or your business.
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Blogging, in the most simplest terms, is like an online log where the author can document their experiences, share thoughts and information, and give advice. Publishing blogs has become a norm for business owners, corporates, and professionals, as they provide a great platform for engaging with potential consumers.
Starting a blog is easy. The steps to beginning a blog are dead simple. You can choose a template from websites like Blogger (Ford's choice), WordPress (Wolf and Henderson's pick), or Tumblr. Adding posts is almost as easy as sending e-mail.
A blog gives people a reason to visit your website. "For the most part, your business website is pretty static, unless you're constantly adding new projects," says Ford. "A blog gives you an opportunity to add more depth and dimension to your voice." Because it's updated frequently, it can keep people coming back.
It can help create a sense of community. "Our industry is very closed, and designers are usually very isolated from one another," says Wolf. "My blog puts subjects out there for people to discuss. I'll also use it to address problems that we have in the industry." Reader responses—both from other designers and the general public—can help generate new ideas. "You get feedback on things that make you think," says Wolf.
A blog is a living archive of personal sources of inspiration. "It's a place to gather the things that inspire you," says Henderson, pointing out that, unlike printed photos, blog posts don't clutter up your desk. And, you can quickly find past posts via Google.
The outreach can be incredible. You never know who might land on your blog, including potential new clients and press. "On Facebook, I have almost 6,000 people that like my blog," says Ford. "So, when I post something, all of those people see it. Even if just a fraction of them re-post it, suddenly their followers see it, and who knows who may end up coming to my website."
Blogging does not require a vast array of equipment. The only things you might require are a laptop or a desktop and a working Internet connection. If you can write well, and convey your thoughts through written words – blogging can really work for you. By using techniques like affiliate marketing, or by optimizing your blogs using proper search engine optimization [SEO], you can make a living through writing blogs.
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Vlogging involves the same process of sharing information, experiences and giving advice, but it is done in a video format as opposed to a written one. Setting up a good vlog is not very difficult if you have the right kind of equipment. Many vloggers set up YouTube accounts, using which they can easily record, edit and publish video content online. The vlogger need not have professional writing skills, as vlogging is more inclined towards giving the audience a more conversational experience. As long as the topic or issue being discussed is interesting and engaging, vloggers and their respective vlogs can become very successful and popular. Hank and John Green of the Vlogbrothers are the kings of vlogging and their YouTube channel has over 2.3 million subscribers.
63% of people are more likely to buy a product if they have seen it in a video. Apply this to your company and through the use of video, you could increase your customers, investors and audience. The options are limitless really.
It can set you apart from the crowd. Yes, using video may fast be becoming the norm, but corporate “vlogging” is still in its infancy so it will definitely make you stand out from the crowd. It’s important to remember that videos don’t just have to be about someone sitting in front of a camera, they can include animation, drawings, infographics...(the list goes on).
You can use vlogging as a visual aid. For example, if you’re trying to teach someone how to bake a cake, you can physically show them a step by step guide, rather than writing one. This proves more than useful, as people can follow your guidelines in a step by step fashion. Plus, they can see what to do rather than read what to do. A picture is worth a thousand words after all!
Since Google bought YouTube, videos have been a key part of search engines. So, you can incorporate SEO into your videos by including subtitles, an appropriate description, as well as a catchy title. Therefore, you don’t need to rely on wordy articles to push you up that all important list, video works just as well.
Cons of Blogging and Vlogging
If you own a blog, and are looking to gain a loyal readership, it is vital to have a good knowledge of SEO. Learning about keywords, meta tagging, and adding an appropriate description is necessary to ensure that your blog shows up among the higher searches on search engines. Along with having good SEO knowledge, you will have to keep your blog updated on a consistent and regular basis. Once your readers start to enjoy reading your blog, they will want to come back for well-written posts. However, if your blog posts are spread far apart from each other, readers may start to lose interest in reading. Being a blog owner also means that you would have to be able to write in a captivating manner. The issues, themes and topics you write about need to be appealing and substantial for them to get the reader’s attention.
A good blog requires regular updates. Although starting a blog is easy the more difficult part is being disciplined enough to stay on it with frequent posts. For some, that means a more formal commitment.
Being too honest can lead to trouble. "You might expose yourself too much," with regular posts about your daily work. "If I'm bitching about a client, a prospective client may read that," and be put off.
Because it's a reflection of your business(or yourself), a blog shouldn't be done haphazardly. Some use it as another facet of their business, so you have to make sure it's done professionally. That means taking the time to make sure that the grammar and spelling are correct and that you have really good-quality images.
Unexpected technical issues can require extra time. Technical issues sometimes crop up, and that's probably the most time-consuming thing. For instance, some posts may have disappeared, your platform may have technical issues, your layout may look different when viewed on different devices. Anything is possible.
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People who are contemplating about starting a vlog should know that vlogging needs a lot of equipment. To produce a high quality vlog, an advanced video camera that records in high-definition, and professional editing software is a must. All the equipment required for vlogging can cost some extra dollars, which might be a concern if you are not a pro vlogger yet. Another disadvantage of a vlog is that it does not provide a chance to edit it after publishing it online. Unlike blogs, which can be edited easily, vlogs have to be either taken down, or re-made to correct the error. Vlogs are also quite time-consuming to make. It can take anywhere from two to four hours to record, edit and publish a vlog.
It can be time consuming. No one wants to look like an idiot, so recording, re-recording and, maybe even, a 60th directors cut is required to perfect your blog. And the recording comes after writing the script, getting the timing right and before all of the editing.
Vlogs don’t work for all subjects. You can’t use videos for everything (the irony isn’t lost using a written blog about a vlog). You need to be selective on your video topics and perhaps integrate them within a written blog. For example, an animation of the latest digital statistics could work well but a written blog about trending campaigns would work better.Getting the speech right. It may seem easy, but getting the tone and approach to a video blog is often a lot more difficult than a written blog. You need to understand how to make your voice, mannerisms and dialect understandable as well as speak in a manner that correctly represents your brand and company. Simple things such as slang, umming, erring, etc, can make or break a vlog. It may sound obvious, but it’s hard to do right.
Short attention spans. The joy of having a written blog is that it’s easy for the user to skim read it in their lunch break, quickly scroll down to see what relevant and so on. However, with a video blog this isn’t as easy to do. Yes, the user can fast forward, but how are they supposed to know which part in the vlog is going to be relevant? Furthermore, you could miss out on vital information, whereas if you were reading it, the information could be in bold, or red, or underlined or….(you get the gist).
Successful Blogs and Vlogs of 2017
AgoraPulse consistently provides content several times a week, using screenshots to show readers how to use social media.
Tyler Oakley - 25-year-old Tyler is an American YouTube personality and advocate for LGBT youth and gay rights. On his YouTube channel he vlogs about hard-hitting topics including queer politics, but also discusses pop culture and makes his fair share of silly videos too.
Buffer Social publishes strong content with lots of value and original angles. This blog has the right balance; it’s valuable and interesting.
Jackson and Finn Harries - Attractive twins Jack and Finn Harries vlog and blog about ‘the world around them’. They launched JacksGap, an online blog and video project, on Youtube in 2012 as a way of recording their gap year.
Dustn.tv publishes extremely thorough content that looks good, sounds good, and reads well for the best social media management tools.
Dan Howell - a professional vlogger and radio personality. He is best known for his YouTube channel danisnotonfire, known as The Internet Support Group For People That Hate People, which has reached four million subscribers.
Socially Sorted has a nice focus on all things visual, helping businesses leverage visual content as much as possible.
Charlie McDonnell - Charles Joseph “Charlie” McDonnell is an English vlogger, musician and filmmaker from Bath. In 2011, his YouTube channel became the first in the UK to reach one million subscribers, and in May 2013, his channel reached two million subscribers.
The Social Media Hat stuffs posts with quality information. The content approaches social media from interesting angles so the reader doesn’t feel like everything’s been done before.
Weylie Hoang - Weylie describes herself as “the sister you never had.....or the sister you never wanted”. Predominately a beauty blogger, her YouTube channel I Like Weylie has over one million subscribers and nearly 100 million views. Her video How To Put On A Tampon has had over seven million views.
Conclusion
Do you think that this is for you? I recommend it! Believe me, despite all the cons I've mentioned, all you really need is something that you're passionate about! If its just that simple, anyone can do it! If I can do it, so can you!
