What is Vlogging?

Ever heard of vlogging? It’s the catch phrase for “video blogging,” and continues to grow increasingly popular as more people start following the trend.

There’s no denying that video blogging can add a certain spark to your blog that traditional written blogs lack. The act of actually SEEING the blogger creates a greater sense of familiarity within a blog community, and can allow your readers to interact with you on a more personal level (ew, not like that creeps - get your mind out of the gutter!)

Are you interested in starting a vlog (video blog) or simply mixing up your posts with a few video blogs from time to time? Continue reading to find out how to get started.

WHAT YOU NEED

To get started vlogging, the most important piece of equipment you’ll need is a video-capable camera. You don’t have to drop tons of dough on a cam, either – find one that fits within your budget that’s fairly decent and will support video.

Once you have created the video, you’ll need some sort of video software (there are a lot of decent options available, including Windows Movie Maker.) You’ll also need a program that will be able to compress the file. (A good list of programs that do this can be found here.)

If you don’t already have a blog set up, go ahead and set up a blog on a free blogging site (WordPress, Blogger, etc.) There are several sites that cater to would-be bloggers where you can set up a blog for free. You definitely need a site to host your vlog for the world to see, so this is also an important step.

Of course, a vlog isn’t any good unless you’re passionate about the topic you’ll be blogging about. While written blog posts need to be indicative of the writers passion for the subject as well, video blogs DEFINITELY can’t be boring. No one wants to watch you fumble for words, talk in a monotone or fall asleep on camera!

If you choose a topic you enjoy and will be able to stick with, your vlogging days will be that much more enjoyable – for you AND your readers/viewers.