5 Vlogging Tips for Beginners

Wondering how to start a successful vlog? Confidence is key and the easiest way to confidently “sell” your content is to stick with what you know. Think about the vloggers you follow. They probably cover one (or a handful) of topics, and spend their time diving deeper into those. By doing that, they build expertise as well as a highly engaged audience.

Before you film your first vlog, sit down and map out exactly what your channel is going to focus on. Maybe it’s fitness, cooking, travel, or parenting - choose something that you’re passionate about and have existing knowledge of. Once you have your core content idea, then think about what you’ll do to set your channel apart from others tackling a similar topic.

Top Tip: Create a content calendar that maps out your vlog ideas against a rough timeline of when you want to produce these videos. This will save you time in the long run: As soon as you upload a vlog, you can move on to filming the next one.

Once you know what you want to talk about, it’s time to think about who you want to talk to. In order for your blog to succeed, it needs to appeal to your target audience.

When you’re brainstorming vlog ideas, consider who would be most interested in your content. It could be a specific age group, like millennials or those in their 40s, or people with shared interests or jobs, such as yogis or writers. 

After you’ve established your target audience, turn your attention to developing a tone of voice that suits them and stick to it. Your viewers will be drawn to content that speaks to and resonates with them. For example, younger audiences might prefer content that is laid back and witty, while parents who want to learn about raising teenagers might appreciate a more formal tone.

Use your best judgement. Whether your topic is lighthearted or serious, develop a vlog style to match.

While speaking off the cuff can make your vlog more relatable and personal, it helps to have a script — or at least a basic outline of what you want to cover. This will encourage you to stay on track, and not go on too many tangents or skip over any crucial information while the camera is rolling.

Working off a script will also help you to appear more articulate and confident, two things that boost your trustworthiness in the eyes of viewers. Like any good story, your vlog should have a beginning, a middle and an end. You might start with an introduction and discussion before wrapping everything up with a conclusion.

Top Tip: if you’re new to speaking to the camera, add a few non-verbal cues to your script, too. Things like “pause,” “laugh,” or “use hand gestures” can help you to come across more naturally.

Video and audio are just two parts of a vlog. Once you’re happy with the content itself, always spend time editing a vlog to cut out fluff and add music and even subtitles to keep people engaged. Then, add tiles and eye-catching thumbnails to encourage them to click on the video in the first place.

With so many videos to compete with, it’s a good idea to boost your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) efforts, too. When you upload your video, use relevant keywords in the title and description, and try to write up a transcript.

Even if you’re an expert in your field, people will be less likely to listen to what you have to say if your vlog’s audio and visual quality isn’t up to scratch. 

That’s where the proper camera gear comes into play. It doesn’t need to be flashy or super expensive. Remember, you’re focusing on creating content that’s easy to hear and see, and therefore easy to understand.

So what do you need to vlog? As a minimum, your kit should include the following vlogging equipment:

• A good beginner camera for vlogging - Go for a digital camera with high-quality video capabilities (Full HD or 4K), a microphone input, optical image stabilisation (OIS), and WiFi connectivity. This will ensure your videos are clear, smooth and blur-free, and easy to transfer onto your smartphone or computer. Planning to vlog on the go? Our top travel vlog tip for beginners is to buy a lightweight, weather-resistant camera that you can carry around without worrying about damage.
• A mini or travel tripod - As a content creator, the goal is to produce clean, crisp footage. To avoid ending up with blurry, distracting footage, use a tripod. Along with reducing camera shake, it will also free up your hands for gestures and other engaging motions!
• An external microphone - Vlogs have two essential components: video and audio. If your audience struggles to hear what you’re saying over crackly or quiet audio, they’ll likely move on to another vlog. Your camera might already have a built-in microphone, but an external mic will help to sharpen your voice and muffle any background noise.
• A lighting system - As with photography, lighting can make or break a vlog. Depending on where you like to shoot, you can use an LED light to illuminate you or your subject, or a simple reflector to prevent harsh shadows from affecting the lighting of your video. Either way, a good lighting system will make your video pop and draw the viewer’s attention to you.

Becoming a vlogger is not just about having a passion and knowledge that you’d like to share with the world: It’s also about having the skills and equipment to do so. Think of the right camera gear as your sidekick — without it, your vlog may not have the video and audio quality your audience needs to keep watching. 

If you want to start vlogging, drop by your local Ted’s Camera store to learn more about the best vlogging equipment for beginners today!