Vlogging, a blend of video and blogging, has exploded in popularity as a dynamic way to share experiences, knowledge, and personal stories. It’s a media style that allows for creativity, connection, and even career opportunities. Whether you’re dreaming of becoming the next big vlogger or simply want to share your passion with the world, this guide covers everything from essential gear to practical tips for getting started, alongside inspiring examples of successful vloggers.
What is Vlogging?
Vlogging, often interchangeably known as being a YouTuber, Influencer, or Content Creator, fundamentally revolves around the art of storytelling or conveying ideas through videos under a unified theme on a regular basis. Success in vlogging hinges on maintaining a structured schedule, showcasing the need for discipline, meticulous organization, and a daring spirit ready to explore beyond the conventional, paving the way for fresh experiences and insights.
The great news is that entering the world of vlogging is incredibly accessible! In all likelihood, the smartphone in your pocket is more than sufficient to kickstart your vlogging journey. However, if you’re aiming to elevate your video quality, boost your viewership, and accelerate your growth, we’ve gathered some invaluable tips and tricks from seasoned vlogging professionals just for you!
Essential Vlogger Gear
Entry-Level – Vlogger Gear to Get You Started
Starting your vlogging journey doesn’t require breaking the bank. Essential gear includes:
- Camera: A smartphone with a gimbal or a dedicated gimbal camera
- Microphone: If you plan on just recording yourself or including others – wireless microphones are a great way of capturing amazing quality audio.
- Tripod & Gimbal: Stability is key. A flexible travel tripod and a gimbal will help you get the shots you want whether you’re on the move or stationary.
Gimbals / Cameras
- DJI Osmo Mobile 6 or DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Creator Combo
- The DJI Osmo Mobile 6 is a gimbal for your smartphone that is packed with smart technology. With facial recognition, hand gestures, tracking and extremely smooth movement, you’ll get cinematic videos, and your very own AI camera person right in your pocket!
- DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Creator Combo
- This camera kit does it all right out of the box! With a built-in premium camera, this gimbal has incredible features (like the Mobile 6 above), but in a sleek pocket worth a package. This kit also includes an additional battery, a fully integrated microphone, and everything you need to get started!
- This camera kit does it all right out of the box! With a built-in premium camera, this gimbal has incredible features (like the Mobile 6 above), but in a sleek pocket worth a package. This kit also includes an additional battery, a fully integrated microphone, and everything you need to get started!
Wireless Microphones
- Rode Wireless Go II
- A professional quality wireless microphone that includes two mics (comes in a single microphone as well)
- DJI Wireless Microphones
- Easy to use and records amazing sound quality – this microphone kit comes with a charging case and all of the essentials to capture amazing sound quality.
- Sony ECM-W3
- High-quality microphones with a nifty charging case. Great for on-the-go recording.
Tripods
- Manfrotto Elements Small Tripod
- This lightweight tripod can do it all! If you’re using a gimbal or a camera, it is light weight, compact and packable – ready for your adventures
Expert-Level Gear for a Vlogger
As you grow, investing in higher-quality gear can enhance your vlogs. This quick list just scratches the surface. As you develop your skills, you might take to certain brands or require different cameras. We invite you into a Henry’s Retail Location, and one of our experts can help find the exact gear for your needs!
- Camera:
- Upgrade to a high-end DSLR or mirrorless camera like the Canon EOS R5 or Sony A7 series for superior image quality.
- Microphones:
- Consider a professional-grade shotgun mic or a wireless mic system for flexibility and crisp audio. DJI, RODE and Sony all make very high-quality, high-fidelity microphones that capture audio in 32-bit float for expert editors. Other expert features include time-code sync, gain assist and long-lasting batteries with optional charging cases.
- Gimbal/Stabilizer:
- For smooth, cinematic shots, a gimbal stabilizer is a game-changer. DJI has the corner on the market with the Ronin RS3 Stabilizer which will accept any DSLR or Mirrorless Camera.
- Lighting:
- Advanced LED panels or softbox lights offer control and quality for any lighting situation. We recommend GODOX which offers a great selection of mobile LED lighting with many great features and long battery life.
- Run and Gun:
- Although we listed cameras and gimbals in the “beginner guide”, they are still used by many vloggers and content creators for in-the-moment shooting and travel videography.
- Drones:
- DJI drones, with their advanced technology and superior camera stabilization, are an excellent suggestion for expert gear in the vlogging arsenal. Their range, from the compact Mavic series to the more advanced Inspire line, offers something for every level of vlogging expertise, ensuring that your content is not only visually stunning but also captures perspectives that few can. These drones are equipped with features like 4K video recording, intelligent flight modes, and long battery life, making them perfect for adding breathtaking aerial shots to your vlogs.
However, it’s important for vloggers to remain cognizant of the local drone flying regulations and obtain any necessary licenses or permissions. Adhering to these legal requirements ensures that your vlogging adventure with DJI drones remains enjoyable and compliant, allowing you to focus on creating captivating content for your audience.
- DJI drones, with their advanced technology and superior camera stabilization, are an excellent suggestion for expert gear in the vlogging arsenal. Their range, from the compact Mavic series to the more advanced Inspire line, offers something for every level of vlogging expertise, ensuring that your content is not only visually stunning but also captures perspectives that few can. These drones are equipped with features like 4K video recording, intelligent flight modes, and long battery life, making them perfect for adding breathtaking aerial shots to your vlogs.
Vlogger Video Editing & Publishing:
With the advent of mobile camera equipment and huge improvements in technology has come simplified editing software.
- DJI Mimo & Light Cut offers exclusive mobile editing apps that streamline the video editing process, featuring easy-to-use transitions, effects, and seamless integration with social platforms for a smooth edit-to-publish workflow all in one convenient location. The DJI apps integrate directly with the DJI gimbals allowing you to control your camera, audio, editing and publishing – all in one place.
- CapCut presents a robust yet straightforward editing platform, allowing for 4K edits that incorporate many advanced features typically found in professional software, all at a fraction of the cost. Available for both mobile and desktop, CapCut ensures versatility and accessibility for editors of all levels.
- Final Cut, developed by Apple, stands as a premier professional video editing suite. While it boasts immense power and a suite of sophisticated features, it comes with a learning curve. Once mastered, it enables the creation of professionally produced videos that stand out for their quality.
- Adobe Premiere Pro is renowned for its comprehensive capabilities, making it one of the leading video editing tools available. With an extensive array of plug-ins and complementary apps, users have the flexibility to produce cinema-quality videos or execute simpler edits, tailored to the depth of their project needs.
Life as a Vlogger
Vlogging can vary widely depending on your niche and style, but most vloggers share a common lifestyle of constant content creation, editing, and engagement with their audience. It requires dedication to regularly produce content and resilience to stay motivated despite the challenges. Yet, it’s also incredibly rewarding to build a community around your passions and potentially turn your vlogging into a full-time career.
Getting Started: Tips and Tricks
- Find Your Niche: Focus on content you’re passionate about, whether it’s travel, tech, beauty, or daily life.
- Be Consistent: Create a content schedule and stick to it. Regular uploads help build an audience.
- Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments and questions. Your viewers are your community.
- Learn Basic Editing: Use editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro to enhance your vlogs.
- Promote Your Channel: Use social media to share your videos and reach a wider audience.
Where to Publish Your Vlogs
There are many amazing free platforms to get your videos out there. It is recommended to pick one primary platform for publishing your Vlogs and utilizing the other to grow an audience, grow awareness and get your content out there!
The biggest challenge is picking which platform to use – and making a plan to leverage other social media platforms to help increase your viewership, and subscribers and maximize your potential.
Below is our recommended strategy on how to leverage social media and content platforms to grow your audience and get more views!
YouTube: The Ultimate Vlogging Destination
Primary Platform: YouTube stands as the quintessential hub for vloggers, offering a vast audience and the potential for channel monetization once you hit a certain number of subscribers. It’s the ideal place to publish your full-length videos and build a dedicated following.
Secondary Platform: Not recommended as a secondary platform due to its focus on full content creation rather than promotion.
Instagram: Engage and Tease
Primary Platform: Using Instagram as your main vlogging platform requires a strategic approach to video length and active audience engagement. The platform’s features cater well to shorter, more dynamic content.
Secondary Platform: Instagram excels as a secondary platform, perfect for sharing snippets, teasers of your main content, or exclusive behind-the-scenes looks. Utilizing IG stories and posts can significantly boost awareness and traffic to your primary vlogging channel, such as YouTube.
TikTok: The Short-Form Champion
Primary Platform: For creators focusing on short, engaging videos that quickly capture an audience’s attention, TikTok serves as an excellent primary platform. Its algorithm can propel your content to a wide audience, even without a large follower base.
Secondary Platform: While primarily a stand-alone platform, creative TikTok clips can also be shared across other social media to pique interest and draw viewers to your primary content elsewhere.
Twitter: Conversations and Clips
Primary Platform: Though not traditional for vlogging, Twitter can be used to share short video clips and updates, engaging directly with your audience through conversations and real-time feedback.
Secondary Platform: It’s a powerful tool for promotion, enabling vloggers to share links to their full videos on other platforms, engage with followers through multimedia tweets, and use hashtags to expand their reach.
LinkedIn: Professional and Educational Content
Primary Platform: Ideal for professional and educational vlogging, LinkedIn allows creators to publish content that appeals to industry peers, offering insights, advice, and professional growth tips.
Secondary Platform: As a secondary platform, LinkedIn can help promote longer-form content hosted elsewhere, especially if it enhances your professional brand or offers value to your industry.
Vimeo: High-Quality, Niche Audiences
Primary Platform: Vimeo is favoured by creators looking for a platform that emphasizes video quality and caters to niche audiences. It’s particularly popular among filmmakers and those presenting artistic or professionally produced content.
Secondary Platform: While less common as a secondary platform, Vimeo’s embeddable player and high-quality streaming can complement a primary platform by offering an alternative viewing option for your audience.
In vlogging, diversifying your presence across platforms can amplify your reach and engagement. By strategically choosing where to publish your main content and where to promote it, you can create a comprehensive strategy that caters to varied audience preferences and maximizes your vlogging success.
Inspirational Vloggers Who Made It
- Casey Neistat: Known for his cinematic storytelling and daily vlogs, Casey transformed from a New York filmmaker to a YouTube sensation, inspiring countless vloggers with his creativity and work ethic.
- Joe Robinet: Joe Robinet, a well-known figure in the outdoor vlogging community, has captivated a vast audience with his immersive wilderness adventures and bushcraft skills. His channel takes viewers on a journey through serene landscapes, offering tips on survival, camping, and connecting with nature. Joe’s authentic approach and passion for the outdoors shine through in each video, inspiring his viewers to explore the natural world. His expertise, coupled with a down-to-earth personality, has not only built a loyal following but also positioned him as a trusted source for anyone looking to embrace the great outdoors.
- The Bucket List Family: The Bucket List Family, consisting of Garrett, Jessica Gee, and their children, gained fame through vlogging their worldwide travels. By selling their belongings to explore the globe, they captured hearts with genuine adventures and family bonding. Their success stems from showcasing relatable, heartwarming content, inspiring viewers to explore and cherish family moments.
Vlogging is more than just recording videos; it’s about telling stories, connecting with people, and sharing your unique perspective with the world. With the right approach and persistence, anyone can embark on this rewarding journey. Remember, the most successful vloggers started with a simple desire to express themselves and the dedication to continue refining their craft. So grab your camera, find your story, and start vlogging today. Your audience awaits!
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