How to Start Vlogging on Youtube

Video blogging, or vlogging, is not easy. Unless, of course, you are a very confident, self-assured person with plenty of experience expressing yourself in front of a camera.

There are lots of people out there who would love to start a video blog but don’t due to shyness, anxiety or fear of being criticised. And these are all valid concerns, but you shouldn’t let them hold you back. The good points of vlogging usually outweigh the bad.

That said, the easiest way to get started vlogging on YouTube is to simply get started. 

No-one expects you to be a pro on your first video, you just need to generate enough interest for people to want to watch your second video. 

Here are some quick tips to get you started:

Know what you want to say: Before you film, come up with a short script – it doesn’t have to be read word-for-word in a monotone, just include some talking points. You don’t want your first video to be full of rambling and awkward pauses. 

Be friendly, positive and try and look like you’re enjoying yourself. 

If you’re opinionated, great. When you have loyal viewers and subscribers, feel free to express those opinions as frequently as possible. But for your first video, at least, try not to express anything that could come across as hateful, prejudiced or attention-seeking. You might get views, but they’ll be for the wrong reason and you’ll end up with a lot of hateful comments. 

Plan for the best lighting: If you can, film in daylight hours in a well-lit room for the nicest possible lighting. Low-quality and dark or shadowy videos can deter people from watching.

Keep it simple: Introduce yourself. Your name, where you’re from, what you plan to do or talk about in your vlogs – just the basics. You’ll have plenty of other videos to discuss any topics that come to mind and you don’t want to burn through them all in the introduction.

Editing: Edit to cut out any awkward silences. If you’re familiar with the programs, tweak the lighting if you need to. Don’t excessively colourise or do anything that will draw attention away from the content. 

Remind people to subscribe:  Telling people to subscribe works. You don’t have to be obnoxious about it, just a quick line such as”if you liked this video, subcribe and I’ll have another one up on Wednesday” will work fine.

And lastly, try Fireviews.com

Fireviews is an online community where people post their videos for feedback. You watch videos and “like” or “dislike” them and  leave a comment if you want to. It’s free, and a brilliant website to help promote your videos.

These are my tips for a successful first vlog. If you’re stuck on how to begin, try them out. They’re a good place to start. 

Happy vogging!