Video marketing via social media presents a great opportunity for people who are building personal brands. Now anybody can record videos and post them online.
Vlogs are a popular and mainstream form of online media content. Many people, especially teenagers and young adults, regularly tune in for vlog content the way previous generations tuned in to television shows during prime time.
Vlogs are becoming the new talk radio. People can tune in to hear entertaining banter from their favorite media personalities, except now it’s on-demand.
Why Make Vlogs?
Vlogs are convenient, efficient, and effective. They are convenient because you can do them anywhere. All you need is a quiet spot and your cell phone to record a vlog, which is ideal for people with busy schedules who need to do vlogs while between appointments.
They are efficient because they’re quick to make. You can hit record, talk for five minutes, upload it to Facebook and YouTube, and then move on with your day, making it much easier than editing a video “episode” with multiple cameras, music, and so on.
Vlogs are effective because they are popular. People around the world tune in every day to watch their favorite vloggers. When you make a vlog, you are giving people what they already want.
How to Find Your Voice
Not everybody is a natural born vlogger. In a world where public speaking is the most common fear, how can you find your vlogging voice?
Luckily you won’t have to stare down a crowd to record some vlogs. All you have to do is speak on your phone for a few minutes. The simplest way to find your vlog style is to start trying!
Pick a topic (or “niche”) that is relevant to your personal brand. Try to talk about it for a few minutes every day and capture that on your phone. After a week, see how you feel. Are you learning how to structure the vlogs and keep the energy up?
Most people find that it comes naturally. If not, the best step is to seek resources on public speaking. There are many good books and videos on this topic. Another good thing to do is to watch other vloggers for inspiration and guidance.
Your First Month
When you start vlogging, do not expect success right away. It takes time for people to catch on to what you are doing.
Keep doing your vlog for a least a month before you give up or pivot to a new idea. It may feel embarrassing to post content every day without getting a lot of views, but you have to work through this problem. Vlog marketing requires courage to get past the initial dip.
Always engage with your audience. Ask a question at the end of each vlog and respond to all comments.
After a month, if it isn’t working, pivot. Try a new style or niche and give that one a try for another few weeks. When an idea works, you will know. It will feel good, and people will catch on within the first month.
Keep trying out new ideas until you find one that works, which may be difficult to do, but you can dig deep and find the strength to figure it out.
A World of Vloggers
Most people over the age of 30 don’t realize just how popular vlogging is to the younger generation.
Older generations watched TV and read newspapers. The younger generation watches vlogs on Facebook and YouTube. This medium isn’t a fad; it’s the future, so you need to adapt.
If you start vlogging today, you will be in an excellent position to build influence for the next few years. Pretty soon you’ll have a large audience of interested fans who love listening to what you say.
