Now that my blog has gained some traction, I’ve been thinking about how to introduce video blogging to my audience to stretch myself and my blog. After getting advice from many people on how to get started, here are five tips I’ve heard:
Tune in to what others are doing
Good bloggers read a lot of blogs and good video bloggers listen and watch other people’s videos. Reading other blogs has been essential to me in starting my own – by doing so I’ve learned (and am still learning) what to post and how to gain a following. I’m taking the same approach with video blogging.
If you are wondering where to start, two of my favorite video bloggers are Jun Loayza and Rebecca Thorman. I love Jun’s energy and confidence when he’s on camera, and I love how Rebecca keeps her posts short and sweet, yet still relevant.
Get the technical aspects right
Create a good video blog post isn’t just about performance; there’s a technical side as well. Learn what equipment is needed (ie: camera, editing software), how to create and edit files, and how to distribute your video blog posts via feed. Also consider sound and resolution quality – understanding how to improve these will show consideration for your audience and boost your success.
Choose topics suitable for video posts
If you own a blog, choosing topics should be easy and since blogging is essentially the same as writing a speech, it shouldn’t be too difficult to transpose your content and message into a different format. According to 12seconds.tv, the average person gets bored after 12 seconds of watching a video. While I don’t think 12 seconds is long enough for a full video post, I do think topics that only take a minute to talk about work well. Another suggestion: try making a video post when you have one question that wouldn’t make a good blog post on its own.
Find people to talk to
I think video posts are fun with just one person, but also get bored of listening to the same person. For longer videos, everything I’ve read so far points to either having a co-host or having an interesting guest (or both). One person even went so far to say you should get a co-host of the opposite sex because there is better chemistry. All of this makes sense to me – not only would I not want to talk for five minutes straight, I wouldn’t want to listen to someone else talk for five minutes straight. A few different perspectives would mix it up, cause tension, and create a little more drama.
Do a test drive
If you aren’t ready to start your own video blogging, it might help to get your feet wet on someone else’s as a guest host or guest interviewee. This would give you an overview of creating a video and experience for your own. It’s also a good way to start relationships with people who can help you get your video blog posting off the ground.
