It’s been 16 years since Youtube launched, taking the internet and people’s lives by storm and revolutionizing what we consider as video-based entertainment. There’s now a vlog channel for whatever your interests are, and with so many successful vloggers out there. It’s natural to want to put yourself out there and share your own knowledge/personality. Now you want to start vlogging but need to know how to start a successful vlog, read on to find out.

Find your Niche

Before you start producing content, you need to decide what category of content you will be creating. By focusing on one category, you can perfect your niche and cultivate a loyal audience who come to your content for the same thing. For inspiration, some popular categories you may want to consider are:

• Unboxing: There’s a huge number of people who not only enjoy but look forward to the unboxing of interesting and new products. Some channels based around this niche have audiences that number in the millions, with the excitement of seeing new products backed by entertaining personalities to great effect.
• Reviews: The next logical step from the previous entry, searching online for reviews, has become a normal part of the shopping process. By offering detailed and informed reviews, you can not only introduce your existing audience to new products but gain audience members from people considering purchasing that item.
• Education: If you are knowledgeable and passionate about a subject, then one of the best things you can do is share that with others, teaching them far more effectively than a dry textbook could. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to start a teaching vlog; you can teach people to cook, draw, even how to manage their money better. As long as you love what you do, you’ll be sure to draw in and retain viewers.

Assemble your Equipment

Once you know the kind of vlog you want to create, you need the equipment to make it a reality. After all, starting a successful vlog is only easy if you have the camera to film it!

• Camera: Many successful vloggers use only their smartphones to film their content; the cameras in our phones have advanced significantly and allow the average person to film high-quality videos. The same quality would have required professional equipment only a few years ago. Using a phone as your camera has the benefit of increasing your video quality every time you upgrade to a newer phone, keeping your vlogs looking crisp without thinning your wallet too much. Depending on the kind of vlog you want to make, you may find an action camera like a GoPro to be more suitable, especially if the idea of mounting the camera to your body or a vehicle interests you. If you want to have more control and versatility in your recording, then a DSLR camera with an assortment of lenses is a powerful, if expensive, combination.
• Microphone: Good audio makes for good videos, and you may find the onboard mic included with your camera isn’t high enough quality or doesn’t fare well in a windy environment. The most common solutions here are a lavalier microphone, commonly seen worn by those on television, or a shotgun mic that allows you to point it towards what you want to record. Dedicated best mics like the ones at Bring in the Noise often allow you to use a covering to help filter out certain undesirable sounds like wind.
• Lighting: The best lighting is the sun, so use natural lighting where possible, but if you need to use artificial lighting, make sure it is diffused and arranged to avoid unsightly shadows and glare. Cheap, USB-powered lighting can be purchased online with variable brightness and light temperature, or larger professional-grade lighting setups can be used for full set lighting.

Takeaway

Asking how to be a successful vlogger is only the beginning; now you’ve armed yourself with the knowledge, you must put it to good use. Hard work and consistency are the keys to success, and with them, you’re capable of great vlogs.