Wanted to start a blog and just stumbled upon the word “vlog” and now you are confused about which one to choose. No matter what were the incidents that brought you to this. Here, every common and related question to “Vlog vs Blog” will get answered. So, you can choose wisely, which to pick.
Before we begin let’s get the basic first for those who don’t know:
What is Blogging?
A weblog or blog is a website or web page which provides information, consisting of discrete and often informal dairy-style text entries (posts). They are typically displayed in reverse chronological order, to help the readers find the most recent post. Generally run by an individual or a small group which keeps updating it frequently or say regularly.
In other words, it is very similar to social media, where you post something periodically. This keeps your followers updated and if your posts (content) are interesting, it increases your followers.
The one who runs the blog is known as ‘blogger’ and this process of running it is called ‘blogging’. And if you have established your presence online and have enough followers. You can start earning on your blog.
What is Vlogging?
It’s similar to blogging but with one difference. Here ‘V’ stands for ‘Video’ hence it is a video blog or video log. So the posts or content are provided in the form of video. It often combines embedded video with supporting metadata such as text, images, and others.
Similarly, as above, the one who runs the blog is known as ‘vlogger’ and this process of running it, is called ‘vlogging’. You can also start earning from you vlog, once you reached enough followers and have marked your presence in the competition.
Vlogging VS Blogging: A Brief History
History of Blogging – It came into existence almost in the same period with the internet. Around 1997 the term “weblog” was used and it referred to the process of “logging the web”. It was shortened to “blog” in 1999. At first, it was used as a platform to share personal thoughts or opinions. But now it has become one of the essential and effective tools for marketers for online promotion.
History of Vlogging – This thing came to existence around the year 2005, this was when YouTube got founded. Back then, it was used to share videos and now it has become a way to promote something online and earn. Blogging by means of videos became known as “video logging” shorted to “vlog or vlogging”. It is comparatively new from blogging but it has gained so much popularity in a short time. Due to the entertaining and easily understandable & memorable nature of videos.
Blog VS Vlog
Here is a comparison in which these main points are considered – what are blog and vlog used for? How much money can you make from blogging and vlogging? Blogging and vlogging platforms. Blogging and vlogging popularity and other aspects.
How To Start A Blog?
In this section, blogging tips for beginners are given with the answer to how do i make my own blog for free?
Pick A Blog Type
There are various types of blog:
Personal Blog – for sharing your daily journal, experiences, thoughts, opinions, etc. Online.
Business Blog – for those who want to promote a business, whether it’s their own or of the company they work for.
Niche Blog – for focusing on a specific topic which you like or know a lot about.
Affiliate Blog – for recommending products or services through affiliate links. So, you can earn a commission when someone purchases those products and services through the provided links.
Pick A Name
Come up with a name that suits your blog type and is easy to spell and remember.
Register and host
Check the availability of the name, if available, register it or else come up with a variation. Then choose a web host to host your blog. There are free ways to host your blogs such as WordPress and Blogger but it gives very limited features.
Create or Customize your blog
Create the look of your blog if you know how to or you can simply tweak a free template to fit your needs.
Start writing & posting
First, choose a blog topic according to your blog type, such as product reviews, cooking tips, etc. Then, start writing about your topic and post it.
Gain Readers
Promote your blog, like on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, etc. to gain readers.
How To Make Money Blogging?
Monetize your blog by using – Affiliate Marketing, Sponsored posts, AdSense, Banners, Email Marketing, Selling Merchandise and other ways to earn money from your blog.
What Not To Do When Blogging?
- Choose or start with hosted blogging, only if you want to do it as a hobby and don’t want to earn from it. Cause free hosted blog does not perform well and have limited features & options. When going with a self-hosted blog, choose a good web hosting company.
- Don’t copy the content from somewhere, be original. Use copyright free data like images, etc. to support your arguments or opinions.
- Don’t waste time thinking too much, you cannot please everyone and cannot make your content perfect. Just give a deadline to yourself and finish posting it, no matter how it is. Also, don’t go with the myth that you need to post every day. Take your time, make a schedule, and post daily, weekly or monthly as you see fit.
How To Start A Vlog?
Here you will learn how to make a vlog with important vlogging tips for beginners.
Pick A Vlog Type
There are various vlog types and topics such as Review & unboxing products, Pranks, and comedy, Beauty, Fashion or Fitness, etc. So, choose whatever you like.
Pick A Name
Come up with a name that suits your vlog type and is easy to spell and remember. Also check it’s availability, in the case, it is not available to come up with a variation or a different name.
Create, Edit And Upload Your Video
You know your topic so, start creating your first video and use royalty-free music, images or other data while editing. When you are finished, upload it.
Create A Channel Logo/Avatar and Banner
As your social media accounts require a profile picture your channel also requires a logo and a banner. So, design your logo and banner and use it to look more professional.
Gain Viewers
Promote your vlog on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, etc. and gain viewers & subscribers.
How To Make Money Vlogging?
Monetize your Vlog by using – AdSense, Sponsored Post, Selling Merchandise and other ways to earn money from your vlog.
What Not To Do When Vlogging?
- Don’t use copyrighted material in your video, be original. Use data whenever necessary to support you opinions or arguments.
- Be careful about your audio, video and content quality. Bad quality will damage your channel. Make sure you have clean & clear audio-video and good quality content.
- Do not imitate someone else, try to develop your own unique style and interact with your audience. Be original and don’t rush things – make a schedule and post daily, weekly or monthly as you see fit.
Some FAQs About Blogging And Vlogging
How long should my vlog be?
The length of your vlog depends upon the topic. Don’t stretch it too much and also don’t make it too short. It should contain necessary & complete information about the topic, avoid adding irrelevant things. Give the topic it’s freedom and you will know how long it needs to be.
How long do videos have to be monetized?
There are no limitations and requirements about the length of the video to be monetized. Which means you can monetize a video of any length. However, your content should be advertiser-friendly.
What is a good camera for vlogging?
In today’s world, you don’t really need a separate camera for vlogging. There are a lot of budget-friendly smartphones with good or say great cameras available in the market these days. So, if you already have a smartphone with a good camera, you can start vlogging. Plus, you should also give a little focus on having a good microphone to record clear audio.
What blogs & vlogs are the most popular and trending?
Beauty, health and fitness, DIY (Do It Yourself), Sports, Finance, Fashion focused and other similar types of blogs and vlogs are most popular.
Are blogs still popular?
Yes! They are still popular these days and one of the main reasons for that is, they are very helpful in search engine optimization (SEO). It helps in the ranking on search engines like google and others. So, your website is shown first or in the first 10 results, which greatly helps in increasing the traffic of your website.