How to Make a Great First Vlog

This How.com.vn teaches you how to organize a well-structured vlog, especially if you've never shot a vlog before. While your first vlog won't be perfect, there are a few things that you can do to make sure that people respond positively to it.

Steps

1
Make sure that you have the right equipment. You don't need an expensive DSLR camera and microphone, but you should have a camera that can handle video in 720p at the very least. You should also have an external microphone that hooks up to the camera.
- If you have a smartphone (or even a tablet), you don't need to buy any equipment to complement it.
- Sound is just as important as video, so don't neglect your microphone if you buy a dedicated one.
2
Create a loose outline of the day's events. While vlogs are supposed to appear spontaneous, the truth is that a lot of thought must go into them before shooting. If you create an outline of what you plan on recording throughout the day, you'll at least have a rough idea of how the vlog will be structured.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Having an outline doesn't mean that you need to stick to it. If you encounter something more interesting in the course of your day, adapt to it.
3
Decide on a gimmick. Every successful vlogger has a characteristic or routine that sets them apart from other content creators (for example, one vlogger ends each of their vlogs abruptly and without warning). Your personal gimmick doesn't have to be the focus of the video—nor should it be—but it should be a part of most of them.
- Leaving your gimmick out of videos that address serious or tragic circumstances can be a powerful statement in and of itself.
4
Take into account your background. When you're not vlogging in public or around the house, you should have a setting that you can always use. This setting will end up being as much of a character in your vlogs as you are, so make sure that you like it before implementing it.^{[2]XResearch source}
- If your vlogs are centered around cooking, for example, your background should be based in your kitchen; perhaps you even have seasonal produce in the background.
5
Vary your content within the vlog. Simply talking for 15 minutes straight isn't likely to captivate your audience, so try showing a handful of different styles in your video. For example, you might start with a time-lapse, lead into a walking and talking piece, transition into a montage, and then end with a sitting-down "conversation" with the camera.
- Another way that you can vary content is by speeding up certain sections of the videos, or by applying other eye-grabbing effects during editing.
6
Find a unique piece of your day to focus on. If your routine is anything like most people's, most of your activity ends up blurring together by the end of the day. It's okay to take snippets of this activity and integrate those snippets throughout the vlog, but your vlog's main focus should be the part that stands out.
- Naturally, the "unique" piece of your day will vary from day to day. You might not even realize what the most interesting part of the day was until you sit down to edit.
7
Be yourself. The quickest way to feel natural in front of the camera is by behaving like yourself. Remember, you're documenting and presenting your own life—you're the star by default!
- If you do decide to play a character of sorts in your vlogs, maintain the character throughout the vlog to avoid being inconsistent.
8
Keep an eye on your light levels. Especially if you're shooting outside, make sure that you have light behind the camera at all times. If you must go into a dark area (or film at night), you'll need to provide your own lighting in the form of a lamp, flashlight, or similar item.
- Back-lighting yourself can be an interesting artistic choice at times, but never as a mainstay of your videos.
9
Use jump-cuts when editing. Jump-cuts are created when you cut out content between two points of interest; for example, if you filmed a conversation with an awkward silence in the middle of it, you would cut out the silence.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Jump-cuts create energy by ensuring that there isn't a break in your content. This is ideal for high-energy vlogs.
10
Market your vlog. Over 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube, meaning that you should take advantage of every opportunity to increase your vlog's traffic. Consider doing at least a few of the following:^{[4]XResearch source}
- Use an eye-catching thumbnail.
- Fill your video's description box with contact information, keywords, and tags.
- Post your vlog on social media as well as on YouTube.
- Experiment with other video platforms (e.g., Vimeo).
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Question
I want to start a vlog for the first time. Should I use my phone?
Community Answer
If it is a modern smartphone, it should work. Remember, the biggest vloggers didn't start with expensive equipment. All you need is a likeable personality and a consistent posting schedule.
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How should I start a Vlog as a kid?
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There are not that many kid vloggers out there, so you can use that as an advantage. Just do fun stuff that you enjoy like games with your friends or basically anything you have an interest it but give it a twist so it´s more interesting and original.Always consider asking for help to your friends and family, especially your parents. You need your parent's permission too.
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How long should my vlog be?
Community Answer
It depends what your vlog is about, and how many you are putting out. If you put out a vlog often (ie: weekly) consider keeping it short, about 5 minutes long. If you put out a vlog seldom (ie: monthly), then you can make it longer, about 10 to 12 minutes. Don't make your vlog too long, or else it will become boring; at the same time, however, don't make your vlog too short, or it won't be interesting enough.
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Tips

Watching other vloggers' content will give you some ideas about how you can structure your vlogs, though you should be careful not to accidentally copy their styles. Influence is good, plagiarism is not.
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Your first vlog won't be perfect, which is fine! Once you acknowledge that you have room to grow as a creator, you'll be able to move forward with improving your content.
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Warnings

Despite the spontaneous, care-free appearance of most vlogs, creating one at all—to say nothing of a high-quality one—requires a lot of time and patience from start to finish.
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