Wednesday, 8 July 2020

Can You Really Make Money Vlogging?

Reading Time: 4 mins

We’ve all seen the stories about YouTube stars making millions – but can you really make money vlogging?

The answer is “absolutely”! You just need to know how to get started, which tools to use, and some tips for a marketing strategy. The good news is that you’ll find all that info right here. Keep reading!

What is vlogging?

What is vlogging?

Video blogging, called vlogging, is all about you! Your experiences, your reviews, your life – whatever you want to talk about. It’s like a video diary, almost. You’re the star of the show (usually) and you can cover any topic that you’re passionate about.

The rise of YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram influencers mean vlogging has become a popular way to build a personal brand. The benefit of that? Making money!

How to make money vlogging

Vloggers make money through sponsorship and advertisements. This happens in a couple of ways.

  1. They allow YouTube to put adverts across the bottom of their videos when it’s playing, or insert commercials part-way through a video.
  2. Brands pay to have their product featured as a review or promotional clip in a video.The amount of each sponsorship deal, for most vloggers, is relatively small. However, it’s powered by views – so the more views you get, the more you’ll earn from vlogging!

If you’re not sure that you could be a vlogger, think again. Check out this video, Everyone Can Be a Vlogger, for more help – and to win prizes, too!

Finding an audience

So, how do you get views? First, you need to decide who you’re aiming your videos at. This will help you curate your content to make sure you’re delivering things people want to see. It also helps brands to find you – if you’re offering an audience to their ideal customer, they’ll want to pay you!

For example, beauty vloggers do well out of free makeup and beauty products. They’ll use them in makeup tutorials, so they get a free product and often extra money per view (or thousand views, depending on the arrangement).

Work out what you love to talk about. People respond to passion: there’s no point streaming on Twitch and gaming if you’re not that into it. It doesn’t matter how niche your topic is: if there’s something you could talk all day about, that’s the clue to your ideal audience.

Find your niche

There’s always going to be a group of people interested in the same thing. It doesn’t matter if it’s a relatively small audience, either: niche influencers (also known as micro influencers) do really well out of niche brand sponsorship. That’s because companies know they’ll have a loyal following who’ll love the product they’re trying to sell!

So, when it comes to finding your audience, think less about how MANY people you want, and instead what INTERESTS them. Create the content, and they’ll find you!

Equipment you’ll need

Starting as a vlogger means you’ll need to invest in just a couple of things first. It’s not an expensive outlay (and remember, you can offset these expenses on your first tax return, too!).

Camera equipment

The first – and main – thing you’ll need is, of course, a camera.

Many vloggers use their phone to record. A cheap tripod keeps it in place while you’re filming yourself, and it’s a good way to start out before you spend money on equipment. A smartphone is fine if you’re in a controlled environment, like your home, but much more difficult if you’re out and about. If you want to vlog about outdoor activities, consider investing in something like a GoPro.

Invest in a high-quality webcam to record straight onto your computer (or onto an SD card that loads into your computer). It’ll give you a crisp, clear image and handle things like light imbalances much better than your smartphone can.

Sound

Check your audio setup. Some webcams have great audio recording abilities – but you’re looking at a cost of several hundred pounds for a decent one.

Instead, consider using a separate microphone. The Blue Yeti Snowball, for example, is really popular with podcasters and bloggers. Any microphone can work well – just look for a USB connection and (ideally) a condenser microphone. This helps minimise background noise.

You might also want to invest in a mic stand, too. Having a mic stand attached to an extendable arm on your desk makes it easy to keep out of shot but close enough for great sound recording.

Editing software

Once you’ve recorded your videos, you’ll need something to put it all together. Free editing software is alright, but you won’t get the professional finish you need to attract sponsors and make money vlogging.

Try WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe to edit your vlogs. It’s easy to use and you can convert, resize, cut, and download videos really quickly.

If you’re not sure how to turn your rough cut into a pro video, don’t panic! There’s lots of online tutorials showing you how to edit vlogs that’ll make the process crystal clear (and really easy).

Marketing your vlog

Marketing is essential if you want to make money vlogging

You’ll need, first, to decide on your vlog’s name. When you’ve got that, set up a channel on YouTube and consider claiming other social media platforms with the name, too. TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are all useful for video superstars.

Get involved in conversations on similar vlogs to yours, too. Rather than simply posting in the comments “Hey, watch my vlog!”, talk to people. Get involved in conversations about content, talk about what interests your fellow vlog watchers – they’ll naturally get curious and visit your channel. THAT’S how you get loyal and relevant subscribers!

More marketing tips

Marketing is a complex thing for any type of business owner. Digital marketing in the competitive vlogging world takes a lot of hard work – but it can definitely pay off. Try these articles next to learn more about branding and marketing your new vlog!

The post Can You Really Make Money Vlogging? appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

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