Regardless of whether you’re interested in vlogging as a new career path or simply as a means of impressing your friends and family about your recent travel expeditions, you’re probably already aware there is a lot more to putting together a vlog than simply picking up a camera and pressing “record.” Here are six tips to help you vlog your next trip like a pro!
1. Short & Sweet
There are more than 1 billion viewers watching more than 6 billon hours of content on YouTube, according to Google’s statistics, so if you’re vlogging to build an audience base, guess what? You’ve got competition, buddy! Humans are multi-faceted creatures with limited attention spans and plenty of varying interests, so keep your vlog short and crisp. Ideally, your vlog should not be longer than a few minutes, and should be split into talking segments of no more than 30 seconds each, so you can stay on point and hold your audience’s attention from start to finish. Even if you are only vlogging for family and friends, remember – the same logic applies. Everyone in your life is probably super busy, and the shorter your vlog is, the easier it will be for them to take the time to watch it wholeheartedly.
2. Be Unique
Putting your personality into your vlog is just as key as finding your travel vlog niche and providing content that is original. That may seem like a tough task, but being original doesn’t mean being entirely different. It may mean picking a theme or topic that no one else is vlogging about, or simply having a different angle or opinion that is different from the bandwagon. Bottom line – you need to provide value to your viewers if you want to build a loyal following.
3. Focus
Having a theme, subject, worldview and niche are important in building a reputation and brand that people can buy into and also recommend to others. The business end of this endevour also needs a lot of attention and grooming. Reaching out to your network and the travel community at large requires meticulous planning and perseverance. Doggedly putting the hours to get the word out there and be noticed is essential in the beginning to get the word of mouth going. So be prepared to not just work on great content but also the nitty-gritties of building your brand.
4. Engage and Connect
Be you. Keep it real. Connect. This is the cornerstone of any successful travel vlog. Humans love a good story and storytellers they can connect with authentically. So, don’t say you love something when you hate it. If you have an intense passion for food and travel both, for example, why not vlog about all the rubbish food on the flight, through to the haute cuisine on your arrival? Make it a point to also interact with locals – ask them questions related to the theme of your vlog. If there is a language barrier, it makes for an event more compelling story to showcase how you get past these hurdles while travelling! If you’re travelling with a friend, interact with your travel companion(s) on camera, too!
5. Wrap It Well
Remember, whether we like it or not, humans tend to judge books by their cover, and your vlog is no exception. Make sure you start off your vlog with an establishing shot. If you’re travelling around Paris a shot of the Eiffel Tower may seem cliché, but at least we’ll know exactly what this episode is going to be about without guessing. If you’re travelling to New York, you have the skyline, yellow cabs and the Guggenheim. Get the picture (pardon the pun). Music is also an important consideration. The music you associate Paris with is probably very different to that of New York, Thailand or the Caribbean. Whatever music you decide on, make sure it fits the ambience, theme and destination of your vlog. Most importantly, do NOT forget the final finishing touches. Video editing software and apps such as Magisto or Quik can help you create a more professional vlog, minimizing distracting noise, perfecting images and stabilizing shots if you suffer from a shaky hand.
6. Just Do It
And, finally, the last and the best tip is to just do it. Don’t wait to vlog your next trip until you have the right equipment. Start with your smart phone! Vlogger and YouTube star Louis Cole at Fun For Lewis advises anyone thinking of beginning their vlogging journey to not wait until they have all the fancy equipment they want because viewers are more interested in storytelling and connecting with the storyteller. The important thing is to capture your travel story and share it in an engaging manner.
Give Bragpacker a call if you need any help in putting together your camera kit – we are happy to provide you with expert inputs and gear options. Our Rent and Try&Buy schemes can be an ideal way for you to start getting content out there before you get bogged down by large investments and what to buy decisions.
We hope you feel more confident about starting your vlogging journey properly now – happy travels and vlogging!