Why Vlog? Vlogging as a career in 2022

A vlogger has the best of both worlds - not only are they able to document their daily lives, they are also able to express their creativity and share it with the world. However, vlogging is so much more than just a form of recording videos and posting them on online platforms. Fast forward to the year 2022, it has become a trendy way to engage your audiences and uplift your social media game. Some of the common types of vlogs include: travel vlogs, food vlogs, fashion vlogs, daily routines and technology ones. The recent boom in the field of digital media has taken vlogging to another level and it has quickly become a highly sought after career option.

A vlog is exactly what the name suggests: a type of blog where the medium is video. The term vlog was coined back in the year 2000 and it stands for either video log or video blog. But in the present day the word is simply ubiquitous. Well-known vloggers like: Mountain Trekker, Jatt Prabjot, Gaurav Chaudhary and many others have all gained enormous success in the field by remaining consistent, candid and committed. With Google’s acquisition of YouTube and the introduction of Instagram reels, numerous individuals worldwide rose to fame making vlogs and posting them on the platforms. The bottomline is - vlogging can be a great way to earn your first $100.

So, have you been asking yourself - “Is vlogging a good career option?” The answer is - yes, vlogging as a career is a great way to be your own boss, have flexible schedules and work wherever you want to! But how should you go about it?

Kickstart your vlogging career with these detailed insights

If you are someone who is looking to pursue a vlogging career, you really need to start by brainstorming to find a specific niche. Once you have identified your niche, you then need to jot down the nature of content available in your niche, what works and what does not work. This should include video and non-video content as they will help you identify the gaps where your vlog could fit in. The next step should be to figure out what sort of content you will be creating within the niche. For instance, a chef, a gym trainer or an astrologer can do interactive vlogs demonstrating their chosen activity. Similarly, depending on your niche, you have to figure out what your content is going to focus on and how you will structure your social identity. Once you have decided on the purpose of your vlog - that will then help you to determine your format and style, eventually leading to success.

Initially, it would be unwise to bank upon it wholly without having a plan. But if you think you are capable of adding more value to the platform then you should take it up without hesitation. However, also keep in mind that vlogging as a career requires endless patience and to reach the heights of success you have to be consistent, candid, real and open to criticism.

Skills required to be a Vlogger

There are numerous reasons for wanting to learn a new skill. It could be for your entrepreneurial start or simply to acquire a new talent. Here are some of the skills that will help you to kickstart your career as a vlogger.

Ethics: Possessing strong work ethics is a critical requirement to sustain in the field for the long term. Good vloggers must be capable of pushing themselves to meet and go beyond their personal goals. Vloggers must also be self motivators as they do not get any significant financial benefit in the initial days. However, it is the quality and authenticity in the initial stages that decides their future worth in the field. So be patient and maintain strict work ethics and you will see the long term results.

Individuality: Developing a distinct individual identity is easier said than done. In order to be a vlogger that leaves an impression you need to be an expressive one. Doing something that is different from the norm is a must for a great vlogger. It could be a catchy introduction, a new way of promotion or anything that has never been done before. Leveraging your creativity to make things more interesting will help you stand out from the competition. Focus on making your video entertaining, inspiring or educating for your audiences and always try to establish a unique identity.

Vision: As a matter of known fact, ‘Content is king’ in the world of digital media and this factor is no different when it comes to vlogging. A good vlogger must possess a strong vision to turn mundane and plain days into interesting video content. However, they also need to be authentic and candid to make a bigger impact. Showcasing real life experiences in a form that the audiences would love to see allows a vlogger to build relationships with his/her audiences.

“.........I believe today consumers would really want to know what is going on in the life of an international student, and from my personal experience I can state it may not always be a merry ride on the London eye all the time - sometimes it can include losing your wallet on the London eye and parting with it forever. But the more candid it is, the more interest the viewers take and that is something you can really use as clickbait for your viewers to encourage them to watch your videos. I strongly feel consistency is needed to keep the viewers hooked. Some days, great content that you shoot with mammoth amounts of effort might not have too many views and on other days casually shot videos may end up bringing you a jackpot. Be real, be expressive and get vlogging”! - says Chaitali Mandal, an Indian student and vlogger living in the United Kingdom.

While for many vloggers consistency is key - depending on the niche, quality could be more important that quantity. If you feel you are working on a topic where you should focus on longer, more detailed videos, it is okay if you don’t post daily.

Sure, several people feel that creativity alone will make them successful, but in the long run that's not true. The crucial thing in vlogging is providing value to your audiences either by inspiring, entertaining or educating them. So, make a video on a subject or topic that you are really passionate about and be authentic, and voila you will be all set to deliver great content.

To celebrate World Youth Skills Day, The Telegraph Edugraph brings Skillfest 2022 to enable and empower young students. The contest is open to students in standard VIII-XII. The last day to submit entries is 13th July 2022.

Click on the link to apply: http://bit.ly/SkillDaySubmission