10 pro vlogging tips and tricks

Vlogging tips
(Image credit: Oscar Wong on Getty Images)

In recent years, useful vlogging tips have become sought after, as vlogging (video blogging) has risen to become one of the most popular video-based artistic activities. 

Vloggers connect with an online audience to share ideas, opinions, and knowledge about subjects they care about. The most successful vloggers do it professionally full time, and quite a few have even attained celebrity status for their work.

If you’ve only recently started to create vlogs, they might seem a little tricky to master at first. To get good at vlogging and break through to a larger audience, it takes practice and also some investment in good-quality tools, like the best video editing software for your needs. In this article, we offer up 10 valuable vlogging tips to help you vlog like a pro.

Vlogging tips

Becoming a successful vlogger takes practice (Image credit: Unsplash)

1. Vlogging tips: Choose suitable equipment

If you already have vlogging equipment, it’s worth re-evaluating it to make sure all the items properly suit your vlogging goals.

You should think about your core shooting and audio requirements, then assess whether your vlogging kit might benefit from an additional tool (e.g., attachable lighting equipment) or a couple of appropriate upgrades.

For example, if your vlogs are primarily shot in busy urban locations at night, it’s best to select a camera and lens that are suited to low-light environments, as well as an attachable microphone that can block out loud peripheral noises (e.g., road traffic).

Vlogging tips

Pick equipment that meets your vlogging needs (Image credit: Unsplash)

2. Vlogging tips: Use good-quality video editing software

A vlog without any decent video editing is likely to fall short, as it simply won’t have the dynamic visual appeal, audio/musical components, graphics, or interesting editing to hold an audience’s attention.

Therefore, it’s vital to explore your video editing software options. If you’re unfamiliar with video editing software, it might take a little while to get used to all the functions and features available; however, it’s worth investing the time for the multitude of editorial enhancements you get in return.

Vlogging tips

Use video editing software to give your vlogs a professional finish (Image credit: Unsplash)

3. Vlogging tips: Establish a recognisable style

It’s worthwhile to hone a unique style that makes your vlogs stand out. The best vloggers move in a distinctive thematic, visual, and editorial direction, which audiences can immediately recognize and follow.

Before shooting and editing your vlogs, you should carefully consider how best to communicate your personality, style, and ideas. These considerations should encompass a wide range of aspects, such as your speaking manner and sense of humor, as well as the inclusion of music/sound effects, logos, introduction/title sequences, and background decor.

Vlogging tips

Famous vlogger Anthony Fantano makes use of bold colors to give his vlogs a distinctive look (Image credit: Youtube)

4. Vlogging tips: Create eye-catching thumbnails

It’s dispiriting to put a lot of time, effort, and creativity into a vlog, only for it to receive little or no online attention.

To decrease the chances of this happening, you should consider creating a customized video thumbnail (which is possible with graphic design apps like Canva), uploading it to your chosen video hosting platform (e.g., YouTube), and attaching it to your vlog post.

The best thumbnails contain an intriguing snapshot that is representative of a vlog’s content, and might also feature the vlogger themself, as well as words in bold lettering for added effect.

Vlogging tips

Famous vlogger Pewdiepie creates attention-grabbing thumbnails (Image credit: Youtube)

5. Vlogging tips: Make your vlog titles SEO friendly

SEO (or search engine optimization) relates to how prominently online content will be displayed on search engine results pages.

To make your vlogs rank highly in search results, you need to keep your titles short, include keywords pertaining to the subject of your vlog, and use simple, commonly typed key phrases (e.g., How to improve your…). SEO is a large, complicated topic, so spending some time researching how to achieve your SEO goals is a must.

Vlogging tips

Enhance the online visibility of your vlogs with SEO-friendly titles (Image credit: Unsplash)

6. Vlogging tips: Upload new vlogs at regular intervals

To cultivate a loyal following, it’s important to regularly upload new vlogs. This doesn’t necessarily mean you should produce fresh content every day (unless you want to); rather, you need to establish an even pattern of video uploads to encourage your audience to continually revisit your channel.

Regularly uploading new vlogs also communicates to new (or potential) viewers that your channel is active and worth checking out.

Vlogging tips

Famous vlogger Jon Olsson consistently adds new vlogs to keep his audience interested (Image credit: Youtube)

7. Vlogging tips: Promote your vlogs using social media

If you have social media accounts, you shouldn’t hesitate to use them as online megaphones to promote your new vlog posts.

You can push your promotional efforts further, too. For example, at the end of each vlog, you could encourage viewers to leave comments, watch more of your vlogs, and subscribe to your channel.

Many of the most famous vloggers also encourage viewers to follow them on social media or visit their website, with links provided.

Vlogging tips

Using social media platforms to promote your vlogs will increase audience outreach (Image credit: Unsplash)

8. Vlogging tips: Customize your channel

To boost your channel, you should utilize all the available branding options on your chosen video-sharing platform. The more professional, distinctive, and interesting your channel looks, the more views you’re likely to get.

On YouTube, for example, you can include a channel description and upload a customized channel banner, profile picture, channel video trailer, and video watermark. There are similar channel customization options available on other popular video-sharing platforms, such as Dailymotion.

Vlogging tips

Customize your vlogging channel with unique branding to get noticed (Image credit: Youtube)

9. Vlogging tips: Know your audience

To monitor how well your vlogs are performing in a competitive market, you should check the analytics data for your channel (provided by your video sharing platform) and find out about your audience and their viewing habits.

You will be able to see a broad breakdown of how old your viewers are, their gender, how long they typically watch your videos for, and the other channels they watch. Altogether, this information provides a reliable foundation on which you can improve your techniques or alter the direction of future vlogs.

Vlogging tips

Take time to study who’s watching your content (Image credit: Youtube)

In a fast-moving world filled with lots of influencers, emerging trends, and cultural events, the less successful vloggers are sometimes the ones who don’t always keep their fingers on the pulse (like not paying attention to these vlogging tips!)

Although the key ingredient to good vlogging is being yourself, regularly refreshing your knowledge of what other vloggers are doing (and what’s culturally new, more generally) will give you an edge and keep you focused. Moreover, by responding to a trend or event early on, you’re more likely to see your vlog gain many views—or even go viral.

Vlogging tips

Responding to the latest online trends will help to keep your vlogs engaging (Image credit: Vimeo)

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Liam Barker

Liam is a freelance content writer with two writing-based university degrees. He has accumulated knowledge on a variety of tech topics, including VPNs, antivirus products, cybersecurity, TV streaming, and popular apps.

He also contributes to an arts and culture online magazine called Now Then, based in Manchester, England. In his spare time, he enjoys reading and writing poetry.