How to be a vlogger on YouTube
Who hasn’t dreamed of making their own YouTube vlog? Shooting videos on interesting topics, editing and posting them, then getting popularity and recognition in return. Competition between YouTube vloggers is still big, therefore, in order to succeed, you need to be able to stand out not only with a special idea, but also with the way it is presented.
Luckily, the vlog format is so flexible that almost any blogger can find an audience in their chosen niche. The main thing is to come up with a striking concept and ensure a high-quality video shooting process. Have you thought of it already and have some videos you want to upload? Then let’s take a look at how this process goes on YouTube!
YouTube vlog channel: getting started
To start your own YouTube channel, simply click "Sign in" and enter the mail address of your Google account. A personal YouTube account will be created automatically after you sign in using this method. If you don’t have a Google account, click "Create account" on the sign-in page, choose "For myself", and then enter the required information to create it.
By default, the channel name will appear as the first and last name that you entered in your Google account. If you plan to run a lifestyle blog that is not tied to any topic, you can keep this simple name, otherwise, you can change it anytime in the channel customization tab.
The face of your channel
Some novice vloggers mistakenly believe that they need to fill the channel with many videos, and only then think about creating a personal style. However, the design of the channel directly affects its advancement and the likelihood of subscription. If a visitor opens the channel page and sees an empty design and a default avatar, they may think that the owner isn’t going to keep working with it, and they won’t see any new uploads here.
When creating a banner and an avatar, remember that they are displayed next to each other. Therefore, it is better to make them in the same style with complementary colors and tones. Also, don’t forget about the size: the avatar is small, and when viewed on a mobile device it will be even smaller. For this reason, avatars with a simple logo are more popular.
The best size for a YouTube avatar is 800×800px, for a banner, it is 2560×1440px. If the images you want to use are slightly bigger or smaller, try resizing them and make sure the quality stays the same.
It’s also important to fill in the description of your channel. This is the best way to quickly tell the viewer what your content is about, as well as the frequency of uploads, the style of the videos, and the key topics you focus on. Sometimes, even the way the text is presented can help turn a random visitor into a subscriber in a matter of seconds.
In addition, the description of the channel is displayed in YouTube search results, as well as in Google search results. Very often, this is the only chance to get the search engine to show the video of the beginning channels to the viewer.
Of course, you can change all of this later, but it’s important to let the visitor know that you are engaged in the channel and keep working on it. Seeing the good-looking channel design, the viewer will understand that even if there are only a couple of videos now, there will be more in the future.
Eye-catching presentation of your videos
So, now that you know how to vlog on YouTube and proceed to upload your first videos, remember: YouTube doesn’t like users who tend to forget about the existence of their channel for periods of time. If you regularly upload videos and properly enter their description, they are more likely to be shown in the feed and even put in recommendations.
Carefully design videos so that the site promotes them in its search. Specify a category and add hashtags: this is how viewers who are interested in the specified topic will find you. Use engaging thumbnails – images that reflect the content of the video. If you want to use thumbnails with text, use the same fonts to keep the consistent visual style for all videos.
It’s also a good thing to use end screens so that your videos don’t end abruptly. An end screen can be either a static image or an animation. In it, you can promote your other videos, encourage users to subscribe to the channel, or even show bloopers and outtakes to entertain your viewers.
If, after you follow these tips, the activity on your channel won’t increase much, don’t give up – in most cases, it takes time for the videos to move to the top of the recommendations. Meanwhile, to make users want to subscribe after the first viewing, continue creating content and show your passion – viewers love it!
