What Is Video Blogging? How to Create Your Own Blog

Create your own vlog

By
Emily Price
Emily Price
Writer
  • Harvard University
  • The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Emily Price is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire and a freelance tech writer who focuses on emerging technology.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
Updated on July 24, 2023

What to Know

  • Create an account at YouTube or another video platform. Limit your vlog entries to between two and six minutes.
  • Post frequently and authentically. Don't overproduce. Keep it real.
  • Promote your vlog on social media channels and include its URL in your social media profiles.

This article explains the basics of video blogging and includes information on the equipment you need and how to make money with your vlog.

Getting Started

Video blogs—often housed on the YouTube platform—serve as video-based diaries. They're a natural extension of the text-based blogs of the early 2000s, with the exception that because they're housed online, discoverability increases and content-sharing friction decreases.

To launch your vlogging journey, create an account on YouTube or another video platform. Anyone's allowed to upload content to YouTube; you don't need a special creator account to upload.

Although you're free to use any video platform you like, most vloggers use YouTube because of the site's massive size and reliability.

vlogging upward facing dog yoga pose on patio deck
 Hero Images/Getty Images

Content Tips

Effective vlogs are generally short and personal. In most cases, a vlog entry shouldn't be fewer than two minutes long or longer than six minutes long—research suggests that too-short, or too-long, of videos dissuade viewers.

The goal is to post frequently and authentically. It's better to post a half-dozen times per week with a webcam or your phone camera than to post twice a month but emphasize studio-quality glossiness.

Beauty and fashion vlogger creating a giveaway campaign at home. Make-up products are in front of her, clothes are in the background.
Fotostorm / Getty Images

Because vlogs are a personal form of content, over-producing them (with screen crawls, too-good of video quality, etc.) is generally off-putting. That said, unless you're already famous, most people aren't all that interested in unstructured rambling. So develop a plan, and every now and then, bring in a special guest. Keep it varied.

But remember, frequency is more important than polish.

Growing Your Vlog

Vlogs grow, but the more you promote them, the better you'll be. Promoting your content on social-media channels will help, depending on the kind of content you share. Likewise, tying your Vlog's URL to your social profiles promotes natural discovery.

FAQ
  • What's the best platform for posting video blogs?

    While YouTube is currently the most popular platform for hosting video content, it's not the only option. Dailymotion, Vimeo, and even Facebook and Instagram are all well-known video hosting platforms.

  • How do you embed a YouTube video blog on a website?

    While watching the video you want to embed, select the Share icon, then select Embed. A window pops up with the HTML code to copy and paste into your website. To start the video at a specific point, select the Start At checkbox.

  • What equipment do you need to create a video blog?

    At the barest minimum, you need a camera and a microphone. You can use your smartphone if you don't have a separate camera and mic. Ideally, you also want to have some lighting, like the O ring light and stand that's popular with many YouTubers.

  • How do you make money with a video blog?

    Many vloggers make money via advertising, subscriptions, or tips. YouTube, for example, has a partner program for creators who have more than 1,000 subscribers, 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months, and a linked Adsense account.

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