Vlogging Part 1: A New Way to Blog

In my previous article Blogging Tips for the Artisan, I outlined some of the basic things needed in order to have a successful blog. My next few articles will focus on "vlogging", also known as video blogging, which uses a short video instead of text.

It was inevitable that bloggers of all kinds would take their rants and artistic collections to the video world, after all in a society of the 140 character blog entry (thank you Twitter) people like it sweet and simple. So what does this have to do with selling a product or promoting your artistic abilities? The answer is everything. Video blogging not only gives your audience a visual, it also gives a voice to the face behind the blog.

First thing's first, how does one make a video? Obviously you will need to start with a camera, whether it's a webcam or a digital camera with the ability to shoot video. Make sure you have decent lighting and that your audience will be able to understand you. After you make the video you will need editing software. I personally use Windows Movie Maker, but there are other programs such as Quicktime. Most of these programs are self explanatory but if you need a little extra help YouTube has a multitude of how-to videos for these programs.

A word of advice for the newbies, I have noticed when watching video blogs that the amateurs tend to add a multitude of unnecessary effects which range anywhere from the screen constantly changing color to letters flashing on the bottom. Resist the urge to do these things! Your viewers do not want to be blinded and it distracts them from the point. Also, your video should be short and simple so that your viewers do not become bored.

I leave you now with these words of wisdom so that you may create a YouTube account, grab a camera, and practice editing some videos. You may find this to be quite addicting after some time. Check back soon for my next article which will discuss the content of a video blog.