By Ravijot Singh
What does it take to create a good video blogging channel/career?
A good camera, a youtube account and loads of confidence? Right?
No! It takes much more than that to create a successful video blogging channel. Let’s evaluate this!
Understanding the basics and setting up
First and foremost we need to understand the basics of video blogging and how it is evolving in the world and particularly in India. With ever evolving and available internet speed and more flexibility social media is providing we see more and more video blogging happening all over the world.
The fact that people want to read less and listen/see more to get information or get entertainment is also boosting this side of eco-system.
So, if you are also hooked to video blogging and seriously thinking about starting your channel you need to get the following things right:
1. Camera (Video) – Any camera that shoots in HD will do. Almost all of the high end mobile phones these days shoot in HD. So, one can even shoot the video on their phone to start with, provided you have good lighting. Indeed I started my video blogging with my phone camera.
Always, see the frame you are creating before shooting the final footage. Avoid shadows and if you don’t have any idea about artificial lighting, it is recommendable to shoot in natural light.
However, still see from where light is coming. Do not shoot opposite of the light. The way our eyes see the light and camera sees them is whole lot of difference.
2. Good Mike (Audio) – Nothing can ruin your video and your audience retention more than a bad audio. If I have to choose between a terrible video or a bad audio in a shot per se, I will choose bad video over audio. Because it really annoys the audience when they cannot ‘hear’ properly what you are ‘saying’. The Video Blogging ironically is more about listening than watching.
So, purchase a decent mike. A whole lot of them are available online. Do a bit of research and you will know what mike(s) you’d require for your gig.
3. Editing – Once you are through Video and Audio next thing required is to edit your video. You will require to either have a basic knowledge of editing, which you can do through software like Final Cut Pro (for Mac only), Adobe Premier or these days YouTube also allows you to edit the video on their site. But Final Cut Pro (FCP) or Premier is preferable. If you don’t have any idea what editing is you will need to find a partner who does have!
4. Environment for shooting – This is also a very important aspect of your shoot. You would not want to shoot in a noisy place or in a place where your voice echoes. A good background always helps. But again, you need to have a sense of color combination of the cloths your are wearing and the background you are shooting against.
5. Content – Content is the king, was the king, and will be the king! Your videos will not get good or even sometime any traction if you content is not good. Only if you are Sunny Leone or Mia Khalifa you don’t need to worry about the content, but then you are reading the wrong article then as well.
Always think from an audience perspective before you go and create something. Ask yourself what kind of stuff you like to see and why? Your answer will always lie on the ‘content’. It is the alternative narrative that is giving social media video blogging so much of boost. Because, people want to see some real different content which is not being produced in main stream TV or movies because of less risk taking abilities or sensor problems or lack of understating what the audience really craving for!
So always know what kind of content it is that you want to produce. Is it humor, motivation, technology, storytelling or any other narrative. Till the time you don’t know your content you will not be able to build on it
6. Team – Unless you are doing video monologues like I am doing, you will require a team. Indeed you should know that the biggies of the video blogging like Superwoman, Gaurav Gera, or recently famous Pammi Aunty, all have a team of 3-4 people despite their acts being solo acts.
If you are short of funds, which in all probabilities you would be, find like minded people, mostly from your friend circle. Stick together and see how things go.
7. USP – With so many youtube bloggers and channels doing all sorts of stuff already what is it which will make you stand in this crowd? That will be your Unique Selling Point (USP). A very recent example is of ammi Aunty act by Ssumier Pasricha, where this chap enacts a typical punjabi urbane disgruntled mother-in- law having face pack on and having opinion on each and everything in this world from Syria to Hrithik Roshan to (Unemployed) MBAs. He rose to fame within hours of launching his first video. The reason? He did something which was not done previously. He came with a unique concept and then built on it.
Similalry, Chutki and Shopkeeper of Gaurav Gera was also rage last year. Again, the concept was fresh which these guys kept building on with good content.
Now you are set, what next?
Once you are set the next part is to go create and put the stuff on social media. You will also need to choose the right medium from available platforms. But I will recommend to go for Youtube for various reason, the foremost is the largest number of video audience and second it being synonym to ‘online videos’. Then its integration with other social sites like Facebook and Whats App is also quite fluid. And, last but not the least it gives you money for creating good content.
Now we are talking
Though money should not be your first preference you should know how to reach the point where your youtube channel allows you to Monetize your content. And that point will be reached only when you have good traffic. And, good traffic will only come (repeatedly) when you understand what content your audience like and how you can make them craving for more with your each video.
Once Youtube gives your Monetization option in your channel you will also need to setup a Google Ad sense account and integrate both (YouTube and Ad sense) so that your monthly earning can be transferred to Ad sense through Youtube and then to the bank account you have setup in Ad sense.
But Beware!
However, you should be very clear on not using any copyright material, content or sound in your video as it will not make your channel’s standing down, Youtube will not give you a penny on any copyright claimed material. Indeed it will take down the video if they found the copyright violations to be true or worst they can suspend your account as well.
Always take care of what are your channel’s standings are and what all you YouTube have enabled your channel to do. YouTube will automatically enable features for you once you start getting more traffic. Always remember YouTube wants you to create good content so that you and them, both can earn.
Use YouTube to your benefit
Coming back to YouTube as the best video blogging platform, the reason I am saying this that only it has largest share of audience and of course very fluid website/app, it also gives you tools to edit your video and even use copyright free audios. As a beginner these can be great boost to your working as a video blogger.
Its UPHILL in the beginning
Like I said earlier as well only making money through video blogging should not be your prime motive. But money should not be at the back burner as well. One thing you need to understand is that first year don’t expect too much unless you become super viral and each and every video of yours become a rage and getting lakhs of view every time. Always, remember the chain – Good Content will give you traffic and subscribers and good traffic will give you money. There is no other way.
However, once you start getting subscribers which means returning audience it becomes easier with every new video to reach more people. But then again content is the king. Even if your channels have reached a 1 million mark and you upload a shitty video you will not get that much traction to that video. The crux is to understand what kind of audience you have garnered and what do they really like to see. Like for my example, my audience always like to see and hear hardcore ad serious political and current affairs content. So, I cannot give them humorous content like many youtube channels do. However, I can give them humour coated in political and current affairs preview.
So, enhancing your channel is a journey of understanding and interacting with your audience as much as you can. If you can stick with your channel with good content for one year you will good rewards surely coming your way next year onwards.
Research
Research, Research, Research! This is one mantra I always to everyone and anyone coming to me for advise. Do a lot of research on the kind of work you want to do, for tips and tricks, success stories, failure stories, like Dhinchak Pooja Swag Wali Topi.
Self learning would be the most valuable learning in any new venture your undertake, afterall!
(The writer of this article is a renowned political and current affairs video blogger. You can see his work on his youtube channel – http://youtube.com/nationalistravijot, follow him on twitter -http://twitter.com/nationalistRavi or write to him at [email protected])