Get to the Point Already

Brevity is indeed the soul of wit, especially when you are making a video blog. Be yourself but don’t ramble and go on a tangent – say what you have to say then sign off. We all know how interesting you are. The problem is you probably think you are far more charming than you actually are. If you are doing an introduction keep it to less than 10 seconds. Remember this is your “hook.” Make it intriguing. Get the viewer to ask a question so they want to watch more.

Be Heard, Be Seen

Face the camera head on, take a breath and speak up. Deliver your lines with clarity and confidence. Even the most amateur, humble vlogger can command due attention by speaking like a seasoned pro. As a host, your job is not only to interact with the camera and the subject of your video, but also to explain the context of the visual evidence you are presenting. What don’t we see that is important or interesting? As the host we expect you to be the authority on the subject of your video. We can’t be there so we rely on you to supplement the visual evidence with your commentary.

Wash Your Face

Be aware of your surroundings. Know what is in view of the camera and have an interesting but not distracting background. If possible, your background should relate to the subject of your video. If you are shooting in your apartment then, for the love of God, clean up the place! Light yourself well. Chances are that you don’t have a professional lighting studio so choose a location that has great natural light. Too bright and you will be washed out, too dark and you’ll be a talking shadow.

Part of looking good is sounding good. Be sensitive to wind, music and crowd noise – distractions can ruin your on-camera presence. Use a microphone if you can. Be sure to keep it off camera, and don’t even think about wearing a headset. After shooting, hit the editing room. There are dozens of cheap or free video and audio editing software out there.

Plan, Plan, Plan

Finally, know what you are going to say and practice it before making your final recording. Other than that, be sure to have fun and make sure that comes across in your video.

Do you vlog (video blog)? Are you going to utilize these tips or do you already? What do you vlog about? Share your link!

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Tags: Cleanliness, Digital audio editor, lighting, Microphone, Professional, speech volume, Video, Video blogging, Video Editing, Vlogger, Vlogging