To blog or to vlog. That is the question.
Both blogging and vlogging can be great creative outlets and terrific sources of extra income. If you are torn between which one you want to try, here are some factors you should consider. Hopefully, after reviewing this article, you will be better prepared to make a choice.
From a Money Point of View
If you are looking at a blog or YouTube vlog as a way to create income, you will want to review the money-making opportunities each offers. Here are some things to think about.
YouTube: Once your channel starts to gain popularity, YouTube will give you the option to begin monetizing your content by putting ads in your videos. When someone clicks on the ads while watching your video, you can get some money out of the deal.
Adsense is the easiest way to make money on your YouTube channel. With this Google tool, all you have to do is drop a piece of code into your web site. Google will automatically upload ads tailored to your site.
Affiliate marketing is another way to earn money through your YouTube channel. Here’s how it works.
If you get into an affiliate marketing deal with a company, you will plug their products on your channel. If someone buys their product as a result of your plug, you get a cut of the profits.
Of course, you will only want to plug products that make sense. So, if your site is dedicated to food, you can plug an oven, or a set of utensils and so on.
Sponsorship is a bit like affiliate marketing but it is a bit more direct. A sponsor will be a company that pays you for promoting their brand through plugs and ads. This is another way to make money on YouTube.
Vloggers who monetize their blogs can make $100 – 200 a day.
Blogging: Although vlogging can bring in a lot of income, blogging can bring in even more. In fact, if only 1,000 targeted visitors come to your site every day, you can still make more than a YouTube vlogger who has 1 million subscribers.
Just like vlogging, Adsense, affiliate marketing and sponsorships are all great ways to make money blogging. Most bloggers will rely most heavily on Adsense to increase revenue.
However, you can also increase your income by using direct ad placement or ad network sites like Media.net and Infolinks. Similar to Adsense, these help you get intent driven ads to users in real time.
Consider Your Content
You content will be another factor that will affect your decision on whether to blog or vlog.
For instance, if you are going to be talking about cosmetics and skin care products, you will want to provide visual tutorials on how to apply the makeup, etc. This type of content will work best on a YouTube channel.
On the other hand, if your content is going to involve complex issues that need explanations, you are better off presenting it in written format.
Blogs also allow people to scan through to find the information they want without having to sit through a video making them ideal for more involved pieces.
Consider Your Skills and Personality
To make a quality blog or vlog, certain skills are required. With a blog, for instance, you will need to know how to write. Your writing should be engaging and contain few type-os and grammatical errors.
You will also need some amount of skill to design a great looking web site. Most blogging platforms provide templates that make it easy to create an attractive design, but if you want to make a site that is truly unique, additional graphic skills can help you put it over the top.
Finally, you will need to be familiar with SEO. This will help your site get to the top of search engines so you can attract traffic. A knowledge of searched for keywords, how to use backlinks and so on will ensure your site gets more readership.
Vlogging also takes some SEO knowledge but what’s even more important is the ability to look and feel confident in front of a camera. If you look nervous or meek, no one is going to watch your video. You can work on developing this skill, but it’s best if it comes naturally.
You will also want to put together a script together for each vlog. These don’t have to be followed to the letter, but they should serve as a rough guide for what you’re going to say and do. Therefore, it’s a good idea to have some amount writing and grammatical skills in this arena as well.
When it comes to personality, it goes without saying that extraverts will do better in front of the camera vlogging while introverts will be more suited to the quiet lifestyle blogging offers.
Consider the Cost
Cost is another thing you will want to think about.
In general, vlogging will be a lot more expensive than blogging. If you want to make a great looking vlog, you will need the right lighting and camera equipment. You also might want your own crew and editing team which will increase costs.
With blogging, you may want to buy your own domain, and if you choose to make your website elaborate, that might be another expense. But in general, blogging will be way cheaper than blogging.
Which is Right for You?
Now that you have all the facts, which will you choose? With less of an investment and more money-making potential, blogging just might win out. But you also need to consider which platform is best suited to your skill set and what you’re trying to promote.
Of course, doing both a blog and a vlog is a great way to cross-promote but if you have to choose only one, which will be going with?