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So, you’ve decided to start your own Youtube channel. Maybe you were inspired by Toke Makinwa’s projection. Or maybe you are confident your make up skills are better than all those other beauty beauty bloggers. Don’t jump the gun, here are some points you should think through before taking your first vlogger steps.

anigif_enhanced-26594-1429523950-14Technical skills

The average Youtube video is about 4 minutes. In that short while, few of us consider camera angles, not to mention the recording and editing that probably went into making a video. Now you can go low-budget and own it but you can also choose to invest in a good camera and video editing software. Don’t be there thinking, I have a webcam. You’ll have to invest in a good camera both video and audio wise. Cameras don’t come cheap but if you have a good phone you can hack your way into appearing professional.

Writing skills

Before you start making your first video, you’ll have to test your writing and research skills. Choose a subject that matters to you, then start your research. You may not know if from watching Youtube, but some of the most successful Youtubers actually write scripts for the video. This is an effective way to ensure that you stay on track and get your point across effectively. It’s not cute to sit in front of a video going on and on. Put your writing skills to use when crafting your page, you’ll need a description to attract potential subscribers.

Strategise

Your book of plans should be titled, “How to make viewers want more of me”. What are you going to do to ensure that people keep coming to your page and watching your videos? There are number of questions you will have answer. How often will you post? What kind of topics will you cover? How will you remain relevant in a world of shortening attention spans? Draw up a calendar for your Youtube videos, plan ahead and make sure you follow your plans as closely as possible. Aim for quality over quantity.

Confidence

I have a friend…okay let’s be real, when I started blogging as a university student, I panicked as my page views increased. This increased when friends and family who I hadn’t told about my blog stumbled upon it, and left comments ugh. It was all a matter of confidence. If I was confident in myself back then, I wouldn’t have bothered. Confidence is even more important for vloggers. You’re putting your face out there for the world really, because the Internet never forgets. Grow an extra thick skin and brace yourself for all the haters that will surely appear.

The name

Sometimes the hardest part of starting something is coming up with a name. Ask anyone who has tried to register a business in Nigeria, it will sometimes seem like all the good names are taken. Then even when they are not, we wouldn’t advice choosing a username like “hotnike1987”. It’s a great idea to just stick to your legal names, but you can also choose to walk the creative path. Whatever you do, come up with a name that is catchy and related to your online personality.

Creativity

This comes in handy for when you’re coming up with topics. It will also show in your filming style. There’s more going on in your video frame even though your face will be centred. Think about the background, is it dark and plain? Consider making makeshift backgrounds for each video yourself. Don’t have the time? Try moving to different locations in your house/room.

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