Every single day, lots of bloggers as well as vloggers are commencing their new YouTube channel or blog with the intention of generating more revenues and establishing their company as a reputed brand. In this article, we are going to take a look at the main differences between vlogging and blogging and also which one will be a better option for you.
Vlog along with blog has turned out to be an effective marketing tool for brands, companies, corporates, as well as individuals. A blog can be created using platforms such as WordPress, Tumblr, Wix, and Blogger, while platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and Dailymotion can be utilized for vlogging.
The web is full of success stories of lots of famous vloggers and bloggers. In case you would like to comprehend the revenue-generating potential of the web by means of blogging and vlogging, then it will be a good idea to know what these actually are. Even though both blog and vlog are centered on content, the topic is discussed by means of written content in a blog whereas it is discussed by means of the video in a vlog.
What Is Blogging?
Blogging is amongst the most well-known ways of connecting with online users. The definition of a blog will be similar to an online log of topics that have been written by the blogger.
It is not difficult to start a blog and you need not shell out any money for doing that. In fact, you will come across lots of platforms (including social networks ) that enable you to commence blogs for free. You ought to have proper writing skills for starting a blog. Blogging will be useful in case you plan to start the blog on a topic which will be best explained by means of content by splitting up into paragraphs and bullet points.
The blog is similar to a journal where the writer will be expressing his ideas and views or sharing information that might be found to be relevant by some readers and they might be following the blog for getting the most recent updates.
A blog can also be a platform for expressing one’s personal thoughts and views.
What is Vlogging?
The definition of a vlog implies “explaining the video content”. It might be short in duration or it might also be quite long depending on coverage and topics.
For commencing a vlog, an explanatory video will be required by you where you will be discussing a particular topic in video format. You will need vlogging kit such as a top-quality camera, video editing software, a microphone, and so forth. A video can also be made by taking the help of your smartphone.
It might take even 4 hours to shoot a small video! Therefore, it is essential to invest lots of time as well as money for updating a vlog. Due to the high popularity of vlogs, many bloggers include vlogs in their blogs for making the platform more content-rich and relevant.
While some individuals find it easy to express their thoughts and ideas by means of words, others do that by taking the help of videos. It does not matter which option you go for, you ought to be aware of the benefits and downsides of both platforms. However, it will be imperative to focus on the quality of the blog or vlog for making it successful.
Blogging VS vlogging: The Differences
It might appear to you initially that not much difference exists between blogging and vlogging. Nevertheless, there are some notable differences between the 2 which we have explained below. It is essential to be aware of the differences since it will help you in figuring out which will be better for your needs and goals in the long run. You might find vlogging to be better for you depending on your expertise or niche. So, here are the main differences between blogging and vlogging.
1. Content Creation
This is one significant difference between blogging and vlogging. For blogs, it is essential to make the necessary research and then pen down the text. Although you might like to include videos or images for enhancing the content, writing will be the major portion of the work.
Despite the fact that writing comes with some challenges, it is much more laborious when it comes to making a video. You might require shooting original video clips which will be depending on the content of the video. Even though you might be making infographic videos, you need to obtain copyright-free images and audio which can prove to be quite troublesome.
2. Editing
The process of editing a blog and a vlog is quite different. While some sort of editing and proofreading will be required for blogs, editing videos can be quite challenging. You might be needed to invest plenty of time in editing a video which will, of course, depend on the content of the video and your editing expertise level.
You might be required to spend an entire day editing the video in case you are a newbie. On the other hand, it might be feasible to publish a blog post within 1 hour following editing plus proofreading.
It is essential to take into account the editing factor prior to opting for either blogging or vlogging.
3. Equipment
Even though it will be more expensive to host blogs as compared to vlogs, vlogs can prove to be pricier in terms of equipment. You simply need an Internet connection and a computer for blogging. Nevertheless, you will also need a microphone, a camera, lighting, as well as software for video editing while vlogging.
Although the budget for shooting a video will differ according to the video content, the cost of the equipment will be much more than what will be needed for blogging. Some vloggers are known to spend a considerable amount of money on props for videos as well.
Apart from equipment, you likewise need to consider the people who are working on the vlog. It is possible for just one person to write, edit, and post the blog. On the contrary, a vlog will require a number of individuals for producing, shooting, and editing video clips.
In case you are planning to create top-notch videos for Vimeo or YouTube, get ready to spend a lot of cash on the equipment as well as personnel required for shooting the videos.
4. Audience
The audience for vlogs as well as blogs will depend on the niche pursued by you. While some people might be inclined toward reading, others might respond more to visual data. For example, vlogging will be a better option as compared to blogging in case most of your audience is individuals below 20 years of age. Younger people like to watch videos rather than going through articles.
5. SEO
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) will be simpler for blogs as compared to vlogs. Lots of SEO techniques can be employed for blogs which will aid in optimizing your content and providing your articles with top ranking in the search engine results. This will be quite difficult to accomplish with a video since there is not a great deal of text.
When it comes to businesses, a blog can be more effective in driving traffic to your site as compared to a blog. While it is possible to insert links in videos by means of cards, these are usually not clicked by the viewers, particularly if they are diverted to another site from the platform.
On the contrary, blogs are much more effective, and users can easily click on links for going to your website. Vlogs can be optimized using the identical techniques as that of a blog. However, you need to write a summary of the video for doing that.
6. Monetization
Even though monetization is not that different for a vlog and a blog, the level of monetization might vary. The majority of vlogs and blogs make money via advertisements. Although blogging makes money, vlogs depend more on ads as compared to blogs and probably make good money from it.
It is likewise possible for making money blogging by making use of affiliate links. In case you are working with Amazon Associates Program or any other affiliate marketing program, you will be able to earn a commission each time any product is purchased by somebody using your affiliate link. Even though vlogs might also use affiliate links, it remains more prevalent for blogs.
Sponsorship is another process of monetization and it is more frequent for blogs. You will be getting a sponsor who pays you for mentioning their product or brand in the video for promoting it. Although this method is used by lots of vloggers at present, it will not deliver the goods unless you have got lots of followers.
Which is Better Blogging or Vlogging?
This is going to depend on you as well as your business model. In case you are a business creating a blog will be more sensible for driving more traffic or increasing engagement. However, both options will be viable when it comes to individuals.
If you feel that writing is your forte, then it will be prudent to opt for blogging. Similarly, in case you think that you have all the necessary skills and equipment for making video content and you won’t be nervous in front of the camera, then go for vlogging. You will come across many famous YouTube channels these days which have evolved because of vlogging. As a matter of fact, in case you have proper blogging as well as vlogging ideas at your disposal, you can even create a hybrid of the 2, although the process can be quite arduous.
