Blog vs Vlog: the Differences and What’s Right for You
So you’ve got thoughts, observations, or other ideas rolling around in your head and you’ve decided you want to share them. You’ve heard of people starting a blog or a vlog. Would one of those work for you? And if so which one: blog vs vlog? Let’s investigate!
What’s the Main Difference?
What’s the difference between a blog and a vlog? The simplest answer is that a blog is words, and a vlog is a video. But beyond that, there are other differences, and those differences should help you decide which would be best for you.
The word blog is short for “weblog.” Typically, a blog is a website, or a feature within a website, where the author shares information on a particular subject. Blogs can feature images, videos, and other content, but it’s generally accepted that a blog is written content.
A blogger generally has an area of expertise and uses a blog to share that information. It could be “how-to” information or just the author’s opinion on a particular subject.
A vlog, short for “video blog”, is basically the same thing, just with video instead of the written word. It can be something as simple as the author looking into the camera and saying the same thing you would write for a blog. Or as we’ll talk about, it can be much more involved with graphics, editing, etc.
Which is Right for You?
We hate answering a question with another question, but which one fits your personality best? If you are an outgoing person who enjoys talking to others and likes expressing yourself verbally, then a vlog would work best.
If you are an introvert that doesn’t care much for conversation but enjoys writing your thoughts down and sharing them, then a blog would probably be the way to go.
But let’s get a little more specific and talk about the good and bad of each.
Blog Pros
You control your content. If you’re on a self-hosted platform like WordPress, you have 100% control over your blog. You can come up with an appropriate domain name for your blog, which helps brand you and your content. And since it’s your site, you can control how it is presented.
It looks professional. Having your own blog with a custom domain name adds credibility to you and your brand. You can then in turn use the site name on business cards, emails, advertising, etc.
You can create a blog for any subject. It doesn’t matter how niche your passion is, a quick Google search will show you that there are lots of other people on the internet interested in the same thing. No matter how broad, or how narrow the topic, start a blog and you’ll soon see there are others with the same interest.
There are several ways to make money from blogging. The more consistent you are and the more traffic you build, the more money-making opportunities there are.
Blog Cons
Building traffic takes time. It can happen but it won’t happen overnight. You will need to invest at least time, and maybe some money, into things like content, hosting, SEO, etc. to make your blog a money maker if that’s what you’re after.
People tend to “skim” blogs. It’s a video world, and the moving pictures tend to not only attract more people but keep them engaged longer.
Vlog Pros
Using a platform like YouTube is free. All you need is a Gmail account, and you can start your own YouTube channel.
People spend more time watching videos, so consider this when between a blog vs vlog. As previously mentioned, while people tend to just skim over the written word, they are more likely to give more attention to a video. They are also more likely to spend additional time with a video, and more likely to share it as well.
You can start getting views on your YouTube videos immediately. There are several factors that ensure and enhance this. Just like any content, coming up with a good title or headline is important. Learning to come up with good thumbnails and descriptions is also important.
Vlogging can be fun. For many people, sitting down to write something is considered a grind, but there’s something exciting about shooting your own video content.
Vlogs allow you to look your viewer in the eye. One-on-one communication is the most effective, and even a good blog is written to that “one reader.” But nothing is as powerful as being able to look directly into the camera to make a connection with your viewer.
Vlog Cons
Vlogging can be expensive. While you can shoot a video using only your smartphone, to get noticed you may need to invest in some proper equipment. Cameras, lights, editing software, etc. can run up the price of doing business quickly.
Vlogging can be time-consuming. If your content is simply looking into the camera and talking to your viewer fine. But your videos will be judged alongside the other videos that are done by professional video editors. Even basic cutting and pasting video is going to take some time, especially if you are just learning how.
Final Thoughts
No matter what you are trying to accomplish, blogs and vlogs are both effective in helping you build your brand and reach those goals. If you’re going between a blog vs vlog, a little research will help you figure out which one will work best for you. You might even figure out that doing both are beneficial!