Are you a thrill-seeker? Do you love traveling and sharing travel stories with your loved ones and social media fam? If you can ace it, travel vlogging might be the best career ever!
As a travel vlogger, you’ll get to explore different destinations, witness unique cultures, and capture it all in your camera. The best part is it isn’t a traditional job where you’ll be tied to your desk from nine to five.
If you have been giving travel vlogging serious thought inspired by Drew Binsky or Nadine Sykora, here’s all the essentials you need to know. We’ll also touch upon post-production and the importance of compressing video size. Let’s go!
Gear up: Essential travel vlogging tools
The fun part of travel vlogging is you don’t need to start with fancy equipment. Just a few essentials, and you’re good to go.
Camera – It’s a no-brainer! A good camera is a must-have to create immersive content. It can be a mirrorless camera, a DSLR or even a smartphone boasting high-end lenses.
- Microphone – Clear audio is critical in creating captivating storytelling. An external microphone can make a huge difference.
- Tripod – A tripod is one of the most important vlogging equipment. Shaky footage is a viewer’s pet peeve. Plus, a trip frees your hands, allowing you to create more engaging content.
- Stabilizer or gimbal – As mentioned, smooth footage is key. Use a gimbal to counteract shaky hands.
- Remote shutters – A remote shutter is a nifty tool but often overlooked. Adding this to your gear means you can remotely start, pause, or stop recording your camera.
- Power bank – Essential to keep your devices charged on the fly
- SD cards – Carry extra SD cards so there are no interruptions during recording.
- External hard drive – Useful for backing up precious footage so you don’t lose your precious memories.
- Tablet or laptop – Useful for editing and uploading your vlogs.
And don’t forget to add a travel-friendly backpack to your vlogging arsenal so you can carry all your gear comfortably.
Laying the groundwork for your vlogging channel
Anybody can start vlogging, but to be successful, you must plan and prepare each vlog meticulously.
- Start by defining your niche and knowing your target audience. Decide whether you are a luxury traveler, a budget backpacker, or an adventure seeker.
- Instead of posting vlogs randomly, plan your content in advance. Create a content calendar.
- Build your brand by vlogging consistently, and don’t forget to include eye-catching thumbnails and a catchy name.
- Learn the basics of video editing to bring your vision to life.
- Before you start vlogging, research your destination. Understand the customs, cultures, and attractions so your content is authentic and appealing.
- Maximize efficiency by planning your shots.
Master storytelling
Good storytelling leads to more watch time for your vlogs on YouTube or a platform of your choice. Mastering storytelling means having a sense of direction when creating vlogs. Focus on taking your audience on an unforgettable journey. You can add voice-overs or on-screen text to explain to your audience what your video means. Give them context about your travel vlog to engage with them.
Promote vlogs and partner up
Becoming a professional vlogger means making sure your vlogs are easily discoverable to your target audience. One way to improve discoverability is SEO optimization. You can use relevant keywords in your vlog’s description to increase the searchability of your content.
Another option is to partner with other creators to expand your reach. The audience nowadays loves collaboration between travel vloggers, and it can be a lot of fun traveling with a fellow vlogger.
Post-production: The final touches
Once you have all your footage and you are ready with the story, it is time to turn your footage into a captivating vlog. This is where you will have to use your laptop or tablet. Most successful vloggers use MacBooks owing to its sleek design and video editing superiority.
You can edit your footage using software like Adobe Premiere Pro or iMovie. Carefully edit your footage and number them separately so you don’t waste time during assembly.
After you are satisfied with the edited footage, it is time to focus on other post-production antics. For example, you can add soothing background music to enhance the mood of your vlog. If not music, you can add voice-overs to tell your audience about your journey.
Then, create eye-catching thumbnails so your vlogs catch the attention of your audience.
Don’t forget about video compression!
YouTube is the most popular platform for vloggers, and this platform applies a level of compression to all uploaded videos. Hence, compressing the size of your video before uploading means you have control over the file size and quality of the video. Similarly, Instagram and TikTok also have certain file size limitations.
You can use tools like Handbrake to compress videos without compromising visual quality.
Conclusion
Now you know the essentials of being a travel vlogger. Remember, it takes dedication and time to become successful. Start today so you can slowly build your brand. Happy adventures!
The article The essentials for a beginner travel vlogger first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.