Hello again! Today I am going to give some useful tips for anyone that is thinking of starting a cooking vlog.

According to Oxford Dictionaries (2012) the term ‘vlog’ is a new branch of bloging in which the postings are primarily in video form. Vloggin acts as a great way to express creativity, get to know people who have similar interests, and it can be a great strategy to add value to your business.

According to Forbes (2016) millennials are highly visual, and showing how to use their favorite stuff in a video is a fun way to see a product in action. Food vlogging on YouTube has taken over cookbooks or cooking shows, this is the new way of learning how to cook and searching exactly what you want.

If you are thinking on starting a cooking Youtube Vlog, there are some key important factors you need to consider, in order to build an audience of engaged viewers.

First of all, a few key questions need to be answered, that will then help you to do some planning and  brainstorming.

• Why Are You Vlogging?

Your reason for vlogging is going to have a huge impact on how you continue.

Are you vlogging as a way to add value to your existing brand? Are you vlogging because you have some extra time on your hands, and you’d like to try a new hobby?

Do you want to become a professional blogger on a topic which you know a lot about?

• What Is Your Industry?

Identifying your industry or niche now and choosing one that you care a great deal about is the first step to creating a successful and sustainable YouTube channel.

Your passion will drive you to continue vlogging, even when you’re low on ideas! Cook recipes which you really enjoy eating, use your favorite ingredients and make sure you place yourself in a particular kind of cuisine. For example: fast prep recipes, vegetarian food, indian cuisine, healthy recepie etc.

• Who is your audience ?

Describe your ideal viewer, and you’ll have a good idea of your audience for your YouTube channel.

Once this questions are clear and detailed, the fun starts!

• Choose a Good YouTube Name

Choose a unique name for your YouTube channel that stands out and incorporates something about your industry at the same time. For example, if you are doing it as an aside digital strategy for your existing business you can call it “[Business Name]’s cooking time”

Brainstorm the topics you’re most passionate about, the catchphrases you use the most, and your brands personality.

• Practice How To Vlog

Before you actually film yourself and upload it on YouTube, try these techniques to improve your skills.

– Practice in front of a mirror – your tone of voice, script, any jokes or awkward sentences.

– Film “Test” – film yourself as many times as you need! Make sure you’ve got the right angles, whether you need any improvements with the sound, and if you need to speak more clearly. Make sure all of the ingredients you will be using are handy, everything you’ll need is prepared, the kitchen is clean and with the right lighting.

 

– Then practice speaking into the lens – This will help you get more comfortable with choosing the right angles and movement as you vlog. This is a great way to work on those vlogging fundamentals.

Practice a lot to make sure that each and every video on your YouTube channel is presentable, watchable, fun, and informative, from the very beginning. Here are some extra tips on how to get comfortable with blogging on YouTube.

• Filming Vlogs for Your YouTube Channel

Once you are comfortable with the practicing, you are now ready to start cooking and creating your Vlogs!

• Editing Your YouTube Videos

Most vlogs on YouTube need editing. If you’re giving a tutorial on doing a jacket potato, you won’t film the entire oven process, you would cut down the oven process and specify how long is it will take with some cool visuals.

“Time lapse” is a great technique that works very well with cooking vlogs, as it shows a which shows a long process in a couple of seconds. Good music, some graphics and tips will make your vlog look more professional and appealing!

Here is a full list of the Top 10 free video editing softwares!

“Divas can Cook” is a new and very powerful cooking  YoTube vlog which shares innovative recipes in less than 2 minutes!  They already have 450,500 followers on YouTube!!!

This is one of my favorites!

• Branding Your YouTube Channel 

Creating quality is as important as compelling content, it won’t matter how impressive your vlogs are if no one ever sees them. With a little bit of work on branding and online marketing, you can start spreading word about your vlogging channel.

Link your Youtube Channel to you Social Media Pages 

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google+ are your best friends when it comes to advertising and marketing your YouTube videos and your channel. Create a profile for your vlogs on each of these platforms, and start posting.

Here are some details tips on how to promote your YouTube Channel on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Take the time to understand the best practices for each social network.

“Tasty”  is another Youtube cooking Channel, which uploads the full recipe videos on YouTube, and links the short “time lapse” version on Facebook. Impressively, Tasty has 50 million followers of Facebook, and 50,000 followers on Youtube!

This is definetly one of my favorite recepies from their channel!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYxVS4hS7Ro

• Branding Your YouTube Videos

Adding links to your social media pages to the video in the first few lines of your video descriptions will help your new viewers see where they can get regular updates.

You can also include branding in your YouTube videos with for example for example, you could have your own branded t-shirt on with the name of your existing business, or a mug of coffee on the table next to you as you talk about the latest foodie trends.

As your YouTube channel takes off, you could even sell some of the branded items you feature in your videos. According to Forbes (2016) Vlogging as a form of content, is so popular, that YouTube is pushing to make it easier for viewers of its product review videos to buy directly from the video itself.

• Building a community for your Vlogs 

If you show your audience that you care about what they have to say and build a community around your Vlogs, you will see a difference of engangement rather than just having subscribers.

• Answer your vlog comments. Give your subscribers attention and take time to solve their doubts, that will help you bild a relationship with the community.
• Use Social Media Effectively. Instagram is a great platform to use for any behind the scene pictures or short videos. Facebook is a great channel to create space for discussion and interaction focused on common interests. Twitter can bre great to create a schedule of your next videos and activity, and to keep your followers in the loop.

Hopefully this ideas have given you enough insight to start vlogging on YouTube! If you keep these in mind you’ll be ahead of the game.

Here is a list of the Top 10 cooking Vlogs, so you can get some inspiration with what they do!

Good luck with your Vlogging!

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Forbes . (2016). 5 Ways Millennials Show Love On The Internet And Why Your Brand Should Care. Available: http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurenfriedman/2016/02/25/5-ways-millennials-show-love-on-the-internet-and-why-your-brand-should-care/#8f0c3ff282f7. Last accessed 17th April 2016.

Forbes . (2015). The World’s Most Successful Vloggers, The Fees They Command And Why They Are Marketers’ Best Friends. Available: http://www.forbes.com/sites/edmundingham/2015/09/25/the-worlds-most-successful-vloggers-the-fees-they-command-and-why-they-are-marketers-best-friends/#24f020a12575. Last accessed 17th April 2016.

Vlog Nation. (2014). How to Start Vlogging on YouTube. Available: http://www.vlognation.com/how-to-start-vlogging-youtube/. Last accessed 17th April 2016.

Oxford Dictionary . (2013). Vlog. Available: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/vlog. Last accessed 17th April 2016