Today, we are going to learn the difference between a blog and a vlog. We present an analysis of the Blog vs Vlog debate. Starting a blog and a vlog are very helpful marketing strategies. They are both different but helpful ways to promote your business.
To know why it is beneficial to start a blog first we must understand different they are. What individual benefits does it provide? In what ways it will help boost your business? We take a look.
What is a Blog?
Let us first understand what a blog is. A blog is more like a journal where a writer expresses their views, and ideas or shares information. The information can be relevant for a certain group of readers. They can follow the blog to get the latest updates. A blog can be a great platform for expressing personal views and thoughts as well.
With respect to business blogs, the group of readers are your potential customers. Business blogging is targeted towards your leads and customers. Your customers can know more about your product or service through your blog.
A blog in the simplest terms is like an online log. A place where the author can share information and give advice. Publishing blogs has become a norm for business owners, corporates, and professionals. They provide a great platform for engaging with potential consumers.
A business blog is a blog with information for the customer and leads of the business. It is written and managed to educate the customer. More people reading the business blog leads to more educated sales.
Benefits of Blogging
Blogs are easy to set up, and there is no specific technical knowledge required. Blogging does not need a vast array of equipment. The only things you might need are a laptop or a desktop and a working Internet connection. If you can write well and convey your thoughts then blogging can benefit you.
If you are an individual then you can make a living by writing blogs. You can use affiliate marketing or sponsorships to make money. You can also optimize your blogs using SEO.
If you are a business owner, then a blog can drive sales. Blogs are a resource point for potential customers to know more about your products. We have written a detailed post on how blogs help businesses, which you can read.
Drawbacks of Blogging
If you own a blog and are looking to gain a loyal readership, it is vital to have good knowledge of SEO. Learning about keywords, meta-tagging and on-page SEO is important. It helps your blog show up higher in search results on search engines.
Along with good SEO, you will have to update your blog on a regular basis. Once your readers start to enjoy reading your blog, they will want to come back for well-written posts. Yet, if you post on an irregular basis, readers may start to lose interest.
Being a blog owner also means that you would have to be able to write in a captivating manner. The topics you write need to be appealing for them to get the reader’s attention.
What is a vlog?
A vlog is a blog in video format. A Vlog can be of short duration or it can be a long video depending on topics and coverage. To start a vlog you need an explanatory video covering a certain topic in a video format.
For Vlogging you need equipment like a camera and a microphone. You need knowledge of video editing and also someone for recording the video. Though you can make videos using your smartphone.
The whole process of producing a small video can take up to 4 hours! So you have to invest a good amount of time and money in updating a vlog. Since vlogs have become popular, many bloggers have started making vlogs. It is a step to reach out to a larger audience and provide rich content.
Benefits of Vlogging
Vlogging involves the same process as a blog but in a video format as opposed to a written one. Setting up a good vlog is not very difficult if you have the right kind of equipment. Many vloggers record, edit and publish videos online through their YouTube accounts.
The vlogger need not have professional writing skills. Vlogging is more inclined towards giving the audience a more conversational experience. Vloggers can become successful if the topic discussed is interesting and engaging.
The Downside of Vlogging
People who are thinking to start a vlog should know that vlogging needs a lot of equipment. Producing a high-quality vlog requires an advanced video camera and professional editing software. The equipment required for vlogging costs money, which might be a concern if you are not a pro vlogger yet.
Another disadvantage of a vlog is that it does not provide a chance to edit it after publishing it online. Unlike blogs, which are editable after posting, vlogs are not. They have to be either taken down or re-made to correct the error.
Vlogs are also quite time-consuming to make. It can take anywhere from two to four hours to record, edit and publish a vlog.
Why are Blogs popular?
According to the SEM Rush statistics, there are over 70 million new posts each month. There isn’t a doubt that blogging is mainstream. It’s an ideal outlet for everyone to have their voice heard. Blogging has become a supporting activity for both online and offline businesses.
Creating a blog is now much simpler and cheaper than it used to be. It’s also a chance to expand networking opportunities. Companies benefit from blogging. They generate leads, have increased traffic, and also boost sales. We covered the topic of starting a blog in our previous post.
Furthermore, you can advertise your services through a blog. You can even open up your online shop. There are plenty of opportunities for blog monetization.
With blogging, you can create new content that search engines love and provide to their users. This increases the reach of your blog and expands the influence of your brand on the internet. Besides, Google confirms that 15% of search queries have never been searched before. It means that new content updates are always welcome.
Why are Vlogs popular?
People love watching videos. The video format is easy to digest and understand. It is easy to view on the go, and it can attract more attention than written content. Users watch Over 70,000 videos on YouTube in one second.
A huge benefit of live vlogs is the ability to broadcast events in real time. Live streaming also gives a chance for the community to interact through live chat. But, live streaming can also be a drawback since there isn’t room for mistakes. Streamers can’t edit their video, and it can cause different problems for them. These problems may be hateful messages, not having privacy or harassment.
Which is better - blogging or youtube?
When it comes to choosing between the two the choice depends upon you. Both modes of communication have their own pros and cons. Remember it also depends on your speciality, you should select what you are good at.
If you are good are expressing yourself through words then blogs should be your forte. But if you are also a good orator then vlogs should be an option for you.
An entrepreneur must take various factors into consideration when selecting a communication platform.
There are various challenges you can face as an entrepreneur if you decide to vlog for your business.
- Vlogging requires lots of investment. If you run a business and decide to invest in vlogging there will always be an opportunity cost. An opportunity cost that could have benefited you more.
- If you aren’t skilled enough and do not know editing you might need professional help. You would have to hire people to edit or shoot your videos. This again is a cost for the business.
- Creating content that will keep your viewers hooked as a business can be quite difficult. To have quality content that will interest most people is also a difficult task. It is easier to create content and manage a blog.
- Business blogs attract more traffic than vlogs and lead to more revenue. They need less investment as compared to vlogging. You can always reach out to niche Vloggers and YouTubers to promote your product or service.
Conclusion
Blogging for business is a great way to attract leads and sales. By blogging, you can share information with your potential clients. As a result, you can drive your leads and convert them into customers.
A key factor in “blog or vlog” is that blogging promotes your merchandise effectively. Google loves content and it helps your e-commerce too. You can publish your work online with minimal effort and knowledge. You can guest blog on other websites and blogs too. It can give you more exposure.
Ask yourself: in the “blog or vlog”, which of the two will make your business more popular? Define your strengths and weaknesses. Know what you expect from it - blog and vlog and how you see achieving your expectation. You should be able to figure it out.
In case you need more help on this topic please connect with us. We help businesses set up their blogs and drive traffic. You can connect with us by sharing this post on your favourite social media platform. You can also send us an email.
