by By Jamie Dunn
In recent years, vlogging has become one of the most popular ways to stay connected and up-to-date with the lives of celebrities, influencers, and famous YouTubers. Back in 2005, when YouTube was created, thus began the world of vlogging. YouTube made vlogs easily accessible and viewers were intrigued with the content the vloggers would post. When vlogs first started, the vlogger would set up the camera on a tripod and lean in as if they were speaking close to a friend. Vlogs became extremely popular because it was a place viewers could channel their identity, passions, and hobbies.
The vlogging game was forever changed following the invention of smartphones. With a smartphone, vloggers could hold their camera at arm’s length and record their everyday activities and narrate their each and every move. Smartphones made it possible for vloggers to create content without the hassle of setting up a tripod, microphone, and getting the perfect lighting for the video.
According to a Media Kix article, in 2019, the number of digital viewers rose to 2.6 billion and it is predicted that in 2022 the United States alone will have 248 million digital video viewers. 44% of all people on the internet watch vlogs and because of the popularity of vlogs it has become the new platform for advertising. The brands can connect with consumers at a faster rate and it is more cost-efficient if brands use vloggers as opposed to a commercial on television. Vloggers have a loyal fanbase and companies know specific vloggers have a target audience and therefore specifically choose which vlogger to promote their product.
YouTube encountered competition when numerous social media platforms created ways for videos to be featured and shared with followers, for example, Facebook Video and Live, Instagram stories, and Snapchat. Social media almost became exclusively used for vlogging, “creating content,” and selling products through influencers.
Vlogging has become an escape from reality. People enjoy watching vlogs because it distracts them from their own lives full of stress and difficulties. Vlogging gives viewers an exclusive look inside someone else’s life and it feels personable for the viewer. It also shows the viewer that their life is relatable to the vlogger based on the content they post.
Vlogging slowly transitioned to the norm for teenagers, pre-teens, and even college students. I can’t even count the amount of times my friends and I have whipped out our phones to vlog an event. We think it’s cool and funny but just because we think it’s cool, funny, and interesting doesn’t mean other people will be as amused as us. Everyone believes they have the ability to be a vlogger and many people, as a joke, make their own vlogs and post them to YouTube in hopes of the slight chance of fame and fortune.
Vlogging will continue to grow in popularity over the course of the years and I am eager to watch the vlogging industry progress in the future.
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I’m curious as to if vlogging will ever cost the viewers money.Advertising mid-video is an efficient way for creators to pull in money. However, the viewership and even dependency some people have on keeping up with their favorite vloggers is only increasing. I wonder if the structure will ever emulate that of movies and TV shows, where tickets/subscriptions are necessary for viewers to participate. Yes, I know Youtube has Youtube Premium. It just boggles my mind that YouTube is still free to the average internet-goer.
I agree that vlogging has evolved greatly over the past several years and that it has been made extremely easy by smartphones. Vloggers have benefited in several ways (fame, financial growth, etc.) from sharing and developing their content through various social media platforms like Youtube, Tiktok, Instagram etc. With the rapid growth in technology, it will be interesting to see what more vlogging can provide and other ways it could grow.
Given the magnitude of vlogging, I think this was an especially relevant topic to post about on a social media themed website. YouTube announced that 8 year old Ryan Kaji, creator of Ryan’s World, was YouTube’s highest earner in 2019 earning 26 million dollars. Vlogging is unique because, as Ryan has shown us, you don’t have to be a certain age or skill level to contribute. The vlogging world has so many different types of people and lifestyles which keeps it entertaining.
Vlogging is an odd concept. That being said though, all of my favorite Youtubers create vlog-style content. You could also argue that we all participate in “vlogging” when we take photos and videos at, say, a concert or other event. I am from Los Angeles, and I must say that it is always strange to see someone vlogging in public. The amount of people who vlog in public has increased immensely over the years, and has shaped the way people view Los Angeles. It will be interesting to see how vlogging changes with trends and technology, and how these changes will influence the way people consume media and even how they see their own lives. Will people begin living for the vlog, if they have not already?
As far as I am concerned, vlog has its advantages, but also has its drawbacks. Specifically speaking, vlog is filled with funny content, which is easily to distract students’ attention. If students indulge in surfing the information on Vlog, their study efficiency would be affected negatively. For teenagers, my suggestion is to keep the balance between study and vlog.
I find vlogging very interesting. It is an insight into someone’s personal daily life, yet can quickly come off as disingenuous especially when you factor in brands and partnerships. I have enjoyed watching vlogs for a while (I could go on about travel vlogs) but often times I notice there is a harsh break in the content to hear a “special deal” from the sponsor of the day. While it’s completely reasonable that utilizing vloggers to connect with a wider variety of people works, I wonder how effective it is when the brand deal or sponsorship is not closely related to the content and if brands are listening to what viewers are interested in or if they are just pushing content.
I think vlogging has changed the content of YouTube and other social media platforms. Since vlogging has allowed viewers to gain a closer insight into the lives of the influencers and celebrities that they follow, I think it has also allowed people to be more open and genuine about their lives. I am interested to see how vlogging will change over the upcoming years, and if it the content will stay the same of begin to change.
It seems that vlogging has become more apparent and popular over the past few years. With influencers like David Dobrik and how he continuously posts vlogs portraying his crazy life keeps consumers interested. Each person who’s occupation is “vlogger” uses their influence to promote certain brands, promote their own merchandise and portray their lives as crazy as possible. Following a certain “vlogger” can cause someone to wish they lived a certain way, the way the vlogger lives, and disengage with their own life with hopes of having a life amazing enough to vlog.
I think vlogging will continue to grow considering there are so many people doing so many different things through their vlogs. There is a vlog channel to appease every persons interests whether it’s makeup, travel, shopping hauls or simply people just talking about their lives. It surprises me that so many people have found a ton of success through vlogging, since there are so many creators who do similar concepts. It goes to show that every experience is different, and it doesn’t matter if the viewer watches 5 of the same kinds of vlogs, the characteristics of the vloggers are all different which makes it easier to build a big following.
Vlogging will always be something seen as entertaining. I personally follow a lot of vloggers on Youtube and on Instagram. I truly find it interesting to see how they live their life, and what they do on the daily basis. I also think it is cool that there are so many different types of vlogs. Theres family and lifestyle, fashion, makeup, interior design, travel and so many more. With so many options, I truly think there is a vlog for everyone. Someone could find something that they find interesting! The inspiration that vloggers have on individuals is also powerful. I feel that the ideas can bounce around and people can be inspired to start something new, or incorporate other ideas into their own vlogs!
Vlogging has definitley grown over the past years and will continue to evolve with our society. It is a form of entertainment while also being able market and advertise things too. Vloggers are a form of influencers I would say and therefore they are given a lot of power over our opinions and products. I don’t believe vlogs are going to be going anywhere anytime soon, since there are vlogs for every interest and niche.
I completely agree that vlogging has changed content on YouTube, and has evolved over the past few years. Vloggers share content on multiple social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Many Vloggers can also be considered influencers. They are sharing their daily lifestyles through their content and receive fame, sponsorships, and trust from their viewers. With social media constantly growing, it will be interesting to see how vlogging will evolve.