6 Vlogging Tips for Aspiring Travel Vloggers

Have you ever searched for travel vlogs (or video blogs) on YouTube to find real-life experiences, tips, reviews, and other essential information about a destination you’re going to visit? Travel vlogs have recently become more popular than other travel content formats on YouTube. Just look at the percentage of travel vlog subscribers below.

Travel vlogs are engaging, authentic, and inspiring—they allow people to experience a place secondhand. Thus, it isn’t surprising to know that vlogs get four times higher engagement on social media (i.e., likes, comments, shares, favorites, and subscriptions) than other travel content types on YouTube.

Want to share your travel experiences to a wider audience? Starting a travel blog or travel vlog is the way to go! Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Invest in the Right Equipment

Use video gear that’s most comfortable to you, whether it be a DSLR, a mirrorless camera, a point-and-shoot camera, a smartphone camera, or an action camera. Many vloggers use two cameras: a mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses for shooting the scenery and a portable camera for vlogging.

Using a smaller, more discreet camera is also great for vlogging in unsafe locations. It also serves as a great backup on your hiking adventures when you need to pack light. Always makes sure to have spare batteries with you, so you can easily power up your camera when your battery gets drained in the middle of a shoot.

Pay attention to your audio, too. You’ll be narrating as you go around, so you need to attach a separate mic to your camera for better sound quality.  You may also use a lapel, though it takes longer to set up.

Lastly, don’t forget to bring a tripod or a gorilla pod. You’ll never know when you’ll need to vlog hands-free, like when you’re eating in a restaurant or showing your viewers a new skill or activity (like tie-dying or cooking) that you’re learning while on tour.

For post-processing, you’ll need a laptop for editing your videos. Get one that is lightweight, has a decent graphics display, and has a fast processor so that editing and uploading high-quality videos will be a breeze.

2. Think About What Makes You and Your Experiences Unique…

…And let it shine through in your videos. Don’t be afraid to show a bit of personality in your videos. Don’t fall into the trap of copying the style of popular travel vloggers. It’s okay to get inspiration, but always try to make it your own. Who knows? Your own formula may eventually catapult you to YouTube stardom. Be original.

3. Find Your Niche

As a travel blogger, you’ve probably chosen a niche by now. If you haven’t yet, or you’d like to change your content’s focus, it’s never too late to do so. Would you like to be known as a solo traveler? A budget traveler? A mommy traveler? An entertaining traveler? Decide on what you want to focus on and produce content aligned with your niche.

4. Take the Shots You Need, and Do It Fast

“Because a lot of times, [there’s] only going to be one shot and one time that you’ll get to do this,” said Nadine Sykora of the YouTube Channel Hey Nadine, speaking from her experience as a travel vlogger for almost 10 years.

Develop the habit of visualizing your desired shots before you actually take them. Experiment with equipment setups and techniques for various situations. It’ll take time to learn, but it’ll save you from regretting about failing to shoot in front of a breathtaking mountain while it’s still in full view.

5. Keep Your Videos Short and Sweet…

… Or chop each long video into more digestible, smaller-chunked segments for your viewers to enjoy. Short videos with clear, specific titles appeal more to the average YouTube viewer with a short attention span.

Do your viewers a favor—don’t try to pack too much information in one dragging video. If you must, just keep it under 20 minutes. Anything longer than that will surely bore people to death.

6. Take It Seriously

Just like traditional blogging, vlogging has become more than just a creative outlet. It’s also a means to earn money. Many companies are now on the hunt for influencers to create video content for their products and services. So put your heart and mind in crafting those travel videos. Create your own brand that will resonate with your viewers and prospective sponsors or clients.

Taking videos of your adventures and sharing them can be both exciting and worthwhile. Inspire your fellow travel enthusiasts to explore the world through vlogging!