Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
Over the past several years, many “experts” try to push the idea that blogging is dead. It’s not, but you do need to change tactics a bit for the foreseeable future. And today, I’m going to explain why you need to create video content to help you succeed.
Well, it’s not a requirement. But it will vastly improve your brand and engage a larger audience.
And yes, every blogger has a “brand” of what they’re building. For many, it’s simply their name and who they are. Or, it’s the domain name of the blog.
For example, WriterSanctuary.com is one of my brands.
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Benefits When You Create Video Content
A lot of people love blogging. It’s a great way to be creative and attract like-minded people to read your stuff. And creating YouTube videos can easily add to that experience.
In fact, perhaps one of the best things I’ve done for this blog is adding the YouTube channel. And I wasn’t really looking to attract subscribers or make tons of money. I just wanted to give people a way to watch or read the content on blog posts.
Engaging a Wider Audience
Let’s start by looking at the audience. Sure, you can dump a lot of time and effort into SEO and writing stellar content. And that will serve you exceptionally well in search engines.
However, what about the people who don’t often read content and would rather watch? Many of these viewers are interested in your content but would rather view a video than read a blog post.
This is exceptionally true when you consider that more than 53% of people online use mobile devices.
And then add the fact that 70% of viewership for YouTube comes from those mobile devices.
This means you could reach a huge audience when you create video content to accentuate the blog.
Think of adding video as an interactive way to promote your website. In many cases, it works even better than paid advertising. Especially if you connect with your viewing audience, reply to comments and make them part of the experience.
Cross-Link Promotion Drives Traffic
Out of all the social media I use to promote this blog, just under 56% of the traffic came from YouTube in 2019. It worked better than Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn combined.
Of course, it also took a lot more work than those other social media platforms.
When you create a YouTube video, simply add a link to your site in the description and show the URL somewhere in the video. That’s all I do, and it’s brought hundreds of people to the site.
This is just one way to promote your blog, though. In some videos, I told viewers how they could find more information about a particular topic and put the direct link to the blog post in the video description.
Then, add links to your YouTube channel on the blog itself. This helps you create a web of marketing that gets some people going back and forth. Now, you’re creating content for your audience’s preferred method.
Improving On-Page Time of the Blog
The blog posts I embed videos on usually have the highest on-page time in Google Analytics. This is because some of those blog visitors will watch the video alternative and then scroll through the rest of the content.
And the more time visitors spend consuming your material, the happier Google and YouTube become. It then translates into better positioning in search results for both platforms.
Now, you’re killing two birds with one stone. When you create video content and add it to a blog post, you give viewers more than one way to get the same information.
Something else to consider is the more time a person spends reading or watching your content is less he or she consumes material from competing websites. You start to come off as an expert in your niche and people begin to trust you.
That is as long as you keep offering quality and informative content.
Another Avenue for Income
One of the biggest reasons why people create blogs is to generate income. And although you need to have 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time every 12 months to monetize your YouTube channel with Adsense, you can use other methods to bring in money.
For instance, there’s nothing wrong with:
- Adding donation links from platforms like Buy Me a Coffee to your YouTube videos.
- Using affiliate links if you’re reviewing a product or service.
- Setting up a print-on-demand service for shirts and coffee mugs while promoting it in your videos.
Before YouTube even considers monetizing your channel, you have multiple methods for bringing in money. And all of this is aside from what your blog can generate on its own.
How to Get Started Creating Video Content as a Blogger
A question I see a lot, and one I’ve been asked a few times by my children and my network of professionals, is where to start with videos. And to be honest, I really don’t think of myself as an expert.
At the time of writing this post, I have 564 subscribers. Then again, I really haven’t put the pedal down on creating video content (which is something I plan on improving this month).
The best part is that making videos isn’t much different than blogging. You still need a catchy intro, solid content, a good conclusion, an attractive thumbnail and a strong video description.
All of these are similar elements to an awesome blog post.
So, where does one start when creating video content to boost the blog?
Start with the Basics of Your Niche
Begin with creating the very basics of who you are or what your blog is about. All good stories have a beginning; what is yours?
For example, my first video was “10 Tips for New Freelance Writers from Home.” It was a break down of things I’ve learned since 2012 about being an online writer. And although it didn’t do very well, it was a beginning and helped the ball start rolling.
Turn a Blog Post into a Video
Your blog is a great source of video content. Start with your most popular searched or visited post and make its video counterpart.
The first several videos I created were all directly from WriterSanctuary.com. I didn’t use the post as a script, per se. But I do use headers as a guide when I create video content.
This gives the video its own content while being true to the topic.
Embed Your Videos into the Blog
Sites like YouTube make it extremely easy to add videos to the blog. Simply copy and paste the embed code and you’re good to go. And if you use WordPress, you have access to a variety of ways to share video content on the site.
As WordPress is very YouTube friendly, you don’t necessarily need to install additional plugins. However, I use one on some pages of the blog as it gives me control of what playlist I want to show.
No Camera? No Problem!
You don’t need to start with any fancy video producing equipment. In fact, one of my favorite YouTubers started with a cheap webcam in his dad’s basement.
You can use free software such as OBS to record video and add pictures quite easily. As long as viewers can hear you clearly, you can have all kinds of fun with video without an expensive camera.
Never Give Up, Never Surrender!
The most important aspect when you create video content for the blog is to never give up. It’s extremely rare for someone to come out of the gate making viral video content. You have to practice patience.
I’ve seen video creators who will go more than a year before they gain traction on YouTube. Just focus on making good content for both the blog and your channel.
Don’t get too wrapped up in the numbers. Remember, you’re using video content to accentuate the blog. The rest will eventually fall into place.
Things to Keep in Mind When You Create Video Content
OK, some of these are based on personal experience. But after doing a bit of research, it seems I am in agreement with many video experts.
When creating videos, remember:
- It’s Not Instant Success
Don’t start a YouTube or Vimeo account with the idea that you’ll instantly attract readers to your blog. It’ll take time and a good library of amazing content. - Consistency is Key
The more video and blog content you create, the more of an audience you’ll attract. Be consistent when making your materials on any platform. - Robotic Voices are Horrible
I would rather listen to someone who spoke broken English than a robotic voice. And I’m not the only one. Be yourself and let the world know who you are. - Don’t Buy Views or Subs
If you’re considering buying subs and views, don’t. You won’t engage your target audience and those fake numbers won’t help you in the long run.
In reality, the biggest difference between blogging and vlogging is the way you make the content: one is written and the other is filmed. But both will need virtually the same attention to detail to be successful.
Create Video Content and Reach Your Audience
When I started the WriterSanctuary channel on YouTube, I was using it to boost blog posts. Today, the channel seems to have its own flow. However, both provide nearly the same numbers in terms of traffic.
In the end, it all comes down to what you provide and who you want to engage. And when you create video content to accompany the blog, you can easily increase that number of people.
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