New to Vlogmas? Here are some top tips to get you started this Christmas
It’s the most wonderful time of year, and for many content creators, that’s Vlogmas!
If you haven’t already thought about doing Vlogmas this year, it’s not too late to start. Vlogmas is the online YouTube sensation in which creators make daily vlogs over the festive period – from the beginning of December to the final video on the 24th of December.
The best tip for those doing Vlogmas, whether you’re just starting out or have done it previously, is to be consistent. Uploading a video every single day, especially at the same time, is a fantastic and organic opportunity to add growth and subscribers to your channel. While this is a challenge in itself over the festive period, this type of consistency will allow viewers to know when to tune in to your channel. The best way to keep consistent is to plan ahead by building yourself a routine and schedule. This way, you can plan in advance for busier filming days while allowing some room for more spontaneous or relaxed content.
2. Create a Vlogmas content calendar
To keep ahead of things, we would recommend creating a content calendar to allow you to plan your videos each day. Whether this helps you to film ahead or edit in bulk, it’s a good idea to have ideas and tasks mapped out! This reduces the likelihood of creating similar videos, or in a worst-case scenario, running out of ideas. The calendar will allow you to play with a variety of themes, ideas, and activities to ensure you have a mix of content over the festive season.
3. Do your research
Look at what your peers are doing, but try to do something different. Browsing channels that have popular Vlogmas series will give you a good indication of what viewers enjoy in a Vlogmas series, whether it’s a chatty “follow me around for a day” or a more structured video like a planned festive baking session. By doing your research, you’ll also be able to spot potential gaps and video opportunities that might not have been done before.
4. Be authentic
A Vlogmas series usually soars in popularity when it’s authentic, and if you want viewers to tune into your videos every single day, they need to like you as a creator. As simple as it is, the best way to win over your viewers is to be yourself. You could even make a visit to the supermarket creative if you’re able to charm your viewers. Likewise, don’t pressurize yourself to do something extravagant every single day, as it can remove the authenticity from the series. Instead, use the month to experiment with your content. Try things you wouldn’t normally do, and see which content engages your viewers the most.
5. Make sure your Vlogmas videos tie together
The ultimate goal for Vlogmas is to leave your viewers with a craving to watch your videos, in the same way we’d binge a television series in one sitting. However, this can be tricky if your videos aren’t seamlessly strung together, which is why organization when editing is paramount. There are a few easy ways you can ensure your viewers are aware they’re watching a series.
For example, plug your Vlogmas! Verbally acknowledge to your viewers that they’re watching your Vlogmas series, and prompt them to “tune in to day 2 tomorrow” etc, or tease them into what’s coming next week on your series. Alongside this, ensure your videos all have a consistent title, such as “Vlogmas with Lily, Episode 2” to make navigating your series easier. An easy way to do this is to put your videos in a playlist, where viewers can browse the episodes in numerical order, which will also mean the next video will play automatically.
Likewise, use snippets of other episodes in your Vlogmas series. You can embed videos in the corner of your current episode as a recommended watch to a viewer, for example, displaying a “Recommended episode – decorating the Christmas tree” button so that your viewers can instantly click on the video if desired. Additionally, at the end of your episode, play a snippet from the previous episode to encourage viewers to watch your other videos – this is a great way to also ensure your viewer hasn’t missed any content!
6. Bring in the Christmas music!
What’s one of the quickest and easiest ways to start feeling festive? Of course, it’s Christmas music! Who doesn’t start to feel festive as soon as Mariah Carey defrosts and sleigh bells are included in almost every song?
You can also jazz your videos up with Christmas effects and transitions. If you can, experimentation with festive thumbnails and covers for your videos can help your Vlogmas series stand out on a viewer’s timeline. Of course, using festive music will also massively help your Vlogmas series stand out from the crowd – just make sure to use a license! Get ahead of the game and start using popular, recognizable Christmas in your videos, without losing any ad revenue.
Take a look at our Christmas playlist, of mainstream music to license for your YouTube videos and get 25% off your first order!