I started vlogging on October 13, 2008. It changed the life of my blog instantly.
Let me start at the beginning. I started blogging in January of 2007 with my mom and sister. I really only wrote about 3 things – 1) Fashion 2) Being the mom of boys 3) Moving from NYC to Rhode Island. I loved blogging from the very beginning. I finally had a place online to be me. I finally had a place online to meet other moms and engage and connect with them. I finally had a place to be.
Then something happened… my friends and family in “real” life started to tell me that they didn’t feel like my true personality was coming across well enough in my blogs. Part of that was true, at the very beginning of my blogging journey, I didn’t reveal much. I told the story, but missed many details. I remember sitting with my husband one night and saying to him, I just wish I could do videos and then I could totally be myself. My looked at me and said, “Why can’t you just do that?” He was right. I could just do that. And that’s what I started to do.
To date I have done over 400 videos. They have ranged from fashion advice for moms to changing a diaper blind folded to toy reviews to watching my sons lib our walls. In my life, anything goes… nothing is now off limits, and I’m OK with that. I feel that by adding more and more videos, my readers truly get to see ME. They are hearing my voice. They are seeing my facial expressions. They are hearing my laughter. They are seeing me, the real me.
Here are 6 ways Vlogging has helped change my Business:
1. Brands and companies have another way to engage with readers. For example, instead of just talking about a product, I can physically show it. If I’m talking about a stroller, it’s easy to show all the features via a video than it is in a written post.
2. Videos are more fun to watch. Every time I upload a video, my traffic is usually higher on that particular day.
3. It’s another extension of who I am. Most of us are active on twitter, Facebook and blogs… vlogging gives me another way to expand my platform.
4. If you can’t get on the news, make your own news segments! I tried forever to get on the local news in Providence with some of my blogging tips, but it just never happened. After trying for 2 years, I thought… why do I need them? I can make my own segments, create the content and edit the videos anyway I please. This was exactly what I did… and it was great! I had the ability to pump out anything and everything I wanted.
5. When you start vlogging on a regular basis, you become more and more comfortable in front of the camera. Anytime I need to do some TV segments now, I feel prepared and relaxed, there aren’t any nerves anymore. It’s GREAT practice for everyone, and allows you to keep honing your PR skills for your blog.
6. People get to know the REAL Audrey… which is something that they didn’t 100% get from my written posts.
Vlogging is my favorite thing to do. It’s so funny now, when the camera comes out… my sons get ready! I straggly recommend you bringing some vlogging into your blogging life!
About The Author: Audrey McClelland is the founder of Mom Generations, and you can also find her at Lifetime Moms, where she serves as the Beauty/Style Editor.