So you Want to Book VLOG? | Set Up

Hey guys, I thought I'd start a mini series of posts, about how I vlog about books on Youtube. You can find me HERE, if you are unsure about what book vlogging involves. Now, I'd like to start of by saying I am NOT a professional, but having been on Youtube for nearly two years, so I think I've learnt some simple tips and tricks, that can be the difference to your growth on Youtube!

*please note, this is about book vlogging, not blogging. When I've been active for a bit longer on blogger, I'll do some posts on blogging too!*

For the first post today, I am going to talk about your set up, including what camera you should use, whether editing software is necessary, and overall how you should introduce yourself to the camera. If you are starting out for the first time on Youtube, first impressions are EXTREMELY important! There are so many times when I check out some newbies, and I just think, 'Why are you sitting in the dark!?' So, here are my simple tips and tricks.

    1.Your camera quality DOES NOT define your overall quality of content. What I mean by this, is you do not have to use an expensive DSLR camera - of course if you have one available, make the most of it - you can simply use a webcam in your laptop, or maybe even a camera on your smart phone. Most people don't start with good cameras! You may look at my channel and think, 'But Liddy, you started with a good camera,' yet, I started making a few videos, even before Youtube with a webcam, and they were fine!

Here is the proof!

 2. Place the camera directly in front of you. I know this one seems obvious, but you'd be surprised how many don't! I've seen lots of people place the camera so you're looking up awkwardly at peoples chins. This one is a really simple one, but it makes the video much more comfortable!

    3. LIGHTING GUYS, lighting. If you are making an introductory video, don't sit in a dark room! Watching bright, bubbly videos, is always preferable over ones in the dark where you are speaking quietly because you don't want to wake up your family. Also, we need to see your face, to sort of 'meet you,' and how can we do that if we can't see you!?

   4. Choose your background wisely. If you are making book videos, it's nice to see you infront of you shelves. (this for me is sometimes hard due to my room setup) But people love seeing what books you have, and it really sets the vibe for your videos!

   5. Editing Software is not necessay. For me, I prefer to use one just because I constantly stutter and have awkward pauses. I definitely think if you ramble you should try to cut down, but of course it is up to you! If you are thinking 'I have no editing software help,' don't worry, there are lots of free ones to use. I used windows live movie maker for a year and a half! There are other ones too, like imovie and also many others you can buy really cheaply from amazon!

So, I think that's about it for setup. Soon you'll be ready to go!

If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to drop me a comment. If this helps you, I'd also like to know!

P.S I am going to make a video on my channel to reiterate this post. 

Liddy