What Are Your Concerns About Video Blogging?

[Bloggeries]

You know I've thought about doing it from time to time but you really need nerves of steel to have the guts to publish yourself online like that forever. Once you hit PUBLISH it's there for life.

I think my major qualm with doing a video blog is that whatever you say is on record forever. What happens if you change your mind etc etc... Also if you are still in the working world how could this affect your career if you're doing something serious.

Lot's to consider; your thoughts?

[The University Kid]

I don't think it's there for life - in fact, it's less stable than blog posts. Whereas with a blog post, if you delete it it will still be there (webarchive.org), if you delete a video from Youtube, it's gone.

For me, the concern about video blogging is getting my butt down to the local tech store and picking up a camera. Then setting it up, etc... just can't be bothered at the moment

[sukosaki]

I think it's a great tool for building a name or reputation for yourself, just don't do it unless you know what you are talking about, right?

lol. Good luck if you get the guts to try it!

[Bloggeries]

Originally Posted by The University Kid

I don't think it's there for life - in fact, it's less stable than blog posts. Whereas with a blog post, if you delete it it will still be there (webarchive.org), if you delete a video from Youtube, it's gone.

For me, the concern about video blogging is getting my butt down to the local tech store and picking up a camera. Then setting it up, etc... just can't be bothered at the moment

I've never looked into this but there must be a way for people to download videos from youtube right? I mean it makes sense on principle that they wouldn't allow it but is it possible? (I don't use youtube much at all).

You can go to archive but many people have no picture or last name on there blog with a video if someone who knows you sees the video they will recognize you instead of a future employer watching a video of youtube and being like have I seen you before? If you let your mind wonder I really think it's "putting yourself out there" to a much further extent.

Originally Posted by sukosaki

I think it's a great tool for building a name or reputation for yourself, just don't do it unless you know what you are talking about, right?

lol. Good luck if you get the guts to try it!

You really have to consider future consequences from a career point of view. Especially if you're going to be really candid on tape and in a sensitive industry.

[QuirkyJessi]

For me, I don't put pictures of myself up on my blog and have never seriously considered vlogging anyway because I don't like recording myself. I'd also consider my future career, which already dictates some of what I say and do online, but unfortunately, probably not as much as it should.

At the same time, if you're really good at it, it can be a wonderful boost. If it grows and gets put other places, then like mentioned, it can be great for building a name and reputation....people will remember you and it spreads. It's just not for me at this point and I really don't think it ever will be.

[EverythingEverywhere]

No different than text. Archive.org and Google cache what you publish.

I'm launching a video blog soon. Honestly, I think the benefits of video VASTLY outweigh any costs and can drive more traffic and eyeballs in a shorter amount of time than a blog ever could.

Ultimately, the internet is about personality. You know the people behind JohnChow, Problogger and Shoemoney. You've probably seen photos as well as video. Same with other A-list bloggers in other niches.

If you aren't willing to be a personality, you probably wont have a successful blog, video or not.

[Ferox]

I hate seeing my own face. I avoid all cameras for this reason, they only come back to haunt me.

Plus, there's a reason I write with an alias. When I become a vet if a future employer knows that I've written all this stuff on the net and disagrees it may lessen my chances of getting a job, it's not a risk I want to take.

If I wanted to be a TV vet it would be different, but I don't. I want to be a real vet that just occasionally informs the internet of true facts.

[sukosaki]

Personality is certainly something you can get better from a video than text. The other thing is that in this day, people LOVE to watch videos over reading. Youtube.com is a perfect example of this.

Not saying that millions of users will see your video, but they can watch and listen longer than just read, IMO.

Putting up a video might be something to try. Youtube made stars out of everyday joes because they took the plunge, but i think if you are making a fulltime job out of blogging, you still have to watch what you say and what you know is key.

[EverythingEverywhere]

Estimate the number of blogs in your niche. Probably hundreds if not thousands.

Go to iTunes and find the number of podcasts in your niche. Probably tens if not single digits.

The barrier to entry is higher for podcasting so fewer people do it. You can grow a podcast faster than a blog for that reason.

[Skolor]

If I ever getting into VBlogging it would be like the Iron Geek does. Instead of him just talking about it, he shows you what to do. Of course, its a technically oriented blog, so its mostly screen captures from a computer, but I greatly prefer it. I don't really want to watch you talk about stuff, I've got one or two VBlogs I listen too, but I don't watch any of them.

On the topic of downloading them, it is possible, but difficult. It mostly involves recording what youtube plays and saving that. There's a couple of other ways to do it, but its equally difficult, so you don't have much to worry about in that aspect.

I try and distance my personal life and my "professional" life as much as possible. I use a number of different names online to signify that. As a blogger I usually use one of any number of handles, all based off of Mayan Gods. As a person on a forum, or any place I am likely to talk about my self, I use Skolor. I avoid posting pictures of my self, simply because I like that separation, and will try and keep it that way. The closest I come is my avatar here, which is a drawing of me (at one point, I've grown my hair back out since then), and the logo on my blog, another, more recent drawing of me.