Blogs are sooo 2008! In the beginning, there was the written word. People started writing down their thoughts to share with those who cared to read them. It was called a blog because it's a retraction of the words "web log". Then came video. More than the words, video had the advantage of a visual and audio component. One day, bloggers discovered video, combined the two and soon the "vlog" was born. Before, what had to be described can now be shown. Editing in video, embedding links and special effects mean that vlogs can reach a whole new audience.

The cost to produce a vlog can be as little as zero, in many cases. Free software, free hosting sites and free distribution suggests the only limitation is your ability to produce vlogs that are compelling, interesting and easily obtainable. Vlogs also have the distinct advantage of being a visual medium. While an art audio podcast may be minimally interesting, when committed to video, it can explode to life. Images, demonstrations and techniques can all be shown to the viewer, increasing understanding and retention by a huge margin.

Say What?

Deciding your topic may seem easy at first, but think it through carefully. A general topic like "Cooking" is fine, but a bit broad for viewers to wrap their head around. Most people respond better to a more specific topic. In this case, "Outdoor Grilling". Make sure you have much to say about the topic, a one-episode vlog won't go far. Or, your topic can be about something more personal: Local city politics, your favorite sports team or anything that happens to get you talking ad nauseam.

Be sure to keep the time limit to a reasonable length. A few minutes of riveting content is far better than a long, diluted rambling bore. Some of the most successful vlogs are only a scant few minutes in duration. Try a few practice vlogs to get used to speaking on camera, get the technical steps down and to explore some creative options before committing your video to the internet.

Also, it's a good idea to outline your talk or production. Even a short time spent planning out shots, editing, talking points and other elements of the vlog will pay off when it comes time to piece all of the vlog together for final distribution. During your recording, keep the notes just out of sight and subtly refer to them to keep the momentum going and the interest level high.

Toys for Talk

So, what gear is needed in order to make your vlog? Chances are pretty good you have the equipment sitting around right now. Turns out, not much is needed at all. The simplest setup would have a camera on a tripod (at eye level) focused and framed by a helper. Add a little wiggle room by pulling the frame out a little wider than you would normally like it to be. As you speak and start gesturing and really get into it, you'll find yourself moving around and you'll really need that extra space. If your camera has a flip-out LCD screen, open it up and pivot the screen so it faces you and you're able to keep yourself in frame. It doesn't matter if you shoot on tapes, cards or hard drives. You'll be ingesting the video into the computer using your video editing software.

To improve the audio quality, plug in an external microphone (optional, but highly recommended) and clip it to your lapel or set it up on a mic stand no more than 12 inches from your mouth. Test the quality before speaking by recording a short talk of a few seconds duration and review to be certain of crisp, clean audio.

Edit the video using your choice of video editing software. Even the most basic software will usually have enough features to provide a good result. Add an introductory sequence with titles and music to give your production a professional look and feel. Don't make it too long- keep it short, say under 15 seconds - because your viewer wants to see what you have to say and not a long introduction. During the body of your vlog, remember to add elements like photos, other video, titles of guest and websites and finally, a short ending sequence to conclude the vlog cleanly.

A more basic and direct way to record your vlog is to use the webcam that came with your computer. This records the video and audio directly into the computer, eliminating the step needed to ingest the video into the computer from the external camera in the first example. The video result is not the higher quality available on a stand-alone camera. It's highly recommended that you purchase a USB microphone to ensure the highest quality audio possible. Once complete, use the editing program to tidy up the vlog for final distribution.