Guys like Rudy Mancuso may be making millions off YouTube these days, but it takes time and money to get to that level. Sure, your smartphone is good enough to shoot a video and upload one (perhaps even go viral), but for building a community that loves to read and share your content, you’ll have to put a little more effort into your vlogging venture.
The stars of Youtube, Instagram, etc. use some essential tools to get those high-quality shots, and with the right toolkit, it’s possible to divert some eyeballs away from the hits like Smosh and attract them to your channel. If you’ve got a birthday coming up or have a few thousand dollars saved up for investment, here’s a starter-list of essentials to get.
1. High-Speed Internet
Even the best vloggers can suffer due to slow/unreliable internet. Imagine if you’re able to pick up on a trend before anyone else, and you shoot a quick video about it to share with your audience, only to know that it’ll take a few hours to upload. By the time it goes live, someone else has already posted about the same trend. That’s why it’s important to have high-speed internet. Start by asking yourself who are the best internet providers in my area? Suddenlink and other similar sites will let you find the best offers in your area. You can filter results by entering your city name, street address, and even your apartment/suite. Also, you can compare features of different internet packages based on upload and download speed, which is helpful when it comes to picking the best plan for your needs.
2. A High-Quality Camera
The sort of camera you get depends on the kind of content you plan to create. GoPro is an excellent buy for adventuring and travel-related content, and it comes in a variety of styles and finishes. If you’re planning to get one soon, you might as well get the 4K version. The likes of Canon 60D work well for straightforward shoots. For personal shooting, something small and suited outside of your smartphone camera should be more than sufficient. An example is Canon Vixia Mini. DSLRs are also a decent choice – the quality they offer is nearly professional, and the user can zoom in with these gadgets – as well as make full-length HD videos without hassle.
3. A Decent External Microphone
Audio can be a royal pain. If you want excellent audio for your videos, you have to record sound with something else than the inbuilt mic. That’s where an external mic is a blessing in disguise. A good mic can make your voice clean and suppress the background noise, even if you’re vlogging amongst a crowd. Zoom H4N is one good option. It also supports recording with high-end XLR microphones. Another promising mic is Rode’s VideoMic – it’s a must-have for recording in locations with a lot of wind or noise. It plugs easily into the audio port of most vlogging cameras and even features a furry windshield. Shotgun mics work well for those with a DSLR. They offer high-quality audio recording and almost match the USB variants regarding durability.
Your videos will provide inspiration, education, and entertainment to thousands of viewers online. The same way people invest in their skills, your vlog deserves investment too.