Blogs, Vlogs and Podcasts
Chapter 12 of Charello’s Essentials of Social Media Marketing covers Blogs, Vlogs and Podcasts. Blogs originate in the 1990s. The first blog is considered to be Justin Hall’s “Justin’s Links,” launched in 1994. His blog, Links.net, is still active as of today. He shared thoughts, opinions and photos about his life on his blog. Originally, sites like Links.net were called web logs until 1997 when the term blog was coined. A blog consists of regularly posted articles and personal commentary relating to a topic written by one or more authors. These articles are typically written in the first person, are accessible online for free, found by search engines, updated frequently and open for reader engagement. Text is usually the primary format of blogs, but they can also include links, images and video within the text. Blogging is certainly popular today. Tumblr, a microblogging site, has over 496 million accounts and WordPress, a blogging platform, has users post more than 76 million blogs per month. Blog topics include fashion, tech, food, travel, art, adventure, parenting and many more. A blog can cover any topic an author would like.
Vlogs are the video version of blogs. In fact, the term vlog comes from the name video blog. Vlogs have been available since the early 2000s, but YouTube’s launch in 2005 greatly accelerated the spread of vlogs. Just like blogs, vlogs can cover any topic the creator would like. However, they have a few major differences. The first is that they are video based, not text based. This gives viewers a greater connection to the creator. Vlogs are easier to create than a vlog, since all that is required is a camera, not a whole keyboard to write out and format a blog. Modern vlogging platforms, like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, have made vlogs more accessible than ever before. This helps to make vlogs easier to consume and more likely to be seen by more people.
Podcasts are similar to vlogs, but without video. Podcasts use exclusively audio which can make them easier to create than both blogs and vlogs, since all a creator needs is to be able to speak and record that speech. Podcasts are also easier to consume, since all a user needs to do is listen. This leaves the majority of his or her attention open to other tasks, like driving or working. In fact, this ease of consumption leads to podcasts being considered sticky content, or content that users consume the majority of. In fact, 80% of podcast listeners will listen to most or all of a podcast.
When you want to start publishing content online, it is important to consider which medium is best for the content. Blogs are best for content that is to be read with accompanying videos and images. Vlogs are best for content that should be watched only. Podcasts are best for content that should be listened to. It is important to consider that blogs require the most active engagement, since the consumer must read, while podcasts require the least engagement, since the consumer can listen to the podcast while multitasking.
Vlogs are the video version of blogs. In fact, the term vlog comes from the name video blog. Vlogs have been available since the early 2000s, but YouTube’s launch in 2005 greatly accelerated the spread of vlogs. Just like blogs, vlogs can cover any topic the creator would like. However, they have a few major differences. The first is that they are video based, not text based. This gives viewers a greater connection to the creator. Vlogs are easier to create than a vlog, since all that is required is a camera, not a whole keyboard to write out and format a blog. Modern vlogging platforms, like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, have made vlogs more accessible than ever before. This helps to make vlogs easier to consume and more likely to be seen by more people.
Podcasts are similar to vlogs, but without video. Podcasts use exclusively audio which can make them easier to create than both blogs and vlogs, since all a creator needs is to be able to speak and record that speech. Podcasts are also easier to consume, since all a user needs to do is listen. This leaves the majority of his or her attention open to other tasks, like driving or working. In fact, this ease of consumption leads to podcasts being considered sticky content, or content that users consume the majority of. In fact, 80% of podcast listeners will listen to most or all of a podcast.
When you want to start publishing content online, it is important to consider which medium is best for the content. Blogs are best for content that is to be read with accompanying videos and images. Vlogs are best for content that should be watched only. Podcasts are best for content that should be listened to. It is important to consider that blogs require the most active engagement, since the consumer must read, while podcasts require the least engagement, since the consumer can listen to the podcast while multitasking.
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