Inject personality into branding with vlogs

- If your brand could use a big dose of personality, a vlog might be the answer. Vlog's or video blogs are a first person sharing of content to a target audience usually by directly addressing a webcam or phone camera. For that reason, vlog's can be a low key, low cost point of entry for content creation and can be a great way to build an intimate and trusting relationship with your audience. So if you're a dynamic communicator and can commit to a regular vlogging schedule, it could be a nice bang for your buck. Vlog's are a bit unique in their position within the marketing funnel. They can be useful at both the top and the bottom depending on your strategy. Goldie Chan is a daily vlogger, digital strategist and personal branding expert, and explains this dynamic. - I always feel it's best using the top and the bottom, so either creating brand awareness at the very top, so letting people know that this brand even exists, and those are, of course, the more interesting vlogs, those are going to be the more exciting out there vlogs. They're not going to be those comfortable feeling vlogs. But then, all the way at the end of that, retention, and those are going to be the comfortable vlogs, those are the people that the community already knows and they love and they're happy to see them on camera. - Successful vlogs share some key characteristics and values. First is authenticity. Find ways to be as real as you can with your audience. Speak to them like you speak to a friend. Communicate with conviction and confidence. If your audience senses your enthusiasm, they'll be more likely to come back for more. Next is quality, and this spans both technical quality and content quality. So technically, this means using a good microphone and making sure your video is well lit. It means branding your shot, so that your vlog has a recognizable look and feel. Content-wise, you really got to bring it. Your audience craves intelligent, useful, engaging material, and they'll see right through lazy or half-hazard vlogging, so put care into your planning process before hitting record, and finally, vlogs are consistent. This not only means you're committed to posting content on a consistent basis, it also means staying consistent with your message, so that each video is a valuable part of your brand identity. As you're defining your approach, there's a lot to consider. Above all, though, you've got to know who you're speaking to. - Who are you trying to reach? Right? So, in your personal brand, who is your target demographic? And what is it that they want to consume? What is it that they need to consume? And I think creating content around that is a much easier way of thinking about content creation for specifically a vlog, which I know can be incredibly nerve wracking because it's you on camera, and if you're not used to it, it can be a pretty scary prospect. - Goldie also says that it's smart to focus your vlog content around a specific theme, and to commit to producing high quality, unique content related to that theme. - So have one specific focus for that vlog and that one specific focus should be attractive to your target demographic and should further along your personal brand. I think it's good to not regurgitate the same content that everyone else is regurgitating, but instead, find your very specific focus lane and drive in that lane. - Follow this link or download the exercise file and watch some examples of Goldie's vlog. By maintaining that type of focus, you'll attract people who are more likely to engage with, share and promote your content, and you'll be better positioned as a thought leader within your niche.