What the #%*$ is a vlogger?

Hi, my name is Erin, and I’m a vlogger.

It started when my partner took a trip to Zambia, where slow internet connection made Skype impossible. Posting a quick YouTube video talking about some weird aspect of my day allowed us to connected from opposite ends of the world. And nobody else had to know about it, right?

But quickly I realised there were other things I needed to say via internet video…

Suddenly, I was compelled to share my ideas. I began regularly uploading short clips of myself discussing any subject I fancied. Pretty soon I realised my videos about philosophy, environmentalism and West African trance dancing were being watched by thousands of people! My YouTube channel had grown a dedicated audience, and the comments flourished with intelligent discussion. Google contacted me about monetising my videos with click-through ads, so that I could even make a little money off my new hobby. And sporadically, a really weird thing would happen, where I would get recognised in the streets of Melbourne. “Hey! Are you Erin? I really like your videos!”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2iVt5uun1U

I was flattered to say the least. That my seemingly strange hobby of vlogging (that is, video-blogging) had garnered a real community. You see, there are lots of us, vloggers, out there. Not all of us post videos about philosophy and culture, some of us are foodies, comedians, make-up gurus, musicians, video-gamers, and even arachnid-enthusiasts! We make videos because we want to share our interests and passions with the world, and connect with others who share our vibe. And just how you regularly check your favourite blog for new posts, our audience subscribes to our videos so they can be notified when there’s a new one.

Truth or Fail!

Some of us only get a humble amount of hits, while others attract so much traffic that monetising has allowed for vlogging to become primary source of income. Some of us have such an enormous and dedicated fan base (we’re talking millions of fans), that our influence equals a celebrity. Some just enjoy the online-community. Others hold meetups so the fans can meet us irl. We speak at conferences, give magazine interviews, appear on television, are endorsed by brands, and our impact is very real.

So chances are, if you have a particular interest, there is probably a vlogger out there posting regular YouTube videos about it and making it big in the vlogosphere. Get on to YouTube and join us!