Travel vlogs are a really cool way for you to share your experiences with viewers in a creative and dynamic way. When making your vlog, focus on things you’re passionate about, whether that’s the food, culture, or activities you get to do. Take lots of videos so that you can edit and compile them into a 3-5 minute vlog that highlights your favorite moments. You’ll be glad to have these visual keepsakes to remind you of your travels!
Creating Captivating Content
Focus each travel vlog on a location or activity.
Keep in mind that viewers’ attention spans are relatively short, so a 3-5 minute vlog is probably the ideal length. Pick an experience to document rather than including all the material from your entire trip in a single video.
- For example, if you’re super into regional food, use your vlog to highlight the different places you ate at and foods you enjoyed.
- Keep in mind that you can create multiple vlogs for a single trip! For example, a trip you took to Mexico could produce separate vlogs about food, museums, and nightlife.
- It’s okay if you end up with a vlog that is longer than 5 minutes! It’s a good length to shoot for, but some videos may need to be longer to cover everything adequately.
Record things that are genuinely interesting to you.
If you are passionate about something, that will come across the screen to your viewers. Don’t ignore your interests in the pursuit of gaining followers. You’ll enjoy yourself more and that will be more attractive to others in the end.
- If you’d rather browse used bookstores rather than take long hikes, then do that! There is an audience for almost every interest.
- Vlogs are great because they can give others a snapshot into a different culture and place. If you’re following your instincts on your travel adventures, chances are you’ll create a vlog that others will find interesting, too.
Include yourself talking about your experiences in your vlog.
People may arrive at your video because of the location, but they’ll stay because of your personality. You don’t have to talk in every shot and can always add narration in post-production, but consider giving a live intro to the location, talking about your observations, or telling a funny story.
- Use a selfie stick or something similar to record yourself while you’re walking around. That way, viewers can see your expressions and the background of your location.
Interact with the people you meet and include them in your vlog.
You could even act like you’re interviewing someone by asking them questions and recording their answers. Just make sure to get their permission before you record them!
- For example, you could say something like, “I’m recording a video for my viewers, would you mind if I asked you a question? Where would you recommend as the best place in the city to get fresh seafood?”
- Not only does this create great content, but it’s also a cool way for you to immerse yourself more in your experience.
Film short clips of things you see to add color and variety to the vlog.
Get shots of yourself, the landscape, things you notice, and the people around you. Later on, you’ll edit these clips to be about 3-7 seconds long so it’ll be helpful to have lots of content to choose from.
- Think about creating your vlog in a similar format to a movie trailer. You want to highlight different moments rather than a continuous stream.
Try to keep your camera steady so the video doesn’t jerk or shake.
Try using a tripod or setting your camera on a flat surface while recording. If you’re walking, walk slower than you normally would and focus on keeping your camera steady. Some jerkiness is expected, especially if you’re on the move, but the smoother the video is the more viewable it’ll be.
- Try using a handheld stabilizer to produce stead, high-quality shots.
- You could also look into stabilizing apps that modify your videos to reduce shakiness.
Eliminate as much background noise as you can.
Sometimes this is impossible, depending on where you are. But if you can, visit crowded sites early in the morning so there are fewer people around, or use something like a wind muff to block out background noise and excessive wind.
- A wind muff is a small fur cover that goes over your camera’s microphone. It reduces the background noise but lets other audio, like your voice, through.
Putting Together Your Video
Use video-editing software to compile your content into a great vlog.
You don’t want to just upload an unedited video. The most enticing vlogs are spliced together from multiple videos and edited to contain the best parts.
- Here are a few free options for well-reviewed video-editing software programs: HitFilm Express, iMovie (for Apple products only), VideoPad (some features do cost money), DaVinci Resolve 15, and VSDC (for Windows products only, the basic version is free).
Start your vlog with a shot of the location and an introduction.
Tell your viewers where you are, why you’re there, and what you’re hoping to experience. A video of a landscape, sign, or skyline would work well for this type of intro shot.
- Imagine that you’re taking your viewers on the journey with you. Think about what information they need upfront to keep their interest.
- For example, if you’re taking a tour of different wineries, start your vlog with a short video of you in front of a vineyard talking about what you’re about to do.
Arrange your content so there is a beginning, middle, and end.
Take your viewers on a chronological journey. There should be a natural arc to the story you’re telling rather than snippets arranged randomly. Feel free to add narration throughout so that your viewers are oriented throughout the video.
- For example, if you’re going on a hike you could start at the beginning with a shot of the entry point, add some content about things you see along the way, and finish with the beautiful view at the end.
- Chances are, you’re working with a couple of dozen short videos that you recorded on your travels. They should be in chronological order on your phone or camera already, so simply transfer them to your video-editing software and select the ones you want to use.
Add or delete content so you’re left with a 3-5 minute vlog.
If your vlog is much longer than that, your viewers might lose interest. Focus on including the big moments and shots that you love. Here are some ideas for how long different segments can be:
- If the video is of a stunning view, keep about 3-4 seconds of it.
- Conversations with others should be about 10 seconds long.
- Videos of you talking should be about 15 seconds at a time, if not shorter.
- Shots of you walking or looking at things should be 3-7 seconds long.
- In the end, you have complete control over what you decide to do with your vlog! If you feel like a certain part warrants more time, go for it.
Delete dead space and transitions where nothing is happening.
Keep your viewers interested by trimming down each snippet of video to contain just the meat of the moment. For example, you don’t want to include a video of you walking down a long hallway for 30 seconds.
- Even in sections where you’re talking, you may want to edit and splice your videos so that there aren’t long pauses.
Add music to your video that complements the feel of your vlog.
For example, if you’re doing something like parasailing or bungee jumping, use more upbeat, fast-paced music. Try to use the same song for the entirety of your video and lower its volume during sections where you’re speaking.
- For free music for your vlog, check out Soundcloud, the YouTube audio library, Free Music Archive, and Free sound .
Review your vlog several times before publishing it.
Watch your video from beginning to end 2-3 times. Make sure the transitions between each section are smooth and that the audio is at the right level. Ask yourself if someone watching your video would understand what you’re trying to communicate.
- You could even have a trusted friend watch the video and give you feedback about its pacing and sequencing.
Tips
- You don’t have to use fancy, expensive equipment to be a vlogger—your phone will work just fine if that’s what you want to use.
- Don’t forget to put your camera down every once in a while and enjoy your trip!
- Learn from other travel vlogs. Watch them and take note of what you like and what isn’t your style.