Blogging vs Vlogging: Which Is More Profitable?

“Should I blog or should I vlog?” Decisions, decisions… This is a question that crosses thousands of minds around the globe on a daily basis. Some marketers recommend blogging while others say that times have changed and vlogging is the new way to go.

So, who is right? Which is more popular? Is vlogging more profitable?

There’s no right or wrong answer to these questions. There are successful bloggers with a very loyal readership and they pull in 5 to 6 figure sums monthly. There are also vloggers who have millions of subscribers and they too make an equally attractive income.

Both blogging and vlogging are equally profitable, but only if you know how to do it. The point to note here is that both vehicles will get you to your destination. You just need to choose one that is right for you. No matter which method you choose, the journey will be tough because of the constant need to stay relevant and interesting.

The vice-president of BuzzFeed, Jonathan Perelman, once said, “Content is king but distribution is queen and she wears the pants.”

This is very true and it doesn’t matter whether you blog or vlog. The key to succeeding is to get your content in front of as many eyeballs as possible… but that’s a topic for another day.

In this article, you’ll discover how to choose the method that is best for you. The only way to do that will be to examine the positives and negatives of both blogging and vlogging. Generally, it’s the negative points that keep people away. So, keep an eye on what you don’t really like and your decision will be much clearer.

Pros and Cons of Blogging

Pro: Taking the No-Cost Route

You do not need any expensive equipment to blog. All you need is a domain name and hosting. A domain costs about $10 a year and hosting is around $10 a month. There is very low cost of entry here.

If you do not want to pay anything, you can actually blog for free on sites like Blogger, WordPress or Ghost. The only downside here is that you’ll be building your site (and reputation) on someone else’s web property and be subject to their whims.

You need to constantly be mindful of the terms and conditions of these platforms or you risk losing your site without any notice.

However, the point remains that anyone can blog without spending a cent. This is one of the biggest advantages of blogging.

Pro: Blogging is Great for SEO

Google favors long form content and you’ll be able to target long tail keywords with blogs, and that wouldn’t make much sense with vlogging.

The more keywords you target, the more rankings you’ll achieve and see much more traffic to your sites. That will translate to more clicks, more sales and/or more commissions.

Pro: Blogs Appear More Credible and Authoritative than Vlogs

Many of the biggest multinational companies and household names have blogs. Even if you’re only a household name in your own household, by having a blog you’ll seem more credible just by association.

Vlogs generally tend to be more relaxed and lighthearted because the vloggers try to be entertaining. This may not appeal to a more serious audience.

Many people on a busy schedule prefer reading over watching videos because it’s easier and faster for them to speed read. You’ll need to know your crowd and decide if they’d prefer blogs or vlogs.

Pro: Blogging is More Convenient

If you make a mistake in a blog, you can always go back and easily edit it. It’s not the same for videos where you may need to record the entire video all over… or at the very least, upload a new video. Blogging in comparison is relatively hassle-free.

Blogging is also instant. You don’t need to get your camera or put on make-up and look presentable. Have an idea? Blog immediately. You could blog in your pajamas if you wanted to and no one will ever know.

Blogging also allows a certain degree of anonymity. Many people are terrified of appearing in front of the camera, which is similar to public speaking. So, if you’d rather kiss a skunk than appear on video, blogging is definitely the choice for you.

Con: Blogging is Hard Work

There’s no denying the fact that writing is much more arduous and draining than making videos. You’ll need to have a flair for it and the content will need to be informative and entertaining at the same time.

To gain traction and readership, you’ll need to be consistent and keep writing blog posts. This can get tiring. People who have an intense dislike for writing will find it torturous to maintain a blog. Make no mistake, you have to put in the work to become a successful blogger.

Pros and Cons of Vlogging

Pro: Easier to Make a Connection

Videos are much more effective than written content when it comes to making a connection with your audience. They can see you, hear you and feel you because you’ll probably be looking right in the camera when making the videos.

The most popular YouTube personalities such as PewDiePie and Jenna Marbles have millions of subscribers because of their over-the-top personalities. They make people laugh and create a connection. Vloggers will have the same opportunity to do this. It’s extremely difficult to do this with written content.

However, you’ll need an interesting and extroverted personality to become a popular vlogger. The content you put out must be useful and your delivery must be entertaining.

Generally, people who watch videos want to be entertained and informed at the same time. If your presentation skills are more boring than watching paint dry, you’ll either need to get better… or stick to blogging.

Pro: Higher Possibility of Going Viral

Vloggers have a much higher chance of getting their videos to go viral than bloggers have of getting their post to be shared by millions. If your videos are memorable, cute, or you talk about a sensational topic, there’s a very real possibility that your video might take on a life of its own and get shared by thousands of people.

A vlogger might see a sudden boost in popularity that could take a blogger years to achieve, if they even achieve it.

Pro: More Room for Creativity

Since you’re making videos instead of just writing, you have many more options to exercise your creative muscles and make the videos flashy, eye-catching and memorable. You can be funny or shocking or say things that grab people’s attention.

These days many people have the attention span of a gnat. Vlogging gives you a chance to express yourself in a way that grabs their attention. Blogging is somewhat limited in this regard.

Con: Vlogging Requires Equipment/Software

To be a vlogger, you need a device to record your videos. At the very least, you’ll need a smart phone to record yourself in action.

If you really want to make your videos stand out, you’ll need good camera equipment and video editing software with fancy features to add text overlays and other effects.

If your budget is tight, vlogging might not be an option for you at the moment.

Con: Vlogging Can Be Time-Consuming

Vlogging will require you to be “camera ready” as you want to be presentable. You don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression. This will require you to set aside some time to get ready.

While it’s easier to record yourself on video as compared to writing a 2,000 word blog post, video creation can take up more time overall. The videos will require editing and you might want to insert background music or other effects.

This is known as post-production. Good videos may take an entire day or two to edit if you want to get them just right. In that same time, an expert blogger may have written 3 to 8 posts.

Conclusion

Based on the points above, you need to choose a method that you’re comfortable with. If you abhor writing but you love talking, become a vlogger. If words are your passion and writing makes you happier than a tornado in Kansas, go ahead and blog your heart out.

By choosing to do what you’re interested in, your passion will seep into whatever you do and your blogs or vlogs will be a reflection of you. Your passion will be felt by those reading or watching your content.

That said, blogging and vlogging are not mutually exclusive. You do not need to pigeonhole yourself in one and stay there forever. There are bloggers who vlog… and vloggers who blog.

The wise marketer does both and delivers content in different mediums to build a wider audience base. It will require effort on your part and you’ll probably need to step out of your comfort zone. But if you do so, your audience base will exponentially increase and so will your earnings.

Both blogging and vlogging are powerful ways to build an audience and can be very profitable if you apply yourself assiduously to mastering them.

It’s not the medium or the method that matters but the person using them.

 

 

(Please feel free to download this cheat sheet – 7 Pro Tips for Recording Quality Vlogs.)