A child learns to talk at the age of three, and write at four but he gets introduced to an iPad when he is just two. Is it not only natural that he would be more comfortable with videos as a way to communicate?

Video contains all three forms of expression – content, tone, and body language.
2015 witnessed Dubsmash coming over and becoming a rage. From Bollywood stars to politicians, everyone seems to have embraced the video selfie or velfie trend.

Several mobile applications are available for users which help them in taking and posting videos of themselves online such as frankly.me, Velfie, etc. From lip-synching famous movie scenes to quizzing political leaders, these apps are coming in handy and are becoming a huge rage.

The latest vogue in virtual communication, video blogging – or vlogging as it is popularly known as – is rapidly catching up, world over. People have started making something from nothing in the virtual space and are making a living through their creative video content. What began as a fad has turned into an attractive career choice today.

A video blogger makes use of trending topics or creative stories and creates short and entertaining videos to be posted online. A lot of video bloggers got noticed throughout the year as they established vlogging as a great source of earning and turned it into a lucrative career option.

Over 100 thriving vloggers have set an example in the past few years. The genres to choose from, are extensive — ranging from the conventional categories like comedy, cooking, fashion and beauty to the contemporary ones like photography, app reviewers and relationship advisers.

To get the ball rolling, all you need is an idea, a camera to shoot the video, basic editing skills, obsession with social media and an indefinite amount of dedication and ardour.

The beauty lies in the extent of distinctness and creativity that one can showcase in their videos. The more engaging and interactive are your videos, the more is the likelihood of gaining popularity among your audience. A prominent social media presence and a strong online portfolio may also be helpful.

No formal degree is required to become a video blogger. vlogging is all about the knack and dexterity of self expression which no course can teach you. However, there are various courses around film-making, digital marketing, videography etc that can prove advantageous to an aspirant who wants to pursue vlogging as a full-time career.

Many such courses are also available on online education websites like Coursera that can be accessed at the click of a mouse, while sitting in the comfort of your home.

Remuneration
The pay package is proportional to the level of popularity of your vlog. The traction increases over time and once you manage to build up a huge fan/ follower base you can start monetising your vlog. There are majorly two ways in which a vlogger can earn.

Brands and companies start approaching you to act as influencer for their products
and services by endorsing them to the subscribers who value your opinion.

Selling advertisements on your platform is another way to monetise your vlog, particularly if you have massive traffic to make it appealing. The remuneration can range from few thousands to a lakh depending on your reach.

For example, Rouble Chau-dhary co-founded a video blog, DRCVelfies.com, Daulat Ram College’s campus network along with two more friends. These young vloggers add videos about happenings in their college under categories like Food Guru, Style Guru, Fashion Guru etc.

Taking advantage of the traction that the website gets on the campus, local vendors have started sponsoring this vlog that captures their college life. The website already has a commitment of more than Rs 25,000 through sponsorships and tie-ups.

Vlogging is the next best phenomenon in the world of social media. It is an innovative way to exhibit your creativity and express your thoughts. The elements that can help you to excel and master the art of vlogging and become successful are: creativity, consistency and individuality.

Last and definitely not the least, before you begin a career in vlogging, it is imperative to understand that a successful vlog has a committed creator behind it. A lot of self-discipline and self-motivation goes into maintaining and managing a vlog that can make you some money.

(The writer is founder of Frankly.me)