Mixing your business and your day-to-day life has become the expectation of modern lifestyle entrepreneurs. Bringing your audience along the ride of your entrepreneurial journey is not only incredibly rewarding, but also allows you to create a closer relationship with your leads.

However, long gone are the days where blogging alone is enough. In an era where people would much rather watch a video instead of reading a traditional blog post, lifestyle vlogging is all the rage for entrepreneurs.

Simply put, today’s lifestyle entrepreneurs can no longer afford to ignore video as it overtakes the web at large. Meanwhile, marketing channels such as YouTube and Facebook Live are simply too popular in terms of engagement and monetization to ignore.

So, what exactly do you need to do if you plan on documenting your entrepreneurial journey? What tips, tricks and gear are essential to getting started? We’ve broken down the five must-do’s for starters.

Get Your Gear Ready

Despite popular belief, gear isn’t everything when it comes to the quality of your vlogs. That said, it certainly helps to invest in the best depending on your budget and what you can realistically afford. Everything from your camera to the type of digital audio cable and microphone set-up you have makes a huge difference in terms of quality.

Sure, people have become accustomed to high-definition and pricey equipment. Then again, don’t let your budget alone hold you back from vlogging. You can get started with little more than a smartphone, but make it a priority to upgrade your camera setup and audio equipment over time. In other words, don’t put yourself in financial peril over your gear but don’t try to operate on a shoestring budget forever.

Know Which Mediums You’re Focusing On

Bear in mind that not all marketing channels are created equal when it comes to vlogging. For example, YouTube is a prime place to post your long-form, how-to and educational content that can score you some sweet SEO points. On the flip side, Facebook Live is more tailored towards conducting Q&A sessions or off-the-cuff videos that take your audience behind the scenes.

Get More Comfortable In Front of the Camera

It may be cliche to say that practice makes perfect, but there’s no denying that the process of vlogging becomes exponentially easier when you feel more confident in front of the camera. Whether that means practicing in the mirror, having multiple takes for each video or coming up with a script beforehand, anything you can do to feel more prepared is a major plus.

Oftentimes it simply takes time to get over camera-shyness. The more you take yourself out of your comfort zone when it comes to vlogging, the better.

You Can Never Have Too Many Ideas

Always be ready to jot down ideas and come up with video ideas on the fly. Even if it’s just a title or rough concept, a sticky note or Evernote outline is much better than having nothing the next time you decide to make a video. Having a bunch of ideas “in the bank” makes the creative process much less daunting, plain and simple.

Don’t Copycat Your Competition

Speaking of ideas, be sure not to simply copy what everyone else in your space is doing. Lifestyle vlogging is a balancing act between giving people what they want and imitating others to do what’s “popular.” While you can certainly take inspiration from other vloggers and trends, make an effort to take some risks and not be a total follower.

There’s plenty to juggle when it comes to vlogging and blogging as a lifestyle entrepreneur. That said, the ability to successfully document your day-to-day life is crucial. Sticking to these tips can make the process much easier if you’ve never done much filming, editing or writing in the past.

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