Lifestyle

Our world is more interconnected than ever before with the constant expansion of the digital market. Each tech innovation adds new opportunities for entertainment and business, if not both of them together. A computer connected to the internet is all you need to start your own digital enterprise as a blogger, but attach a camera and other exciting gadgets to take your ideas to the next level. As fun as vlogging may be, making quality videos and achieving high ratings is a bit more complicated. Continue reading for a new broadcaster’s checklist.

1. Get proper equipment

This includes a camera, microphone, lighting, additional gadgetry for extra fun and, if you’re a vlogger on the go, a specialized backpack to keep it all safe. Editing software is also essential. For best results, do extensive research and narrow down what equipment will work best for your goals and budget. For example, the Blue Yeti microphone is favored by YouTubers, but costs $129.99. A Blue Snowball iCE is a cheaper and still professional option at $49.99. Live streaming is also a popular vlogger feature now, so consider investing in a decent video encoder if using a camera instead of your phone or webcam.

2. Find your niche

Look around the web and make a note of what vlogs enjoy the most visitors. So far there are at least 21 popular themes that do well, from makeup, hair care and yoga to gaming, photography and food. Decide not only what you want to express, but where it fits in this landscape and how to share it so that as many people as possible notice it. A vlog on gardening would attract an audience of home owners, as well as photographers and travellers, if you incorporate beautiful images of plants and advice on where to find more exotic varieties, how to care for them and so on.

 

3. Offer incentives

Advice and tutorials are good enough hooks, but setting up an attraction now and then goes a long way to building visibility for your brand. Take a page out of the iGaming handbook. Casinos entertain users with live video technology that boosts the online poker and blackjack fun factor, but they also provide bonuses and special prizes that are regularly renewed. This keeps visitors on their toes and feeling appreciated. As a vlogger, you can organize competitions with branded rewards or take up a fundraising challenge for a charity. Even a live Q&A could directly supply users with tips, while you develop a stronger bond with your audience.

4. Use marketing strategies

Once in the digital business, your work isn’t limited to uploading high-quality video content. That’s just the beginning. Your face, words and focus will be needed in marketing your vlog, which has to engage with people in authentic and striking ways. Clear, friendly communication is key, talking to viewers as if they were right in front of you. Also make a habit of creating precise calls-to-action to use verbally or display on your channel alongside a distinct list of social media profiles, which should also be managed frequently.

A few simple steps to a successful vlogging career. Learn and build your business, platform and expert equipment. Then put every ounce of creativity, digital knowledge and social skills into promoting your brand.

 

 

If you love spending time improving your home and garden, you’ve come to the right place. Simply continue reading to discover a wide array of clever home and garden hacks.

Home and Garden Tips:

1. Don’t use fresh manure in your compost – One mistake which a lot of gardeners make is using fresh manure in their compost. Fresh manure has too much nitrogen, which can burn your plants. Instead, if you want to use manure in your compost, make sure that it has been cured for at least six months. Another reason why it’s worth waiting six months to use manure in your compost is that fresh manure often contains parasites, which can infect humans.

2. Try growing cool-season vegetables in the shade – While the bulk of vegetables thrive if they get at least eight hours of direct sunlight, if part of your vegetable garden is located in the shade, you can use it to grow lettuce, spinach, radishes, and cabbage. All of which can be grown in the shade.

3. Plant your spring bulbs in fall – Ideally, you should aim to plant your spring bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths in your soil in fall, before your soil starts to freeze, during the cold winter months. As you’ll have a far greater chance of your flowers blooming in early spring as a result.

4. Remove flower stalks from your rhubarb plant – In order to encourage your rhubarb to grow, make sure to remove any flower stalks as you don’t want your rhubarb plants to waste unnecessary energy on growing seeds, which you don’t need or want.

5. Try to make an effort to buy organic gardening products – As an example, you’ll find that your plants thrive if you opt to use organic soil and fertilizers.

6. Paint your light switches with a dab of glow in the dark paint – If you want to easily be able to locate your light switches in the dark, simply paint a dab of glow in the dark paint on each of your light switches. That way, you’ll never have to fumble around in the dark to turn on your bedroom light, to go to the bathroom or to get a glass of water again.

7. Measure and cut out rubber mesh to place under the pillows on your dining room chairs – If you’re sick of the pillows on your dining room chairs slipping around, you can easily solve your problem by measuring and cutting out rubber mesh to place under each cushion.

8. Install a second higher shower curtain rod above your shower to hang your towels from – If you have the type of shower which features a curtain rod, it’s a smart idea to install a second shower curtain rod above the original rod, which you can use to hang your towels from. This is a great idea if you have a small bathroom or your towel rack is located too far from your shower or bath.

So there you have it, 8 clever home and garden hacks which will help make your life a whole lot easier!