Blogging has been my hobby for over three years now. I love writing down all the little adventures we get up to and capture our weekends. Pictures and photo albums are one thing. You can see the photo and a little caption beside it but you don’t actually know the full story behind this photo. This is where blogging comes in so handy.
From the day Chloe was born, I wrote down all her milestones on this blog. It will be so lovely to look back on in a few years time and to show her what she was like as a baby or toddler. I still regret that I didn’t start blogging when Matthew was born. As he was my first child, I certainly have enough photos off him though sorted into folders which I can capture and know the story behind.
I am not big into reading. The last book I picked up was five years ago, just before I gave birth to Matthew. What I do enjoy, is reading other people’s blogs. Particularly parenting and travel blogs. It’s so interesting to follow their journey and you feel like you know them for years. There are bloggers I have been following for three years now. Back then their little babies were tiny. Throughout their blog you can see them growing up so quickly.
Something else I noticed in the last few months though. Blogging seems to have taken its turn. There are a huge amount of bloggers who have taken to YouTube. In fact some of them now make this their priority of “blogging”. You see them posting less and less on their blog and update their YouTube channel multiple times each week. Don’t get me wrong, certain bloggers I actually only watch their YouTube channel and don’t go on their blog much.
As for myself, my YouTube channel is pretty much empty. What I do enjoy, is taking videos of our days out, our travels etc. I did get a few requests lately if I could not talk a bit more about the video rather than just having music playing in the background. It would be more watchable. This got me thinking… Are people nowadays more interested in WATCHING videos of people’s life rather than READING about their lives?
Personally I don’t think I will ever be confident enough to do a video even once a week. Blogging on it’s own keeps me on my toes enough. I attempted a clothes haul the other day in front of the camera which I will embed in the post below. You can tell me what you think of it. I don’t think it’s as natural as some other bloggers are. Then again, I know it will take time and effort to get used to being in front of the camera and talking to the camera.
This is a topic I asked the blogging community about, too and surprisingly everyone has different opinions on seeing YouTube as the possible new way of blogging…
Kirst from Life With Boys:
I love watching Youtube and always have, but have never had any desire to be in front of the camera. More recently though it seems like everyone is vlogging, and I can’t help but feel the pressure to join in for fear of being left behind.
Natasha from Mummy and Moose:
Being in front of the camera scares the hell out of me but I am going to have to be brave and go for it lest I am left behind before I have even began! I confess that I am easing myself into it by using my children in vids while I learn a little bit
Kate from My Family Fever:
I will never vlog- it’s not for me at all. I’ve no desire to be in front of the camera and edit video.
I also prefer to read blogs. I love the passion and imagination behind the words and I find them easier to pick down and put up than I would a video.
Sinead from Shinners and the Brood:
I’ve been blogging for under a year and yes, it sometimes feels like I’ve arrived late, just when people seem to be leaving to go to a more exciting, more dynamic after party! For me personally, blogging is about the written word. I love watching Vlogs and I have massive respect for Vloggers who put themselves out there, making videos and doing live streams but I’ll never be as comfortable or confident in front of a camera as I am behind my keyboard!
Katy from Katy Gibson:
We have been daily vlogging for years now and actually started before I took my blog more seriously but my husband was blogging at the time. We do it for the memories and our children love watching our vlogs back where as they wouldn’t read my blog.
Samantha from Chocolate and Wine and I’ll be Fine:
It does seem to be going that way, which is annoying as 1) I have absolutely no desire to put myself out there like that- it’s taken me many years and a lot of courage to start a blog (I have a lot of self-confidence issues) and 2) I don’t like watching YouTube. Even people I’ve been following for years are adding videos at the end of posts. I feel I’m missing out by not watching, but I really have no desire to
Lyndsay from Fizzy Peaches:
I hope not! I love vlogs, but I think blogging has it’s place too – I can express myself through writing and would feel totally uncomfortable doing it all over video, even though I do have a Youtube channel too. I also love reading blogs in the dead of night as I feed my little one – wouldn’t be the same watching it all on video!
Collette from Truly Madly Cuckoo:
I started a YouTube channel and published an introduction vlog. I only left it there for a few days before I deleted it, as it was so cringeworthy! Maybe I’ll try again one day.
Catherine rom Battle Mum:
Vlogging does seem to be taking over somewhat. While I vlog occasionally my blog and writing is my main focus. I don’t actually like posts that are a few lines and then a video that you have to watch to get the full story. Truth be told I hate it. I only embed my own videos in a post if it’s a review or day out and only after I’ve written a full and complete post about the place/product. And I place it at the end so people can choose to ignore it if they want. I will often move on from a blog post if it’s solely a YouTube video so never expect my readers to watch just one of my YouTube videos. That’s not what a blog is for. To me it’s for the written word and photos. If I want to watch vlogs, and I do, I head straight to YouTube.
What do you think of the whole vlogging hype? Do you vlog? Did it take you a lot of willpower to start it?
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You need time as well. The time that I don’t have.
I have tried vlogging, and I do really enjoy the videos to look back on. I do clam up though, and don’t feel like I’m talking naturally. However I suppose the more I do it, the more I will be use to it! I do love watching YouTube videos, and can sit there and switch off.
I’m not sure how I feel about YouTube at the moment – I rarely share things on there but I do enjoy watching x
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Yeah I am the same.
I do love watching vlogs but I still spend more time reading blogs. I love reading so blogs for me have always been priority x
I agree it’s all about vlogging now, I did give it a go but I’m not confident enough to carry it on – although I would like to! x
Such a lovely post. I love my blog, and my youtube channel – although I haven’t uploaded on my youtube channel for the whole of my pregnancy. simply because I’ve just been so poorly I haven’t had the energy. I do miss it though. x
I’ve only just started doing it so my YouTube is quite empty. I do think people are turning to it more. Like you I need to talk more on mine x
I don’t think I’ll be vlogging – don’t even like photos of myself let alone videos!
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That’s exactly it. I love the variety of blog posts you do daily. x
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Thanks Mark. 🙂 I’ll try but for now I probably just stick to clothes hauls. Plus I feel odd as hell talking to the camera when my hubby is beside me. HA
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It’s good to see that it can turn the other way,too. Who knows I might find love for it.
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I watched you vlogs and I think you’re great.
I go through phases with YouTube – but I kind of forget about it most of the time. It feels like a lot of hard work to me haha x
I can relate to this a lot. I’ve recently started doing videos and I enjoy them so much more than writing that I’ve neglected the written blog. I need to make a balance though.
You’ve taken the first step by doing that video, keep doing it! It’ll be great to see more 🙂
A couple of years ago I said I wasn’t interested in youtube at all. Now I love it. It hasn’t taken over from my blog, it has just added another dimension. Another creative outlet and another way to capture the memories.
I have done a few vlogs, but I don’t talk that much on them. I LOVE the videos to watch once I have done them. I love being able to capture those little moments on camera, although I am not very good at promoting them. It’s just anything thing to concentrate on!
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I think I’d be in the same boat as you. I do document family days out but they don’t get many views.
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I’d say it might be not even the fact that people are too lazy to read. It could be the fact it’s more interesting to hear them talk. Who knows. x
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You could be fab at it. You never know. I might crack it one day because I do feel under pressure.
I totally agree hunny it’s all about vlogging now and instant video streaming of people’s everyday life. It’s like when reality tv shows hit HUGE ten years ago and all the dramas kind of faltered a bit because of it it’s like blogging they just wanted the reality on video form so they can watch while doing other things it’s hard to read and do laundry or read and do dishes but people have their ipads following house chores and other things going on at the same time. I think blogging changed sadly as I have had to do the same and get more talking on a vlog which I am not good at but keeping up with everyone it seems this is necessary. hahaa Fab post. #parentbloggerthread
If we need to vlog I will be left behind as I much prefer writing and photos!
I sometimes like watching other people’s vlogs but I prefer to read blogs to be honest. The best mix for me is lots of blog posts and then a video every now and then to give a bit of variety. I would love to be able to vlog and add another string to my bow, but I can’t see me swapping my blog for a YouTube channel. Like you I think blogging very definitely has it’s place, who knows if everyone goes over to vlogging instead my blog might get some views lol! Lizzie xo
The idea of vlogging makes me feel really nervous. I have no idea why – I did drama as part of my degree. One day I’ll give it a go.
I’d love to vlog however my anxiety is something that stops me from doing so, maybe one day I’ll pick up the camera. I’ve definitely noticed a rise in more bloggers now vlogging though which makes me think its something i should be doing.