Follow Will Smith on YouTube? Ever browsed through his ‘Gram? It is a full-on, no-prisoners-taken, frontal assault on creating videos. From vlogging his colonoscopy to bungee jumping out of a helicopter, the man has recorded everything!

One look at his videos and it is a no-brainer that a travel blogger who wants to make some dough online has to up their game. With that in mind, we curated 13 practical travel vlogging tips for you.

How To Do Travel Blogging With Better Videos?

These four basic and necessary steps give your video arsenal a bit more firepower. 

The Story: 

There is no doubt that a gorgeous location hooks the viewer, but adding a story into the mix keeps them coming back for more. Videos that tell a tale to attract followers because our brains are naturally wired to love stories. So, create a narration before you begin filming. 

The Recording:

With a story in hand, record your travels. Include long, wide shots; detailed, close-up clips and a few extra frames. 

(We’ve expanded on the story and filming below.)

The Editing:

When you’re in the flow, you shoot raw clips. Putting them into a seamless narrative and removing any blips is necessary. It is here editing comes in. 

The Promotion:

If you don’t push the video and promote it to your audience, your view count remains abysmal. The last step, therefore, is to optimise the video and advertise it!

(We tackle editing and promotion in another article.)

What Are The 8 Travel Vlogging Tips For Beginners?

Now that the fundamental steps are out of the way, let’s jump into insider secrets gained only through years of travel vlogging (or the help of a community).

Travel Vlogging Tips: The Story

A story is all well and good, but a travel vlog is not a full-length feature film. If your video drags or has 4-minute long clips of a sunrise, the viewer loses interest in a hot second. Because people get bored shockingly fast (8 seconds to be precise), a traveller influencer needs to:

  1. Keep the overall length of the video, short and sweet.
  2. Maintain the duration of the clips within the vlog succinct. Think 4-sec sunrise shot, not 4-minute.
  3. Remove or edit any frames and captures:
    – Where nothing is happening
    – Where no new panorama is shown
  4. If you think of the vlog as a movie trailer, it’ll help you create a more enjoyable video. Remember a 7-minute long, action-packed vlog leaves more of an impression than a 20-minute long video that no one watches ultimately. 

Travel Vlogging Tips: The Recording

For travel vlog beginners, the experience of recording a scene becomes awkward. There you are talking away at or behind a camera in a gorgeous spot, while other tourists are enjoying the place (read: snapping 10,000 selfies). The judgemental eyeballs can make you self-conscious. 

  1. Don’t be. They aren’t aware you are recording a fantabulous vlog. Ignore and carry on.
  2. Practice vlogging in public in your hometown. The familiar setting puts you at ease, and the practice makes vlogging come naturally. 

When a travel blogger is starting, their videos get attention because someone hunted for a particular destination they visited. The thing that gets repeat viewers is you. When a person sees your face and the vlog reflects your personality, they connect to it instantly.  Ergo:

  1. At some point in the recording, be the protagonist of the video. You don’t need to be in front of the camera for the whole thing, but at least have one clip with your face in it. It will resonate with the audience much better. 

Travel Vlogging Equipment 

Established travel vloggers tend to utilise 2 cameras. One is for filming scenery, and the other is a portable option, carriable on hikes and challenging trails. 

  1. The golden rule is to use the gear most comfortable to you. If it is a DSLR that gives you the best results, stick to it. If a mirrorless camera seems the natural extension of your hand, then use that. And if your iPhone 11 is what captures the action best, then tap the record button. 
  2. Invest in a tool that keeps the camera stable. Nothing is worse than a jittery video. Since not every travel destination has a flat surface to hold the camera, buy either one of these:
  • Tripod
  • Monopod
  • Gorilla pod

If the luggage limitation doesn’t allow you to pack a pod, get a camera strap. As compared to a hand-held camera, a camera supported by the body through a strap is much steadier. 

  1. Clean the lens of all the cameras. Frequently. It blows when you come back to the hotel room at the end of a long day exploring and filming only to see a smudge on the entire footage.
  2. Always, always, always carry spare batteries because Murphy’s Law says that when you least expect it, the batteries of your camera will drain.

Travel Vlogging: Audio Techniques

  1. Just like a good camera, a sound (pardon the pun) microphone is crucial. Think about it. You’re standing on the iconic Cliffs of Moher, filming the stunning beauty of Isle of Skye but the wind eats away your words. How well is that going to go over with the audience?
  2. While the vistas are breath-taking in a travel video, the background scores not so much. Spend time researching background music for your travel vlogs. And while we’re on the topic of music, if you are sampling more than legally allowed, make sure you have bought the rights to it.

Enough Travel Vlogging Tips Here’s Some Realness

Sometimes we lack the cranial equipment necessary to pursue our passions. No shade, just realness. But DYT is anchored in the knowledge that we are stronger together. Hence, the thirteen travel vlogging tips. What you have in undersupply, the DYT community contributes in an endeavour to make you a better content creator. 

That said, in your vision to be a great travel influencer don’t forget to immerse yourself in the experience. So, go mix with the local culture, sniff through the farmer’s market, meet new people and try different stuff. 

About the Author

Ankit Agarwal

The Founder and CEO of Do Your Thng, Ankit’s thng is helping build a space where creators can earn a sustainable living doing what they love. And, oh, his true love is Google calendar.

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