Vlog
A vlog, or video log, is a digital media format that combines the elements of traditional blogging with video content. Originating in 2000, vlogs allow creators to share personal experiences, insights, and information through videos rather than written text. The rise of platforms like YouTube significantly contributed to the popularity of vlogging, as it provided a user-friendly space for creators to upload and share their content, facilitating easy access for viewers. Vlogs can cover a wide array of topics, including daily life, tutorials, product reviews, and creative expressions, appealing to diverse audiences.
As vlogging gained traction, many successful vloggers began to monetize their channels by incorporating advertisements, securing product placements, or receiving viewer donations. The evolution of technology, such as enhanced internet speeds and mobile devices, has further propelled the growth of the vlogging community, making it easier for both creators and viewers to engage. Today, vlogging continues to be a prominent and evolving form of media, reflecting a broad spectrum of interests and cultural perspectives while allowing individuals to connect and share their lives with a global audience.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Vlog
Vlogs, also called video logs, are a form of media that first appeared in 2000. They combine the traditional blog (web log) format, but replace text posts with videos. Vlogs grew in popularity with the content-creation platform YouTube.com, which made it easier for computer users to follow their favorite content developers. As vlogging grew in popularity, the most popular vloggers were able to monetize their vlogs through advertisements, donations, or product placements.
Overview
A blog is an informational or journaling website that shows information in reverse chronological order, meaning that the most recent posts are presented first. Most blogs include a header with a navigation bar, a sidebar to organize content, and a main content area that contains the blog posts. Other common features include disclaimers, contact pages, and links to similar blogs.
The first blog platform was Links.net, a website created in 1994. The term “weblog” can be traced back to 1997. It was used by Justin Barger, a blog writer, to describe logging onto the World Wide Web. The term was quickly shortened to “blog,” and the act of updating a blog became “blogging.” The term blog first appeared on a news website in 1998, when it was used by The Charlotte Observer.
A video blog, commonly called a “vlog,” is a blog in which the content creator makes videos instead of written content. The first person to publish media in this style was Adam Kontras, who posted his first vlog in 2000. Kontras aspired to a career in show business, and he traveled across the country to Los Angeles. Along the way, Kontras posted videos of his life online to keep his friends and family informed on his progress. These videos became the first vlog.
Other Internet users were slow to take up the media posting format, probably due to the technical limitations of the Internet of the time. However, in 2005, a website called YouTube was launched. YouTube was entirely designed to host user-created video media. It was immensely popular, and within a year had reached more than 100 million videos watched each day. Vloggers flocked to the site, posting frequent videos on their channels. YouTube made it simple for viewers to follow their favorite vlogs and allowed them to watch all their favorite content creators on a single website. Over the next decade, advances in computers, smartphones, and Internet speeds made it easier than ever for viewers to watch and share their favorite content.
Modern vloggers post videos about any number of subjects. Some discuss their daily lives, history, art, or hobbies. Others review products or give tutorials. Some vloggers have been immensely successful, garnering millions of followers. Some successful vloggers have been able to turn their blogs into a significant source of financial revenue. Some post advertisements on their vlogs, and are paid for the views they get. Others do product placements in their videos, charging a fee to feature a product. Still others profit directly from their viewers, making money through donations.
During the late 2010s and early 2020s, some of these vloggers came to be known as influencers. Influencers are individuals who are highly engaged with their large social media followings. They are known for being able to utilize their following to generate interest in topics or affect the purchasing decisions of others. Many influencers regularly make profitable deals with sponsors, turning the act of influencing others on social media into a full-time career.
Bibliography
“A Brief History of Blogging,” WebDesignerDepot, 2019, www.webdesignerdepot.com/2011/03/a-brief-history-of-blogging/. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
Bawden-Davis, Julie. “How to Start Vlogging on YouTube for Money,” Houston Chronicle, 4 Dec. 2018, smallbusiness.chron.com/start-vlogging-youtube-money-42712.html. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
Bellis, Mary. “The Creation of YouTube,” ThoughtCo., 3 Apr. 2018, www.thoughtco.com/who-invented-youtube-1992691. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
Dickey, Megan Rose. “The 22 Key Turning Points in the History of YouTube,” Business Insider, 15 Feb. 2013, www.businessinsider.com/key-turning-points-history-of-youtube-2013-2. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
Maslanka, Michelle. “The Video Blog: History of Vlogging,” Motion Source, 28 Jul. 2018, www.motionsource.com/blog/the-vlog-blog-history-of-vlogging. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
Price, Emily. “What is Video Blogging? How to Create Your Own Blog,” Lifewire, 6 May 2024, www.lifewire.com/video-blogging-guide-488155. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
Thomspon, Clive. “The Early Years,” New York Magazine, 2006, nymag.com/news/media/15971/. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
“What is a Blog?” – The Definition of Blog, Blogging, and Blogger,” firstsiteguide, 12 Nov. 2024, firstsiteguide.com/what-is-blog/. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.