The latest VidCon convention took place in sunny California where hundreds of Youtube stars and thousands of fans showed up to meet, watch, or catch a glimpse of their favorite creators. Of the many Youtubers present, some creators, known as “daily vloggers,” caught some negative attention for causing dangerous fan mobs and unexpected gatherings throughout the convention center.
Many of these daily vloggers are new to Youtube, some channels as young as a few months, but they quickly grew a following on social media platforms. Daily vloggers are taking over the Youtube scene, gathering fans, selling plenty of merch, and quickly racking up $$ for their “talent.” How are these daily vloggers gaining subscribers and ultimate fame in a short amount of time? It is fairly simple; they use the daily vlogger starter pack.
1. Click-bait Title (All in caps, of course)
The first step in reaching ultimate daily vlogger fame is to attract an audience. YouTubers do this best by creating a catchy, “click bait” title that either doesn’t relate to the video or describes a short 15-second clip of the entire video (typically shown at the end). Click-bait is used by not only daily vloggers, but large channels, like Buzzfeed, to grab the attention of the viewer.
2. Good Camera Quality
Daily vloggers create videos that are appealing to the eye, often to distract the viewer from whatever mindless adventures occur. Vloggers shoot impressive shots of beaches, sunsets, cities, and traffic (driving) to fill empty space between their clips and lengthen their video.
3. Jump Cuts
Most daily vlogs include various jump cuts while the vlogger speaks.The repetitive jump cuts allow for the vlogger to edit out random phrases, words, or moments that don’t “fit” their mood/style/personality. It also contributes to a fast-paced flow that keeps a viewer watching and waiting for what comes next.
4. Summarization
Daily vloggers begin by summarizing their day before they leave the house. They explain to fans their “goal” or plans, while encouraging them to “smash that “like” button,” share the video, leave something in the comments, and subscribe to their channels before the viewer even watches the video.
5. Constant Merch/Self-Promo Plug
Many vloggers and Youtubers sell personal merchandise (shirts, hats, stickers, etc.). Vlogs include constant “plugs” for their latest items, promotions, and projects. Their self-promo also includes asking their viewers to follow them on other social media, like Twitter and Snapchat. Every promotion contributes to their following and prominence on social media.
Is the daily-vlogger scene slowly corrupting Youtube? What will happen to our favorite Youtube stars that avoid clickbait titles, jump cuts, and merch plugs? Although the “daily vlogger starter pack” is extremely overused, vloggers still have our hearts, likes, and subscriber counts -- no matter how much we resist (*cough* merch link in bio *cough*).
