YouTube, like any other social media site, has evolved throughout its existence. In the early 2000s, cat videos and compilations of “people doing amazing things” made their infamous debut. After that, the “parkour” era reigned for a while and soon after, the “vine” age hit, supplying us with hours of seven second videos. But now, a new group resides on YouTube: the vlog.
What is a vlog? In the same form as a “blog” post, a vlog is a video log, videos about the daily lives of the people that produce them. And the people behind this craft are appropriately named vloggers.
While the internet stratosphere has always been filled with movies, films or shorts, vlogging takes a new approach to the word “personal.” It is no surprise that storytelling is one of the main components to this art form. The vlogging community opens up their world to millions of viewers, sharing their past, present and their hopes for the future. Some vloggers upload a new video every day, providing their audiences with fresh material every twenty four hours.
This promise of continuity, coupled with the intimate sharing of one’s life captivates an audience. The infamously rude and belittling comments section is instead usually refreshingly upbeat and supportive; viewers seem to truly enjoy delving into a part of a stranger’s daily life. The audience connects with the vloggers and forms a relationship, purely based on video sharing and technology.
But do not take my word for it. Here are some of the most interesting and popular vloggers:
Casey Neistat
You may best know him for his “Snowboarding with the NYPD” video that went viral this past winter or for his tutorial on “How to Turn Your Apple Watch Gold”. This New York dweller’s fast-paced, story-based vlogs are always a optimistic. Casey’s hard-working attitude and infectious energy make all of his vlogs a non-stop adventure. Whether he is working at his company Beme, flying (and usually crashing) a drone, skateboarding around NYC or hanging out with his family, Casey Neistat brings an upbeat,go-get'em energy to all of his viewers.
You can watch his “Draw My Life” video here:
His vlog channel is here.
Roman Atwood
Roman’s “Smile More” slogan certainly speaks to his viewers. With over a million views per vlog every single day, this family-man’s message is well liked in the YouTube community. Starting as a “pranker” Roman created his “Sketch Empire” channel which has now developed into two channels: one specifically for pranking and one for daily vlogs. And while there is still a large amount of trickery in his vlogs, Roman’s familial atmosphere and playful adventures make him a well-watched vlogger.
His vlog channel is here.
Raya (RayaWasHere) and Louis (FunForLouis)
I chose to group these two vloggers together not because they are a couple now (although that is a cute coincidence) but because I would consider them both to be “travel vloggers”. Louis is one of the more seasoned vloggers, having sustained his channel for about three years now while Raya’s channel has been running for just over a year. Both vloggers are well traveled and their videos reflect as such.
Within the past year, Raya, Bulgarian born, has visited New Zealand, Panama, Singapore, Mexico, Jamaica and many other countries. She is one of the few female vloggers with a large fan base. Louis, an England native, has a very inspirational message, encouraging young people to pursue their passion and discover other cultures. Raya and Louis’ channels are perfect for anyone interested in traveling and learning about culture. Both express the beautiful message of “living the adventure” and their vlogs certainly inspire people to do so.
Check out their sites: FunForLouis or RayaWasHere.
So whether you are looking for an up-beat, hardworking city boy, a pranking, positive family man or a traveling, inspirational vlogger, vlogs provide an intimate, interpersonal relationship through the sharing of story.
