Vlogging Day: Are vlogs the golden ticket to harvesting authenticity into brand collaborations?

New Delhi: The world’s first-ever vlog was a man sneaking a cat into his apartment. You read that right! 

This is a story from the 2000s when Adam Kondras uploaded to his blog post a video of him sneaking a cat into his apartment as a part of him filming his journey to making it into show business. 

Fast forward to today; vlogs have become a vital format of content, owing to their ease of making and authentic portrayal of life as it is. 

International Vlogging Day, celebrated every year on August 10, commemorates the efforts of vloggers and with recent insights from TubeFilter suggesting that 20% of YouTube content today is vlogs, one can notice how it may not be a fading trend. 

Vlogging first became popular on platforms like Facebook and YouTube and has since developed into a significant sub-genre on social media sites like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram.

Having said that, vlogging as a video format is often labelled ‘long form’ or ‘redundant’ owing to the rise of short-form content taking over audience preferences. 

In a conversation with BuzzInContent.com, creators and agency professionals dissected the vlogging microcosm and talked about how vlogging can foster a community that can be nurtured for authentic brand collaborations. 

Fostering a creator-audience connection

Vlogs humanise creators for the audience, who often sees them as tall as their follower count. When creators flip the camera onto themselves and their real narratives, the audience tends to follow. Highlighting this, Bhakti Vaza, assistant manager, account management, BC Web Wise, said, “When influencers showcase their true selves, it resonates with the audience, making authenticity a cornerstone of successful content strategies.”

Vaza added that the candid nature of vlogging connects with the audience quickly, contributing to its increased popularity.

Rishabh Nahar, SVP Creator Management and Leadership Team at Only Much Louder, said, “Vlogging also provides insights into what goes behind the art and business of a creator, therefore inherently transforming vlogs into masterclasses as well.”

Talking from the creator’s perspective, Namrita Kour (@theknampage), an entertainment content creator, said, “Vlogging has given me a chance to be completely authentic, whether I'm being a bit clumsy or excited about the little things. My audience enjoys seeing the real me, connecting with my genuine self, and resonating with the real me.”

Kour emphasised the adrenaline rush creators get when the vlogs make the audience go, “Hey, I do the same too” or “We got so much in common.”

Apart from generating relatability, vlogs also make the audience feel like a part of the creators’ world. Echoing this sentiment, digital creators Amar Bhati and Smruti Ruparel (@BrainKrupt) opined that vlogs are a spontaneous approach that makes their audience feel like they’re part of an ongoing adventure, always anticipating the next unexpected twist.

They stated the instance of their ‘Coimbatore train seat mishap’ which they vlogged in its entirety, spontaneously and turned the disaster into an ‘informative and entertaining piece’ for their audience. 

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A post shared by Amar Bhati & Smruti Ruparel (@brainkrupt)

They added, “By embracing raw, real-life moments and integrating diverse perspectives, we’ve been able to build a genuine connection with our viewers. This approach not only enhances engagement but also drives a stronger, more loyal community.”

Kour also echoed the ‘entertaining’ sentiment as she revealed that her audience responds differently to vlogging compared to her other content. She added, “They seem to be genuinely surprised and intrigued by glimpses into my everyday life or highlights from my travels. It’s clear they enjoy these insights, as I frequently receive DMs and comments requesting more of my natural, unfiltered vlogs.”

Driving engagement and loyalty

Creators noted that the “Hi vlog! This is us!” format led to soaring engagement in the form of comments and shares. The underlying gameplay to such engagement is often latched on to the ‘raw and unfiltered approach.’

Vaza commented that with vlogs, followers feel connected and invested in the influencer’s journey. She added, “When the viewers find the vlog entertaining or informative, they engage with the content by liking, commenting and sharing it in their circles and groups.”

BrainKrupt stated, in tandem with the boost in engagement factor, “Our natural, unplanned content struck a chord with people, making them feel part of our journey.”

They also highlighted their pre-vlogging journey, where their content predominantly focused on case studies but lacked engagement. They capitalised on the feature of making UPI payments offline and took their cameras outside to the people and voiced their sentiments, leading to a significant boost in followers, reaching more than a million views. 

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A post shared by Amar Bhati & Smruti Ruparel (@brainkrupt)

They opined, “The raw, unedited nature of vlogs creates a sense of connection and trust that polished content often lacks. It shows our audience that we are real people, dealing with real situations, and this honesty resonates deeply with them, driving stronger engagement and loyalty.”

Brands and products that can take the ‘vlogging’ route

A recent iCubesWire survey found that 37% of the audience believe influencer recommendations are never genuine. While this may make influencer marketing sound reductive, positioning vlogs as the audience’s portal into the creator’s world might hold some answers for brands to win the audience's trust. 

Nahar believes that long-term deals with a vlogger, for instance, can help forge strong connections with legions of loyal community members, resulting in high recall value for a brand. 

He added, “There’s a gamut of accessibility that comes into focus when it comes to vlogging, with something for everyone. When fans see artists using these products regularly, it builds an immense amount of trust and authenticity around the fact that these are recommendations that are being used and trusted by the talent they look up to.”

Ojaswini Bharti, Head of Agency Partnerships at Finnet Media, opined that vlogging is ideal for products and campaigns that benefit from a personal touch or real-life demonstration. She added, “It suits campaigns where detailed, honest reviews or behind-the-scenes content can be showcased.”

Vaza reflects her sentiments and added that beauty and skincare routines, fitness regimens, and travel experiences top this list, as these industries benefit from detailed, real-world demonstrations and exposure. Tech gadgets and interior design projects also thrive in this format, where influencers showcase practical applications and transformations over time. 

She stated Vogue is a classic example of a brand using vlogs and the humanising touch to garner audiences. 

Vogue has garnered a community through its vlog-style content by humanising celebrities, offering behind-the-scenes snippets and encouraging real-time interaction. 

She noted, “This strategy has gained loyalty from younger demographics like Gen Z and millennials who prefer dynamic and engaging content.” 

Vlogging for brands: what should brands do?

Crafting a strong influencer strategy involves more than just aesthetics and product details; it also revolves around brand values and vision. Vaza believes that it is essential for marketers to understand the brand's values and marry them with the intent of the influencer's followers to ensure the brand message resonates with the audience. 

“Taking a collaborative and flexible approach is crucial for authentic vlogging collaborations. As influencers have unique voices that appeal to their fan base, it's important to allow them creative freedom,” she added. 

Talking about preserving creators’ creative freedom, Bharti added that clear communication and prior expectation setting are essential to maintaining authenticity in the content while promoting any brand. 

Nahar stressed on maintaining the creators’ USP and hook and added that sticking to that tonality and not changing it to sound preachy is a primary requirement in such collaborations. 

Vlogging for brands: what should creators do?

Talking about the other side of the brand-creator collaboration story, Kour believes that maintaining authenticity while integrating the brand into the vlog is key. 

BrainKrupt believes that overdelivering to brands is key while using vlogs. They opined that brand collaborations work best when creators genuinely believe in the product. 

They added, “We use a product for at least 10-30 days before forming an opinion. We then overdeliver to the brand by sharing random stories and updates about the product even after the initial upload. This continuous integration keeps the content fresh and authentic.”

They also opined that vlogging is about storytelling that stays true to your voice while delivering value to everyone involved.

Kour added by highlighting how the goal is to be as natural and practical as possible, so the audience can genuinely relate and brands can feel confident in their investment.

She showcased ideas for creators to marry authenticity with the products they collaborate with, including using products based on routines, whether it's choosing makeup suited to the weather, selecting skincare that keeps her skin comfortable, or picking outfits that balance style and comfort. She also believes in offering tips for last-minute fixes, all while integrating the product into the vlog. 

Are vlogs here to stay? 

With the rise in short-form content across social media platforms, including reels and shorts, the audience can be found fleeting towards content that is ‘scrollable’ and ‘fastly consumable.’ 

While traditional vlogs do not meet either of these criteria, new-age vlogs are found to be tailored to meet the needs of the dynamic audience. 

Vaza believes that in an era of short attention spans, vlogs have offered an engaging solution to a brand’s marketing needs. With a narrative-driven format, visual elements, interactive Q&A sessions, and a transparent experience, vlogs keep the viewers engrossed from start to end, building loyal viewership for brands and creators to foster genuine connection.

Bharti added to similar sentiments and believes that vlogging can counteract diminishing attention spans by delivering engaging, episodic content that keeps viewers waiting for the end of the episode and returning for more. 

Nahar sealed his take with optimism as he gave examples of reality shows like the Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives, Bling Empire and Dubai Bling that are based on the vlogging format with multiple subjects, giving audiences insights into what goes on in the personal lives of celebrities. 

He added that they’re some of the most consumed and highest rated shows globally, which shows that there’s an audience for all content, but there is also an enduring attention span for every type of content format and vlogging has the highest rate of audience retention rates.