Starting an online presence can be a daunting task. Depending on your goals, interests, and resources, you may have to decide between blogging or creating YouTube videos. While both platforms offer great opportunities for influencing an audience and potential income sources, they differ in many important ways.
In this blog post, I have discussed the differences between blogging and YouTube so that you can decide which platform best suits your needs.
What Is the Difference Between Blogging and YouTube?
At first glance, blogging and YouTube appear to have many similarities. Both involve creating content to reach a specific audience. However, there are some key differences between these two platforms:
Mode of Delivery
Blogging typically involves written content delivered through blog posts, articles, and other text-based media. You may have some videos included to break up the text and increase engagement, but, for the most part, it will consist of written content.
YouTube is a video-based platform that allows users to share their videos with viewers all over the world. This platform focuses on visual media such as vlogs, tutorials, and reaction videos.
Audience
YouTube is more suited to attracting younger audiences. You will find that many of the viewers are teenagers or young adults and that they may be more likely to watch a video than read an article.
Blogging is better for reaching slightly older audiences, as this age group greatly appreciates well-written content. They are also more likely to engage with written content than videos.
Audience Engagement
Blogs tend to create a more personal connection with readers. Readers can comment on posts and engage in conversations with the blogger via comments, private messages, or other forms of communication. This allows bloggers to build relationships with their audience and establish themselves as an authority in their niche.
YouTube viewers may leave comments on videos, but they are often more passive, meaning they may watch a video but not engage with the creator in any meaningful way. YouTube videos are usually more entertaining and enjoyable than text-based content, so viewers tend to consume them quickly and move on without taking action.
Income Potential
Both blogging and YouTube can be monetized, but there are some key differences between the two. Blogging is often a passive income source since you can monetize blog posts with ads and affiliate links.
YouTube, on the other hand, requires you to have high levels of engagement to make money. You need to create videos that people enjoy watching and keep them returning for more to receive ad revenue or sponsorships.
Time Commitment
Blogging requires a more consistent effort to remain visible, as blog posts need to be published on a regular basis, and promotion is necessary if you want your content to reach an audience.
You will also need to regularly check on your content to see comments and respond to them and monitor analytics to ensure your content reaches the right people.
YouTube videos require less frequent publishing, but they take more time to create since you have to film and edit them. You also need to promote your videos if you want viewers; much effort is still involved in creating a successful YouTube channel.
It is easier to manage the workload because you do not need to release them frequently as blog posts; you can have a few videos released at once and then focus on promotion.
Using SEO for Blogging and YouTube
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a great way to reach more people on both blogging and YouTube. Here are the possible applications of SEO for both platforms:
For blogging, SEO can be used to optimize your website and content for search engines. You should focus on using keywords in the title, meta description, and body of the text so that your blog posts appear higher up in search engine results pages (SERPs).
For YouTube videos, SEO involves using tags, descriptions, and attractive thumbnails to make videos more discoverable. You should also look into creating backlinks from other websites and social media accounts to increase the visibility of your channel and content.
YouTube and Blogging Can Work Together
The two platforms can be used together to create a more comprehensive content strategy that reaches more people. For example:
Promoting Content
Both blogging and YouTube can be used to promote each other. You could post a video on YouTube and then write a blog post about the topic that includes an embedded video so readers can watch it directly from your site.
This way, you get views for both platforms and more opportunities for audience engagement. You could also do this in reverse and post a blog post to your site, including a link to a related video on YouTube.
Cross-Promotion
You can also use both platforms to cross-promote other content from each platform. For example, you could include links to your latest blog posts in the YouTube video description or vice versa. This allows viewers to easily find their way to your other content and keep them engaged.
When you use both blogging and YouTube together, you can reach more people more effectively. Both platforms have their own strengths and weaknesses, so combining them allows you to take advantage of the best of both worlds.
This can help you build a larger audience and generate more income from your content. With patience and hard work, you should be able to create a successful content strategy using both blogging and YouTube.
How to Monetize YouTube
Now that you know the benefits of using blogging and YouTube together, let’s dive into how to monetize YouTube.
Monetizing your YouTube channel requires you to have at least a thousand subscribers and four thousand public watch hours over the past year. Once you meet these criteria, you can join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) and earn money from your videos.
It is important to remember that monetizing YouTube takes a lot of work and dedication, as you will need to commit to creating content regularly and promoting it effectively.
There are several ways for YouTubers to make money. Here is a detailed discussion of the most common ones:
YouTube Ads
There are two kinds of YouTube ads: cost-per-view (CPV) and cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM). The CPV type requires viewers to take certain actions in order for you to get paid, such as watching an ad for at least thirty seconds.
On the other hand, CPM ads pay you based on how many people view the ad, regardless of any actions taken. You will usually get paid more for CPM ads than you would from CPV ads.
Channel Membership
Channel membership allows people to pay a monthly fee to support your channel and get special benefits in return. You can offer exclusive content, early access to videos, shout-outs, merchandise discounts, and more.
Affiliate Links
If your videos are related to products or services, you can use affiliate links in the description of your videos. This way, when viewers click on the link and purchase the item, you will get a commission from the sale.
Many companies like Amazon, Target, and Best Buy offer affiliate programs, so you should do some research to find ones related to your videos’ topics.
Patronage
Patronage allows people to pledge monthly donations in exchange for exclusive content or other benefits. If you have a consistent and large enough following, this could be an effective way to make money from your YouTube channel.
Merchandise
You can also sell merchandise related to your videos and brand. This could include t-shirts, hats, mugs, stickers, or any other items with your logo or design printed on them. You can sell these items on your own website or through a third-party platform like Etsy.
This is an especially good option if you have a large and loyal fan base that would be interested in buying products related to your channel.
Sponsorships
You can also reach out to brands and companies to see if they are interested in sponsoring your videos. Companies may pay you directly for the sponsorship or provide you with free products that you can feature in your videos.
This is a great way to make extra money and build relationships with brands that may be interested in working with you in the future.
YouTube Shorts Fund
In May of 2021, YouTube announced the Shorts Fund, which will help creators make money from short-form content. This fund will provide direct payments to eligible YouTube creators who are part of this program.
Content Creation Services
Finally, if you have a lot of experience creating content, you can offer services such as video editing or scriptwriting. You can list these services on freelancing sites like Fiverr or Upwork or reach out to brands directly.
You can charge a premium for your services if you are skilled in a certain area. Many people are willing to pay for quality content, which can be a great way to monetize YouTube.
How to Monetize a Blog
Blogging is a great way to reach your target audience and build an online presence. You can also make money by monetizing your blog. There are several ways you can do this, including the following:
Affiliate Marketing
Similar to YouTube, you can use affiliate links in your blog posts. When readers click on these links and purchase the items you are promoting, you will get a commission from the sale.
Remember to be transparent with your readers and disclose that you use affiliate links in your blog posts.
Ads
You can also include ads on your blog. Many companies are willing to pay to gain exposure to your audience. Think of it like what newspapers do. A newspaper with a large circulation may charge more for ads than a newspaper with a smaller circulation.
You can easily use Google Adsense or another ad network to place ads on your blog. Just remember that the more traffic you get, the better your chance of making money from ads.
Create and Sell an Online Course
You can also make money by creating and selling an online course. This is a great way to monetize your blog if you have knowledge or expertise in a certain area that people are interested in learning about.
Creating and selling an online course can be a lot of work, but it can also be very profitable once you start. You can use platforms like Teachable or Udemy to host your course and make it easier for potential customers to find.
Sell eBooks
There are many people who make money by writing and selling eBooks. You can write an eBook related to a topic you cover on your blog and sell it directly from your site or through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. Remember that eBooks don’t have to be long; you can create short ones with helpful information for readers.
Offer Coaching
If you have expertise in a certain area, you can offer coaching services to readers. This could include offering one-on-one advice or creating online courses that teach people how to do something. You can also use your blog as a platform to find potential clients for coaching services.
Sell Digital Products
Apart from ebooks, you can also sell other digital products such as graphics, music, and design templates. There are many people who make a living off of selling their digital products online. You can use platforms like Gumroad or Sellfy to create an online store to list your digital products and start making money from them.
Offer a Paid Membership Plan
Businesses with subscription models are gaining popularity. You can offer readers a paid membership plan that gives them access to exclusive content or discounts on your products and services.
For example, Netflix and Hulu are popular subscription services. You can use platforms like Memberful to create a membership system for your blog and earn money through recurring subscriptions.
Generate Revenue with Sponsored Posts/Reviews
Another way to monetize your blog is by getting sponsored posts or reviews. Companies are willing to pay for exposure on popular blogs, and you can use this as an opportunity to make money.
Remember that you should only promote products relevant to your audience and disclose any payments you receive from sponsors.
Blog vs YouTube Channel: Which Is Personally Right for You?
Choosing whether to start a blog or YouTube channel is a personal decision. Both have pros and cons, so it’s important to consider what you want to achieve with your online presence before making the decision.
Here are a few factors to consider when making that decision:
Start-Up Costs: For Blogging And YouTube
When launching a YouTube channel, there are few upfront expenses. All you need is a camera, a microphone, and some understanding of basic video editing, which you might already have if you’re reading this.
There’s no need to purchase a separate camera because most modern phones come with decent cameras that can compete with most DSLR cameras. However, if you want to be more professional and have better quality, you will need to invest some money into gear.
In comparison, launching a blog requires more of an upfront investment. You’ll need to pay for hosting costs and potentially buy a domain name. However, if you are just getting started, you may be able to find free options that will suit your needs.
Time Commitment
Creating videos takes a lot of time and effort. You’ll need to plan, shoot, edit and upload your videos which can be very time-consuming.
In comparison, creating blog posts is much less labor-intensive since you don’t have to record or edit the content. However, it does require a certain level of planning and research to create quality content.
Being on Camera
Creating a successful YouTube channel requires you to be comfortable in front of the camera. Starting a blog may be more suitable if you are not confident about being on camera.
However, if you can overcome your fears and get used to talking on camera, it could be worth giving YouTube a try, as it’s an incredibly powerful platform for reaching an audience.
Audience Engagement
YouTube videos tend to get more engagement than blog posts, as people are more likely to watch a video than read a long post. However, it’s important to keep in mind that YouTube is also very saturated right now, so you have to go the extra mile to stand out.
Blog posts can also be engaging if they’re written well and contain helpful or interesting information. With blog posts, you have more room to explain concepts in depth and provide resources for your readers.
Your Environment
YouTube requires you to plan and shoot videos in advance, which can be difficult if you’re not in a good environment. You should be in a quiet environment with good lighting and no distractions.
On the other hand, you can write blog posts from anywhere as long as you have access to a computer or mobile device. This makes it much easier if you’re always on the go or don’t have an ideal environment for shooting videos.
Which One Makes Money Faster
This is a very common question when it comes to blogging vs YouTube. Both can be profitable, depending on the quality of content you’re creating and how quickly you build your audience.
However, I think that YouTube has the potential to make money faster since it has a larger built-in audience of people searching for content. You do not need viral videos because your content will show up at the top of the search results within the first 72 hours of publishing.
With blog posts, you need to rely more on organic search engine traffic and social media strategies to get your content seen.
Content Ownership
The last major difference between YouTube and blogging is the ownership of your content. You do not own any of the content you create on YouTube, as Google/YouTube owns it. You will be at the mercy of the algorithms, and YouTube can take down your content anytime.
With blogging, you own the content and can control where it is hosted and how it looks. This is true, especially when you use reliable hosts like WordPress or Medium. You have more you more freedom and control over your content.
Conclusion: Blogging vs YouTube (You Should Do Both)
Blogging and YouTube can both be great tools for making money online. You may find that one works better than the other, or you may decide to do both.
The most important thing is to remember that there is no “right” answer when it comes to choosing between a blog or a YouTube channel. Consider your goals, skills, and available resources before making a decision. And if you can do both at the same time, why not?
Hopefully, this article has given you some ideas and insight into the different options. Good luck.
FAQs | Blogging vs YouTube
What is the big difference between blogging and YouTube?
The main difference between blogging and YouTube is that blogging involves writing content, whereas YouTube videos are more visual. Blogging also requires a greater initial investment in start-up costs and time commitment, while YouTube can be up and running relatively quickly.
Which one makes money faster?
YouTube has the potential to make money faster since it has a larger built-in audience of people searching for content. With blog posts, you need to rely more on organic search engine traffic and social media strategies to get your content seen.
What is the best way to monetize a blog?
It depends on your goals and audience. Some of the most popular ways to monetize a blog are affiliate marketing, ads, creating and selling an online course, and selling eBooks.
How much money can you make from blogging?
This depends on many factors, such as how much traffic you have, what kind of products or services you’re selling, and the demand for them. Some bloggers make thousands of dollars a month from their blogs, while others may only make a few hundred.
I personally have been doing SEO for many years now and I have made a full-time living from this skill. As I publish this article on my blog, both my blog & YT Channel together made over $300 just today and the day is not fully over.
