How Vlogs Mirror Diaries

By: Margot Del Rio

Vlogs, often referred to as video blogs, have been increasingly popular in recent years and should be perceived as a fresh form of a diary for a number of reasons:

People may express themselves more viscerally and intimately through vlogs. People are now expressing their daily lives, ideas, and feelings through films rather than writing them down in private diaries. This offers a more captivating and immersive means of expressing oneself. They provide a genuine and unvarnished depiction of the vlogger's life since they are frequently unscripted and uncensored. Just as in a journal entry, viewers may watch emotions and reactions in real-time. Viewers identify with this honesty, strengthening the bond.

This new medium of expression is accompanied by a feeling of community and involvement. The vlogger is interactable with viewers, who may ask questions and post comments. Unlike traditional journals, which are usually kept secret, it's kind of like having a discussion with a buddy. Vlogs are used to record important life experiences in the same way as diaries were. Vloggers document significant anniversaries, trips, struggles, and personal development, keeping memories in a more dynamic way.

Similar to how picking words and creating storylines in a journal needs creativity, vlogs frequently entail creative storytelling and video editing. Vloggers improve the viewing experience by utilizing visuals, music, and editing tools. These daily life-simulation videos may be shared with a worldwide audience with ease on a number of social media sites and video-sharing portals. Reaching a wider audience and establishing connections with people who share interests or experiences is made possible by accessibility.

When other multimedia components are included, such as pictures, audio, and video clips, they become multi-sensory experiences. Text is all that is included in traditional diaries, with the odd sketch or clipping. Vlogs, like diaries, offer a way to record one's own evolution as a person over time. looking back at their previous films and considering their path, akin to going through old diaries.

Even though vlogs are frequently personal in nature, a lot of vloggers utilize this format to share their experiences, expertise, and advice with a large audience. This is comparable to diarists sharing insights or lessons discovered in their journalistic writings. A good example of what a vlog looks like resonates with Disney Channel's “Good Luck Charlie” which presented the older sister, Teddy creating video diaries daily with hopes that her little sister would acknowledge them in the future.

In essence, vlogs have evolved to become the contemporary equivalent of diaries, combining personal reflection, storytelling, and creative expression with the benefits of multimedia and a global audience. While traditional diaries still hold their own unique charm and value, vlogs have carved out a space as the contemporary form of personal expression and documentation of life's journey.

Source(s):

Vlog – a video diary and marketing tool alike. (n.d.). IONOS Digitalguide. https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/online-marketing/social-media/what-is-a-vlog/ ‌