How to Prepare for Vlogmas WITHOUT a Team
Seasons greetings for stress, fake laughter, and breakdowns. If you are a smaller YouTuber that cannot afford an editor or PA, should you even try to participate in Vlogmas? Keep reading because we have a lot to “unwrap” here.
Vlogmas is when YouTubers vlog every single day from December 1st to the 25th to spread holiday cheer. In actuality, Vlogmas is a money-making machine for YouTubers to earn double or triple their normal monthly payout. This is the result of retail companies dumping the majority of their annual marketing budget into the shopping months of November and December.
Let’s examine how the top content creators manage their daily upload schedule with their team before we strip it down to our level. YouTuber Alisha Marie is very open about her Vlogmas process, so she’s been a big part of my research. I’ve also worked on a YouTuber’s team myself.
Creative Director — Having someone to research, market your content, and brainstorm video ideas with you is a tremendous help when you are tripling your workload. This person understands the YouTuber’s vision, so they can assist with brand deals and thumbnails.
Personal Assistant — Depending on the contract, this person can serve as a production assistant who can organize your work agenda and place orders for props, costumes, and more.
Editor — Creators who daily vlog often invest in an overseas editor. They film their day and send over the footage before bed. By the time they wake up, the video is ready to upload. Also, YouTubers who have multiple channels usually have more than one editor.
Being able to afford a team is a right of passage: You’ve made it! But all of these top-earning YouTubers had to start from the bottom just like you.
For Non-YPP YouTubers
Upfront, if you are NOT a monetized YouTuber, do not participate in Vlogmas. Your December uploads will get lost amongst the competition, and the YouTube algorithm has no reason to favor you. If you have too many back-to-back videos with poor analytics, your entire channel will suffer. I would only upload once per week to satisfy the algorithm and avoid making holiday-related videos because seasonal content has a shorter shelf life. At this point in your YouTube career, you need the watch time — 5,000 hours to be exact if you want to join the YPP — so try to post 15–25 minute videos.
For YPP YouTubers
You want a slice of that Vlogmas money pie, but you are nervous to compete with the big dogs. You can definitely increase your monthly payout, even if you are under 10k subscribers.
If you do not normally post vlogs or lifestyle content, I would not subject your subscribers to vlogs. The algorithm is like middle school: you are only perceived in one way. (It’s totes unfair, just like when the popular girls deemed me uncool.) But now you have an advantage! You can get away with pre-filming videos.
I rarely post vlogs on my main channel, so I started the pre-filming route at the end of October and managed to upload every other day during Vlogmas. Each video was 15–25 minutes in length with high-quality editing. I fed the YouTube algorithm exactly what it wanted: polished long-form content with great thumbnails. (Too braggy?) But do keep in mind that I was not able to post everyday. So, manage your time well.
Create a physical list of 30–35 video ideas because you will most likely have to improvise. You will suffer from burnout towards the end, so don’t assume that you will end with an epic finale. Recognize that product reviews and 30-day challenges take time. If you ordered anything online, assume a late delivery.
Don’t bother uploading on December 24th and 25th. Even the top YouTubers will suffer from low views on those days.
For topics, I would plan to post 80% normal and 20% holiday. People only search for Hannukah, Christmas, etc. in December.
Consider making gift guides. Give your video a niche title (ex: ‘Holiday Gift Guide 2020’), and then change the title to something more general afterward (ex: ‘Items You Can’t Live Without’) to keep the video relevant. These days, people want to see at least 50+ items per video with quick demonstrations and zero rambling.
Videos featuring products with description boxes packed with affiliate links should be uploaded first. People only holiday shop for so many people, so you want to catch their attention right away. Plus, product review videos host higher ad auctions, which means more money for you.
If you are committed to daily vlogs, consider pre-filming certain parts. (I promise you that cheating on Vlogmas will put you on the smart list instead of the naughty list.) Collect footage of yourself decluttering a room, making food, showing off a clothing haul, or answering questions. Just don’t film and then choose a new hair color on December 1st…
You do not need an intro! Yes, they are bougie, so I want an intro too. But you will most likely nitpick your 10-second intro and waste precious time on it.
Take Advantage Post-Vlogmas
It’s January 2nd… You look around your house at the holiday decorations still on display. You’ve taken a 2-week break from posting because January has ridiculously low ad payout rates. Now is the time to make your intro for next Vlogmas!
Another idea is to consider making a “time capsule” video like Mr. Beast. Capture the moment and schedule the video for December 1st. Or, take pictures of decorations and selfies to store them away for your next Vlogmas Instagram or thumbnails.
Honestly, I don’t care what you do. I’m too busy refreshing my own YouTube analytics watching my money predictions go up. Just get creative and try to think one step ahead.
If you found this article helpful, I would love it if you shared this with your other content creating friends. Happy YouTube-ing!
