Think back to what you wanted to be as a child? Gen-X is likely to say: astronaut, doctor, lifeguard. Millennials might say: athlete, broadcaster. Zoomers are increasingly mentioning the word "blogger" in the context of talking about a desirable profession. No wonder, the Internet is their natural habitat, they grow up with a smartphone in their hands, and they prefer YouTube channels to children's fairy tales.
Obviously, this idea may seem like a dabble, a fad, or a useless waste of time for many parents, far from the world of social networking. You can understand them. However, we propose to understand the issue more thoroughly and identify all the pros and cons of children's blogging.
Why do kids want to become bloggers?
Most often it happens this way: a child scrolls through YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram, gets acquainted with the works of popular bloggers (who, by the way, may be the same age or a little older), and unconsciously wants to be like his idol. Just as his parents once imitated the characters of the movies and cartoons of their youth. Bloggers are popular, they are admired, they make good money, and yet they just talk on camera or fool around in the video. So easy! Such a logical chain occurs in a child's mind, and believe me, there is some truth in it. And here's some "big" evidence for that, based on 2019 Forbes data:
Ryan Cagey (Ryan's World), age 9
- 26.9 million subscribers on YouTube
- Annual earnings: 26 million dollars
Nastya Radzinskaya (Like Nastya), 6 years old
- 63.2 million subscribers on YouTube
- Annual earnings: 18 million dollars
Diana (Kids Diana Show) and Roma (Kids Roma Show), 6 years old
- 66.8 and 11.7 million subscribers on YouTube
- Annual earnings: 1 million dollars
What do these kids do in the video? They work as professionals: unpacking toys, tasting candy, dancing, and doing what other children do while making a lot of money.
However, if the financial aspect does not entice you so much, here are a few more arguments in favor of letting your child start a blog:
- Skills development
Blogging allows you to learn how to speak correctly and nicely, present yourself to the audience, gain confidence and get rid of stage fright. It's a creative profession that allows a child to focus their energy in the right direction and implement creative ideas. Moreover, a young blogger will learn how to set the right light, frame the shot, create an image and take care of his appearance. Don’t forget photo and video editors. You can start with a simple montage, but over time you will have to master Adobe Premiere, Final Cut, or another program, and this will be a very mature and cool skill!
- Independence and self-discipline
One of the keys to any successful blog is regularity and consistency. The influencer needs to think through a content plan, write scripts, be aware of popular trends, analyze the market and make videos as often as possible. If you can do that while attending kindergarten or school, then your time management skills will improve too. The child will have to learn how to properly manage his time and set priorities, otherwise, there won’t be any subscribers and likes.
- Communication and leadership skills
A blogger is an opinion leader, a person who leads the masses. Promotional offers begin to appear as soon as the blog gains momentum. At this time, it is necessary to know how to assert your interests and have a dialogue with the advertiser to build proper cooperation. Certainly, even the most talented preschool bloggers can't pull it off without the help of moms and dads, but kids pick up everything so quickly, so don't be surprised if a child of ten can already tell the difference between a barter collaboration and a CPA payment model.
How can a child become a blogger?
Let's consider that we have convinced you, and now you are full of enthusiasm to start your own blog. Where to start? The same way all bloggers start. You need to choose the topic.
Children become popular due to their restlessness, charm, and unique vision of the world, but young bloggers, just like adults, need to decide what to shoot. Of course, it all depends on the age of the child. The format may change every two years, improving, becoming more complex, and targeting an increasingly wide audience. The following age categories and suitable content for them can be defined:
- 2-3 years old. At this age, children are especially adorable, so you can use the format of haul - trying on clothes and funny costumes, a review of educational toys, and books.
- 4-6 years old. This is the most chatty and fidgety period for most children, so you can incorporate more interactive formats such as dancing, outdoor games, unpacking candy and toys, cartoon reviews, "getting ready for school", etc.
- 7-10 years old. It is already possible to do more, to shoot vlogs, travel, go to cafes and various events, come up with life hacks and even shoot pranks. The child will love it, trust us.
- 11-14 years old. In addition, at this age, it is possible to shoot lets plays, and game streams and direct the topic of the blog in a narrower direction, depending on what the child is passionate about. Soccer, drawing, music... Experiment and find your format.
After that, you need to choose a social network and focus on it. YouTube, Instagram, Twitch, and TikTok are the most popular among young viewers. The latter, by the way, is famous for its strictest policy and forbids filming videos for children under 13, so it's more of an option for teenagers.
You need to study the specifics of the chosen social network before shooting a video. It would be easier if you find bloggers of the same age, watch their videos and take the important notes.
Some advice for parents whose kids decided to become a blogger
- Don't forbid it.
...and by no means say that the child is too young. Ageism (discrimination of human rights based on age) is now especially negatively perceived by the younger generation. Even if you're not thrilled with your child's wishes, try to find the bright side in them. Let's be honest, not everyone can become a really good blogger, but the skills that the child will acquire in the process of learning a new hobby will give him a lot of opportunities in the future.
- Don't forget about safety
No matter how many doors the Internet opens, no matter how many opportunities it creates, let's be frank: it's not the safest place not just for children, but for adults as well. Explain to the young blogger that he should not publish your phone number and address online. He shouldn't text strangers and meet them offline. The only exception is fan meeting under the supervision of an adult.
Control the time your child spends on the Internet. Blogging should not be a detrimental to child's studies, but keep in mind that creating a video is a time-consuming process that requires several hours of painstaking work. Don't interfere with the creative process.
Be sure to have a conversation about offensive comments. Sooner or later, any blogger will have enemies, haters, and envious fans. Criticism is not always constructive, so it is important to keep self-control, not to engage in altercations, and keep calm. If you know that your child is sensitive and can react sharply to hatred - turn off this feature in the settings in advance, warding off unnecessary negativity.
- Get involved
The support of a loved one is always beneficial to creativity. Never compare your child's successes to those of other bloggers, it's fundamentally wrong. Better help with the shooting process. You can work together on a script or help with props if you don’t know a lot about social media. However, it is also important not to go overboard here, because there are children who prefer independent work.
Anyway, catch the chance to become a "cool" parent and have a great experience. Maybe over time, you will have your own account, because you can be a blogger at any age!