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When it comes to online marketing and content creation, two platforms have risen to prominence: blogging and YouTube. But if you’re struggling to decide which one to invest in first, then it’s worth digging into what sets them apart.
Below we’ll take a look behind the curtain and see what it takes to start a blog versus starting a YouTube channel. As you’ll hear from a few of our in-house experts, both channels take grit and commitment. However, as you explore each, you may find that one is a better match for your skills or business goals than the other.
Top 6 factors to consider when choosing between blogging vs. Youtube
What things should you consider as you weigh the two platforms? At a minimum, make sure to consider these six factors seriously.
01. Your skills and interests
Writing is to blogging as filming is to YouTube. While you don’t necessarily need to be the sole creator on either channel, you should at least be interested or comfortable with each medium. Otherwise, you risk fast burnout.
Beyond assessing whether you’re better with your written words or spoken words, think about all the steps that come with developing your content. For blogging, how comfortable are you with reviewing other people’s work? What do you already know about SEO? For YouTube, what video editing experience do you have?
02. Your goals
What do you hope to achieve with your content? For either blogging or YouTube, your goals could range between:
Selling branded products or services
Spreading awareness of your brand (personal or business-related)
Offering help to other professionals or clients
Creating a community for people with a shared interest
Expressing a personal passion (no monetary or business-related goal)
You might be eyeing several of these goals at once, but knowing your ultimate motivation can help you identify the best channel to start with. Your goals can help you set more concrete KPIs and plans—and evaluate what’s realistic, given your resources and timeframe.
They can additionally help you research what types of content tend to drive more sales versus passive views.
“Blogging is one of the most flexible platforms for experimenting with content to support all stages of the sales funnel. ” - Allison Lee, editor-in-chief at Wix
03. Your audience
Remember to think about what others find interesting, not just yourself. This is especially important if you’re creating a blog or YouTube channel for business purposes.
Check that your target reader or viewer is actually present on your chosen channel. Dig deeper into how they engage with content, what they search for, etc. This type of research will help you estimate potential reach, plus understand what types of content you’ll need to create to interest viewers.
According to Wix's creative manager, Ofir Elboym:
“The average YouTube viewer is curious, an avid learner, people-loving creative who has yet to completely ruin his or her attention span.” - Ofir Elboym, creative manager at Wix
“Even though we have the YouTube shorts now,” she adds, “the long-form content is what differentiates YouTube from other video-based channels that mostly rely on short-form content.”
Key stats:
62.2% of surveyed people read blogs to learn about something unrelated to their careers, while 29% read blogs to learn about something related to their careers (HubSpot, 2024)
33.2% of surveyed people say they stop reading a blog because it’s poorly written or hard to follow editorially (HubSpot, 2024)
The dominant age range on YouTube is from 25 to 35 years old (Statista, 2024)
87% of surveyed YouTube users said they watched at least four different content formats (e.g., long-form videos, YouTube Shorts, live streams) within the last 12 months (YouTube, 2023)
04. Your budget
You can start a blog or YouTube channel for free. However, there are initial startup costs (and some ongoing ones) that you may need to factor in.
As an example, when starting a blog, you may choose to use a more advanced website builder that includes additional design, marketing and monetization capabilities. In addition, you may hire freelancers to help with content creation.
Similarly, you may hire a graphic designer or video editor when launching on YouTube. Or, you may need to buy new equipment, purchase editing software and/or pay for subscription services to access sound effects and other things.
Not to mention that across both channels, you may need to set aside some cash to promote your content. Think: ads or partnerships.
“Think of your content holistically,” advises Allison, “from the moment it’s created to the moment it’s consumed. A lot of people underestimate the amount of time and money that goes into maintaining any online publication. And while it can still be very cost-efficient, there are lots of equipment, distribution channels and skillsets needed to keep your content afloat.”
05. Your competition
When you’re weighing your options, it’s always a good idea to peek at your competitors’ strategies. See which channels they engage on and how. Analyze their audience, top-performing content and lowest-performing content on each channel. All of these can help you predict potential market reach—and/or jog ideas for how you can use either channel to your advantage.
Aside from these, consider the rules of engagement on each channel. What other forces are at play, as it regards your competitiveness on each channel?
If you invest in blogging, then you’re primarily going to be competing in search results. Google’s algorithm will be your main concern; you’ll want to study what Google defines as high-quality, rank-worthy content. Plus, study your organic competition. In other words, don’t simply focus on your business competitors—see which sites already rank high for your target keywords.
If you invest in YouTube, keep in mind that YouTube has its own set of SEO guidelines. In some ways, it works similarly to Google. In other ways, it’s entirely unique. In general, YouTube channels with a clear, distinct focus (think: First We Feast’s “Hot Ones” concept) tend to fare best. Creators who adopt a multi-format approach are also likely to show up in more places on YouTube.
“I’ve found that YouTube is really pushing short-form content now,” notes Ofir. “So, if you’re already creating reels or TikToks, you might as well just upload them to YouTube as Shorts.”
06. Your level of commitment
Content creation is both time and money. You need to be able to carve out the time to do the grunt work involved in content creation, including any necessary writing, editing, filming or designing.
“It’s a lot more work than it seems,” says Ofir about YouTube. “You have to prepare content ideas, not for one video or three. But let’s say you wish to upload a video a week to YouTube— that’s 52 videos a year.”
People will expect consistency, authenticity and creativity from your channel, she adds—”almost like a show they can visit daily or weekly.”
In the same vein, “starting a blog is a slow grind,” says Allison. “You need to be committed to the long-term gains of blogging. When the initial excitement of starting something new wears off, you need to have the diligence and motivation to continue producing content consistently.”
“The effort of running of blog is worth it, believe me, but it’s no walk in the park.” - Allison Lee, editor-in-chief at Wix
Key stats:
The bloggers who publish two to six times per week are 50% more likely to report strong results (Orbit Media, 2023).
47% of bloggers are conducting and publishing original research, and the average blog length is 1,427 words long (Orbit Media, 2023)
The ideal length of a YouTube video is between five to 15 minutes (Piktochart, 2023)
More than half (54%) of surveyed YouTube users said they would prefer to watch creators comment on major events than the events themselves (YouTube, 2023)
Blogging vs. YouTube: Which is more profitable?
Both blogging and YouTube can bring in passive long-term revenue. While it’s hard to say how much you can expect to earn (your revenue potential can vary drastically depending on your niche, strategy and content maturity), it’s worth understanding your monetization options.
For bloggers, revenue often goes hand in hand with Google AdSense, affiliate marketing, sponsored content or sales of digital or physical goods. (Note: when you create a blog on Wix, you can easily integrate eCommerce, subscriptions and other business applications in your content to make money from your blog.)
Similarly, YouTubers can earn money through ad revenue via the YouTube Partner Program, sponsorships and premium content or merchandise. Some YouTubers may turn a substantial profit if they have a large and engaged audience, while others might find it challenging to reach the same level of profitability.
Key stats:
Food blogs make up the most profitable blog niche, with food bloggers earning the highest median monthly income ($9,169) when compared to bloggers from all major niches (RankIQ, 2022).
Google AdSense is the most popular monetization method among bloggers, with the exception of high-income bloggers. These bloggers are 2.5 times more likely to sell their own product or service than use AdSense (GrowthBadger, 2020)
On average, YouTubers with 100,000 subscribers earn between $600 to $1,000 a week, totaling about $2,400 to $4,000 per month (Small Business Trends, 2023)
Gaming, funny videos and music videos are among some of the most profitable YouTube niches (Small Business Trends, 2023)
Blogging vs. YouTube: How do you get started?
Fortunately, getting started on either channel is relatively easy. That said, there is still a learning curve to building your influence and keeping the momentum going. For starters, here’s a quick overview of the steps you’ll need to take to get your blog or YouTube channel off the ground.
How to start blogging
Choose your niche: Select a topic that you’re passionate about and attracts a large enough audience.
Pick a blogging platform: Scrutinize your options and find a blogging platform that has a user-friendly interface and blog templates that make it easy to design your blog.
Set up your blog: Design the look and feel of your site, both for mobile and desktop. Reinforce your blog with a strong domain name, consistent branding and a reliable hosting service.
Develop a content plan: Outline all the types of blogs you want to create—as well as the resources you’ll need to tap into to bring your plan to fruition. Be clear about the goals of your content, including business and SEO-related goals.
Establish writing guidelines: Before you put pen to paper, equip your writers with guidelines on your brand voice and writing expectations (including SEO best practices).
Create quality content: Optimize your posts for SEO without sacrificing readability. Use compelling headlines, clear formatting and rich media to enhance your posts.
Promote your blog: Proactively draw attention to your blogs through email marketing, social media and other channels at your disposal.
Maintain your blog: Establish a system for tracking the success of your posts. Plan on regularly updating content to keep it fresh, accurate and/or optimized for SEO.
How to start a YouTube channel
Define your content strategy: Decide what kind of videos you want to produce and how they will serve your audience. Think about repeatable formats that people will enjoy—be it vlogs, interview-style videos or other formats.
Create a Google account: If you don’t already have one, you’ll need to create a Google account, as this grants access to YouTube’s platform for channel creation and management.
Set up your channel: Customize your channel with a profile picture, banner and description that tells viewers what they can expect from your channel.
Build a schedule: Organize your ideas onto a schedule, giving yourself enough runway to storyboard, script, film and edit your videos.
Produce high-quality videos: Invest in good equipment, such as good lighting, a microphone and a reliable camera. If you’re not already experienced in video editing, brush up on basic editing skills, investing in good software if needed.
Optimize your videos for search: Use relevant keywords in your video titles, descriptions, and tags to make them more discoverable. Engaging thumbnails can also increase your click-through rates.
Promote your channel: Share your videos on social media and other available channels, plus engage with your community. Keep an eye on comments as well as collaboration opportunities with other YouTubers.
Maintain your channel: Use YouTube Analytics to track your channel's performance. Use these insights to refine your content strategy and improve your videos.
“My tip is to not wait until everything is perfect. Just start. Make your first video, put yourself out there and carry on from there. Watch it, take notes for how you can better your next video and just keep rolling.” - Ofir Elboym, creative manager at Wix
The case for starting a blog first
To state the obvious, a blog may be a natural choice if you’re a strong writer who finds it easiest to articulate ideas via words. Beyond this, a blog offers:
SEO benefits: Blogs are rich in text, which search engines love. Properly optimized blog posts can rank highly in search results, driving organic traffic to your website.
Content ownership: When you host your blog on a platform like Wix.com, you have total control over your content and how it's presented. It’s a space that you own—meaning, you can pivot or experiment with your content however way you’d like.
Flexibility and creative freedom: Blogging offers the flexibility to work from anywhere. It requires minimal equipment and allows you to present content in a variety of ways.
The case for starting a YouTube channel first
On the other hand, you may be compelled to start a YouTube channel if you and/or your audience gravitate towards video. YouTube offers advantages like:
Visual engagement: Videos can be more engaging than text, making it easier to explain complex subjects or capture attention quickly.
Instant connection: The visual and auditory elements of video help create a more immediate connection with viewers. They allow you to put a face to your name and thereby humanize your business or brand.
Wider career or branding opportunities: A successful YouTube channel can open up various opportunities in the media space, including partnerships with other brands and speaking engagements.
Can I have a blog and a YouTube channel at the same time?
Yes. Oftentimes a blog can be a nice complement to a YouTube channel (and vice versa), allowing you to appeal to various audiences and behaviors.
For example, let's say you’re a fitness trainer. You may find that your audience prefers YouTube when they’re looking for workout videos and demonstrations, but prefers blogs when they want more detailed workout plans and nutritional advice.
By harnessing the strengths of each platform, you can appeal to various ways of learning. Having said that, it can be challenging to find the time to produce both YouTube and blog content. However, with proper planning and smart strategies (such as repurposing one piece of content for both channels), it's doable.
For those looking to juggle both, platforms like Wix offer integrated solutions that make it easier to maintain a blog alongside a YouTube channel. You can consider making a website or accessing a blog maker from the same platform, then integrate YouTube content throughout any part of your site.
Here are some smart ways to cross-promote content on your blog and YouTube channel:
Embed videos: Include your YouTube videos in your blog posts to provide an enhanced multimedia experience.
Video teasers and recaps: Write blog posts that serve as teasers or summaries of your videos, encouraging readers to subscribe to your channel.
Blog teasers and recaps: Create videos from your blog posts, and encourage viewers to visit your blog for the entire story.
Exclusive content: Offer exclusive content on one platform that complements the other, incentivizing your audience to follow you on both channels.