Today I´m going to talk what are some great background ideas for your vlog!

I´ll give you some great examples of each type and what are the common pros and cons that you might want to consider before deciding for any of these.

So, without much else to say, let´s begin!

1. The Office Background

Clearly one of the most popular ways to get started as a YouTuber is the office background. (coupled with your own bedroom, which is a whole different category)

You can get tons of ideas from a number of great YouTubers that use this type of backgrounds for their videos and make an set the tone of their content not only through what they say but also for what they SHOW.

One person that does this pretty well and makes a stand with his background is Gary Vaynerchuk:

If you aim to talk about serious matters like online business, money, or things that can have a similar nature then you should consider using this type of background for your videos.

You can also alter with the office full of coworkers video background if you want but chances are that you don´t have an office full of busy people behind you at your disposal. 😕

You might want to stick with a simple desk, maybe a computer or an organized shelf, but the goal is to give a certain vibe with your background, that´s it.

Pros & Cons

On one hand you can take advantage of already having set up your background, by tidying up your existing workplace you can create a pretty professional looking background ready for filming.

On the other hand, it can be quite distracting for your audience to try to pay attention to your content and what you´re actually saying if you have too many colorful things on your background.

Now, probably the other set back you should consider is that you´ll NEED to add some “background variety” once you´ve made several videos as it can get pretty boring to look at.

2. The Seamless Paper

Probably the very next “idea” you´ll consider if you want to take your vlogging to the next level with the ultimate professional look.

You´ve seen it before in many different channels, the paper background has been used so much because of its neutral look as it gives the “vibe” you want it to give depending on the color you choose and the sometimes even the texture you´ve selected.

If you don´t have a nice office/bedroom to film in, or you consider that, for your channel, a seamless paper background will work best then you should go with it!

As Neil Patel does on his channel:

Pros & Cons

As I´ve said, it actually has more pros than cons… let´s take a look.

First, you can set it up pretty much anywhere you want, with the right frame you can have a professional looking background ready in 1 or 2 minutes.

Second, it allows a much better look if you tend to (or want to) use a lot of on-screen graphics or data visualisation as it helps to bring contrast to the image which makes easier for the viewer to watch.

In addition to that, you´ll probably save time by not having to re arrange your entire room in order to give a certain look on your videos, plus you´ll have a consistent look (that also helps with branding) across your channel.

And the cons?

I actually coulnd´t think of any worth mentioning! 🤔

3. The Curtain Backdrop

Another widely used option you can try is the curtain backdrop, which is an affordable but still effective way of making your background look more professional.

If you are unsure of what color to use or whether you should choose your bedroom as a background then maybe trying a curtain backdrop could be a good idea as it´ll be an affordable option you can easily set up.

In fact.

It´s no coincidence that lots of beauty YouTubers got started with the curtain backdrop as a way to give their videos a more creative output as well as a way of add variety to the mix by changing between two or three different backdrops.

If you go right now to Amazon you´ll find a wide variety of options to choose from and they all will probably give you a better look than if you´d try to organize your book shelf.

Pros & Cons

One of the main advantages is that is fairly easy to set up and you don´t even need a steel frame like if you were going to use the seamless paper background.

Another good thing is that is very affordable! With prices that range between $20 and $50 dollars (depending on the quality and fabric), you can get a nicely done curtain for your videos.

Now, if you don´t want your backdrop to move while you´re shooting or (sometimes) to look wrinkled as you record your content then this type of background will give you a hard time.

Yes, there are things you can do to fix it but the truth is that it´s not going to be the same result you´ll get by using a painted wall or a simple seamless paper background. Keep that in mind.

4. Be Aware Of Color Themes

The colors you choose matter, whether is for your YouTube video background or your thumbnails, it is a BIG deal.

You shouldn´t overestimate the combined power of color branding and selecting the proper color theme for you and your channel.

If you happen to be in the creative process of thinking how you want your channel to look like and what your brand (whether is personal or a corporation) is all about then you might want to give your colors a second thought before you decide.

The Meaning Of Colors

Believe or not colors have different meanings and psychological effects on your viewers, so getting to know what color suits your brand best could be a potential trigger to attract more subscribers in the future.

Although it´s something that is primarly based on instinct and emotion sometimes it goes deeper than that and it can be also associated to your subconscious and how you feel about a certain colors depending on personal background and preferences.

Now, for you to get a better idea of how important this actually is, there´s been studies that show how powerful colors can be for the mind.

For example, using the color red will certainly attract attention and will also elicit associations to danger, passion, power, courage, or strength.

On the other hand, a color like orange conveys warmth and enthusiasm, and it´s been said that is the perfect color of the extrovert, as it encourages action and motivation, exuding happiness and joy.

Now, if you´d want to give a more trustworthy “vibe” to your audience then you should pick a blue color. It induces calm and peace as well as instils confidence and resposibility.

It´s no coincidence that many shades of blue (and light blue) are associated to doctors and the health care industry as well as the police.

5. Find The Right Spot

You should certainly try to go outside and find a few spots where you can capture some cool shots if you think it could work well with your videos.

The more effort you put in to find the right spot for your shot the better it´ll look when you edit.

Remember! You MUST avoid at all cost distracting backgrounds, so if there´s too many people moving on the background it won´t work.

You can go to a park and find an uphill spot or any type of place that has a great view. Think of it as if you´d like to have a few things that complement your content and the entire look of your frame.

The more you practice this the better you´ll get at recognizing cool spots to film, the point is to have a background that favors the footage in any possible way, not that it messes up with it. Period.

TIP! If you are unsure about your background but you still want to film yourself on that spot then you can simply make it blurry by manually changing the settings of your camera.

6. On The Go Shots!

You can also add some on the go shots when you are on the street or simply on your way to your next friends meeting and hit record while you think of some good tips/tricks that can be added to your next video tutorial.

Here´s how: make it short and sweet!

You should make short clips that don´t take too much time on your overall footage because you don´t want to have too many shaky shots that get your viewers distracted from your core message.

Plus, it is an efficient manner to save time and get more things done.

Although it is a great way to add some variety to your content and videos, in general, you really should not overdo this type of shooting as it is an effective way to get your viewers bored.

So, if you want to get rid of any excuses that are maybe limiting you in any way you should try this today!

7. Paint Your Wall

One of the simplest ways you can start off without having to worry that much about decoring your own background or even buying a seamless paper with the respective steel frame, or anything like that is to simply paint a wall of your bedroom.

If you use a matte color to paint your wall and you have the right lighting set up you´ll get a very professional look without spending that much.

One BIG channel that does this pretty well is the Alpha M. channel by Aaron Marino.

In fact.

He even has a video where he shows how simple is his set up, where he adds a few small lights from Home Depot and a good camera he achieves a great professional outlook.

On the other hand, there are also channels that have some art painted to their walls, which is a great way to differentiate yourself from the crowd if that´s what you´re aiming for.

Related Questions

What are some good background ideas for a music video? If you want to make your music video stand out there is only ONE way you can do that, mix your backgrounds. The best music video go from one shoot to the next, changing and varying the scenery as well as the background, get outdoors and indoors footage, use your curtain backdrop, film while you walk, etc.

How to diy a background for youtube videos? The perfect, and probably easier, way to diy your video background is to choose one wall of your bedroom and paint it. If you choose a matte paint the doesn´t reflect light and you select the right color (as described above) you´ll get a professional looking video without much hustle.