In the past few days I've exchanged a number of words with a number of YouTubers (some being positive, others being ... well, less than positive).  One set of words was in relation to YouTube's marked decline and how content creator's aren't creating anymore.

Maybe the title of this post should be "Where are the Vlogs?".

If you knew me back on my old YouTube channel, you might remember how I hate--HATED--vlogs.  A far cry from my incessant vlogging of 2009, but a statement of fact just the same.  A rarely would simply sit in front of the camera and talk, unscripted.  In fact, one of these attempts was such a horrible trainwreck of a video, I should probably repost it as soon as possible, just for shits and giggles and as a retrospective on how far I've come on the whole "impromptu" speaking front. (Which is all that traditionally vlogging is, right?  Randomly speaking in an unscripted manner.)

Read the rest of this post after the break!

Nevertheless, I have a sneaky suspicion that it might be time to kill the vlog.  History will look back on this period of the internet (about 2006-2009) and remember fads like stupid slang (FTW!  PWND!  ETC!), social networking, and vlogs.   Yes, I'm lumping social networking and vlogs in the same "internet fad" category.

"Oh, but Facebook and Twitter aren't going anywhere!  No one is going to look back at these things as fads!"

Hell, I'm already sick of both Facebook and Twitter.  And you only have to look as far as MySpace to see how quickly the masses can fall out of love with a fad.

And this is important to consider because so many have incorrectly labeled YouTube as a social networking website.  Yes, there are social networking underpinnings and characteristics to YouTube (although many would argue that they're either annoying or useless or both) but what you cannot deny is the fact that at its heart, YouTube is CONTENT DELIVERY PLATFORM.

Here's why it's time to kill the vlog:

Vlogs popped up and evolved with the YouTube community.  This community was based on nothing but people communicating through video posts.  This community is also based on YouTube as a social networking site.  (Which, again, it's not.)  At this point, I think most everyone is familiar with someone bemoaning how YouTube has lost its magic.  How people aren't interested anymore.

And how people aren't posting their vlogs anymore.

You can't build a community upon a premise that doesn't have a solid foundation.  A community based on the fact that YouTube is a social networking site is destined to fail and, by virtue of being a product of that community, vlogs are destined to disappear.

Let's do the humane thing and euthanize the vlogging trend.

Consider this: if YouTube is a content delivery platform, then it is a place for creative video makers to showcase their talents.  Sitting in front of a camera and talking is not overly creative nor is it showcasing a talent--except for an extraordinary small percentage of people (creative commentators, maybe?).

Look at Benzone50.  He's posted a few video responses in the past week or so where most people would have simply sat and talked to their camera.  He performed characters, edited, and posted tight responses that creatively commented on the subject videos.  Talk about a shining example of vlogging alternatives.

Kill the vlog.  Post something creative.