Confessions of a Six Figure Professional Blogger

9 Ways To Stand Out In A Crowded Blogging Niche

January 6, 2010 | Blogging

There are a lot of bloggers out there besides you. Many of them are talking about the same things you are. Yet, they have the same goals.

Have you ever felt like you just weren’t unique enough to really stand out?

How can you stand out from the crowd?

I thought I would just toss out some ideas on this off the top of my head:

  1. Be a pattern interrupt. I go into more detail about the pattern interrupt here, but it all comes down to being different than the rest of the people who talk about what you talk about. For example, Jordan from Not A Pro Blog talks about blogging like a lot of people (including me), but he comes in as a comedian. He epitomizes a pattern interrupt for this market. What can you do that’s different?
  2. Offer something different. When it comes to people who offer products, what can you offer which stands out from your competitors? For example, if everybody in your market does digital goods, perhaps offering something physical will make you stand out in a good way.
  3. Guest Post – A Lot. Guest posting is an AWESOME way to get yourself out of the crowd and onto the radar of others in your market. The key is to produce quality posts and to submit them to blogs with some kind of perceived authority in your market.
  4. Have a unique design. Having a high-quality design for your blog which backs up your personal brand is important. That personal brand (when executed correctly) is what makes you stand out in any market, but your blog’s design has to back it up. People need to arrive on your blog and know what you’re about in a few seconds.
  5. Say Something Different. Controversy is a pattern interrupt in its own right. So, if the majority say “left”, try saying “right”. If they say “up”, try showing why “down” is better. Routinely present another side of an issue.
  6. Be Consistent. Nothing kills your blog’s success more than posting very rarely. You’ve got to be consistent. Since most blogs out there are not consistent, you can stand out right there just by being more consistent.
  7. Start that mailing list. If you have no email list, or are running a feed-only list like that offered by Feedburner, you’re really dropping the ball. And here’s the deal… most of the bloggers out there are not collecting email addresses. That’s their mistake, but you don’t have to join them. In fact, by building a list, you have a resource you can leverage in product launches and even just to drive traffic to your own blog. Major way to stand out, because you’re building community outside of just your blog. Oh yeah, and I recommend no other tool for this except Aweber. Period.
  8. Add Personality. Some niches are filled with people who are, well, boring as snot. How can you add personality to an otherwise unexciting subject? Can you add humor? Can you change the viewpoint?
  9. Network with The “Big Wigs”. Who are the people who are considered the “A-list” for your particular niche? Well, start networking with them. Twitter is an even playground, so you can start there. Don’t hound them or be needy (that’s annoying), but just be a regular networker. Reply to their tweets. Interact. Then, you can take the relationship to email and see where that takes you.

Do you have some other ideas? I’d love for you to share them below.

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  5. If I Were To Start All Over Again…

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  • Great post, David! A good encouragement for me to start guest posting.
  • All things things I plan to attack more this year.

    Have a personality people..lol

    Try something different.. just cause bloggers tell you hey A--B-C works, doesnt mean you cant try D-E-F
  • lberezin
    David,
    Great list. Enjoyed reading some new ideas and being reminded about following through on old ideas. I agree wholeheartedly about growing an email list. I would add, select members of your list and engage them directly. See if they are on Facebook, Twitter or have a blog you can comment on. I've found commenting on blogs to be fun and rewarding.
  • Hi David,

    I would be interested in your opinion in how many guest posts to do a month. For instance I'm doing ten this month drip feeding them all, but I actually want to up it to 20 or 30.

    In your opinion could you ever guest post too much?
  • Yeah, I do believe you can over-do it, personally. Obviously, from an incoming-link perspective, it would be good. But, there's also a potential for saturation where other bloggers will literally not WANT to post your stuff anymore because you're hitting them up too much.

    But, that's just a gut reaction. I've never guest posted to that degree, not do I plan to.

    Just remember and apply the 80/20 rule. I know you're aiming to crush it, James, and that's good. But, you can achieve the same thing with less work just by being really efficient. :)
  • Interesting, I've just done a post (second of the day) on whether the readers of my site would want me to post once a day. I'll go with whatever they say.

    maybe your guest post for me could be a proper diary breakdown of how you do it?
  • Yes, you can. But that's only my personal attitude about it. I'd rather spend the same amount of time writing about 3-4 *KILLER* guest posts and then strategically pitching them based on the blog's size, the style of their regular content, what topics they've been lacking recently, etc.

    Consider it the same method as targeted advertising. I want my guest posts to have the highest amount of impact possible. This may mean only one *KILLER* 1500+ pillar piece on a mid-to-high level site where the article will fill a void there... but if it's going to stand out in front of 10k+ subscribers and inspire readers to click over to see more of my work... then why not do that instead of 20 average posts that don't produce as much impact?
  • Yep, I consistently offer different patterns of thought. You should swing by sometime, David.
  • I never thought about Guest Posting seriously, but after reading your post, I am really thinking about starting Guest Posting. Thank you for encouraging me.
  • I think you are right you do have to stand out, with so many people with blogs it can sometimes feel like a challenge but utilising something in your personality can be an easy way to make things unique. Great post and one people should definitely work to achieve.
  • Glad you've included design on this list. Increasingly people disregard this important part of blogging.
  • I believe in networking outside my niche as much as within my niche. And writing guest posts for their blogs that have my own niche personality intertwined. Makes for interesting reading sometimes....

    there are a couple on your list that I will incorporate into my plan for growth.
  • First time commenter! **dances**

    It's amazing how much regurgitation there is in some niches, and standing out can be just a matter of blogging something that is slightly different.

    And I'm also a convert of the getting your name out belief. I used to hide away in my niche for ages (old school "blog & they will come" mentality), now I know that won't do.
  • David, you have ruined me. If anyone uses these 9 secrets of success that I believe in fully, then where does that leave me?

    I guess I can just differentiate myself again and write bland list posts... or I can cutely incorporate a recent major movie into an otherwise useless post!

    "What can Paranormal Activity tell you about your blog?" That you don't need to spend a lot of money to still have a crappy site that's a waste of time to everyone who views it! (it also teaches you that killing your boyfriend is ok as long as the credits roll afterwards)
  • Spoil it why don't you?
  • I think just ASKING this question is half the battle. We tend to be so busy looking at ourselves in the mirror that we can fail to even ask IF we're standing out in any way.
  • Replying to your own comments is another great way to stand out. ;-)
  • Well, the more I read your and a few other blogs, the more I realize that I need to make a WordPress blog instead of Blogger.

    Hell, after all maybe I just leave blogging aside and go for static sites. I really thought I had it, but seems like I was wrong, there is just too much of it, and I feel like I don't have anything at least slightly different to offer.

    I am just an average dude...
  • Well, the failure mindset is the first thing that needs to go. You seem offly defeated.

    BTW, I am an average dude, too. Ask my wife. :-)
  • well, no, I am deadly serious to succeed and start making money online, it's just that I don't think blogging is the right thing for me, at least not now when I am starting. I won't give up on my dreams, maybe I just turn to something else, blogging isn't the only way to make money online, after all right?
  • You're right on that. Blogging isn't the only way. However, I think the world is shifting to a point where relationship marketing will be the only thing that really works. And, blogging happens to be the #1 way to do that. So, I forecast a world where, if you don't have a blog online, you're screwed.

    And I'm not saying that just to self-serve myself since I blog about this. I really think that's where we're heading. It is about caring and relationship. Those who compete on price will have a really tough time.
  • Then I guess I would simply have to pick something I am interested or at least posses significant knowledge about. I love pets, animals, science-fiction, I guess I will have to pursue in that direction...

    Does this "world shifting" have anything to do with 2012 in your forecast? :)
  • I'm an average dude as well. I drive a minivan LOL!!! that's what makes me a rockstar :)
  • Great Tips David... Bookmarked this post :), thanks for the share
  • I like #10. Heh.

    You know, all these tips translate into meatspace, I'm sure of it. Not quite sure how, but still.

    Suspect that most people that write in their own voice will interrupt plenty of patterns.
  • You say that having a high-quality design is a key component to being a successful blogger, but truth be told I have overlooked this blog more than once because of the generic looking design.
  • strange people always say that and their own site isn't half as nice weird LOL:)
    @David thought this post was excellent thanks
    If getting well known in blogging means Goofs like this spout off
    I'm staying underground LOL
    read below also :(
  • I am going to have to agree with John, I try not to criticize other blogs, mine isn't perfect!

    I have never been a big fan of creating mailing lists, maybe I should though...
  • I have to agree with @James. Maybe you should get a better image header. That one up there is just OK but could be better.

    And I totally agree with adding your own personality bites to a blog. Like individuals, everyone should have their own personality projected through their blogs. That's exactly what I try to inject to my blog.

    And Mr. Risley Sir, would you do me a little favor? I feel kind of shy to say this, but will you come by my blog and comment a word or two. I want to know what's your opinion about my 3-weeks-old blog. It'll be useful for me. Thanks.
  • Hehehe.... OK. You know what they say about opinions. ;-)
  • Great Post David... Something I am working hard on this year is creating something a little different than the rest. I'm trying to come up with my own voice, something different than everybody else. Especially for my new guyknowledgy.com site that's up and going now.
  • burtrall
    Where is your "voice" in this bland self-promotional post??
  • Sorry you think it's bland...
  • All great things that have worked for me for sure. Guest posts bring traffic, good design keeps them, good content makes them come back.
  • Nice way to put it, Nathan.

    I agree guest post is one of the best ways to get exposure and bring traffic.
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