When being an network blogger, you’ll usually be one staff member out of a few or a hundred, and no matter how many others there are, one of your personal goals should be to stand out. I don’t just mean making your blog stand out from the other network blogs, but make sure your personality shines through.
Do things that attract the attention of others by promoting your stories, driving traffic, responding to comments, keeping in constant contact with your boss, and building relationships. Try to put yourself in the position of being in more power than you’ve actually been given. Help organize your co-workers, bring their needs and issues to your bosses, and be clear in your communications.
One of my biggest successes as a blogger was to always take on more than just blogging. I helped with WordPress, social media promotion, communications between outside entities and the company, and I even helped settle a branding dispute. No matter what you do, you’ll want to find some way of using whatever talents you have to stand out from the crowd.
Anyone can write content, but bloggers are able to do so much more, and don’t let your boss forget it, or we will find ourselves replaced with a bunch of freelance writers that don’t understand the blogosphere and the extra talents that are needed to be successful in this space.
If you can’t think of anything that you can do, use or say to make you stand out from the crowd, ask your friends and family what they find interesting or different about you, as the views of others can be much more informative than how we view ourselves. You might not even know what your talent is, but once realized, you can use it to your advantage.
Networks keep those on staff that do the most to continue to build the network, through branding, traffic, advertising, communication, promotion, organization or other important efforts, and you should be their star player. Sure, sometimes it will be hard, and if everyone is trying to stand out it can seem impossible, but remember, every person online is distinct, different and special, and even if there was a near exact copy of you in your blog network, there is still always something that will set you apart. Use it to your utmost advantage, and you’ll do well.
It is those that rest on their laurels that fall behind.
