5 Ways to Stand Out in an Oversaturated Market
I wanted to share 5 ways to stand out in an oversaturated market because so many people use a crowded marketplace as their excuse not to pursue their passion.
In starting a blog a few months ago, I was definitely late to the blogging game. I would be lying if I said I didn’t try to talk myself out of it by saying that no one reads blogs anymore, or that there are already SO MANY BLOGGERS. I didn’t start trying to grow my Instagram until the end of last Summer, and by then the platform was already super saturated. It could have been easy to not even try, but you can never expect to accomplish anything with that mentality. I’m using social media as an example, but this can apply to anything.
Over the past few months, I’ve come up with a few tips to stand out:
1. Be Yourself
I know it sounds cliche, but if you’re going to stand out you have to be yourself. It’s so easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing or to follow trends. That might work for a while, but to create a lasting brand you have to focus on what makes you unique. Even though there are zillions of mom bloggers out there, I have my own experiences and strengths that give me a different perspective than other moms. Instead of trying to blend in, stand out by sharing the things that make you different. Maybe it’s your style, your sense of humor, your work background or a difficult experience that you went through. Use those things to help you connect with your audience.
When I first started doing sponsored posts, I said yes to everything. Getting free stuff was so exciting, and I was so shocked that companies were sending me free products that I didn’t even consider turning them down. I’ve thought a lot about my personal brand lately, and now I only say yes to collaborations that make sense. I don’t post anything that I don’t LOVE, or that I wouldn’t buy myself. Because my time is so limited, I don’t do collaborations that aren’t worth my time. I also try to steer clear of certain collaborations that everyone is doing. I know it sounds weird, but saying no is so important when it comes to standing out.
3. Be consistent
In any business, you need to be consistent to be taken seriously. In my case, that means posting consistently (5-7 times a week). I’ve also been working on staying consistent with my branding. I never wanted to be one of those people who chose their outfits and outings based on the them of their feed, but I finally caved. It seems so trivial, but it’s all part of creating your brand. You want people to see a photo or graphic, and know that it’s yours. It’s so hard to stand out if you’re aesthetic isn’t consistent.
4. Don’t Pay Attention to What Everyone Else is Doing
I’ve been guilt of having FOMO, or comparing myself to others more times than I can count. Social media allows us to scroll through a feed of photos that can instantly make you feel like a failure. I see people who seem to always be on vacation, have perfectly clean houses and seem to be growing their following so much faster than me. They say comparison is the thief of joy, and that couldn’t be more true (also when I say they I mean Theodore Roosevelt, but that’s not the sexiest reference). Now, anytime I start to feel a pang or jealousy I just completely push it out of my mind. I don’t even allow myself to think about it because it doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing. I’m on my own journey, and all I can do is push forward.
5. Go Above and Beyond
This one is so important, and this can apply to any industry. If you’re lucky enough to get a campaign with a great company (especially if you’re just starting out) you should be putting in 110%. I see so many people half-assing campaigns and taking mediocre photos. Don’t ever be one of those people who does the bare minimum just to collect a check. Instead, work on building relationships and making sure the work you do is memorable. Send the company extra photos, or do more than is required. Always try to leave a lasting impressions so that a company is more likely to want to form a lasting partnership with you instead of just doing a one-off collaboration.
That’s all folks! I hope these tips are helpful!
45 Comments
Petria
Thanks so much for sharing your journey. Itโs so true that you can get caught up in the Social Media game that you forget what really matters. Your values! Thanks for the reminder x
admin
Of course! Yes exactly! Sometimes you just need to take a step back to remember why you’re doing it! Thanks for reading! ๐
Emily | Lil Mama Bear Blog
Thanks for these tips! I find myself overwhelmed by all the options for gaining traffic that I panic and end up making scattered impulsive decisions.
admin
Of course! Yess I feel the same way!! I feel so much better when I think logically and plan things out even though I’m impulsive by nature!
Shannon
Not paying attention to everyone else is a very tough but critical idea to get acclimated with. Great post. I need to work on my consistency. On another note, your Vans are giving me summer fever.
admin
It’s definitely tough! I try to not even let myself start doing it now and I’ve gotten a lot better at it. It’s definitely important, you got this girl! OMG right?? it’s been hot here all week!
Tiffany
Great pics! Love the filter and the grainy effect on the photos. Thanks for sharing โฅ๏ธ โฅ๏ธ By any chance you are interested on doing collaborations, you can check out the collaborations portal of Phlanx.com and connect with amazing brands!
Xoxo,
Tiffany
admin
Thank so much! I will check it out! ๐
Pamela
Great advice. It is very hard starting out as a new blogger. But, I agree, it’s important to be true to yourself. And you can’t succeed if you don’t even try.
admin
It definitely can be difficult, but starting is the hardest part!
Lisa | amerytina
Great tips! And you are totally right about all these…I need to be better about comparison. I’ve never fallen so deep into that trap since I became a blogger. We just all wanna be our best, ya know? And I gotta tell you, I am totally distracted (in a good way) with your beautiful photos! Way to stand out ๐
admin
Yess it’s so easy to go down a rabbit hole of comparison so I just stop myself as soon as I start doing it! I totally know what you mean! Aww that you so much that is so sweet!
Prachi
I really enjoyed your blog post! My friend and I just recently started a comedy travel blog and this information will definitely come in handy down the road. Especially about FOMO haha. Both of us have a serious case of FOMO and constantly wondering what other people are doing that we’re not.
admin
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! haha yes FOMO is the worst!! It’s definitely important to try to ignore what other people are doing. Your blog sounds awesome btw!
Nisha
Great tips. I truly enjoyed it ๐ Be true to yourself ๐ thank you for sharing
admin
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it ๐
Kimberly C.
OMG I agree with all your points. My pet peeve is when companies just sent you free swag without even asking… I just feel guilty sometimes for just not doing anything with it. I love the whole blogging / social media world, as long as it doesn’t take over too much. Has to stay fun! (That would be my number 1)
admin
Yes that’s so true! I love all of the people I’ve met through social media! That’s such a good point! That’s a great one!
Cassie
This are such inspiring tips. I have certainly had many of those feelings before and often thought about giving up on blogging but I realize itโs enough to just โbe myselfโ.
admin
I’m so glad they were helpful! It helps to think about the fact that the people who are successful bloggers probably thought of giving up a million times, and they would never be where they are if they just gave up!
Kat
Yesss! #1 is so key! I loved all of these tips–they are so true.
admin
Agreed! I’m so glad you like them! Thanks for reading! ๐
Ghastly Girl
All fantastic tips! Thank you for sharing. So many people overlook the fact that you have to be true to yourself to really stand out but I am a firm believer that it will make or break your brand. All of the best-known personalities out there are known and remembered because they are unique ๐
admin
Of course! Yess that’s so true! It’s impossible to stand out if you’re just trying to blend in with everyone else! ๐
Sondra Barker
In today’s society, so many people are pretending to be someone they’re not. Being your true self is definitely the first step, these are some great advice!
Xo, Sondra
Cuisineandtravel.com
admin
Yes that’s definitely so common now! I always have to remind myself that I’ll never stand out by trying to fit in! Thanks for reading!
zoe phinazeee
It’s hard if you’ve been blogging for a while and took a break and trying to jump back into it. It’s definitely hard for me not to compare people who get brand collabs who’ve started much later than me and I’ve yet to nab one. It really makes you question what you’re doing wrong. What some tips you have for collaborating with brands? And yeah it’s important to be consistent too.
zoevogue.com
admin
I’m sure it’s hard to jump back in after taking a break! I see lots of people who have grown a lot faster than me as well, but I try not to let myself go down the rabbit hole of comparison. I always tell people to focus on creating good content, and also not to be afraid to reach out to companies! Consistency is definitely key!
Charli Bruce
The don’t get caught up in what everyone else is doing tip is the best. I think we as people always do and we should give ourselves a break, just take each day of our own lives as they come x
admin
Yes it’s definitely human nature to compare ourselves to others, but it’s soo bad for us! Giving ourselves grace is so important!
Ashley
This was really insightful, was really interesting to read!
admin
Thanks so much babe!
Jordyn@OperationJordyn
These are all really great tips and definitely things I struggle with! Pinning for later ๐
admin
Thanks so much babe!! I hope it’s helpful!
Sela
You have given some great tips! I totally agree with you. I love your pics. As a blogger I can get caught up in a few of these traps.
admin
Thanks so much! It’s so easy to get caught up in the comparison game as a blogger, but once you figure out how to truly be yourself it’s definitely easier to stand out!
Julianne Robinson
Such a fantastic post! It can be easy to be mediocre when you have that mindset of “everyone else is doing it better already” in such an oversaturated field of work. Thank you for sharing and reminding me why I love what I do and it is so worth the time and energy spent!
xo
admin
Thanks so much! Yess I feel that way all the time! We all have a unique perspective though, and there’s enough room for all of us to succeed!
Terri Beavers
I’m working on standing out but it’s not as easy as I thought it would be. I try to be myself and then sometimes I realize I’m being who companies want me to be instead of my true me.
admin
I totally understand what you mean! There’s definitely a fine line between being yourself and being who you think other people want you to be. I think you’ll find that once you’re truly yourself some many more companies and people will be drawn to you!
LavandaMichelle
I love these tips! They hold so much truth. I’m glad you wrote this, what a helpful. Thanks for sharing!
admin
Thanks so much babe! I’m glad you found some value in it!
Josephine
I needed this! I am constantly comparing myself to other bloggers out there. Keep up the amazing content!
Vanessa
This was a helpful reminder! So much truth behind it. I just started saying no to some brands after my husband mentioned something and thought that we should all really only promote the brands or products that we really love or stand behind. Love the post!
admin
Yes it’s soo important to stay true to your own brand and only post about products you truly love! Thanks for reading!