Copycat Bloggers, Industry Leaders, Be unique, Please

I follow what happens on Twitter by using TweetDeck, and as I sit there watching my news feed pop up in the corner of the screen, I see the ever so familiar articles which I have been reading for the past three years.

Copycat Bloggers Bring Nothing

First and foremost, I would like to say that this isn’t a rant post, it is an observation, an observation which angers me slightly, but one that in this world we can’t really change.

I’ve done it myself many a time, written an article which I have already seen, but feel I have something else to give, when really it ends up being pretty much the same. However, I also feel that I try my hardest to write unique articles, or ones where there are actually new pieces of information which should be added to the topic.

I think every day I see a blog title such as ‘5 Social Media Do’s and Don’ts’ or ‘5 Ways to Increase Traffic to Your Blog’. I have them, you have them, we all have them and obviously that is the problem.

I can understand why smaller bloggers do it, they see it as a way to try and get a good search engine ranking, and it is one of those topics people will comment on, stumble upon and such. But in the end, that isn’t following the idea which many of us put forward – that content is king – instead it shows that we copy ideas, but don’t follow them ourselves.

As I said above, I did this for a few articles when I set out, so I can see why we all do it. What I can’t understand is why the so called big bloggers are still doing it, it just doesn’t make any sense. These are meant to be the people who know what they are doing, yes they see that as an opportunity to tell us smaller bloggers the bare essentials, but wouldn’t it make more sense to skip over that and try and be a bit more unique? Instead of rehashing, come up with your own methods and present them to us.

Safety of Industry Leaders

After all is said, I believe it is these big bloggers just trying to be safe, if they present tips which everyone already has some kind of idea of, they can build upon them and in turn look like experts. When if they present their own ideas, it may end up being laughed at, losing visitors and revenue, which they need to stay at the top of the blogging pile.

I understand, I do, we are all scared to fail, and when you have already built something successful, you will be even more scared, but for the life of me, please try and do something a bit more unique… I will too.