You’ve probably been in the lunch room during college or at work and hear the smart person quoting other people’s work, but because no one knows what that person is talking about, he or she is deemed smart. The same can be said for bloggers, and in this case, it’s extremely important to not just quote other people’s work without putting your own two cents into the conversation and topic. Bloggers and aspiring professionals in a particular industry must separate themselves from the endless amounts of books they’ve read and start owning the knowledge they have while also giving credit to where it’s due.

I’ve mentioned before in a previous article that I am a follower of Gary Vaynerchuck. His insight and knowledge in the social media marketing world has been far ahead of everyone else’s, as he’s made bold statements concerning certain social media platforms and a few months later he’s correct. He also has a weekly vlog and podcast that answers viewers’ and listeners’ questions, which in the process answers the questions I have on branding my own business and blogs. In conversations with friends, I give credit to the knowledge I share to Vaynerchuck, but I don’t quote every word.

What Gary and other entrepreneurs who have blogs and share content have done is laid the foundation for further expansion and vertical growth. The minute I don’t put my two cents in, and expound upon the knowledge he’s sharing, I’m stunting my own professional growth while also showing my audience that I can’t think for myself. Bloggers are in a sense entrepreneurial, in that they’re willing to work hard to display their talent in a particular industry and grow their passion into something more than a hobby. With that said, many bloggers only quote others and do not put their opinion into the topic, making them no different than someone else’s blog and cheating themselves out of the opportunity to share an opinion that could change the industry they write about.

For the car enthusiasts out there, you’ve most likely read countless articles with the same opinion towards Cadillacs. Whether these beliefs are true, why isn’t there a blog or news outlet that test drives their cars, writes an accurate review, whether it will change the mind of the reader or not, and go against common belief.

The lack of personal input is why blogs fail. Yes, SEO, social media, and writing content consistently will get you noticed, it’s the unique content that brings value to the reader that creates a loyal following and growth in views and exposure. Own the content and information you’re providing. If there is an interesting news story or article in an industry that excites you, put your opinion or input into the content that you share. Not only will that make for a better read, but you now have a double-dose of content for the reader to digest; the original content and the two cents you provide that will make the viewer think about their biases.

Bloggers have the opportunity to be innovators and entrepreneur-like thinkers. Use the social media outlets and blogging tools to help promote your content. Don’t be that person who is considered smart because you can quote big words from a book, be insightful while also being smart. Give the reader quality content and they’ll return. Being unique is how people remember who you are, and always have that mentality whether you’re a blogger or a business owner.