The inevitable has happened. On today's Internet, the key to success is finding a way to stand out in a sea of mediocre content.

Gone are the days of churning out articles, brute force. Gone are the days of relying exclusively on the long tail of search for monetization.

So what are you supposed to do? I can sum it up for you in two words:

Differentiate upwards.

Your goal as an online professional is to differentiate yourself in a positive way from the vast sea of mediocrity that you see all around you. You should aim to do something that will catch the attention of Main Stream Media. Do something that will establish your site as an authority in its niche; something that's out of reach for most other competitors.

In other words: look for the real gold at the top of the mountain, not the base.

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