What It Takes To Stand Out on the Web

The WSJ on how to be a star in a YouTube world by Michael Totty -- and what it takes to stand out when anyone can be an entertainer.

As he points out, quite often, success in the new-media world depends on a lot of the same things as in the old-media universe. Social networking tools are expanding the pie, allowing amateur entertainers and wanna bes to reach out to their friends and fan base however small.

There are so many new ways to get additional links and 'online love' to increase your ratings and popularity as well as ways to offer freebees and promos in ways we never had access to in an old-media universe.

A few suggestions from those he interviewed: being consistent apparently increases the likelihood of growth, the same advice from early bloggers - if you post updates every day, be consistent about that, if only once every week, then that can work too. Give your viewers and readers what they expect again and again.

Being first always helps, whether you're an online player or new start-up in an emerging industry. Going vertical or finding a niche is also key. If its esoteric and rare, and you're the main place to go for that knowledge or entertainment, people will come back for more.

Word-of-mouth is also key - using viral marketing and spreading the news about what you're doing through whatever extended network you have. And lastly, beauty and sex still sells in a variety of forms.