Having a presence in the blogosphere can be a great equalizer in the in the architectural name game. This blog-sphere is a seemingly limitless expanse, but it exerts ever increasing influence on our world.

As Architects we can readily name the leaders in our field; the starchitects, the prestigious partnerships, or the notable young upstarts. Most of us will never compete head-to-head with these folks; we weren’t meant too. As professor and author Michael J. Lewis writes in The New Criterion, the term “starchitect” was coined to describe the “ungainly fusion of architecture and celebrity.” Such celebrity, Lewis suggests, is not the authentic nature of architectural practice today, but a rather media-driven derivation of it. I agree. Furthermore, I believe that whatever traditional media, marketing and public relations can derive for a select set of architects, the New Media can do for the rest of us – in a more economical, ecological and democratic manner.

Any accomplished architect or established firm – especially in this economy – is in some way, at some level, a leader. Perhaps not a known commodity or a household word, but an authentic presence to be acknowledged nevertheless. Each of us has a combination of experience, knowledge and insight that merits an audience, even if we aren’t regularly featured in the professional press. As the traditional ways of promotion are passing away, the New Media is leveling the publicity field. Access is global – yet focused – publication is now freely available. The Internet is vast and the blogosphere has room for all of our stars.

Take inventory of what you have learned, experienced and accomplished in the field. Isn’t there an audience, a specific niche or group, that could benefit from knowing you? Couldn’t you be someone’s problem solver, idea broker or concept deliverer? Please think on this and consider launching your own professional blog. Become one of the bright and guiding lights in the Internet’s growing sphere of influence.