Blog writing etiquette – dos and don’ts

The blog world, while global, is at the same time very personal.  Responsible and considerate communications in this medium are no less important than if you were talking face to face over a delicious cup of Darjeeling, darling.

Here are some tips on how to grow your audience, not alienate them.

1. Don’t plagiarise. This won’t do you any favours. You’d be off your audience’s blog list faster than Jeeves could refresh the pot.  Sure, use others’ posts/articles for research, but then go away and have a think for yourself.  Share your own ideas, opinions and experiences .

2. Back-scratching is good. Create links to bloggers who have inspired you. Make sure, though, that you double check the links work before posting and only link if it’s relevant to your post.

3. Don’t bad mouth. There’s nothing wrong with expressing an opposing view when blogging/commenting; in fact, that is often what people want to hear. Just don’t make it personal and keep your language respectful. Professionalism is the nom du jeu.

4. Check your grammar/spelling. Re-read, spell check and, if you can, have someone proofread it for you. While not everyone’s cup of tea, poor results in this department can make your audience lose confidence in your abilities and standards.

5. Admit your mistakes. There will be a time when you get something wrong. Don’t worry. While not ideal, you can use this as an opportunity to show your honest, humble, human side. Depending on the nature of the error, you could try to make light of it or turn it to your advantage.

On the subject of comments

1. Thank your commentators. Acknowledge their posts and try to continue the debate, inspiring others to join in.
2. Comment on other’s blogs. If someone has taken the time to leave a comment on your blog, reciprocate this by commenting on theirs.
3. Keep your comment insightful and on-topic. Posting simply ‘Great blog, Derek’ doesn’t quite cut the ham and mustard sandwich. Add value to the thread.

Naturally we’d love to hear your comments!  Have you been on the receiving end of poor blogging etiquette?  Is it important to you?  What are your views on posting links in the comments section? Does it really bug you when your readers do that?  Do you do it?

Read more posts on:

• Best Practice
• Blog writing