If you’re a regular visitor to this blog, you may have noticed that I have been posting a series of blogging tips. Today I’ll be discussing blogging etiquette. Every blog is different, and ever blogger has their own opinion on what they think is proper blogging etiquette. Please feel free to add your own opinions.
Thoughts on Blogging Etiquette
- When someone comments on your post be polite and reply to their comment . It lets them know you are interested in their opinions.
- Know when to comment and know when to email. Sometimes a question or comment is best emailed to the blogger then left on their blog.
- Don’t launch a personal attack on someone’s blog. Don’t threaten the blogger.
- Think before you type. Remember that you can delete angry posts from your blog, but they still may be readable in a Google cache.
- Don’t hotlink to images. Not only are you stealing bandwidth, someone now has “control” over your blog. They can replace their image with an embarrassing image that will suddenly display on your blog.
- If you’re going to be reprinting an article, request permission before you copy. Remember that just crediting the source is not sufficient. You must obtain permission before posting an article in its full entirety. Reprinting someone else’s post on your blog without their permission is a violation of copyright.
- Post only the facts: Beware of libel laws. Stating an opinion is one thing, but using your blog to post false written statements about a person is another. Make it clear that a comment is your opinion on the subject only. “The Bloggers’ FAQ on Online Defamation Law provides an overview of defamation (libel) law, including a discussion of the constitutional and statutory privileges that may protect you.”
- Don’t link to another blog and then demand that they link to you.
- Don’t post comments for the sake of only promoting your own blog.
What are your thoughts on blogging etiquette? Is there anything that I have missed?
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14 responses so far ↓
Wrote: Aug 14, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Great tips, Rose. I haven’t been following all these tips and now I will.
I am going to go to my blog now and fix my mistakes.
Thanks
Wrote: Aug 14, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Carl,
One learns as they go.
Wrote: Aug 14, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Rose, can you explain point #2 a little more. I don’t exactly “know” when to do what. Thank you.
Wrote: Aug 14, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Sure Carl. Let me use an example : “My blog is very similar to yours and I was wondering if you would like to exchange links. Visit my site and I will add your link to my blog.” This comment should be emailed to the user not left in the comment section of their blog.
Wrote: Aug 14, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Thanks for your quick response. Good answer!
Wrote: Aug 14, 2007 at 8:11 pm
I always thought of comments like the “currency” of the blogosphere. People who comment a lot generally earn more links (especially without requesting them – I don’t think I’ve asked for a single link from anyone).
Good things to post in comments:
-Compliments on the obvious intelligence and good looks of the blog author (ex: Rose, you are a great blogger and WOOOOOOO one hot mama!)
-Questions/comments about the content of a specific blog post (ex: Wow, Rose, I didn’t know Google maintains a cache that includes deleted posts and comments! Good to know!)
Not-so-good things to post in comments:
-Comments obviously intended for a different post (ex: Right on, Rose. Glad they got that guy locked up at last!)
-Obvious cries for help (ex: Rose, if I ever delete one of your comments again because I didn’t realize it was you and not a spammer, I’m going to hang myself)
-Obscene smilies (ex: you didn’t really think I’d post one, did you?
although this:
looks kind of like a stripper’s boobs with tassels on her pasties…)
Great post, Rose. Come visit my blog! I’ll link to you! LOL
Ian
Wrote: Aug 15, 2007 at 12:11 am
I always leave comments on my blog, even if I violently disagree (which has happened twice), unless it’s just tasteless (some racist bestiality comment to my MySpace page.)
Wrote: Aug 15, 2007 at 1:38 am
Every blogger should know this. I wish bloggers would respond to comments via email than leaving the comment reply in their blogs. Wordpress has this function but blogspot does not.
Wrote: Aug 15, 2007 at 8:07 am
That’s interesting Grace, because I much prefer when bloggers respond in comments–it opens up space for me (who wasn’t in the original conversation) to add something if it so strikes me. Just a personal preference, of course, and like you said, with Blogger, it isn’t always possible as you don’t always see the commenter’s email address.
Good tips, Rose; I can’t think of anything I’d add
Wrote: Aug 15, 2007 at 9:08 am
Should it be call, netiquette?
Wrote: Aug 15, 2007 at 9:14 am
Call it whatever you want, just follow some sort of etiquette- netiquette … errrr ummm.
Wrote: Aug 15, 2007 at 9:18 am
Ian, you should really get those eyes checked and I don’t even want to know how you know what stripper’s boobs with tassels on her pasties looks like. I visit your blog.
Rog that’s good to know. Tasteless comments don’t get published here.
Grace, I prefer replies to comments left on my blog. If it is just chit chat then I prefer email.
Sognatrice, thank you.
Wrote: Aug 15, 2007 at 4:38 pm
Having read your post, I couldn’t agree more. Most of them are common courtesy, which unfortunately isn’t always common.
Things like hot-linking to images is something that new bloggers often don’t realise until they get a message from the owner.
Regards,
Ian
Wrote: Aug 22, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Thanks for the tips, as a new blogger I want to get off to a good start and not scare any of the few visitors I have away. I hope to put these to good use.