Blogging etiquette is a relatively new phenomenon. For all that the Internet is seen as the Wild West, when representing oneself or a company, it’s important to stick to commonly-accepted guidelines about how to act. Called etiquette, propriety, or simple common courtesy, codes of behavior are required on a blog just as in a real-life meeting. Reputations are built both online and offline. It may even be easier to undermine one’s reputation on the Internet, so take care in all interactions.
Be Aware
Think about the nature of the blog. A corporate-run blog is quite different from a personal blog. Many companies have blogging policies, even for employees’ personal blogs, so people should be aware of all rules and abide by them. It’s also important to be mindful of the people reading the blog – peers, prospective customers, competitors, or even the media. Blogs reflect on the writer and his or her employers; don’t undermine either.
Be Interesting
A blog is not an advertisement. People must want to read the content, so it should be helpful or benefit readers in some way. If it’s a corporate blog, marketing should monitor discussions to get feedback, but they should not be in charge of the message. People know when they are being marketed to and it’s off-putting. Instead, be engaging.
Be Credible
Write truthfully. Disclose affiliations and potential conflicts of interest. Never lie or try to obfuscate. Never copy someone else’s content. This is for legal reasons as well as for ethical ones. On the Internet, nothing ever permanently disappears. Lying and copying will be discovered and when they are, the blog loses all credibility.
Have Integrity
Transparency is the key to integrity. If another article inspired a post, say so. Give credit to external source material and references by linking back to them. If editing something previously posted, maintain the original post and add on any changes. Never delete a post. If a mistake was made, acknowledge and correct it. Covering it up is seen as lying and it will be discovered.
Write Clearly
Write appealing posts. Use proper spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Bloggers who write only in netspeak won’t be taken seriously and won’t be viewed as professionals. If imparting information, make sure it’s technically proficient. Also make sure all links work and all formatting is correct, including html tags. Details do matter – people notice mistakes and judge accordingly. It may not be fair, but it’s the reality.
Encourage Discussion
Part of the attraction of blogs is their two-way flow of information. Readers’ comments can make the blog more valuable. Bloggers should encourage such comments, acknowledging the good and deleting the bad. This will create an inviting blog atmosphere in which people feel comfortable participating. Always be upfront about the rules of the comments, either including a line about it at the end of posts or linking to standard comment rules. Reply to comments and e-mails promptly. If disagreeing, do so respectfully. And if all this seems too time-intensive, consider turning off the ability to comment.
Blogging is all about building trust with readers and that trust is founded on respect. Treat readers with respect, expect the same in return, and everyone will be richer for it.
