The Polite Guide to Blogging

As a hard-core blogger, you’ve got some Blog-etiquette to learn.

Just because you’re on the web, it doesn’t give you free-range to say and do whatever you want. The same goes for your blog. There’s a blog-etiquette you should follow—that is if you want to be taken seriously by your audience and peers. That’s why we put together a polite guide to blogging, and we’ve got your Polite Guide to Blogging.

Credit Your Sources

You can’t always be the first to uncover a news-worthy item. The same goes for original ideas. There’s no shame borrowing the ideas or scoops of other bloggers—as long as you give credit where credit is deserved. It’s kinda like the footnotes you used to include in your essays in school. If you get a story idea from another site, you should always give them a little nod of appreciation in the form of a link. This can be done at the end of your post. It can be as simple as “Source: So and So,” with a link back to the original article embedded in the text. And remember, you’re just borrowing the idea, not copying it verbatim. That’s plagiarism—and we frown on that here.

Thank Your Readers

Where would you be without your loyal readers? You’d be begging for likes and guilting your friends into reading your posts. When you finally build the adoring audience you’ve dreamed of, thank them endlessly. Okay, maybe every so often – too much of a good thing can be a little much. Saying “thank you” goes a long way. You want to remind your readers how much they mean to you and how without them, you would not be where you are today. Think of it as giving an Oscar-winning speech about once or twice a month. You can also up the ante by giving your audience exclusive content or prizes. Keep reminding them how special they are and your following will become more loyal. And once they become loyal, you can begin to formulate your plans of world domination (*drums fingers together while laughing evilly).

Blogger Love

One of the great things about blogging is how most bloggers support each other. Do you follow a blogger who you think just gets it? Let your audience know with a post and a link to their site. Give them a shout-out on your Facebook page. Comment on their blog posts. There are tonnes of different ways you can show your fellow bloggers how much you appreciate and enjoy their hard work. Not only does it give that person a warm, fuzzy feeling inside, but you also get something back in return. Most often, that blogger will give you some love back. Your readers will appreciate that you spread the knowledge they need. And you come off as knowing all the important people who are also in the know, solidifying your place as an expert. It’s a win-win situation all around.

What rules of blog-etiquette do you follow? Share them with us on Instagram or Twitter—your choice.