Truth be told, after almost a year of blogging, I’m still learning the rules. Many of them are common sense, such as giving credit to another blogger when needed and being professional in all dealings with people. However, these “rules” are broken all the time and are the reason why bloggers aren’t always viewed in the most positive light.
Recently, there has been some negative press about female bloggers (more specifically “mommy bloggers”) that has caused me to re-evaluate my own blogging and I’ve made some changes. I work a full-time “real” job and have promised myself to treat blogging as a second job and be just as professional in the blogosphere as I am in the office. There’s no reason why anyone should be less ethical or decent just because there’s not face-to-face contact.
Top 10 Rules to be a “Good Blogger”
1. When in doubt, give credit. Anytime you take another’s words or even thoughts, you need to give credit. Giving someone else credit in a blog post does not diminsh you in any way, in fact, it makes you a good blogger! I’ve heard people say they are worried that someone else’s link will take traffic away from them. I have 2 responses to that: get over it or be original and you won’t have to credit.
2. Don’t respond when upset and if attacked, consider not responding. Tone doesn’t always come through the way you meant it in an email. It’s easier to take back something you said than something that is in written form. Whether it’s a mean comment on your blog or an email dig from another blogger, take some time to think about it. Is it even worth responding? Sometimes taking the high road is hard to take but in the long run, is the best thing.
3. Don’t get caught up in the drama. There will always be drama in the blogosphere. It’s up to you how much you want to be a part of it all. I enjoy staying out of those kind of things and am usually shocked to hear of some of the things that go on. Instead of hanging out on Facebook, Skype or Twitter all day, focus on your blog and how to make it better. Can you start using some of the more creative ways to monetize and bring in more income? Can your design be more user friendly? Build up, not down.
4. Help newbies. It’s easy to ignore emails or tweets from new bloggers when you barely have enough time to get your posts up and answer your emails. But remember, we were all newbies once. If you don’t have the time, politely tell them that but see if you can point them in the right direction briefly. For example, if they have questions about monetizing their site, several bloggers have written excellent posts on the topic. Find one of them and send the link in your response email. Today’s newbie could be tomorrow’s super blogger!
5. Don’t be jealous. This is a hard one and much easier said that done for most of us. There is always someone with better stats, more traffic, and more comments on their blog. Instead of getting down on yourself, think how much better you are now than when you started blogging. Focus on the positive and how much you’ve grown. Everyone moves at different speeds.
6. Respond to all emails within 24 hours. In the business world I work in during the day, you need to return all calls and email within 24 hours. This is just plain professional and should extend to the blogosphere though I find it doesn’t, for reasons of which I am unsure. If you receive a lot of blog-related email, enlist the help of someone to help you respond if you aren’t able. I don’t think it’s acceptable to ignore emails and be expected to be taken seriously.
7. Find a “blogger support group”. This may be my biggest recommendation for newbies. Your real life friends and family won’t want to hear about your blogging 24 hours a day. Find a small group (mine is 5) of bloggers starting out at about the same time as you. Communicate via email (or Skype or whatever medium you choose). Use each other to bounce ideas, try out things, and ask the questions you think are dumb. My group emails multiple times every day – we’re our biggest fans when it comes to link love and sharing. They help make the blogosphere a familiar and friendly place for me.
8. No one likes a copycat. Be original in your blogging. When you read a lot of blogs you get some great ideas but you may be tempted to poach them. It’s a toss-up. Copying can come in many forms, not just the taking of words, but also of site design, post ideas, site colors, format and even template. It’s ok to like something someone else did but try to make it your own before just copying it.
9. Golden Rule. Treat others they way you want to be treated. This is a rule from the “real world” we all know about. Think before speaking and acting. Just because you aren’t face-to-face with these people doesn’t mean you have carte blanche to say or do anything you want. Your name and reputation are everything and you want yours to be the best it can be.
10. Be yourself! This is all anyone can ask of you and why people enjoy reading your blog. Every one of us is different and that’s what makes blogging so much fun. Find your voice and be true to it and yourself. Be creative and flexible and you’ll keep your readers wanting more.
Guest Post: Being a “Good Blogger” http://bit.ly/7fiPT0