Blogging about blogging is, yes, a little strange perhaps, however, as a relative newcomer to this form of communication and writing, I have decided to coin the term ‘blogetiquette’ because I think it needs to be one word – a neologism if you like! (I’m hoping that the annual dictionary re-writers will pick this up and make me famous!)
So, the blogetiquette rules I’ve decided on for myself include:
- have respect for the parents of the blog (in my case, wordpress.com)
- only subscribe to other blogs if you are genuinely interested (not because you want them to subscribe to yours)
- read all of the posts written by your fellow bloggers before publishing your own
- reply, or at least, acknowledge all comments made to you on your blog – again, before you publish your own
- get permission before you reblog someone else’s post (this is only because reblogging has recently become fraught)
- limit yourself to less than 5 posts per day or you might annoy people with the email build-up (the most I do is 4 and that’s not often because I’ve had some negative feedback about overposting!)
- be grateful for any awards or nominations you receive (whether you accept them or not)
- respect your readers and subscribers
- never hit the ‘like’ button unless you really do like the post
- always be honest in your own posts
- never criticise other people’s posts
I’m sure I could think of more but those are the ones I usually adhere to now that I have made the transition from novice to fledgling.
Speaking of fledglings, these two peacocks have nearly grown their ‘King’ feathers …
… whereas poor old King is still mourning the loss of his own (don’t worry, he’ll grow them back soon!)
Of all the birds who live here, it is the peacocks and peahens who have the best etiquette skills in terms of their respect for each other and for us too. When they take bread from my hand, instead of nearly swallowing my arm (as the geese do), they make a soft clicky noise as if they are saying ‘thank you’.
They have birdetiquette down to a much finer art than we will ever get blogetiquette!
If you have any blogetiquette tips, please share them….
Politely yours
Julie
jmgoyder 
I’m afraid I don’t have much to add about blogetiquette, although I do agree with your points. How lovely that the peacocks and peahens say thank you!!!
Yes, they are so fantastic – I love them! They are completely self-sufficent (except of my bread treats) and, even though everyone said they would fly away, they are here to stay and wait for me outside the back door every morning!
🙂
I think, as you gain more experience, you may have to forego some of the rules: life can make it impossible to keep up and you shouldn’t kill yourself trying.
But it’s nice to know how polite you are 🙂
I’m not polite – just nervous – hehe!
Don’t be; you’re doing fine 🙂
Now you’re the one being sweet – thanks, Tilly!
Hi,
I agree with a lot of your rules, being polite is a must I feel regardless.
The peacocks are such a beautiful animal they really do hold their own. I think it’s great that they appreciate what you do for them, they are obviously rather intelligent as well it seems. 🙂
I guess rules are made to be broken – I’ve already changed my mind about some in response to various comments.
Re the peacocks, the weird thing is that they hate to be touched whereas most of the other breeds love being patted or held (except Godfrey!) And yet, the peacocks will surround me on the lawn for a bit of bread!
That is on the spot, Julie, thank you so much!
🙂 I would have loved to be able to make guidelines this way…. but what I certainly stick with is “Be honest, be relevant…. to yourself!”
That takes care of personal venting, ranting, reactionary eulogies (not!), trolling, gushing…. even if I were given to them! Hah!
And yes, I completely agree with etiquette amongst animals…. oh! could I hold forth on this! 😛
Warm regards,
Mohini
These guidelines are mostly for me and I keep changing my mind about stuff anyway! I like your own ‘rules’!
Some good points Julie! I am still too new to add any more to the list. I don’t even know what reblogging is! Haha! I did over blog today so I do apologise for all the emails you would have got. I don’t usually blog that much, I just know I won’t get to it again most likely until the end of the week.
If you can only blog once a week and you want to do several on that day, I wonder is there is a way of pre-timing the ‘release’ of your posts. I’m going to suss this out myself but thought you might be interested too!
Great blog by the way!
I like the notion of blogetiquette and I think it’s valuable to develop your own standards or ethos in this area. For me I find the whole etiquette of online communications in all its forms is interesting and sometimes I’m taken aback at the seeming lack of etiquette in emails, in social networking sites and in blogs. It’s also fair to say there is an amazing amount of warmth, friendship and good manners also demonstrated. Perhaps it’s all reflective of levels of etiquette in the ‘real world’. What’s also fascinating about online communication is your ability to be invisible if you choose to – to read and use information without responding or acknowledging the writer. One of my friends observed that to do so was selfish – she described it as sitting up at the table and sharing in the feast, without helping cook or prepare it, without doing the dishes afterwards, and without offering any return meals or sustenance. I guess because this form of communication and knowledge sharing is so new, it’s going to take a while for norms or standards to be established.
I find it all fascinating too and, even before I became a daily blogger, I was intrigued. Thanks for your wisdoms!
Fine peacocks. I like the thrust of your rules.
Someone will probably do a PhD on blogging soon (if it hasn’t already been done!)
This was great Julie! I am always wondering about dos and don’ts of blogging. I’m especially worried email followers will be overwhelmed if I post often (even 1x a day) but so far no complaints. what about posting to Facebook? Is that totally acceptable or do people get tired of seeing my stuff on their ‘feed-page’? Love the Peacock & Peahens images – so beautiful! Have a bright day!!
I was just exploring the ‘rules’ as I see them (mainly from making some blogging bloopers). I recently stopped the link to facebook because it seemed like overkill but have had people ask me to put it back now. Re the emails subscribers get, I guess it they don’t want to read them or link in they don’t have to. Maybe I worry too much – hehe!
🙂 I’m similar to you there… Nice to know people missed your fb link too!!
Well it wasn’t thousands of people but it was a few – ha!
Not a bad set of rules!
I also subscribe to the blogs of people who subscribed to me. I do believe in turnabout is fair play, tit for tat, etc.
I’m not sure I understand “•read all of the posts written by your fellow bloggers before publishing your own.”
I don’t reply or acknowledge all comments because that takes time, and superfluous replies are, I think, a waste of time. Instead, if you comment on my blog, I guarantee you I’ll be by your blog to read and comment.
I’ll disagree with getting permission to reblog. If someone doesn’t want their stuff to be reblogged, I believe they can turn off that function. Might dependon what theme they have, though.
I try to do three posts a day: morning, noon, and night. Rarely do I do it, though, because work often gets in the day. lol
Thanks Russel – those are good points you make and, as my rules are only really for me at the moment while I’m on L-plates, I can always alter them as you suggest! Julie
Hey, Julie. Make your rules fit you, no one else. I was only sharing some of my rules.
My most important rule is a tit for tat rule. I really do believe in liking and commenting equally on the blogs of those who like and comment on mine.
Yes, you are right and I mostly do that too and, in fact, if you think of it like a conversation then it would be pretty rude not to do the reciprocal thing! I guess the time-consumingness of it is a bit daunting. Thanks for your wisdom!
I agree with your list, and can testify to the unfavorable response that can be had for the reblogging faux pas. 😦 The person, whom I happen to adore her writing, was very nice about it, but I really felt bad. Course, from now on I will always ask! 😉
Loving those peacocks!
~ Lynda
The blogging world is a bit tricky, however I don’t understand why anyone would object to being reblogged!
Writers don’t like it because there is a tricky bit about being published, and another tricky bit about when it goes out to your email followers. Some how or another some of the information is stripped out as it gets passed on, and passed again and then the writer looses control of their work and the rights to it. Sad, but true. ~ L
Yes, but surely if you are the originator of the orgininal post, it’s all traceable back to you anyway isn’t it? I guess what it comes down to is whether you are more concerned with ownership or your words than you are with sharing your words – much food for thought. As far as I’m concerned, to be reblogged is a great compliment!
It’s complicated, but I am with you, my blog stuff is an open diary, and I wouldn’t mind being reblogged either. I would enjoy it. 🙂
Perhaps we should reblog each other! Yes, I am going into your blog right now to find a favourite piece and reblog it – yeeha!
Only if that’s okay with you though.
OK then! Hahaha! Thanks! Tomorrow for you, as it is getting late here. 😉
Done! I loved that one about the bird poo on the car – hehe!
I have something else to add to blogetiquette.
Accept that there are going to be days when you just can’t read every post, of every blog that you follow. Sometimes you just have to extract the computer as your third arm and get outside and enjoy the fresh air.
Yes, and you are right about not being able to read everything – silly me!
Always a good reminder and a couple of things I hadn’t thought of when I wrote a similar post. Thanks, Julie.
They’re certainly not rules for everyone – just my own at the moment – extremely malleable!
Good Rules! I’m also new to blogging and those are definitely great guidelines 😉
Oh, by the way, I genuinely like this blog! 😛
I also saw your blog about when you gave a lift to the writer…I enjoyed that one! 🙂 very nice.
Thank you very much!
Thank you!
🙂
I love the thoughts you put into this Dear Jules. I have been thinking lately of opting to choose either to comment or like posts, but not both. In my own alerts I realized how kind of redundant hitting like as well as commenting is. That leaves two alerts in my email for one post. I’m assuming most are being alerted as well.
So, I am commenting when I have something of value to say, or I want to say hello, if not than the like button if offered is a nice way of saying, I’ve stopped by, liked your post, but have nothing of significance to say.
Wise words.
I’m going to do what you do – comment OR like but not both – now why didn’t I think of that!
You hit me with one barb during this A – Z blog challenge. I always reply to comments on my blog. Except for this month when I find that I either have to focus on visiting and commenting on the blogs of those I follow, or responding on my own. After all, with a post a day, pictures to take and download and upload and….you know what I mean….there just isn’t enough time. Normally I would not post another blog until I had fulfilled the one I had already sent into the ethersphere.
Now that I am more bloggish I realize what you mean – so sorry for the unintended barb!