Here at Blog for Profit, you’ve learned about gaining inspiration from other peoples blog posts and the importance of encouraging interaction through the comments section of your blog. Although the great posts here have certainly mentioned it in passing, I thought perhaps it was the perfect time to discuss blog courtesy.
I’m a firm believer in what is known as common courtesy. Things like showing respect, saying thank you and you’re welcome. You should extend that courtesy beyond everyday life into your online interactions as well.
Especially when it comes to your blog.
Keep the following courtesies in mind in regard to your blog.
- Give credit where credit is due. If your content has been inspired by someone else be sure to give them credit, both by mentioning them by name and providing a link to their inspirational content.
- Respond to your comments. A lot of us (me included) have made the mistake of thinking that blog comments didn’t necessarily need a response. I’ve since learned differently . Now I think of it this way. If I were giving a live presentation and someone made a comment, I would recognize that comment. The same courtesy should be extended to my blog.
- Comment, don’t advertise. When commenting on other people’s blogs, contribute to the conversation, don’t use it as advertising space. Leaving a ‘me too’ comment just to get your link noticed is rude. Sure, commenting on other blogs is a way to get yours noticed, but remember that most blog authors and their readers are going to be able to tell the difference between true interaction and plugging yourself.
Its really just common sense, but it’s still important to remember to extend courtesy online as well as off.
And if you want an inspirational example of blog courtesy, check out this post by John Haydon. Not only does he give credit to the blog post that inspired his, but he also went so far as to close comments on his own post as to keep the conversation going on the inspiration post. That’s an excellent example of going above and beyond in the blog courtesy department.
