That's right. Blog Quette (short for etiquette).
Who knows the rules? I don't. I didn't even know what blog stood for when I started out. (psst, it's an abbreviation for web-log) But I know what I like. After visiting a ton of sites for this challenge, I've come up with a few unwritten rules for good blogging.
- Less is More. Don't let your blog get too busy. Some blogs are like shopping at Marshall's - too much to choose from all at once, aah! And the reverse is also true - don't be too plain. Show us who you are and jazz it up a little. How many of you are still using the library background? Try the template designer.
- Stay regular. Post on a regular basis. We are counting on you to provide us with useless (or useful) drivel to brighten our day!
- Less Ads. I don't know about you, but I can't stand commercials. Isn't that why someone invented tivo? to FF thru the ads? A few are ok, but don't overdo it.
- Posts - personally I like em brief and to the point. I skim over long-winded posts. Pictures and lists! are appealing. Got a lot to say? break it up into separate posts, make us come back.
- Replies. Try to reply to your comments. As you get more popular, replies can be fewer - I'll let you know when I reach that point, ha ha.
- Good commenting. This is a great post from Jane Friedman about putting your best foot forward when making comments (like it's rude to link to your blog in the comments unless it's for a challenge)
- Courtesy. Link back in your post. When you do a challenge, contest, copy something, get an award, whatever. Give credit where it's due.
- About you. People want to know who you are! Make it visible. And as a wise assistant to a shark advises put your contact info in it, at least an email (you can create a special email, like gmail, just for this purpose, if you have any Quams)
- Following. By all means, if you want more followers, make it easy for them! Put the gadget at the top.
16 comments:
Great advice, Tara. As a newbie blogger I need all the help I can get!
Great tips! Thank you for the query link you shared on my blog - very useful!
Great advice!
I agree with the follow button at the top. For those who aren't on blogger, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get google friend connect. Messing around with RSS feeds are a pain.
And never. I repeat NEVER think it's a good idea to open a blog without allowing comments.
Following back is quite important, but don't follow just to get follow back. I find that making good comments that show that you actually read the post helps more.
Always reply to every comment - even if it is on your blog. I do that. That way, I don't flood inboxes but if someone thinks it's important enough to go back to, they will definitely find a comment just for them.
But most important of all. Don't think of blogging as only building a platform. It's about building relationships as well. So take the time to make friends.
Hopefully, this won't change even as I grow a larger following. (I'm aiming for 500 this week.)
See you around! ^_^
Thank you Tara for visiting my blog and leaving a comment so I could find you also. I really like your blog...and I did not know where the word blog came from so this post hooked me immediately.
I have only been blogging for 6 weeks and 1 day (not that I'm counting or anything) so I am a newbie also and need all the tips I can get, especially since I usually jump right in without reading instructions. This post was full of very useful information and you have a delightful personality. I'm excited to read more.
This is all great advice, thank you! I'm still learning my way around blogger. I've been trying as much as I can to reply to comments on my blog, and with everything in my past week, I know I've missed some--I'm hoping to catch up with everything soon! (And I'm expecting things will slow down a bit when the A-Z challenge is over. ;))
Tara, I love to read your blogs. You make me smile. I could blog alot about me growing up, but it would be too long. Thank you
Thanks for the positivity =)
Sylvia - glad to help.
Welcome to blogging newbies - Cathy & Rasz
Misha - 500, wow! way to go!
Laura - I hope it slows down too, I need to get back to my WIP & querying!
Sharon - you're sweet, your animations are adorable!
When I started blogging, it was like waiting into unknown, possibly shark infested, waters. LOLI agree with everything.
This month during the challenge things, work a bit differently. But I think most people are hip to it. For example, reply to comments. I still read them and if there is a question, I answer.
Oh, I also wanted to say if you don’t want to create a new email account, create a contact form. I have one using Google docs.
The stay regular has been a challenge for me. So that's why I am doing the A-Z thing. To get me motivated so I keep posting regularly even after the month is over.
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
This was great, Tara, with many helpful hints.
The sheer number of new blogs I've found during this challenge is making it really hard to keep up, but I'm trying. :-)
I try to keep my posts from getting too long and I like to have a posting schedule to keep me regular. I will admit to being a drive-by commenter, but at least it's usually an acknowledgement of a job well done.
This post was thoughtful, fun, and useful. I'm glad I found your blog, Roland
Ruth - regular could just mean once a week or so, doesn't have to be everyday =)
C R - you're doing great keeping up with 3? blogs? (or you're crazy)
Roland - thanks for being follower #101!
Thanks for this useful, "just-to-the-point"-list!
I'm STILL grateful you told me to move my follow button up to the top of my page a moon or two ago . . . it made a world of difference!
Great tips! Thanks, Tara!
Hey TTT ~~ thanks for sharing ! Btw , love the shortened form of etiquette ~ very snazzy ... :)
~MICHELLE~
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