The Do's and Don'ts of blogging...

I’ve blogged a lot about what you should, and should not do, when you blog and participate in social media and networking, but her point of view is refreshing.

She summarizes it in four dos and don’ts:

* Number one DO: Do fellowship with other bloggers.
* Number two DO: Do join a blog community, and check out other bloggers and follow discussion threads.
* Number three DO: Do try to comment on blogs you have visited.
* Number four DO: Bloggers love to have other bloggers link to their sites.
* Number One DON’T: When commenting on other blogs or leaving messages on their tag boxes, please don’t type in many URLs after your comment, such as - “Hi, I like your article.
* Number Two DON’T: When I read something I don’t agree with, I generally tell it to my computer screen or shake my fist at it sometimes, but I keep my fingers off the keyboard. Don’t shoot off thoughtless comments like - “Your Wordless Wednesday entry is simply crap.
* Number Three DON’T: Don’t ignore comments visitors make on your blog posts.
* Number Four DON’T: Don’t plagiarize other blogs’ content.

I would also add the following:

* Use Common Sense: The blogosphere isn’t a new world where the laws and rules change. Gravity is still gravity and stupidity is still stupidity. Use common, practical sense before sharing personal details. Don’t shoot your mouth off in a situation where your words become gasoline on the fire, unless you want to get burned. Blog smart.
* Don’t Chase: There is a lot of grasping on the web. People chasing traffic, search engines, “friends”, then straggling them in their pursuit. Haven’t you learned by now that the best friends you have are the ones who choose you, and you in turn, choose them. No chasing, grasping, strangling, or struggling, just natural. A blog is no different. You will attact to you that which you deserve, so deserve the best.
* Give Without Expectation of Return: Like chasing, when we give our words, links, credit, and appreciation to others, do so without expectation of return. I do not expect to be asked to be included on a blogroll or get permission to link to one of my blog posts. Do it because you want to, not because you want me to do the same for you.

Don’t expect me to go bonkers publicizing the fact that I’m on your blogroll or in your blog post, or thanking you profusely for noticing me and my blog. I may do that, but don’t expect that. When I include a link to you or your blog post, I don’t expect a thank you. It’s nice. It’s a courtesy, not a rule.

And don’t go asking for links for links sake. I hate “I’ll link to you if you link to me.” Why should I bother. Make links have value, not expectations. If you give without expectation of return, the odds are you will get more, not less.
* Let Me Know You: It’s important that your readers feel like they know you, the blogger. They don’t have to know you, the person, but they need to know a little about who you are and why you blog what you blog, and why they should trust what you blog. Put information about you and your blog purpose in your blog’s About page and let some personality and character flow into your blog posts naturally. It’s not about full disclosure of all your zits and psychological problems, we all have those. It’s about getting personal and personable with your readers, not sitting on their laps telling them your life story.

Readers want to know whom they are reading, so help them know you so they know where you are coming from.

My last recommendation is not a tip, but one of those serious guidelines that should be a rule, in fact, a law, if I could make it one:

Blog with integrity.

If you blog with integrity, you attract integrity in your readers, the kind of integrity that turns visitors into readers and readers into fans, and fans into friends. The best kind.