There are faux pas and rules of thumb within every type of situation, and blogging is no different. Now of course there are never any limits, you should feel free to do whatever the hell you like! But popular opinion in the blogger community can generally be a good place to look if you're just beginning and would like the lowdown.
So here are my list of Do's and Don'ts I try to stick to, but by all means let me know if you disagree!
Do:
1. Show Gratitude: Thank people who are nice to you, in whatever way! Whether they've gave your promo a retweet, left a lovely comment on a post, or featured you on their blog - show how grateful you are, it's just nice! Of course the 'bigger' or busier you get, I understand this may not always be possible.
2. Get Chatting: There are plenty of ways to get involved with the community, the most popular way probably being Twitter. Give people feedback on posts, get involved in blogger chats, let people know what you're up to/how things are going. It's a nice online way to be social, and people respond really well to someone who is chatty and involved. Of course, don't feel you have to do this, if you want your blog to just be for you! :)
3. Be Yourself: Share your quirks, loves, hates and passions with us! The whole point is to make your blog your own little world, and that means every part of you. You'll probably end up finding others with similar interests and making new friends!
Don't:
1. Lie: This is probably one of the worst things you can do for your blog. By lying in any way, you are taking your readers for fools, and you'll probably be caught out. Pretending to like a product because you've been paid for example, is never going to be worth losing your credibility. And once it's gone, it's gone.
2. Pester People: Okay so there's a different between leaving your blog link somewhere, or asking people to check it out, than straight up hounding people. Plus it's realllly awkward, and makes you look a little desperate. I've had people message me before saying they'll follow me if I follow them, and it's made me squirm inside. Even if they've had great blogs, it's totally put me off them. Sure get your name out there! But don't become a nuisance, and let the quality speak for itself, yeah?
3. Give Up: Are you sometimes guilty of comparing your work to others, and feeling completely overwhelmed? I know I've done this. But stick at it, it's a journey. Take anyone who inspires you and look at their earliest work, I guarantee you it'll be nothing like it is today. And that's a great thing! It shows progress and determination. They've stuck at something that means a lot to them, and made the effort to learn and improve. Let it inspire you to do the same.
What do you guys think? Am I totally off the mark, or did I miss something? Let me know!
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Great tips ! I agree with everything too :)
ReplyDeletehttp://allornothing-blog.blogspot.co.uk/
I totally agree with you! I don't personally use twitte (ever) but it may be a really good way to interact with readers :D Thanks for the tips!
ReplyDeleteLoved this post. I am totally guilty of comparing to others and thinking I'm not good enough but I have stuck with it and hopefully I will see progression. I also love to take part in the twitter chats - such a great way to know other bloggers x
ReplyDeletegillmclaughlin.com
Absolutely love this Jemma! I completely agree with all of them, you speak A LOT of sense here :)
ReplyDeleteSoph x | www.avenuedesophie.co.uk
Lovely post, especially the show gratitude tip :)
ReplyDeleteHayley @ Tea Party Beauty
Great tips - especially not giving up, so important! Getting involved in the community is a major part of blogging as well; if all you want out of blogging is money and popularity but not to talk to and get to know other bloggers, you're doing it wrong!
ReplyDeleteP.S. hey check out my blog ;) hahah JK JK
Alex
efflorescentdream.co.uk
x
Great points and the one I really need to work on is Twitter. I'm usually up to my eyes in laundry during the bloggers chats :p
ReplyDeleteI think the main thing is to have fun and don't give up, you are so right. I've stopped & started blogging many times over the years, don't do it if you don't enjoy it.
Gill xx EyelinerFlicks
I know exactly what you mean about the pestering! I want people to follow my blog because they like it not because I've followed them! Great points made :) x
ReplyDeleteThese are all really good tips Jemma, especially the ones about showing gratitude for someone leaving nice comments or sharing a post of yours, I love that, because I always am a little bemused that so many people have read and commented on a post! I definitely agree with the one about keeping it real for you too, which is why my blog might not be as exciting as others because it is just filled with photos of nature-y things but it's what I love! Great post. - Tasha
ReplyDeleteGreat post Gemma :) I think you have made some really important points in both the do and dont side. I think it is so important to show gratitude - it costs nothing and even if you don't gush your thanks, it still should be done. I am guilty of the comparing yourself to others dont - more so a few months ago. I am slowly getting more comfortable with me and my content and it does make it so much more enjoyable when you dont compare yourself! :) x
ReplyDeleteBrenda BusyBee | Makeup Revolution Highlighting Palettes Giveaway
So true! It makes me sad to see others give up easily. They get overwhelmed and start comparing before they even REALLY get started.
ReplyDeleteI don't like reading blogs that do sponsored reviews and it's a vague one line review . It makes me think they only agreed to get free products or to show off. Can't be saying a product is good when there's no time to see results lol! x_x
Usually I dislike do's and don'ts blogging posts because no one should really tell you how to blog, but this couldn't be more spot on!
ReplyDeleteFrankie | Crazyblondegal
Great post! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post!! Absolutely spot on xx
ReplyDeleteHollie // hollieinwanderlust.co.uk
This is such a great post, I agree with everything! There really are no rules, but it's good to have a few rules of thumb to go by ♥
ReplyDeleteAmy xx
Little Moon Dragon
Fab post with some fab tips Jemma. I've had someone leave a few messages lately in my comments on my post and you can just tell they haven't even read it yet they leave their link and almost beg me view theres. I've not even bothered to look at theres because of that where as I would of normally. I've fallen into the trap so many times with giving up and being ready to just say no to it all. But I've learnt so much from blogging and I've overcome so many hurdles it seems silly to give up now!
ReplyDeleteVictoria xx
thedaisyjaynes.com
Totally agree on everything! Wonderful post! :) xx
ReplyDeleteGenerally I like to go with, do: be yourself & have fun. Don't: be a knob. And then I guess I could elaborate, but you've done most of that hard work for me ;)
ReplyDeleteThinking about the lying one, I completely agree. But I think people confuse lying with keeping things to themselves. Definitely don't lie, but also don't feel obliged to share anything and everything. You don't have to air your dirty laundry if you don't want to, at the same time you can share you dirty laundry if you want to. Either way, not sharing is not lying and I wish more people could see that. It might be painting a slightly filtered picture of your life, but if that's the blog the person wants, I'm ok with that (granted, I probably wouldn't read but still).
I admit, I totally skip the twitter chats, I just don't find them that enjoyable any more. Plus, to join the chats, write posts, go to work, clean my house and blah blah blah, something had to go just to give me time to do anything... and chats it was.
Fabulous post, Jemma! ♡♡ I agree with everything here. There comes a certain etiquette when blogging and your post encompasses it perfectly. Xx
ReplyDeleteThis is great. Nice to hear I may be on the right track with my own little blog. Also I totally agree that its a little cringy when people say follow me and I'll follow you. I like to think that I'll have genuine followers not just people wanting to up their numbers.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! I've only just started using twitter for blog networking. I wish I started using it sooner!
ReplyDeleteLennae xxx
www.lennaesworld.com
This is a great post. I totally agree with you on number 2. Don't push people to visit your blog. It's annoying. Just saying thank you for following me or commenting is perfect. People tend to find you more appealing when you speak in a friendly way. You don't just go up to people on the street or in the store like, "Follow my blog!" Talk like a human, not an advertisement. But of course, I am guilty of doing this sometimes myself, but I really try not to. I feel like no one cares about reading my blog posts so I get squirmy, and try to get the word out there more. But being tact is key, yes. By the way, I really like your blog design, it's pretty! :) www.knowledgefromtheheartwithmariel.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with all of these, especially don't pester people. I hate it when people comment on posts just saying check out my blog without leaving any relevant comment to the post. It just seems a bit desperate and that they are not blogging because of their interests but blogging for the following, which is not a sole reason to blog.
ReplyDeleteFi | www.fislittleblog.com