Behaving in the Blogosphere: Review #6 of The Weblog Handbook, by Rebecca Blood

"Live never to be ashamed if anything you do or say is published around the world - even if what is published is not true." -Richard Bach

Words of wisdom - printed on the top of chapter 6, of Rebecca Blood's book The Weblog Handbook- Practical Advice on Creating and Maintaining Your Blog. In a world that is expanding at an astronomical rate, there needs to be some basic guidelines that help make the blogging community run more smoothly. Whether the bloggers focus on real estate, roller blades or rhododendrons, there are always little things to keep in mind...

Rebecca Blood does an outstanding job at laying out some of these "ground rules" and, not to mention, she does so in a very matter-of-fact way that made me understand it without feeling like I was an idiot for not figuring it all out on my own. I highly recommend buying & reading this book because there are SO MANY DETAILS that I could not include, and so many examples that clarify these points to a tee. We can all benefit from Rebecca's experience as a Blog Master.

What are the basic rules? Common Sense and Courtesy.

But, for those of us who are still understanding the impact that blogs and comments have on the online world, common sense may not be too common. So, here is a little taste of what she lays out.

Things to Avoid: Well, there are plenty of things to avoid in the Blogosphere, but here are a few of the basic ones:

• Attacking Others. Yes, this is a lesson that we all have to learn at one time or another. This by no means applies to constructive criticism. We are talking destructive imbicilism. There is a difference. (And yes, I just made up that word.) Sometimes you may find yourself in the midst of a "flamewar" between two bloggers. As enticing as it may be to jump in and involve yourself.... DON'T! It is always best NOT to affiliate yourself with "flame throwers" especially if you do not have an intimate knowledge of the 2 people involved and the topic at hand.
• Responding to Flames. (No, this has nothing to do with an unexpected email, from Classmates.com from your Junior Prom date... C'mon people, please!) Misunderstandings happen ALL THE TIME - online or offline. It is how it is and how it will always be. So what? Sometimes an "attack" is nothing more than one part misunderstanding, one part mis-perception and 2 parts ego. Regarding this, Rebecca says it beautifully, "Approaching your weblog seriously can make it better; taking yourself seriously never will." Honestly, if someone attacks you there is a good chance that the attack was completely unintentional. A simple email to the "attacker" will probably result in an apology and retraction or explanation. How easy! But, what if the attack IS intentional? How do you respond? Like I am sure many of you have heard before, the correct answer to an attacker is .... drum roll please .... IGNORE THEM. Don't reward them. There is some truth in them, there words, yes?
• Asking for a Link. This is when you email a blogger and ask for them to link to you or put you on their blog roll. You all have the friend (or you ARE the friend...) that is always inviting themselves to your house, your parties, your bar-be-ques, etc. Asking for a link is the blogging version of that person. (If you already ARE that person, then, well, by all means, ask for a link). The links that a blogger puts on their blog reflects them personally. If they do not know you, why would they want to promote you?
• Complaining About Traffic: If you are unhappy about your traffic, join the club. Write better posts and make a point of supporting the blogs that YOU like. Bloggers will notice (especially if you are a member of MyBlogLog.com) and you are bound to get more traffic. Just don't be a whiner.

Etiquette: There are many, many, many personal do's and don'ts that each blogger conforms to when they blog and comment. But there are a few basic truths that prevail, beyond all the personal idiosyncrasies. Rebecca Blood makes it seem so simple...

• - Credit your links. Let your audience know where you find your links.
• - Announce your schedule. If you are a weekly blogger, daily blogger, etc. it is nice to let your audience know when to expect you and when to start to worry when you have been gone too long.
• - Give Fair Warning. Please let people know if they are going to click on something that they may regret (large file, adult content, membership only site...)
• - Answer your email. Or, don't. Whatever. Just decide if you are going to be an email answer-er or not and stick to it.

Ethics: This goes beyond the Realtor® Code of Ethics and right into everyone's laptop/desk top. This is where common sense reigns...

• Don't lie. Don't be a tabloid.
  
• Cite your sources. Give credit where credit is due.
  
• Correct your mistakes. Use the strikethrough method, so your audience knows what you are correcting.
  
• "Post Deliberately." (I am guilty of this...) If you are brave enough to post something, then be brave enough to keep it up.
  
• If you are biased, let your audience know. Be transparent...
  
• If your sources are biased, let your audience know.
  

Gaining Credibility: Are you serious about being a blogger? Then you need to gain some credibility, yes? Yes. Rebecca puts it masterfully: "You gain credibility in the weblog community and in the weblog-reading public in exactly the same way you do in any other arena: by your conscientiousness and hard work." Enough said.

Use Your Powers For Good: Oh, young Jedi... Rebecca suggests linking to lesser known, but quality blogs (help them with traffic) or link to organizations and charities that you support. Maybe YOU will be the portal for that one wealthy blogger to connect with a struggling charity. You never know...

I really did not intend to go on this long about a single chapter, but there is SO MUCH information that I actually only grazed the top. It IS in your best interest to get the book and read it on your own, and then share it with a friend.

Uh Oh! Did you miss Reviews #1- #5? Well, here they are:

BLOG History 101 ~ Review #1 of The WeBLOG Handbook, by Rebecca Blood - Mariana Wagner

Why Blog - Review #2 of The WeBLOG Handbook, by Rebecca Blood- Ines Hegedus-Garcia

Creating and Maintaining Your BLOG - Review #3 - The WeBLOG Handbook by Rebecca Blood Ann Cummings
Finding your Blog Voice -Review # 4 Ann Cummings

Find an Audience and Obey the On-Line Rules of the Road Monika McGillicuddy
(Review#5)