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The Ten Commandments of Commenting - Thou Shalt Not........

By Tina Merritt

Real Estate Agent with Nest Realty

October 27, 2008 05:01 AM

Recently, someone felt the need to promote their own site and services on my blog. At first, I was really angry and tempted to say some not-so-nice things. Then, those 4 years of Catholic school kicked in, "forgive them Lord for they (OBVIOUSLY) know not what they do".

So, maybe it's time for a refresher on commenting. Feel free to add your own...there's no rule that we can ONLY have Ten Commandments of Commenting!

1. Thou Shalt Not Promote Your Site or Services on Someone Else's Blog. (if your comment is interesting enough, others will click and visit you for more info)

2. Thou Shalt Not Comment Solely for the Sake of Commenting. (commenting for points is just wrong)

3. Honor Your Fellow Bloggers. (be polite and courteous, even when disagreeing)

4. Thou Shalt Not Steal. (read Lenn Harley's blog for any questions regarding this)

5. Thou Shall Comment and Comment Regularly. (for every blog post you write, comment on at least 10 others)

6. Thou Shalt Not Comment When Angry, Upset, Drunk or Emotional.

7. Thou Shalt Not be a Closed-Minded Know-it-All. (do not be condescending and be open to other's ideas and beliefs)

8. Thou Shalt Not Troll. (make a comment that disrupts the flow of discussion)

9. Thou Shalt Not be a Coward. (do not post anonymously)

10. Thou Shalt Not be Longwinded. (be succinct and to the point)

Tina in Virginia

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Michelle Pimentel

Empire Home Staging Solutions - Upland, CA

ASP, IAHSP Empire Home Staging

Tina,

Great idea to command the way everyone comments here on AR, but both you and I know that commandments were meant to be broken... and crazy as it seems, not everyone will follow them! Now me for instance, 8 years of Catholic school, so I'm following the rules! ;0)

Oct 28, 2008 04:23 AM

Portsmouth NH Real Estate Agent - Rebecca Skane, Realtor®, e-PRO®

Keller Williams Coastal Realty - Portsmouth, NH

Can we make blog sticky's? If so, this blog should be posted permenantly somewhere accessible to everyone.

Oct 28, 2008 05:07 AM

Diane Bell, Hilton Head Real Estate, Bluffton

Charter 1 Real Estate, Hilton Head, Bluffton, SC - Hilton Head Island, SC

Good point about not commenting when a person is angry or upset. Many times, I've forced myself to hit the delete button and it was always a good decision.

Oct 28, 2008 07:03 AM

Jack Feldmann

Clayton Inspection Service, Inc. - Knoxville, TN

I saw some 7's and 8's yesterday. I'm new, but will try to remember all the do and do not's.

Thanks for the list

Oct 28, 2008 07:06 AM

Robert W. Bowen

Equity Real Estate - Sandy, UT

Thanks for the refresher. I especially like that Robert J Russel commented on your blog with an ad for his site. I wonder if he actually read your post.

Oct 28, 2008 07:40 AM

Anonymous

Confessions

Broken a few already. Busted one or two

Oct 28, 2008 07:53 AM

#89

Mick Michaud

Distinctly Texas Lifestyle Properties, LLC Office:682/498-3107 - Granbury, TX

Your Texas Lifestyle is Here!

I believe what Robert has is called a a signature line.

I put one on all my correspondence. I'll have one on here like some of the pros as soon as I figure out how to do it. So far, I've been doing the old cut-and-paste bit.

As far as writing when you're upset, etc .. . . .

Write it like you'll be running for office in a few years. If it turns up later, will it bite you?

Oct 28, 2008 10:08 AM

Julie Chapman

Julie Chapman Broker - Ormond Beach, FL

Daytona Beach Shores, Florida

Let's don't forget that there are a lot of new members.

I am reading more and more posts that have so much misinformation in the posts as well as in the comments that this should be emailed to the newbies......did you post it to the group for newbies?

Oct 28, 2008 12:17 PM

John Conca

CENTURY 21 Select Real Estate - Placerville, CA

Century 21 Select Real Estate

AMEN to that! Great post Tina.

Oct 28, 2008 03:56 PM

James Engel

Keller Williams Realty Beverly Hills - Beverly Hills, CA

KW Beverly Hills

Great point and everyone should read the blog before they post , no just the title but the whole blog

Oct 28, 2008 04:44 PM

Justin Williams

Independent - Virginia Beach, VA

Loan Officer

I get alot of people commenting with shameless plugs too, great list here Tina and congrats on the feature :)

Oct 29, 2008 10:48 AM

Myra Spano

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Towne Realty - Virginia Beach, VA

Real Estate Broker

This post is exactly on time for me! I'm usually always just reading posts without commenting, but now I just want to comment all the time... SOOO glad to have read this at this point in my blogging and commenting life!

Nov 03, 2008 01:25 PM

Anonymous

Nancy Taylor

I hope I am not "stealing" didn't have time to read all your responses...Mine is AMEN.

Nov 04, 2008 08:10 AM

#96

Joey Remondino

RE/MAX Preferred Properties - Vienna, VA

Broker, GRI, E-Pro

LOL, that is great... these should be posted for all to read in AR and followed. Thanks for the list.

Nov 05, 2008 12:59 AM

Tina Merritt

Nest Realty - Blacksburg, VA

Virginia Real Estate

Joey - you are very welcome and thank you for commenting!

Nancy - you are not stealing at all - thanks!

Myra - so happy to see you here!

Nov 05, 2008 03:08 AM

Lisa Friedman

Alliance Realtors - Bedminster, NJ

Central New Jersey Real Estate

Tina - Very good post. Wish more people would honor #6 - I have seen some doosies lately and reported them to AR. One person wrote all about his wife and the person she was having an affair with, names names and used the 'f' word about fifteen times in the post. How someone posts something like that on Active Rain, I will never understand!

Nov 07, 2008 03:14 AM

Military Relocation Specialists

Long and Foster Realtors - Virginia Beach, VA

hmmm... I think #6 might be a problem for me... but there should be a few moments in the day when I am not angry, upset, drunk or emotional.. I'll try to save my comments until then. This was a great post-- and I am your 100th comment- that is great feedback!

MRS team

Nov 11, 2008 01:31 PM

Tina Merritt

Nest Realty - Blacksburg, VA

Virginia Real Estate

Jennifer - I LOVE that you are my 100th comment!

Lisa - wow - blogging is not a replacement for a therpist!

Justin - thank you very much and you know that you are the exception to that rule. YOU can always plug yourself on my blog!

James and John - thank you very much for reading and commenting!

Julie - yes, this went to the newbies!

Mike - I like that..."comment like you will be running for office in a few years; will it come back to bite you?"

Nov 18, 2008 12:52 AM

Tony Orefice

NorthGroup Real Estate/www.TonyORealtor.com - Concord, NC

Realtor- Cabarrus County, NC

Hi Tina, thanks for posting these fine blogging rules to live by. I especially like #7.

Keep on bloggin'

Nov 18, 2008 01:30 AM

Tony and Libby Kelly

Keller Williams Realty Portland Premiere - Lake Oswego, OR

CRS, ABR, ePro, SRES, CLHMS, CDPE

I like and agree with them all. Especially number 6, it is the equivalent of drunk dialing. I also really, really like number 7 but sadly I don't think Closed-Minded-Know-it-alls know that they are Closed-Minded-Know-it-alls.

Nov 18, 2008 05:07 AM