Bloggers Etiquette

1. If you link to a site, try to visit that site at least once every 2-4 weeks.
   1. Always leave a comment on these sites.
2. Always be honest and encouraging in your comments.
3. Do not use gimmicks to attract readers. This will diminish the worth of what you are saying.
4. If you give a blog more than a casual glance, leave a comment.
5. If you see a blog that could have potential and you have an idea as to how to make it better, leave constructive comments.
6. If you find a blog that deeply interests you, link to it.
   1. Announce in a comment in that blog that you have done so and invite the author to visit your blog.
   2. It is okay to ask for reciprocity but do not make your link contingent upon this.
7. Encourage new bloggers, especially the ones that represent interesting content.
   1. Offer to swap links. (This differs from #6. I believe that with a new blogger, offering to help with a link to their site should be reciprocated.)
8. When leaving a comment on a blog for the first time, let the author know how you found his/her blog, especially if you found it through a link on another blog.
9. If you want to increase readership, you have to read other blogs and leave comments. "Do onto others as you would have them do onto you."
10. If you reprint another’s work, be sure that you give credit to the author and link to the author’s site. Most authors, including me, do not mind if you reprint their work as long as correct credit is given and a link-back is established.
    1. Be careful of copyright infringements.
11. Plagiarism is bad.......very bad.
12. Language and appropriateness is difficult to discuss. What is appropriate to one can be inappropriate to another. The same goes for language.
    1. You do have the ability (“Flag Blog") to notify a Blogger of objectionable content.
    2. However, just like with television, you have the power to not visit objectionable blogs.

I have created this as a working document. I know that I have missed some points. Please, if you can add to this list, leave me a detailed comment and if I agree, I will update this post.