The Boringbug

If you happen to be branding your blog into the sparkling world of writing, you must have read hundreds of posts reminding you of the etiquette to perform basic things like proofreading, writing in brief, keeping the subject line short and sweet, on the internet.

However, this list is not one of those.

This is for people who have been writing for years. Who have not only banished excessive exclamation points but have mastered the subtle art of packing complicated words into tight five liners.

But even professionals sometimes make mistakes. They are not disasters of the level of amateurs, or of the less experienced. Instead, they stumble upon the cautious errors of context, timing, or empathy, like the ones below, which can lead to misunderstandings, hurt feelings, or blown deals.

A. Consider the medium

Sometimes the problem with a blog post is that it is merely a post. Given the ease of electronic communication and the smart development of mobile phones, even the smartest of minds often unthinkingly start typing on their keyboards in response to work or inter (personal) conundrum. But emotional deftness is nearly impossible over a post, which makes it inappropriate for a discourse.

As a blogger from shoutmeloud.com- Harsh Agrawal states “… when you create a new piece of content, stay honest. Staying honest won’t make your article boring, it will just make it more interesting, and most importantly, authentic.“

Consider that you are less likely to persuade a reader over a post. You are more likely to get a yes when you ask someone the same exact request in person. So, before you start worrying about subtle posting etiquette and errors, ask yourself this big question:

Should you be sending a blog post at all?

B. Write with your audience in mind

Google “blogging etiquette” and you’ll get a million list of do’s and don’ts. What almost all of them fail to mention is that how you write your blog posts’ very much depends on the intended recipient. Overly broad rules, like “detailed,” aren’t particularly helpful when some sections of the reader-base are much more relaxed. A better rule for advanced bloggers is “know your audience.”

Our introduction and signing off should be consistent with the expectations of the reader-base you are trying to communicate or connect with. Consider the people who shall be reading it. If they tend to be very polite and formal, write in that language. The same goes for a receiver who tends to be more informal and relaxed.

There has been a witnessed rise in the number of casual readers. Try identifying them.

C. Balance blog productivity with direct approach

Whom to include in a targeted blog post is another area where common writing advice often goes wrong. “Spare spamming people’s inboxes and avoid direct approach for routine matters. As a matter of productivity, aim to include the minimum number of people possible.”

Productivity isn’t the only consideration. Politics and interventions matter too. You may know that you didn’t include a particular topic for avoiding unnecessary backlash, yet it might be considered a sign of intentionally sidelining an important narrative. Leaving important narratives out of post will appear like appeasing of certain masses, while leaving out on the important issues.

Yes, efficiency is a laudable, but here in the real world, it needs to be balanced against people’s perceptions, personalities, and sometimes irrational fears. The smartest bloggers keep that in mind.

D. Ensure introductions

This one particularly applies to email influencers or bloggers who rely on e-mailing strategy. Whenever sending a direct post or initiating an e-mail to a relative new subscriber or a prospective one, drop in an introduction about yourself first.

You would not want to catch your prospective readers or clientele unaware.

E. Be careful about when you hit send

The advantage of having a mass subscriber and e-mail subscribers is that you can reach out to them through posts at a time of your convenience. This is appealing. however, remember, your outreach can influence a number of people, while posting it according to their convenience. Your blog posts have to be posted or sent as per the convenience of it’s recipient.

The smartest bloggers know that the timing of a post might appear irrelevant on the surface, in many circumstances it does matter. Even if you’re sending a marketing e-mail and trying to catch potential customers in a receptive mood.
Yes, you read it RIGHT. Your blog posts have to be posted or sent as per the convenience of the recipient

It happens with majority of bloggers, the unwritten code of writing is that you must not post your content the moment it is ready or typed out. This, despite the thought to flout and ignore a double check on content.

Only because you have typed out a post doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to publish or send it. Delaying the post is one of the most powerful and underutilised ethics of writing, however you need to consider the demand of your readerbase. Always evaluate whether or not the post is shaped as per your thought. Double check your paragraphs, experiment with your vocabulary, and publish your post only when you are sure of it.

If you recognize your needs and that of your readers, you are bound to set up an interacting chain of blog posts, attracting the right set of readers.

But, who am I to say, for I am an owner a failed blog and I posted this without a second thought.  ;)

by Boringbug