Web 2.0 Etiquette: A Review
A Few Things That Really Get Me Going
B. L. Ochman |
- Don't use programs that auto-follow anyone who follows you on Twitter. It's a social network, not a robot network.
- Don't broadcast messages on Twitter using bots. You'll just damage your brand, personal or corporate.
- Don't send friend requests on Digg and then abuse the privilege with constant shout-outs. Every day is too many, for chrissake.
- Don't send an e-mail that says "TTYL" after the previous e-mail completed a conversation. Or "thanks again" or "take care." We are drowning in e-mail. Yes, mom said to always be polite. Sending less e-mails is polite 2.0. If you must have the last word, change the subject line to "TTYL, end" so the person knows they don't need to read your 10th damn "goodbye" e-mail.
- If you're a sending a pitch, (business service, PR, report, etc.) don't address the e-mail "Hey," "Hey again," "Yo," "All," "Dear [ ]," "Dear Blogger," or "Dear First_Name." Don't say "Dear Mr Ochman." Say "Dear B.L." or "Hi B.L." if you don't know me, and are too lazy to look at my photo on my blog or website, and are not sure if I'm male or female. I think I speak for most people when I say that I prefer informality to a sex-change operation.
- Do not send endless messages via Facebook, etc. You're not that interesting.
- Don't IM unless you have something to say that I might actually want or need to know and that really can't wait for an e-mail response.
- Do not send huge "hilarious" video files in e-mail. If they aren't on YouTube or somewhere else you can link to, ask before e-mailing an attachment. If you want to share a video you made yourself, upload it to a file-sharing site and send a link.
- Check Snopes.com before you send an e-mail about the inventor of penicillin who gave an apple to someone's daughter, or whatever that stupid e-mail was about that went around recently.
- Use "Bcc" -- not open lists -- for e-mails sent to several people. Do not forward e-mail without deleting the name and e-mail and other extraneous information from the person who sent it first.
- Do not send freaking chain letters or anything that says "Forward this to 10 people in the next 10 minutes or your left ear will fall off." Ever. And don't send petitions in e-mail -- all of the legitimate ones are online. Send a link.
Did I miss anything?
~ ~ ~
B.L. Ochman is a marketing strategist and blogger and can be found at WhatsNextOnline.com or her newest venture, Pawfun.com.
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def would be annoying tho.
:>)
BTW, if you go to my site, you will see my cousin who is the Prince of Zamundy in Africa in a video. He is saying a traditional prayer of prosperity. If you watch it and send it to 10 other people in the next 10 minutes, and then tweet 1m n 1d10t your prayer will be answered.
"Bill needs the the competitive analysis on the widget project. Get me a hard copy by 5pm today."
Don't reply to an old message with a new topic. Create a new message with a new subject line. Similarly, don't put too many disparate topics in one email.
I actually created MyCrapMail.com years ago to try to combat spam, phishing attempts, teach people how to send emails, a link to snopes and more.
I am so sick of the hundreds of worthless emails I get every day and have shut off of my IM services years ago.
What you didn't mention is when I travel, internet comes to me via an air card which gets cut off after 5 gig a month of file transfers, and sometimes I can only use dial up (yes it exists still) so stop sending me 5 meg videos!
Spamming has not been bad for me on Twitter yet but I am counting the days until this useful marketing tool will destroyed.
At least many business people have caught on to sending email minus the texting acronyms.
TAGGING ON FACEBOOK, please don't Tag me in every one of your 25 things or book lists or whatever, they are becoming the new "forward this email to ten people" problem.
This stuff has to be taught to our kids not just adults...so parents, please pass this knowledge on to them if you aren't already!
There should be severe consequences for folks who pass on those urban legend emails about thieves, muggers and rapists who are apparently lurking in the back seat of your car. These messages unnecessarily scare people half to death. Check it out on Snopes.com, people!
If I'm sending an important email, though, I do like to get some sort of brief acknowledgement.
No more Web 2.0 etiquette lists!
I think many of us are getting tired of constantly hearing from the Web 2.0 etiquette police. We get it already.
[insert 650 email addresses and other debris here]
Hey - did you hear they are about to release all the cell #s to the telemarketers?
Tell everyone you know now or suffer bad karma and a flat tire.
[PS: chrissake isn't a G-rated word, even in the big city.]
If you were in front of a live audience of thousands of people of all ages whom you don't know, trying to make some sort of presentation and appear credible, you would use the words damn, freakin' and for chrissakes in the first few minutes? I don't hear anyone talking like that in public (which is what you are doing here, really) unless they don't care if they appear crass, crude, and insensitive. And I doubt you are sorry if you offended me or anyone else. Are you like 17 years old trying to shock the grownups with your language or what?
a) Please use "Reply All" only when you deliberatly intend to indeed reply to all, inclusive of individuals blind-copied on the email.
b) Email is electronic mail not texting: it is not inherently limited in character use the way texting is and can be spell-checked. Please use correct grammar & spelling.