When we enter a new place in the real world, we’re very observant. We look at what others are doing so we can behave according to the norm. We look for and try to determine the “rules.” Online communities have their own rules too.
When blogging…
If you quote someone else in your blog, give attribution to the person you’re quoting. Make sure you link to their blog or web page in their credit.
Example:
If I am quoting Seth Godin, I could do so like this:
According to Seth Godin, the TV-industrial complex is an old way of thinking. Now, marketing channels are noisy and consumers aren’t paying attention.
All it took was a simple link on his name to his site to give him credit for the original thinking. It’s the right thing to do.
When Tweeting…
If you’re tweeting someone else’s thought (called “retweeting”), make sure you include @theirusername so they’re credited for the insight.
Example:
RT @thinkjose Thanks to Travis @mediatemple Still having server issues but they’ve been very responsive. CSR folks like this make or break a biz.
In this example, I liked @thinkjose’s insight on customer service making or breaking a biz. I included his Twitter username in my tweet and gave him credit. Also notice how @thinkjose is using @mediatemple to link to them even though he’s having some problem. When referencing someone on Twitter, always use the @username method to let others know they can follow them too. It’s how new connections are made.
When using images…
You can search both Flickr and Google images for images licensed for re-use. Make sure to credit the person to whom the image belongs.
Example:
If I’ve written a blog post and use someone’s image, I simply include a credit at the bottom of the post like this:
Photo credit: heiwa4126
That was easy and it lets others explore the photographer’s other work. Again, it’s how new connections are made, which is a good thing.
What else?
Do you find that “house rules” are sometimes ignored or not known? What other communities have rules and norms others may benefit from? Share in the comments…
Photo credit: heiwa4126
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