Social Media Manners

Why is it that once people get onto social media, they lose their manners? Do they really think etiquette doesn't matter if its not a direct contact situation? Well, lemme tell ya, manners matter. Even in the world of blogging.

I have, in the past couple of weeks, been morbidly fascinated with a couple of bloggers and their total lack of manners. When you get an idea from another person - through a blog, a tweet, an email or from a Facebook post, say "thank you" And the way you do that is to give a virtual "nod" to the place where you learned the information.

I'm not talking about the new records releases. Most of us who blog are signed up for more electronic newsletters or email alerts than we can count. The same email goes to dozens of us at the same time. I am always aware of a new record release because the topic takes up my newsfeed - either on Facebook or on Twitter. I may or may not jump on the bandwagon depending on the record set and its interest to my target audience.

The same thing goes with announcements like Calls for Papers, Conference Updates or Registrations. 

I'm not even talking about opinion posts - the kind that pop up after an episode of WDYTYA? or during/following a conference, webinar etc. I love reading the various experiences and points of view. 

I'm talking about the topics less talked about. The more exclusive events or lesser known pieces of information. Events I may get invited to because of my connections to the Scottish community or the Scottish Canadian community.

I have really been morbidly fascinated by some of the blogs that have shared information on the same topic as if the author was in attendance with me.

So, if you see a blog post, a tweet, or a Facebook post on an item that might be of interest to your target audience, there is a way to share that shows you have social media manners.

Take Chris Paton (http://britishgenes.blogspot.ca/) for instance. Chris is a prolific blogger. And tweeter (is that even a word?). But he ALWAYS gives a nod to where he learned of the information. He may do that by stating he had a meet up with the person, or by sharing pieces of an email, or a link to a blog post, He is a true gentleman in the world of social media and one that new bloggers might want to turn to when unsure about how to share information you learned about through someone else's post. Equally well mannered is blogger John D Reid (http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.ca/) Another gentleman who knows his manners when it comes to sharing information. 

As I've said before, everything I need to know about genealogy I learned in Kindergarten (http://scottishgenealogytipsntricks.blogspot.ca/2015/02/everything-i-need-to-know-to-be.html). Things like sharing. Sharing is good. But when you share, it's really important to remember your manners.

If you have an apple in your lunch bag and half the class has an apple, its ok for you to tell the world about your apple. Why it was different than the other apples, why you love apples, why you wish your mom would figure out a different dessert. Share away. But if you have an apple and I have a butter tart, you best not be telling everyone how delicious a butter tart is in the middle of the day. It really is as simple and uncomplicated as that.