Online Writing Rules Grandma Taught You

There has been a lot of chatter on the Web in the last year about corporate policies on social media. The mantra? Good manners.

The same things that the likes of Ford Motor Co. and Dell have addressed in their policies carry over to the private Twitter addict: Follow the rules Grandma taught you. Hopefully, you don't misbehave at the grocery store and argue with fellow shoppers about who gets the choice head of lettuce. So why do we feel compelled to behave rudely when we're online?

Some online rules to live by:

1) Ask permission or cite the source when you post a graphic, text or other form of communication. Many sites don't mind if you lift, as long as you say where you got it from, but check.
2) Whether you get a comment on your Facebook wall or on your blog, count to 10 before getting snarky. Imagine you are looking them in the eye. How would you orally negotiate through a rough patch? Write the way you would speak (as always). Humor is ok, but think it through before you type.
3) Be honest. If you don't know, say so. If you have something constructive to share, write it.
4) Avoid off-color remarks. Not only will you get banned from many websites, you can get unfriended. And we don't want that, do we?
5) Finally, think it through one more time before you hit the send button. Remember, your content will linger on the Web for years to come. You don't want to cringe when you Google yourself, yes?

Social media guru Todd Defren has some excellent tips on his PR Squared resources site. Check it out.