Like any other social venue in the world, internet forums have their own rules of etiquette. If you want to make the most of your time on the Internet, find answers to your questions, or strike up interesting conversations, the following tips in this article can help you.
Rule #1: Read First, Type Later
One of the biggest annoyances to a seasoned forum member is having a newbie come to the forum and start typing before they know anyone or read the thread. Read first and you will learn Put market sentiment and flow before news.
Rule #2: Reply Before starting a new thread
If you want to follow good forum posting etiquette, try replying to some existing conversations before launching your own thread. Learn what everyone else is talking about, get a feel for the tone and conversations at hand, and find something you can relate to and agree with.
Rule #3: Ask This, Don’t Ask
Chances are, any simple questions have probably already been addressed somewhere in the forum. A good forum posting tag means you should use the search feature available to you or manually search for topics before asking a question. One sure-fire way to get the bad guys on your side is to ask a question that’s already been answered.
Rule #4: Don’t Talk Too Much, Answer Too Much
Forum posting custom dictates that you reply to at least twice as many threads as you start. If you want people to respond to your threads, it’s always better to respond to theirs as well.
Rule #5: Use Title and Subject Fields Wisely
If you are in an informational, technical or helpful forum, there are many seasoned and experienced subscribers in that forum who want to help you, but these people know the subjects for the facts, avoid answers and threads just in case. will be able to answer
A subject or title that says: “Help!” can be answered, whereas a title that says: “I Need Help With 30” is much more likely to get a good response from someone who knows what 30 is and can help. Make your title informative, informative about the question or subject you are asking or talking about.
Rule #6: Be polite
A person in social situations, to say or do something out of nature or perhaps to beat or hurt someone’s feelings, but the thing is quickly forgotten or remembered only by those who see it.
In the online market, that kind of incidence is permanent, and anyone can see it, or worse, tap into it weeks or months later, and it happens again. Ask yourself, before deciding whether what you are going to say is something you will want to read a month from now. If it isn’t, don’t type it, however tempting it may be at times. Remember, anything that goes out on the internet can come back to you.
Rule #7: Don’t Use Internet Shorthand
It’s one thing to be casual in the market and not worry too much about perfect grammar or spelling, but be sure to check all your words and avoid punctuation marks. The occasional BTW, LOL or the like is perfectly fine, but using IM is short talk.
Rule #8: Stay on Topic
While it’s fine to make a casual comment, share an experience, or make a joke, try to keep the comments you make in-line with the conversation. Forum posting etiquette says it’s a little more frustrating than finding a thread about one topic only to find 60 posts about a completely different topic and having to read them all to see if the question was ever answered.
Rule #9: Don’t Spam or Promote
This probably should have been listed in the position for forum posting etiquette. It is usually acceptable to have one link in an email signature, but it is never acceptable unless the forum is specifically designed for that, such as affiliate links, promotional content, or advertising. Nothing gets you noticed or kicked off the market faster than spamming.
King #10: How Much You Helped
If you come to a forum to ask a question, post a thread, and then disappear and never respond to other threads, questions or comments, chances are forum members will be less likely or willing to help you in the future. You may not be able to personally thank everyone who answers, but you can definitely respond by thanking everyone who answers and try to help others if you can also answer their questions.
Rule #11: Use No
You don’t go into someone else’s house and start arguing, telling off-color jokes, or using inflammatory language, and you don’t have to do this in a public square. Until you’re sure of the rules and atmosphere of any online forum, it’s best to always keep your language PG-13 or cleaner.
Rule #12: Read the forum rules and follow them
If the forum has guidelines, good forum posting skills should read those guidelines and follow them to the letter. When in doubt, refer to the features.
Rule #13: Observe the Moderator
If there is a moderator in your forum and that moderator tells you not to do something, whether you agree with them or not, don’t do it! The forum posting skills says that you come into someone else’s forum, play by someone else’s rules. If you don’t like it, you are welcome to find another forum with different rules. Remember, a moderator usually has the power to suspend your privileges or ban you from the forum.
Rule #14: Post in Your Own Forum or Thread
Internet forum posting usually tells diners to post your post on a forum or thread. It doesn’t matter if one forum thread is more active than another, always use the appropriate forum or thread for your content.
Rule #15: Quote or Use Names When Answering
Some forums allow members to receive e-mails. A message in a forum that has continuity is one thing, but an email that just says “Consent” isn’t worth much unless a member comes back to the forum, finds the thread, and resumes the conversation. If you can say it, do it. Otherwise, use the name of the person you are responding to and use part of the original question in your response. Also, when forum threads get long, it’s hard not to refer your response to someone or to know who or what you’re responding to.
Finally, let’s look at some quick forum posting etiquette rules to follow:
- They never use all caps
- Do not toggle between Capital and LowerCase LetTeRs
- use common punctuation and grammar
- Keep it short and simple whenever possible
- Beware of sharing private information
- Enough information to answer your question
- Extract very few links, and only when absolutely necessary
- Don’t be a troll and don’t feed trolls (see below
- Follow all posted market rules at all times
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If you follow these simple etiquette-tips, you will find your time on the market productive and enjoyable. Happy posting!
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- Definition of an Online Troll
