22 July 2020

Tips to mastering the art of Netiquette in 2020

Submitted by: Chantel Venter
Tips to mastering the art of Netiquette in 2020

Netiquette; network or internet etiquette, is important whether for business or on a personal level. The ability to come across as both professional and polite has, ironically, become somewhat of a lost art in the digital world. As many employees work remotely and more communication is done online, proper internet etiquette is becoming very relevant.

It is about more than simply choosing the right words and checking your spelling. It is about respecting those who you are communicating with, irrespective of the platform or audience.

In real life and in the virtual world, manners matter. Netiquette is nothing other than polite, favourable, online behaviour.

Here are our top Netiquette tips:

  •  “Hello”, “how are you?”, “goodbye” and “thank you” is never implied. You have to type it out. Show respect by treating people online like you would treat them in person. 
  • Don’t plagiarise - only use original pieces of content or quote/credit the source properly.
  • Do send business emails from your business email account, and vice versa.
  • Refrain from using emoticons in business correspondence.
  • Create a relevant subject line for your emails, so its easily identified by the recipient.
  • Don’t send out unsolicited bulk emails (SPAM).
  • Refrain from using acronyms.
  • Avoid using caps, as this is considered as ‘shouting’.
  • Don’t engage with internet trolls (negative people out to provoke others online).  
  • Don’t email someone or post a comment while you are feeling over-emotional (sad or angry). Rather gain distance from the situation and reply later.
  • Dress neatly and appropriately for video calls. 
  • Make sure that the visible backdrop behind you is neat and tidy during a video call. 
  • Wear a headset to limit background noise during a video call.
  • Update and ensure accuracy of company information and product information i.e. contact details, product details, prices, promotions, terms and conditions, etc. 
  • Protect and encrypt customers’ personal information. 
  • Respect the data and time of those you send communication to.  
  • Don’t send large files. However, should you need to do so, then use an online service like WeTransfer.com and advise the recipient that you are sending the file/s via that service. They will receive a notification and can download directly to their computer or laptop. 
  • Respond promptly to emails 

Good Netiquette starts with the right domain name and a professional email account. Domains.co.za’s Email Only Hosting allows customers to practice good Netiquette from R29 per month. Read more  https://www.domains.co.za/email-hosting

Written by Chantel Venter copywriter for domains.co.za
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