Web forums can be a great place to meet new people and discuss your favorite topics. Forums can even be a wonderful place to get help. However, there are a few things you should remember when interacting online. Whether it’s being respectful or remaining calm, there are ways to conduct yourself in discussion boards. Here are just a few etiquette tips for using web forums.
1. Be Respectful
Chances are you won’t agree with the opinions and views of everyone you interact with in a web forum. That doesn’t give you the right to treat that person with disrespect. Just because you are interacting online doesn’t give you the right to be a jerk. Remember that if you wouldn’t act that way in public, you shouldn’t act that way online.
2. Address the Person in Your Reply
There may be dozens, sometimes hundreds, of people conversing in one web forum. This means you need to address the person you are replying to or others may think the message is for them. In some cases you may even be able to tag the person’s name so that they can easily find your reply.
3. Watch Your Language
Most web forums are open to all ages. Not only should you watch your language for this reason, but foul language isn’t very professional. Even if you’re angry about an issue, you should keep your posts clean and instead express your angry in other ways.
4. Reread Your Response Before Replying
One of the biggest reasons people fight in forums is that posts get misinterpreted. While you may not have meant for your post to sound rude, another user may take it that way. Carefully read over your posts before hitting the submit button to make sure it can’t be misunderstood.
5. Don’t Let People Get to You
An online discussion can quickly turn into a virtual brawl if you allow it to. Instead of letting others anger you, or get a reaction from you, simply ignore them. Most forums will allow you to block users so that you don’t see their posts. If the person starts to send you direct messages, you may want to report them to the moderator of the forum.
Web forums are valuable online tools, but you have to know how to act properly. This means being respectful, watching your language and not letting other users get to you. Follow these simple rules and you’ll find yourself enjoying your time in online forums even more.
