Guestbook Etiquette

One cool activity to engage in as you surf the web is guestbook signing. Look at it this way, you are examining a site anyway, checking out what it has to offer. Perhaps it's a Star Trek fan site, a WWF site or a person showing off her Barbie Doll collection. The point is you've spent some time there and presumably you've gained some enjoyment, knowledge or at least idled away some time.

So why not take an extra two or five minutes and sign the site's guestbook? Remember, there is a person or two behind every website, and they have feelings. It's always great to get an entry from someone who gained something, however small, from the hard work that has been put in.

A good guestbook entry has, in my opinion, a few simple elements. First, when I sign a guestbook I always thank the person for his efforts and for taking the time to put together the site. I also try to point out something (anything) that I liked about the site and why. Just a couple of sentences saying something like "thanks for creating your stationary site! My wife and I will be using some of your stationary in our emails from here on out! The horse background was especially well done."

I also include a graphic logo if the guestbook accepts HTML (most do) with a link back to my site. That way the webmaster can return the favor if desired, but it's not a blatant advertisement.

One thing I really hate is someone who just leaves an advertisement in my guestbook. Look, at least tell me you like my site. At least thank me for the effort. Don't just put a big 'ole ad or banner with nothing else. There is a word for this ... it's called SPAM.

Rude comments should also be avoided. I mean, if you really do want to deliver some criticism to the webmaster, please do it privately in a one-to-one email. There is no need to tell someone he messed up the navigation in public to the whole world --- and a guestbook is public.

So please, take a few minutes to sign guestbooks as you surf the web. You will make some webmasters very happy.


source : internettipsandsecrets.com