Gma’sPhoto

Party Etiquette

Hi, welcome to the topic of Party Etiquette. I was thinking about parties with May having so many graduations. Summer holidays just around the corner. And of course, June is the month for weddings. For the online social bloggers, we have linkup parties! 🙂

Have you ever wondered how to behave? What you should or should not say? Below are party tips to make you the best guest, one who is always welcome to social gatherings.

RSVP let the host know if you will be attending or not.

Be On Time or 10 to 15 minutes after the start time. The host will most likely be doing last minute decorating.

Mingle visit everyone do not dominate a select few.

Be Present Keep the cell phone tucked away.

Engage actively take part in conversations. Look people in the eye when you speak with them.

Enjoy Yourself smile, do not stand in a corner.

Exit Graciously notice when guests begin to leave. The host provided an invite with start and end times. Be courteous and not overstay the welcome.

Say Thanks. The host took the time to plan a get together. Let the host know that you enjoyed the party and thank them for inviting you.

You may wonder with modern times post COVID, what are tips for the online social gatherings. I can think of two different types: family / friends via Zoom or some such platform and Link Up parties for the blogging sphere.

Zoom wouldn’t be too much different then in person physically. Even though we wouldn’t leave the comfort of our home, we are still attending in person.

The link up parties are totally virtual. Be present, mingle, enjoy yourself, say thanks. When doing these, we just need to make a few adjustments.

Be present. Make a list of the parties you wish to follow on what days. Use the InLinkz directory to search for desired parties to attend. Follow your routine on a regular basis.

Mingle and participate. Read the host guideline for the party. For each post contributed, visit one in return. Leave a brief comment.

Enjoy yourself. When visiting other links, notice what you like about the website. Even consider what is least liked. When reviewing your own website/blog look for these traits and make appropriate changes.

Say, ‘Thanks’. For sure, comment on the link party a thank you to the host/hostess. It does take time to create and maintain the link platform. Some even pay for the link service. The best way to say thanks is to acknowledge not just with words but with actions. Visit the host/hostess linked up link and comment there too. This makes for a gracious exit.

Take Care. Best wishes, Debra

Things to Consider When Designing and Working with Your Blog

Hi, have you ever heard, ‘simple is more’ or ‘keep it simple’? These are my golden rules I try to live by and work.

Link Up Parties has provided me the opportunity to visit other blogs. Not every blog is the same. Although there are similarities. The following are my observations and experiences while visiting other sites. Although I am just one person/visitor, others may have the same experiences. A perspective a blog owner should consider.

The blogs I enjoyed the most were simple and minimal. Those attracted me and the content kept my attention. I personally can be easily distracted. Pop up’s and advertisements right in the middle of a blog post was a huge distraction. My tendency would be to skip thru the article, just to get to the comment section to say hi and add my name and website address. Some of the comment sections required me to log into WordPress.com or Blogger or even into Google to add my comment. I don’t use either of those services. The blogs that had this requirement, I did not leave a comment.

Bigger, darker text is easier to read. Simple menus make navigating through the blog a better experience.

Part of having my blog is to meet other bloggers. One of the pages I enjoy going to is the about page. I like to know who I am visiting. For safety reasons, I understand why one would not like to give out too much information. However, a first name would be nice. Have a ‘blog’ name. Please be realistic. For example, my name is, Debra. I could have used Diane. For children, a name other than the real name, but please, don’t use x, y or z child!

Having a contact page is important. The blogs that required a sign in to comment, I would instead reach out to the blog owner using their contact page letting them know I enjoyed their site. I did not want to be one who link up and not thank the hostess.

A home or blog page for posts in chronological order is very user friendly. When I visit the links on a link up party, I will go to look at the about page. After reading about the owner, I like to go back to the linkup party. Without a simple navigation menu with a home or blog page, some sites posed a real challenge to return to the party.

Nice images are important to have. No need to buy a fancy camera. Phone camera’s can take beautiful pictures. However, pay attention to lighting, composition, sharpness. Quality images will add a professional element to your website.

I understand some blogs are an income source and need to generate revenue. The sites I appreciate are the ones who used the footer and/or side bar to place the advertisements. Pop ups are very distracting. Consider placing the Subscribe Form in the side bar or at the bottom of the page.

Good customer service and common courtesy. Should a post engage with visitors visiting and commenting, return the favor and click the link in your admin section to their page and leave a kind word!

Things to Consider When Designing & Working with Your Blog post is about observations that I have made while visiting other blog sites. When you have visited other sites, including this site, what are some of the good things you experienced and what are the least liked?

WW Update:
Since Start Date; -20.8lbs

Take Care. Best wishes, Debra

Party Etiquette

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