How to Improve Your Digital Etiquette: 5 Tips

Nowadays, so much of our communication happens online, both at work and in our personal lives. Since digital conversations come with their own challenges and unwritten rules, knowing how to navigate them can be really helpful. Mastering these nuances can save you from misunderstandings and help build stronger connections. Here are some easy tips to help you communicate online with confidence.

What Is Digital Etiquette?

Online communication differs from traditional face-to-face interaction. It has its own set of rules and nuances that, like traditional etiquette, should be learned and followed.

The term digital etiquette, or netiquette, was first introduced in 1982 to describe the norms of email communication. Back then, the rules were simple: don’t spam, avoid typing in all caps, avoid conflicts, and skip inappropriate jokes. As more ways to communicate online emerged, these rules changed. For sure, the original principles still apply, but today there are a few more things to keep in mind to make a good impression online.

The importance of clear, respectful digital communication became especially evident during COVID-19, when much of our work and interactions moved online. But even now, with no restrictions and many companies back in physical offices, online communication remains a key part of our lives.

Tip 1. Be Patient

In a real-time conversation, if someone doesn’t respond to your question and stays silent for a few minutes, it will definitely seem odd. But in online communication, this is quite normal.

Written communication is asynchronous, meaning that both people don’t need to be present and available at the same time. Whether you’re interacting via emails, work chats, online forums, collaborative documents, social media comments, or project management tools, it’s perfectly fine not to get an immediate reply.

However, there’s a huge difference between a delayed response and being ignored. If you suddenly stop communicating without any explanation or warning, that’s considered rude and breaks digital etiquette. This behavior is called ghosting. While ghosting can be useful to avoid confrontation or bullying, in normal situations, it harms communication and relationships. So, if you know you won’t be able to respond straight away, simply send a quick message like “I’ll get back to you tonight.”

Tip 2. Be Careful About Your Message Tone

It goes without saying that rudeness and good etiquette have nothing in common, but online conversations have even more peculiarities beyond simply failing to greet someone or using foul language. Written exchanges lack non-verbal cues like facial expressions or gestures, which makes it easy to misinterpret emotions. That’s why it’s important to make your messages as clear as possible.

A little sarcasm can be fine when used appropriately, but if you do it too often, your messages may be misunderstood, even if you don’t intend them that way. Overusing sarcasm or having an unclear tone increases the risk of offending others. To avoid confusion, consider adding emojis or clarifying statements when using humor or irony, and always keep your audience in mind.

Tip 3. Mind Your Grammar

Proper grammar reduces the chance of confusion or misinterpretation, helping your reader understand exactly what you mean. It also reflects professionalism and shows respect for the person you’re communicating with. That’s the way to demonstrate that you’ve taken the time to express yourself clearly. Poor grammar can make your message seem careless or rushed, which may cause others to question your credibility or expertise.

As one Forbes article puts it, “Good grammar and clear sentences suggest respect.”

Tips to Proofread Your Texts

We’re human, and humans make mistakes. When working on a long text, it’s easy to lose concentration and overlook typos, repeated words, cliches, and other imperfections that can spoil the impression.

To avoid this, try the following:

• Take a break and return with fresh eyes. If that’s not possible, try reading your text from the end to the beginning, sentence by sentence. Thus, the structure of your text will seem unfamiliar, and it’ll help you focus better on each sentence.

• Use online proofreading tools like Grammarly, LanguageTool, or Scribbr. They aren’t perfect and sometimes suggest questionable changes or miss context, but generally they work well.
• You can also ask AI tools like ChatGPT to proofread your text. However, they can alter your writing style, overlook errors, and suggest unnecessary changes. And they’re definitely not the best option for verifying factual information in your text, if needed.

Tip 4. Send Files in an Appropriate Size and Format

When it comes to sending documents, pictures, or any other files, it’s important to consider how convenient it’ll be for the recipient to open them. Large files can be frustrating to download, especially if internet speed or storage space is limited. Two simple ways to make sharing of documents easier and more professional are to merge multiple files and compress large files before you send them.

Merging a PDF file can help consolidate multiple pages into one file, simplifying organization and reducing the number of attachments. If your merged documents are too large and you need to reduce their size, compress PDF files to make them quicker to send and easier to store.

Tip 5. Respect Privacy

This tip isn’t exactly about writing, but it’s still a crucial part of digital etiquette. Always think before forwarding messages, sharing documents, or adding someone to a group conversation. Not everyone wants their email address, phone number, or personal details shared with a wider audience. 

Here are a couple of basic rules to follow:

• Ask before sharing photos. Whether it’s a team meeting screenshot, a social media tag, or a picture from an event, get consent before posting or forwarding.
• Double-check file permissions. Before sending a link, make sure you aren’t unintentionally giving public access to sensitive documents.
• Use BCC when emailing strangers. If your recipients don’t know each other, a blind carbon copy keeps their contact information private.

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