Three Tips for Not Becoming “That” Annoying Blogger

I’ve written here before about how mixing blogging with your personal life can get complicated. It’s unavoidable when you are the topic you’re writing about—whether it’s what you wear, your home or how you entertain, you are the common thread.

But it’s important to know where to draw lines, so your family and friends don’t start to roll their eyes and avoid your company. It’s difficult to come up with hard and fast rules, but it is possible to develop a sense for when to be a blogger, and when to be a family member, or a friend, or a host, or a human being. Because no one wants to be THAT blogger, right?

1. Know when you’re being annoying.

If you’re going to blog about your party, you obviously need to get photos. But don’t forget that you are also the host. If you can, hire a photographer or get a friend to do it. But try to avoid arranging desserts on the table for 20 minutes for that perfect Instagram snap while your guests stand around wondering when they can eat their cake and get the heck out of there.

2. Ask people if they’re OK with being on your post and being named.

Be more sensitive than you think you need to be—other bloggers might assume (and even hope!) they’ll appear on your blog, but “normals” may not welcome photos of themselves appearing online without their knowledge. I recently wrote a post about a baby shower I threw for a friend where one of the guests was a well-known San Francisco restaurant owner, so I made extra sure she was cool with me publishing her photo and name.

3. Know when to give up.

Sometimes, it’s not worth it to get the photo. For example, this past weekend, we had an out-of-town visitor, and we decided to go for a walk to the beach. I had a post collaboration with Munchkin (the kids’ product brand) due that week, so I figured it was the perfect time to test out the baby stroller tote they sent me and snap a few photos. But when I tried to attach the tote to the stroller, it slipped out of my hands and the coffee I had place inside spilled everywhere, including on our guest’s white sneakers. I didn’t know if I’d have another opportunity to get a photo for my post, but I didn’t want to further inconvenience everyone, so I set the contraption aside and we carried on with our walk.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in deadlines and the need to get content up on your site. But being a good fellow human should always come first, don’t you think? Have you guys learned any annoying blogger lessons? I’d love to hear about them.

(Image via Her New Tribe)