My first year anniversary....and common courtesy!

December marks the time that I've been blogging for one year now.  Seriously, I didn't think I would still be at it as my ideas and interests are usually short-lived.

At this my first year anniversary mark, I would like to blog about whether it's common courtesy for one (be it a restaurant, company or person) to ask for permission first before sharing or linking your post on their facebook page or website.

Let me share with you some of my experiences in order for you to understand what I'm talking about here.  You see, I've had a few of my posts shared on facebooks and websites by the restaurants I've blogged about.  [#Note: I say a few of my posts coz most of my posts do not have a 100% positive review...I like to tell it as it is (and no restaurant, of course, wants to share a post that is not completely positive).]

For those (few) posts with 100% positive reviews, some of those restaurants would seek my approval (by dropping me an email) first before sharing my post on their facebooks and websites.  Of course when I receive such emails, I would be more than happy to allow them to do so as it would drive traffic to my blog.  Even so, I'm of the opinion that common courtesy should prevail....it's just good manners to ask permission first!

However, some of these restaurants/companies have no such common courtesy.  Let me show you some examples.

Recently, I found out that my post on #ewew makes Penang Seafood Curry (the Maggi way) was published on Maggi's website without them asking for permission to share my article.  

I came across this accidentally (just this month) when I googled Maggi's new Korean Spicy Braised Beef Noodles.  Lo and behold....I saw my Seafood Curry post on their website.  And what was worse....was that there was no link provided back to my blog!!!

When I clicked on my article, I realised that the 'look' of my post had been rearranged (and summarised slightly).

Another one that I found out (by chance some time back) was my post on Fisherman's Cove on feastvillage.com's website.  As I've been to a few of the restaurants in Starhill, I used to visit feastvillage.com to check on dining options there.  

The consolation (this time) was, at least, this one provided a link back to my blog.  You can't help but 'jump for joy' (just a bit lar since I'm a small-time blogger) when you first realise that your post is featured in some restaurant's website or facebook!

I also found out again (all purely by chance), coz I like to google the restaurants' facebooks that I frequent to find out their latest promos, that some of my posts have appeared on their Facebooks without my knowledge.  I'm sure there are more that I'm not even aware of.  What has happened to our manners.....tsk...tsk!!  [#Note: If they were invited reviews, then I can understand but mine are not.]

However, not everyone have this impolite behavior....definitely not Boey (Malaysian artist and book author of "When I was a kid" series)!  

On the opposite end of things, there are restaurants/people who do seek permission first before they share (and link) your post.  For these restaurants (I've snapshot a few here) and Boey (of, course), I do appreciate their courteous mannerisms and respectful conduct.

As much as I'd like to detest these people for not having the common courtesy to ask for permission before sharing/linking my posts, yet I can't help but be pleased that they did share my posts on their facebooks or websites as it means more traffic will be diverted to my blog....and that's a good thing, of course ;)  I just wished that they would just drop me a line so that I could be aware (and not have to find out about it....purely by accident)!!

I am appreciative that they deem my post/s good enough to be featured on their facebooks and/or websites.  Although this does not necessarily translate to increased page views all the time (at times, it does), I've also had posts that garner more page views when they're not even featured in any facebook or website (as they're just popular posts on its own).

Although I may not have that many posts appearing in facebooks and websites, I can't help but feel a sense of accomplishment for the few posts that have made it as it motivates small-time bloggers like me to keep writing.  It's not that I don't appreciate being featured....I do...it's just that I like to be 'asked' first!!

I think common courtesy should prevail!  What's your opinion?  Do you think it's too much to ask?  Or am I just being too picky?  [P/S:  When they come across this article....some of these posts may be "un-featured"....kekeke...and if that's the case...so be it!]

As 2014 draws to a close, it's been a year of happy blogging (especially in the last 3 months) when I got to share comments (and links) with the few online bloggers I've come to know...thanks for all your comments (and support).....I really do appreciate it!  It definitely motivates me to keep writing into 2015 :)

H A P P Y   N E W   Y E A R   E V E R Y O N E !!!