How To Communicate Professionally On The Internet

In today’s increasingly digital world, more and more people are doing business exclusively online. This means that the majority of professional communication is done via email or video calls like Skype or Google Hangouts. If you’re new to this work environment, you might not be accustomed to conducting your daily business in this way.

You may spend a lot of time talking on the phone or chatting face-to-face with other employees and/or clients, but when it comes time to send an email it can be tricky to figure out what tone will work best for this particular medium. 

This article provides guidance for communicating professionally over the Internet. It covers appropriate email tones, helpful tools for virtual meetings, and tips for dealing with personal crises during business hours.

Takeaways
Effective communication etiquette is crucial for professional success on the internet.
Good communication etiquette can have various positive impacts on your personal and professional relationships.
Communication etiquette should be observed in business writing to maintain professionalism and clarity.
Working from home requires specific etiquette practices to ensure productivity and work-life balance.
Excellent electronic communication with clients and colleagues is essential for successful collaborations.
Enhancing online communication skills can lead to stronger customer relationships and increased satisfaction.
Effective phone communication involves clear speaking, active listening, and empathy.
Online communication brings challenges like misinterpretation and technical issues, which can be overcome with proper strategies.
Overcoming communication barriers in virtual meetings requires clear agendas, active participation, and inclusive environments.

1. Write Clearly

Writing is one of the most important skills for you to master. The way you write can make a good or bad impression on the people who read your writing. You can use written language to express what you think and feel, or to present information clearly and logically. The following guidelines will help you write in a clear, concise, understandable manner:

Write with good grammar, spelling and punctuation. No one will take your ideas seriously if they are expressed poorly because of mistakes in these areas.

Write clearly and concisely. This means that you should not be wordy; say what you have to say in as few words as possible without being unclear. Use only as many words as are necessary to express your meaning. Do not use ten words when two will do just as well.* Try to make your writing easy to read by using sentences that follow a logical order with related ideas grouped together (e.g., topic sentence followed by supporting sentences).

Use plain English rather than technical jargon or slang unless you are sure that the reader is familiar with technical terms or slang vocabulary in general, or the particular term or word that you want to use in particular (e.g., most people know what “cool” means but not everyone knows what an anti-aliasing filter does).

Mastering good communication etiquette is essential for professional success. Learn how 15 Things Good Communication Etiquette Can Do for You and elevate your online interactions to the next level.

2. Use A Professional Email Address

“This is no place for a foul-mouthed gamer” The above email is from an anonymous fan, in response to a recent blog entry. We were disappointed, and we thought it was time for a change. We needed our email address to be more professional.

We logged into the Typepad account that our website used, and clicked on the “Settings” tab at the top of the page. There was a new option there; “Create New Email Address.” And then we realized that creating an email address meant signing up for something we didn’t want to do (and also open ourselves up to spam), but…we did it anyway.

3. Don’t Use Idioms, Or Humor, Unless You Can Say Them With A Smile

Consider that some of the things you say may be misinterpreted, and say them anyway. If you can’t, maybe don’t use idioms, or humor, unless you can say them with a smile. Most of us have had the experience of sending a perfectly innocent sentence to someone who took it the wrong way. This is because people are not telepathic; they can only read words, with no tone of voice or body language to help out.

This is especially true if you’re communicating across cultures, where even simple words like “jealous” might be interpreted in ways other than their original meanings (in the US and Canada jealous usually means: very angry because someone else is getting something good; in England, it often means: feeling bad because someone else has more money).

So if there’s any chance that your meaning could be misunderstood (for example if you’re trying to make a joke or sarcasm), think about whether it’s worth risking it. By all means, try out new forms and styles but do it when there isn’t much at stake.

As a freelancer, understanding communication etiquette is crucial. Explore our guide on Communication Etiquette Do’s and Don’ts for Freelancers to enhance your client interactions and foster long-term relationships.

4. Use Proper Punctuation And Grammar

Utilizing proper grammar and punctuation can go a long way in making your posts look more professional and readable. While online forums often have less stringent rules regarding such niceties, they are still expected in most professional settings, so you should use them appropriately, even if the forum doesn’t require it.

• Place full stops at the end of sentences (most of the time).
• Use capital letters at the start of sentences and for proper nouns.
• Use commas to separate lists or phrases like “here is an example” or “let me explain” from the rest of a sentence.

Remember that apostrophes show possession or missing letters (like “don’t” for “do not”). They do NOT make a word plural! If something belongs to someone, you add ‘s to the end; otherwise simply add an s on its own: The boy’s shirt, The boys’ shirt (the shirt belonging to one boy), The boys’ shirts (the shirts belonging to two or more boys)

5. Be Polite And Respectful, Even If Someone Else Is Not

Making a good impression is simple: be polite and respectful, even if someone else is not. People who come across as rude or disrespectful often don’t realize that’s what they’re doing. They may think they are being funny, or cool, but really they are just causing problems for themselves.

If you want to make the best possible impression online, remember this: people like to talk about things that make them feel good about themselves (and their company).  If you are nice to people, they will feel better about you (and your company).  It’s human nature.

6. Make It Clear Who Is Part Of The Conversation

When you’re working with multiple people on the same email thread, one of the most important things to do is to format it so that it’s clear who is speaking. There are a few ways you can do this:

• Use separate lines for each person. In order to keep things neat and organized, don’t write more than one person’s comments in a single line.
• Copy and paste the name at the start of each line. If your email program doesn’t automatically do this, copy and paste your name at the beginning of each response or comment so that it’s very clear who is communicating what.
• Use quotation marks for each person’s response. This should be done by your email program automatically (and if not, set your settings accordingly), but just make sure that you adjust them if they aren’t already doing this.

The most important thing is to make it clear who is speaking, because this makes your conversations much easier to follow.

Working from home requires a unique set of etiquette practices. Discover 16 Etiquette Tips for Those Who Work from Home to maintain professionalism, productivity, and work-life balance in your remote environment.

7. Remember That Once You’ve Written Something, It’s Out There Forever

Regardless of what it is you’re working on or who your audience is, remember that once you’ve written something, it’s out there forever. There’s no coming back from an unprofessional tweet.

Never write anything in a professional email that could be used against you or your business. 

Even if the content of your emails is confidential and not meant for public consumption, the fact remains that email is not private. The recipient can screenshot it and share with others. If you don’t want the whole world to see what you’ve written, don’t send it. The same rule applies to personal emails or texts as well: never say anything in writing that might cost you a job opportunity down the road or embarrass a loved one.

8. Don’t Swear Unnecessarily

It feels good to swear. It’s like a warm hug from a beloved aunt. But it should be done sparingly, as in this context you never know who’s reading. You could be emailing your boss or their boss, or their boss’s brother-in-law who happens to work in HR, and all those people might react very badly to such language.

If you must use these words, consider using the * symbol instead of the letter in question; that gives the reader the ability to imagine how they would pronounce it while removing any evidence against you if someone takes offense.

Effective electronic communication is vital for client and colleague relationships. Explore our comprehensive guide on 11 Guidelines for Excellent Electronic Communication with Clients and Colleagues to master the art of professional virtual correspondence and optimize your communication skills.

9. Avoid Using Offensive Language

E-mail and the internet can be a great place to let loose, joke around and write in a way that’s more casual than you may use in real life. But not every situation is appropriate for this type of language. If you’re emailing with a professor or colleague, it’s best to avoid using any language that could be considered offensive or disrespectful.

Sometimes people don’t pick up on sarcasm or jokes via email, so it’s best to play it safe and avoid using this kind of language especially if you’re not sure how the other person will react.

10. Take Your Time To Proofread Your Writing

When you are working with people via email, it is helpful to check for spelling and grammar mistakes. This will ensure that the people you are communicating with understand what you have written. Read over the email before sending it. Use the spell check option or a dictionary if there are words you do not know how to spell correctly.

Check to see if you have used the correct word. For example, they’re instead of their, or form instead of from. (If this happens more often than not, keep a list of commonly confused words and review every once in a while.) If possible, ask someone else to read over your work and point out any mistakes before hitting send!

Business writing demands adherence to communication etiquette. Learn about the essential communication etiquette guidelines in our article on What Are the Communication Etiquette to Be Observed in Business Writing? and enhance the effectiveness of your written communications.

Final Thoughts

The Internet offers a variety of tools for communication that we can take advantage of in our professional lives, particularly if you’re a freelancer. Using these tools the right way can help you be more effective at your job by making it easier to communicate with your boss or clients and make it easier to share work online with others.

Be mindful that anything you put on the internet is basically there forever! So make sure that any emails, messages, or posts that you send are polite and professional. You don’t want your reputation to suffer as a result of something inappropriate or rude that ends up being made public.

Avoid sounding overly casual or informal when communicating professionally online; phrases like “LOL” in an email should probably be avoided unless they’re used sparingly and appropriately. And if you wouldn’t say something in person then don’t say it online. We hope this guide has helped answer some questions about how to communicate professionally on the internet, but if you have any other questions feel free to reach out using our contact page!

Further Reading

Here are some additional resources on effective online communication:

Effective Communication Online: Discover practical tips and strategies for communicating effectively in the digital age.

How to Effectively Communicate Online with Your Customers: Learn how to establish strong customer relationships through effective online communication methods.

How to Communicate Effectively Over the Phone: Explore techniques and best practices for clear and impactful phone communication.

People Also Ask

What Is Professional Communication?

The definition of professional communication is exchanging information with a common understanding between at least two people. A good example of this would be writing to a colleague about something that happened in the past and getting feedback without any confusion.

What Are Examples Of Professional Communication?

The best way to think about this is as an opportunity for you to show your professionalism. If you think carefully about how you’re communicating, you can make sure your messages don’t just go through the motions but actively convey what they’re supposed to say.

For example, if someone emails you saying “I heard from my boss that we need more information on our product,” it might seem like they’re asking why something needs more information but if instead they said “my boss says he needs more information on our product,” then you’ll know exactly what’s going on and won’t be left wondering whether there was some kind of misunderstanding.

What Are The Professional Communication Skills?

The most common forms of professional communication are writing and speaking. To do either skillfully means having certain soft skills: empathy, tactfulness, confidence, listening ability…the list goes on. The good news is that these important traits can be learned by anyone through practice and reflection on one’s experiences communicating with others.

How Do You Communicate Professionally?

A few ways to bring professionalism into your interactions are by being respectful of differences (in viewpoints or backgrounds), showing patience when necessary (for example when helping someone who doesn’t possess as much knowledge about something as you do), and following up when needed (to let people know how things turned out). Though not exhaustive, this answer provides a good starting point for becoming more conscious of what it takes to behave professionally

Do You Have To Include Your Contact Information In Every Email?

It’s generally a good idea, especially if you’re sending an introductory email where the person may not know who you are. Even if it’s someone who does know who you are, it’s polite to include your contact information so they have a way of reaching you back. It also serves as a backup option in case something happens and the recipient can’t respond via email.

What Should You Do If You Send The Wrong Email?

If this happens, reach out and apologize as soon as possible. If no one has read the email yet, see if it is possible to recall or delete it before anyone has had a chance to open or download it. If that isn’t an option, write a quick follow-up apologizing for attaching or referencing incorrect content and ask them to disregard what was sent.

How Do I Make Friends On The Internet?

It’s easy! Just go onto social media sites like Facebook or Twitter and start following people who share interests with you or even just seem interesting in general. Then, when you see something funny or interesting from one of those accounts, send them a message telling them how much you enjoyed what they posted! It’s pretty simple: just say “hey!” or “I loved this!” and then invite them to chat about it more if they’d like (just remember not everyone wants to chat!).

How Can I Be Sure That People Are Reading My Messages?

You can’t make sure that people are reading your messages, but there are certain strategies that you can use to increase the chances that they will read them. One of those strategies is being clear and concise in what you’re trying to say. Another strategy is making sure that your message isn’t too long or too short. If it’s too long it might lose someone’s attention, but if it’s too short then they might think it was an accident and not read it at all!

How Can I Make Sure My Social Media Posts Are Professionals?

Make sure that your posts follow the basic rules for communication: be respectful and kind at all times, use good grammar and spelling (and proofread!), don’t post anything negative about yourself/your company/your colleagues (or anyone else), don’t post anything private or confidential unless it’s relevant to your work life (i.e., if someone asks a question about something personal in response to one of your posts).

Why Should I Use Professional Language On The Internet?

It’s important to use professional language on the internet because it shows that you are a professional and not just some kid goofing around on the computer. This is especially true when you are interacting with clients or potential employers. You never know who might be reading your posts!

How Can I Tell If Someone Is Using Professional Language?

 Most people who use professional language do so because they have been taught how to write it, or they have learned it over time through experience. Professional writers tend to use words like “utilize” instead of “use,” and they make sure that their sentences are grammatically correct by checking them for errors before posting them online.