Let’s face it…there’s A LOT of negativity on the Internet.

From snarky articles to mean tweets to the never-ending feeling of FOMO that a constant stream of social media brings, sometimes being online can just be overwhelming.

But  there’s also a lot of kindness on the Internet. And there are ways that you can add to that kindness to create a ripple effect of nice.

Here are some easy ways to be nice on the Internet.

1. Leave someone a blog comment. I’ve been blogging in some capacity for nearly 8 years and I still get excited every time I see I have a new comment on a blog post in my inbox. As a blogger, you know from your Analytics that people read your blog, but when someone leaves a comment, that means they took time out of their day to not only read your words, but also to share their own thoughts and opinions with you and your community. In a busy world with plenty online to read and comment on, I’m grateful every time someone leaves me a comment. And that’s why I make it a point to reply to every single comment I receive.

2. Send a blogger a nice tweet about their work. When I come across a new blog that I just know I’m going to love, I like to send out a quick tweet to let that person know I’m really enjoying their work. Similarly, I get super excited anytime someone tweets at me to tell me they discovered my blog or love my #GetGutsy message. Those 140 characters can make a big difference in someone’s day or week.

3. Leave someone a review. Do you listen to podcasts? I’m obsessed. One of the main things I hear a lot of podcasters ask during their shows is for listeners to leave a review on iTunes or other listening platforms. I don’t have a podcast, but from what I’ve learned, the number of reviews you have make a big difference when it comes to show rankings and helping new people discover your work. Taking two minutes to write a quick review can help your favorite podcasters reach their goals and keep producing awesome content and shows. Plus, your words will likely encourage them to keep working at their show to make it even better.

4. Send random emails to people you admire. There’s nothing better than getting a nice email in your inbox, am I right?! We all get so many emails a day, going through the inbox can be a tedious and not fun task, but getting a random complimentary email makes it all much more fun and definitely worth it. I think we sometimes forget (especially when we think about the people we admire most) that we all need motivation to keep going. I like to save those emails in my “warm-fuzzies” folder where I know I can go anytime I’m feeling down for a little boost of encouragement.

5. Share someone’s blog post or article through your own channels. If you really want to help a blogger out, share their work through your own channels! That’s one of the biggest reasons I publish my Start Your Week Right Sunday posts each week. It gives me the chance to highlight 5-6 of my favorite pieces of work from other bloggers from throughout the week. I also like to schedule tweets promoting posts or articles I come across and enjoy. If I can help someone else out by spreading their work a bit further through my channels, I do. It’s an easy way to show support.

6. Write someone a testimonial or recommendation. Have you worked with someone amazing lately? Maybe it’s a colleague at work or maybe it’s a blogger or coach who has helped you out in some way. Write them a testimonial or recommendation! You can do this through LinkedIn or simply send them an email and let them know they can share it wherever they’d like. I recently pulled together a testimonial page for my blog and many of those kind reviews came from random emails and tweets. Those words make my day and will help explain to other people why they should join the Get Gutsy community.

7. Subscribe to someone’s email list, blog or YouTube Channel. Growing a presence online isn’t easy and every single new person helps. Many bloggers have goals of growing their presence and showing your support by subscribing to their email list (here’s mine!), blog or YouTube channel helps that slow trickle of growth. Sure, you could be a passive blog reader or simply go to someone’s YouTube page when you want to see their stuff, but becoming a subscriber can really make a difference for that blogger’s success.

What does this all really boil down to? Being nice is easy. It doesn’t take a lot of time or effort. And it helps the people you like, respect and admire to keep producing great work.

Have other ideas for being nice on the Internet? Share them in the comments below!

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