The Temptation to Lie in Your Blog

Anybody who has done a bit of blogging will, I am sure, agree that there is often a temptation to tell a “little white lie” now and again. A well placed lie can either drive more traffic to your site, result in some more sales or even get people to donate some money to you.

I was tempted a couple of days ago – to the point where I actually typed the lie! I was writing about putting a Paypal “Donate” button onto my blog, and I was explaining the reasons I had done so, using the usual “…….if people really enjoy my work, then they may wish to make a small donation to me….”. I then found myself typing these words: “And thanks so much to the people who have already contributed via the donate button – thanks so much for your support!”

Now this was a total lie – nobody has used the button yet, but my thoughts were that if others felt people had made a contribution, they might be tempted (guilted?) into doing the same.

Thankfully, my conscience pricked me at the proof reading stage, and I realized that the whole basis of my blog was honesty. Honesty about my feelings, my thoughts and what is going on in my life at the moment. I want to take readers with me on the journey from the (not very good) place I am in at the moment, to the fabulous place I expect to be in this time next year. If that journey is based on lies, and one lie will inevitably lead to more, then the whole thing will simply not feel right.

So, my advice to bloggers is to keep it real, don’t fall into the trap of telling lies on your blog. If you don’t know, admit you don’t, if you mess up, tell us you messed up – at the end of the day, even if you achieve your other objectives, if you do so without integrity, there will be very little satisfaction for you.