We surveyed 1,000 Britons regarding their texting habits and preferences and discovered some interesting statistics about the texting habits that really put Britons off.
Are you guilty of reading a text and not replying? Ever received a message but waited for hours before responding to someone?
Well, if you have, then you’re guilty of breaking the textiquette rules.
And to help make sure you don’t break the textiquette rules again, we’ve put together a list of Do’s and Don'ts, alongside some useful tips, to help.
We surveyed 1,000 Britons regarding their texting habits and preferences and discovered some interesting statistics about the texting habits that really put Britons off.
Great British textiquette
So, are all Britons angry if they’re ‘left on read’, or do they not mind if they’re left waiting for a reply?
Well, the survey found that 46% of Britons are most likely to read a message but wait a while to reply, depending on how inconvenient the timing is, or simply if they can't be bothered.
However, 36% said they would text back straight away, so they don’t look rude to the person that messaged them. On the other end of the scale, 3% claimed they were not likely to reply to anyone that messaged them!
But what about the timescale of texting someone back?
Most Britons surveyed said they’d wait up to 12 hours before considering a message they’ve sent - and has been read by the recipient without a reply - as rude.
44% of Brits also revealed they have sent someone a text and thought it was rude when they never received a reply. When it comes to pet peeves, reading a text and never replying is the number one pet hate about messaging (38%).
And when it comes to ‘leaving people on read’, the type of person those surveyed said they are least likely to reply to is those they don’t know (34%).
The textiquette rules of dating
So, do the rules change when you’re texting a potential love interest?
When dating someone new, almost a third (30%) of Brits claimed they will text back within an hour, with 24% claiming they’d respond in less than 20 minutes, and 17% admitting they’d reply within five minutes or less.
But 1% of Brits would leave their potential partner on read for 30 days or more.
Interestingly, it was the single people surveyed that are most likely to think not receiving a reply is rude (51%); while those that are married, in a civil partnership, cohabiting, or in a relationship were most likely to say they didn’t mind if they didn’t get a reply.
Textiquette dos and don’ts
So, how do you improve your textiquette? Follow these simple Do’s and Don’ts and you’ll be on your way!
|
DON'T |
DO |
|
Leave someone on read |
Reply to texts if your read receipts are on |
|
Ignore your friends for more than 12 hours |
Find the time to reply to your friends, family members, and partner - even if you ‘can’t be bothered’ |
|
Send a one-word response |
Respond proportionally – try to send the same amount as the person who text you |
|
Message someone you don’t know and expect them to reply |
Make sure you know the person you’re texting and that it won’t annoy them |
|
Reply to someone using a single emoji |
Use full sentences when replying to someone |
|
Keep texting until you get a response |
Consider the other person's schedule when waiting for a reply |
Improve your textiquette
Still need more advice on how to become a better texter? Then follow these simple tips:
- Try to be more honest with your friends when you’re too busy to reply.
- Be aware of the other person’s feelings when you simply don’t reply to them.
- Don’t ‘ghost’ someone by not replying – a quick message only takes a couple of seconds.
- Respond proportionally. Don't reply to a six-line text message with a simple 'k'.
- Take some time to meet with your friends and family in person, instead of texting them all the time.
- Try to reply to people that text you within a couple of hours. Any longer and they may think you’re being rude.
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