We've all seen those funny proofreading errors on a website or social media post, and while these are usually laughed off and forgotten about relatively quickly, having digital copy that's riddled with errors can be detrimental to your business. It can cause you to lose customers and earn poor reviews, and it might even make you the butt of a joke or two. I don't know about you, but when it comes to running a business I'd rather be trusted, respected, and valued, and copyediting is a great way to achieve these goals. Having a professional copy editor review your website, blog, social media, and marketing materials will allow you to focus on the other important aspects of your business, and in turn, will help you boost audience engagement and build customer trust. Here are three important ways copyediting can make a big difference.
Clarity
Let's talk clarity. This seems like a pretty straightforward concept. You want your professional message to be clear. However, sometimes it's easier said than done, and businesses can send mixed messages without even realizing it. If your business offers a particular service or product to a particular audience, you want to get really clear and specific about these things. Your web copy should have a distinct, defined message and tone of voice. Precision in your messaging goes a long way and it helps prevent customer dissatisfaction down the road. People want to know exactly what they're getting, when they're getting it, and what it will do for them. A copy editor is trained to look for continuity errors or conflicting messages and will make sure your brand is clear in its advertising.
Questions to ask yourself as you read through your business copy: Is my message clear? If I came across this information for the very first time, would I know what I'm reading about? Is there a defined scope of work here? Can my ideal customer or client recognize I have the solutions they need? Is it easy for my customers and clients to access the information they are looking for?
Consistency
Consistency follows clarity. Once you decide what your brand is—what you offer, how you offer it, and to whom it is offered—you want to keep this consistent across all of your promotional platforms. Your website, your social media, your newsletters, your blog, and your marketing materials should all be telling people the same thing. They know who you are, what you do, and how you can help them, and this message stays the same (unless you're in the middle of a rebrand or business transition, but that's a totally different story). I'm a copy editor and proofreader, and that's what I promote with my business, Put to the Proof Editing Solutions. I don't offer people writing services or yoga classes or advice on keeping houseplants. Even though I like those things and can do those things, my business offers editing solutions and that's what I tell people on all of my business platforms. A copy editor can make sure your copy is consistent and help your brand show its true colors in all of its messaging.
Questions to ask yourself as you read through your business copy: Do I have brand consistency across all of my platforms? Am I consistent with my business mission and vision? Do my words match my ideals?
Correctness
Having error-free copy helps your business come across as trustworthy, authoritative, and professional. If your copy is full of mistakes it doesn't matter what services or products you offer. People won't be interested. They won't believe you can help them with their problems if you can't spell your own business name. If your website is distracting people with loads of typos, they're never going to get to the good stuff. They won't take the time to find out what it is you offer, because they're going to be too busy wondering who let you publish this website without editing it. Having unclear copy makes people feel like your services won't be all that great either, even if you offer the best product on the market. No one will ever take the chance to find out.
Questions to ask yourself as you read through your business copy: Am I using proper punctuation? Are all words spelled correctly? Do subject/verb agreements match accordingly?
Asking yourself those questions can help you gain insight into the effectiveness of your digital copy. Having those answers is a great first step. This is where it can be extremely beneficial to ask a copy editor who specializes in digital copy (hi, that's me) to review your business platforms and offer suggestions and edits that will make your copy wow your customers. Let the professional editor handle the editing so you can focus on doing what you do best—running your business and making clients happy, showing that you are a reliable and trustworthy source, and continuing to put your unique talents out into the world for all to enjoy.
Are you ready to take your digital copy to the next level? Send me a message and let's chat about how we can work together to boost your business: faith@puttotheproof.com
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