Why is an error-free, consistently punctuated approach important?
This probably seems like a silly question, with an obvious answer, right?
So why, then, are so many websites, newsletters, corporate communications documents, blog posts, even social media updates (which, let’s face it, aren’t that long), riddled with typos?
What do you think when you stumble across a business’ official website and the third line contains an error? Personally, I tend to go back to the search results and find a competitor’s page which doesn’t contain a typo.
Why?
Because the error compromises the quality of the content. And content represents a business and its approach.
Typos and inconsistencies (by that I mean spelling ‘organise’ with an ‘s’ in the first paragraph then three paragraphs later writing ‘organize’) suggest a lack of attention to detail, and a rushed approach to content creation which doesn’t involve copyediting or proof checking before publication.
Now, that’s harsh, isn’t it?
We’re all human. We make mistakes. This, of course, is true.
And surely it’s more important to get the content out there to keep your followers or clients engaged?
This is true too—but only for some forms of content like social media or blogs. And not all the time. Readers will eventually get tired of content containing errors and stop engaging with it. And other, more official, forms of content like corporate newsletters, annual reports and so forth, just can’t afford to contain mistakes.
But I’m not an attention-to-detail person!
Spending hours reading your company’s annual report to ensure semi-colons have been used correctly, and cross-checking whether the words ‘Strategic Plan’ have been consistently capitalised throughout all 78 pages isn’t exactly your idea of fun?
I hear you.
Luckily, there are people—like me—for whom that does sound rather entertaining. I’m that annoying person who spots the error in your favourite film, and always sighs in frustration when I find a typo in a novel.
So if attention-to-detail isn’t your thing, then outsource it! Find a proofreader to do it all for you.
Proofreading vs. Copyediting?
There is certainly overlap between these two roles and many editors will offer both services.
Copyediting tends to involve fact checking, consistent grammar use and continuity of style, plus often some degree of rewriting where needed.
Proofreading is the final bastion to ensure the published document is error-free. There is usually no rewriting at this stage; it is more about a close, line-by-line, word-by-word edit to ensure there are no typos and the entire document is consistent in its use of punctuation, spelling, capitalisation etc.
Use these 5 tips to ensure your next piece of company content is error-free:
1. Use a company Style Guide (or create one if it doesn’t exist yet)
A Style Guide is a document which can be crafted as officially or unofficially as you and your business would like. It might be two pages long, or it might become a mighty 40-page thesis.
Either way, arrange everything alphabetically, and include additional sections with headers on topics like ‘Capitalisation’ and ‘Hyphen Use’ and ‘Tone of Voice’ (if getting the tone of voice right is something you and your business struggle with, try out some tips here).
The Style Guide is often a working document for quite some time as all company documents and content gets written or updated. Be sure to add to it as often as possible. Then, when another person in the business, or a freelancer, writes content for you, send them the Style Guide so they can write using it as a reference.
2. Use a reputable dictionary
Unless a client requests otherwise or references a different source in their own existing Style Guide, I also use Macquarie Dictionary for my (Australian) clients. Yes, it requires an annual subscription but it’s not much, at about $40 AUD a year.
Make an informed decision about a good quality, reliable dictionary.
3. Write notes
There is a lot going on in your head when proofreading a document, particularly a long one.
So write notes to yourself, including specific words spelled unusually, capitalisation of certain names, which numbers use digits and which must be spelled out in full etc. And add all this to the Style Guide, of course.
Also, if you have to complete the proofread over several sessions, make it very clear where you finished at the end of one session, so you can quickly and easily pick up where you left off.
4. Avoid distractions
With all the words, sentences, paragraphs, and style guidelines to keep at the forefront of your mind, the last thing you need is a phone ringing, a text message arriving, or the television blaring.
When you are proof checking any piece of content, the quieter and less distracting your surroundings can be, the better.
5. Don’t rely on ‘spell checker’
Yes, they’re handy for identifying glaring errors and major typos. But they won’t help when it comes to consistency of style, or capitalisation of particular proper nouns unique to your business, like your business name. Nothing beats the human eye!
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