Getting my content edited or proofread by a professional linguist, is it worth it? That’s a very common question among companies that create content for their audiences.
My answer, and that of anyone with a bit of marketing knowledge, is that it definitely is.
Stop for a second and imagine how your brain works when you read, for example, advertising material. You might not be an expert in grammar and spelling, but truth is that you could be quite judgmental if you come across a mistake.
That’s a fact: Rightly or wrongly, people judge mistakes.
When we visit a webpage, we pay attention to the design, the visual coherence and, of course, the clear content. We want to buy from meticulous brands. And by meticulous, I mean spotless. From the pictures to the copy, everything must be in perfect harmony.
One little mistake can dilute a message. One wrongly expressed idea can cause confusion among the target public. One badly-used punctuation mark can completely change a message.
If an instruction leaflet contains errors, unclear or misleading information, it can even be dangerous for your audience.
To make it clearer, these are some examples of negative impacts typos or grammar mistakes can have on your business:
- Affect how much visitors trust your website.
- Raise suspicions about the reliability of the information you present.
- Decrease the credibility score of your website.
- Result in lower sales because of a lack of confidence in your organisation.
The work of an editor or proofreader goes beyond adding diacritical marks. It’s a tailor-made, crafted task.
Whoever edits or proofreads your texts has the duty of studying your content in deep. They must analyse the appropriate tone of voice and make sure it’s consistent throughout all your communication channels.
Proofreaders usually check grammar, punctuation, spelling and usage, capitalisation and numbers.
Editors, instead, usually check the clarity of writing, coherence of organisation, format and structure of writing, adherence to guidelines, concise language usage, sentence structure, economy or efficiency of words, and word count.
Even if you think your text is ready to publish, having it revised by a second pair of fresh eyes will guarantee that your content is flawless and that your messages are clear and succinct. I guess that is what we all want, right? To read texts that are easy, valuable and to the point.
Remember: A mistake can harm your brand’s reputation and the arrival of new clients or readers. This, of course, can result in a decrease in your conversion rates.
Editing and proofreading services need an investment. Like any other investment, it will have its benefits.
As a start-up, a shop, or a company, I’m sure you want to be taken seriously and maintain a postless reputation.
In any context, having your texts edited and proofread, both in style and spelling, will always be a benefit. You’ll rest assured that your content is in professional and trustworthy hands. And, your brand won’t go down in history for avoidable mistakes.
BrandPoint said it: “Want quality content? Use an editor.”
If you need help with the editing or proofreading of your content in Spanish or your Spanish translations, I’m here to help.
