In recent news, March 4 was held as National Grammar Day around the world of journalism and of course, social media was abuzz with commentary on the continued importance of grammar, spelling and syntax in the era of digital copy. Grammar snobs unite. This was indeed your day.
If you were unable to join in the #NationalGrammarDay hashtag around social media, the comments from wordsmiths around the world was delightfully entertaining.
THEY’RE eating THEIR lunch over THERE. #NationalGrammarDay pic.twitter.com/HdAKKSvJAA
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) March 4, 2015
In honor of #nationalgrammarday, our favorite mugs for word nerds: http://t.co/IMriItvC8J pic.twitter.com/dptyTXr2hh
— Cool Mom Picks (@coolmompicks) March 4, 2015
Here’s to our favorite grammar advocate, Ross Geller. Learn it, live it. #NationalGrammarDay http://t.co/sVvOZ5A8bT pic.twitter.com/ivpIbJvqAt
— Wikia (@Wikia) March 4, 2015
Diligent Copy Editing Builds Stronger Content
The art and science of creating strong digital copy is a relatively new category of journalism with no clear-cut guidelines on how to get it right. Many content writers are experts of marketing and proficient writers, who have forged a union among their areas of expertise to meet the changing demands of the web 2.0 business environment.
Without a set structure, digital grammar and spelling has been noticed to go awry. In this direction, businesses who neglect to take care into digital copy run the risk of reducing their brand authority — as well alienating as customers.
In addition to adding professionalism to your content, proper copy editing has other advantages that enhances the value of your written content including:
• Boosting Authority
• Balancing Depth and Length (Good for SEO)
• Maintains or Increases Credibility
• Improves Brand Knowledge
Common Digital Copy Mistakes
Grammar
Digital-age writers are focusing less on grammar and revealing a style of writing that is highly similar to how things are (casually) spoken, which is not always indicative of traditional and accurate grammar rules. There are a plethora of reference guides, refresher courses and workshops that can help spruce up your grammar and help build better content. Consider an AP Style Guide for media writing tips and a good ol’ Webster’s Dictionary and Grammar Guide as desktop accoutrements.
Spelling
The BBC reported that spelling errors cost companies millions of dollars in online sales. As a potential consumer bypasses your site due to a spelling gaffe, this will consequently affect your credibility; bringing to question your assumed knowledge of your industry, business and products. Preview before you publish. Spell check and/or auto-correct may not have your best interests in mind.
Even with spell and grammar check software, context and meaning could be overlooked which can diminish the flow of your content. Step away from your writing for a few minutes, clear your head and always re-read your material before publishing.
Post-Edits
Many companies and news outlets are adopting to the “post now, edit later” methodology in efforts to be the first to break news or information at the sacrifice of proper research gathering, spell check and grammar review.
Although you may win on terms of being first the break news or information, sacrificing quality creates damage to your company’s reputation that is difficult to repair. Neglecting to perform careful content review tasks can suggest to the reader that your dedication to providing accurate information is an afterthought. Take the extra 5-10 minutes to have a colleague review your material before publishing.
Celebrate Responsibly
In honor of National Grammar Day, consider spending time building your grammar knowledge and transferring your heightened expertise into creating stronger copy. As online writing becomes increasingly in demand, polished and professional writers who understand marketing, and who are also exemplary writers can add great value to any digital marketing strategy. In conclusion, the old adage applies here; it’s not what you say, but how you say it.