Your website copy can either hook people in or make them question your professionalism and level of authority. Your word choice and placement can affect your business’s overall reputation which is why proofreading is a must.
65% of participants in a survey reported that think online content is “hit or miss,” or “unreliable.” (Source: DynoMapper) A dramatic increase of posts coupled with the freedom to publish whenever and wherever creates a lack of trust.
Remedying Your Content With These Easy Steps
Ensure that only high-quality content gets published and routinely audit it. It’s not as daunting as it sounds. Take time to read each page out loud. Create a checklist to ensure the content flows naturally, like a conversation. Reading aloud helps you notice awkward language that you would normally miss when skimming quickly with your eyes.
Whatever Changes In Your Business Affects Your Content, Too
Keep your website copy up-to-date. If your branding has been updated, that means so has your brand tone. As your brand continues to evolve, make sure the way you speak about it changes every step of the way.
Does Your Website Effectively & Accurately Describe What You Do?
Review your About Us page. You want to strike a balance between telling the story behind your company and letting consumers know what your business is about. See what your competitors are doing but don’t mimic them. This page will be your differentiator. If you don’t have an employee dedicated to writing in your Marketing Department, consider hiring a freelancer.
Always Keep It Simple
When conducting your content audit, make note of pages cluttered with more text than is necessary. It’s better to keep paragraphs short, ranging from one to four sentences max. Each sentence should serve a purpose. On a deeper level, every word matters, too.
Supplement Content With Visuals
Readers love seeing visuals alongside text, whether it’s a hand-selected photograph, custom infographic, video, or more. Break up content with a mixture of these without overwhelming the page. Use only what makes sense to that particular page. Bold headings and subheadings so readers can quickly scan your page.
Read It In Reverse
Here’s a helpful proofreading tip – start from the end and read up to the beginning. Reading in reverse can break up the monotony of content that you’ve already read. It also helps you proofread better, unbiased by words you’ve already read in a particular order.
Routinely audit you web to change the opinion of the 65% of people that think there’s too much bad content circulating online.
Read our next blog on how to accelerate your marketing efforts with a content calendar!
