There are so many things to consider when building a website. Is it programmed properly? Is it attractive? Is it secure? Does it say what I need it to say about my company? I could go on and on. You might be able to answer “yes” to all of these questions. But what about this one: Has your website been proofread?
Our team at Modmacro includes copywriters and editors because we know how important it is to ensure a professional is reviewing the copy. This is an added expense, but worth every penny. At the start of each project I’m careful to remind clients that nobody is perfect. We seldom find spelling issues on a site once our editor has completed the final review. But it’s bound to happen once in a while. Your potential customers will probably accept one typo, but having many typos or grammatical errors on your website will cost you business.
On the other hand, having website copy that’s well written and free from spelling and grammatical errors can actually help you gain business. Don’t believe me? Consider this recent example that an architect client of ours recently shared:
He received a call from a potential client who had a residential design project for which she needed an architect’s expertise. After discussing her project, the woman volunteered that she had been researching multiple architecture firms in the area and had viewed many of their websites. What she basically said to him was, “I’ve been doing research on several local architecture firms, and your website was the only one that wasn’t riddled with typos. If an architect can’t pay attention to detail, I don’t want them working on my house.”
This can happen in any industry. Virtually everybody values attention to detail. It’s why every person who has ever been interviewed for a job says that one of their strengths is “attention to detail,” whether it’s true or not. People value the details.
Even though proper spelling and grammar may have little, if anything, to do with the quality of services or products you provide, there is a perception that attention to detail in one area carries over into other areas. Don’t sabotage your credibility over something that can be solved with a simple edit.
Don’t assume the company designing your website is proofreading the copy for you. If you are providing the copy, they may simply be copying and pasting exactly what you send them. If it doesn’t say in your contract (you have a contract, right?) that they are providing proofreading or editing, THEY AREN’T! You need to either hire a freelance copyeditor to look over the copy, or ask your web design company to include that service.
Competition for customer dollars can be fierce. Don’t give potential customers a reason to go with another company because you overlooked, or didn’t want to pay for, this one simple step.
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