Copywriting tips: good copywriting is more than just spelling
Even Disney makes mistakes
Many of the copywriters I follow on Twitter have been pointing out this story from the BBC, about the importance of spelling to companies’ online credibility.
Spelling is important but it’s only the most basic part of getting your story right.
Really effective writing – online or in print – is based on a deep understanding of what your readers want. It informs them but it also connects with them emotionally, so they want to buy from you, or invest in your company, or apply for a job or whatever else it is you want them to do.
This takes skill and experience, often honed over many years. If companies are using people who can’t even spell, what hope do they have of getting the rest of it right?
Tags: communication, copywriter, copywriting, credibility, grammar, spelling, using a copywriter
3 Responses to “Copywriting tips: good copywriting is more than just spelling”
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I agree with you – and it’s amazing to me how slack some websites, blogs, etc. have become with the massive push to be seen and be tracked on search engines. The WSJ reported in 2006 that MBA recruiters’ top pet peeve was poor writing and speaking skills. The article quoted a director at Whirlpool who noted, “It is staggering the frequency of typos, grammatical errors and poorly constructed thoughts we see in emails that serve as letters of introduction.” It makes the job for professional writers all the more important.
[...] brings me to my final point. As fellow writing professional Richard Hollins blogged yesterday, good copywriting is more than just spelling. We’ve established that spelling and correct punctuation is important, but let’s face [...]
You’re absolutely right Richard. These are only the basics, and if they can’t get the basics right, what chance have they got of producing engaging, clear communication?
It’s a good opportunity for us as professional writers to get a bit of credit for what we do, day in, day out for a wide range of clients and their audiences.
I’ve referenced this article in my own post on the subject here: http://justtherightwords.co.uk/2011/07/15/accuracy-counts-as-mistakes-cost-millions/