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KristineS
04-29-2009, 01:11 PM
I promise that I won't turn this into a rant, but I saw another example of poor proofreading today and every time I see something like this it just drives me nuts. I was looking at a site for someone's embroidery business, a site of which they seemed very proud, and there were grammar mistakes and poor word usage and spelling issues everywhere.

Of course, you can recommend that people proofread their own site, and that they have others proofread the site as well before it goes live, but a lot of people either don't recognize the mistakes they're making or don't think those mistakes are important.

Proofreading is very important. Having mistakes in your copy makes you look careless and also gives the impression you're not very smart. Odd word usage can also distract those who are reading from your message. If they see "their" when it should be "there" even if they don't consciously register the mistake, part of their mind will be occupied with what's off about what they've read instead of being occupied with absorbing your message.

Everyone makes a typo once in a while, but for something as important as advertising copy or a web site, proofreading over and over again, by multiple readers, is a must.

Dan Furman
04-29-2009, 01:41 PM
Yea, I see this a lot. It happens when people write their own copy. You can't have typos on your website. I mean, ok, you can have one or two buried way down there somewhere... even I sometimes have written "do" when I mean "to" (for example), and the spellcheck doesn't grab it, and it's VERY hard to notice that as you will likely read "do" as "to" if "to" was supposed to go there.

But, of course, I'm of the opinion that most people shouldn't be writing their sales or web copy themselves anyway. :) 99% of self-written copy is not good sales copy, even if it's correct.

vangogh
04-29-2009, 04:00 PM
I always forgive the occasional type since they are almost inevitable. My own site has been proofread by myself, several friends, and several people who have proofed copy for a living and there are still errors.

But I agree completely that you should proof your copy as much as possible. When I see any copy with more than the occasional typo I do lose trust in whoever wrote it. It will lead to less sales and leads.

I'm also with Dan on hiring professional copywriters in general. Most of the time when I see people asking why they're site generates no business the answer is that the design and copy are both very bad. Most people think they have the skills to do both, but most of those people are wrong.

cbscreative
04-29-2009, 04:01 PM
I'm glad you mentioned that last part about multiple readers. I believe this is an absolute must. You may have one idea in your mind writing something, and having others proof it can be quite enlightening when someone else interprets it in a way you never thought about.

I agree with Dan that most people should not write their own copy. They might believe they are saving money, but in reality they are losing opportunities. Of course if everyone really understood that, there wouldn't be enough good copywritiers to meet the demand. Hmmm, maybe it's best the way things are.

KristineS
04-29-2009, 04:43 PM
I would agree that having a professional write copy is the best way, but I'm also realistic enough to know that's not always going to happen. Regardless of who writes you copy, it should always be proofread. Professionals are not immune to mistakes either.

I have committed the do/to sin or on/of or something like it, several times myself. I'm a victim of my typing speed I guess. At least that's the story to which I'm sticking.

Business Attorney
04-30-2009, 10:02 AM
This thread brings back to mind my moot court team in law school. There were six of us on the team. We were all madly writing to meet our deadline for submitting our briefs but we still allowed time at the end of the process for one of our team members to do what we called the "Rosenbaum Read-Through." Now, any time that I think of reviewing the final work product on any project, the term "Rosenbaum Read-Through" immediately comes back to mind.

Marcomguy
05-09-2009, 10:23 AM
There is a law out there that says no matter how many eyeballs scrutinize a document before it goes out, at least one typo will get through.

Trust me. This law exists. In fact, there was a Wikipedia entry about it, but the title of the article had a typo and now no one can find it.

vangogh
05-09-2009, 11:16 AM
In fact, there was a Wikipedia entry about it, but the title of the article had a typo and now no one can find it.

Funny. True though that typos will inevitably get through.

Steve B
05-09-2009, 11:31 AM
Think of the typo that gets through like the mis-stitch that is purposely put into hand woven fabrics by religious crafters because only God is perfect. I forget the details of this group that puts in a mis-stitch on purpose, but I saw it on TV once. I think they were making rugs or lace or something tedious like that.

KarenB
06-09-2009, 12:55 PM
Great topic, Kristine!

While proofreading forms a large part of what I do, I was pleasantly surprised by an email from an aspiring VA who pointed out that I had a typo on my website.

As I am currently looking for qualified transcriptionists to handle some of my overflow, just the fact that this person noticed this made me want to hire her on the spot!

It's always easier to spot someone else's typos than it is to notice one's own. There is a degree of objectivity when you are reviewing someone else's written word which is very difficult to attain when you are reviewing your own words. Your brain still thinks the same way and whatever you overlooked before is usually overlooked again in the same way simply because you wrote it.

I agree that proofreading is very important and can be a deal breaker. I always have someone else proof my own articles and blog posts for that very reason.

Karen

KristineS
06-09-2009, 01:09 PM
Karen, you're so right, it is always easier to notice mistakes when you are proofreading someone else's work rather than your own. I always have someone who hasn't been involved in crafting our collateral material do a final read through before it goes to press. By the time it gets to that stage I've seen it so many times I don't notice things that jump right out at other people.

I also think it's interesting that you wanted to hire that transcriptionist who pointed out the mistake on your site. I would have the same reaction, because to me it points out an eye for detail and perfection, but I know some people who wouldn't want to hire her. I guess it depends on how open you are to recognizing errors.

Baseline
06-09-2009, 02:30 PM
True story.........

One of my standard notes on my surveys was a reference to "Public Lands", which is a common term in Surveying. Guess where the "L" was omitted?











Guess how many years of surveys were recorded with that little typo?

Now, where is that shamefaced smiley???............

KristineS
06-09-2009, 05:26 PM
Oh Baseline! That's too funny and, o.k., rather embarrassing. I can't believe no one pointed that out to you.

vangogh
06-09-2009, 06:43 PM
People were probably laughing too much to point out the missing "l"

Karen can I make fun of your typo? I think you gave me grief years ago pointing out all the typos I had on my site.

dynocat
06-10-2009, 01:11 AM
Typos and misspellings stand out to me everywhere. It's funny how some people don't even seem to notice them.

Our laugh of the day is our local paper which has typos in every single issue. It's hard to believe a newspaper that receives many awards for their reporting (they make a big deal about that each year), can continue to operate with such poor proofreading. Instead of using it's name, "The Chronicle," it's probably better know here as "The Comical." :)

dynocat
06-10-2009, 09:58 AM
Had to come back to post something I saw on a site a few minutes ago. All of you web designers should love this. :)


Please subscribe us to be awared about
latest free website and logo templates and
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:) :)

vangogh
06-10-2009, 12:39 PM
I'm going to guess that wasn't written by someone who calls English their native language. At least I hope it wasn't.

KristineS
06-10-2009, 12:54 PM
What's really sad is how easy it is to make a typo and not really be aware of it. I type quite quickly and my fingers tend to get ahead of themselves sometimes. I have to force myself to go back and read what I've typed to make sure I haven't left a lot of typos in my wake.

I also tend to get tripped up on the smaller words, typing "of" instead of "on" or something like that. Very irritating, particularly when I don't notice it right away.

vangogh
06-10-2009, 01:41 PM
And spellcheck won't catch things like 'on/of' I think it's hard to catch your own typos because you're so familiar with what you wrote and see the right words regardless of whether or not there's a typo in them. It only gets worse the more your read the same copy.

Add to that the fact that most of us will read the right word as long as the first and last letters are correct and it's easy to miss typos.

Paper Shredder Clay
06-11-2009, 05:48 PM
You raise good questions. I think part of the problem is people do not see web sites as professional as print, yet. Part of the reason is that its too easy to build "crappy" web sites with templates and so some people belittle the importance on how important grammar is.

vangogh
06-11-2009, 05:56 PM
Interesting theory. I'm not sure the average person is seeing sites as less professional, but rather because it's so easy to put up a website it doesn't get the same attention. You know printed content is getting proofed, possibly several times by several people. Web content isn't getting that level of attention.

KristineS
06-11-2009, 06:02 PM
I don't necessarily think it's an issue of seeing one as more "professional" than the other, as it is that web content proofreading can get lost in so many other issues. There's navigation and usability and design and a whole host of issues. It's easy to think about copy and proofreading last. It shouldn't be that way, but I think it often is that way.

Baseline
06-11-2009, 10:15 PM
Oh Baseline! That's too funny and, o.k., rather embarrassing. I can't believe no one pointed that out to you.

I can only hope that they just didn't read the notes.........:D


But I'll probably hear it at some seminar as an example of what not to do.:o

Baseline
06-11-2009, 10:17 PM
People were probably laughing too much to point out the missing "l"


Heheheheheheheheheh............ I'm sure I gave some chuckles to my peers who actually READ these things.........:D

KarenB
06-15-2009, 03:48 PM
I believe that each and every website that ANYONE puts up there on the web should have a thorough proofreading by an objective party before it goes live (even if it isn't even perfect).

If I were the CEO of a company and was checking out a service provider's website for whatever reason and its grammer was not top-notch, I would pass it by in an instant.

I would feel that if the service provider paid that little attention to detail to their own site, how much attention to detail would they pay to my own needs?

There is never an excuse for using 'their' instead of 'there' or 'your' instead of 'you're', etc. when building a legitimate website.

Never underestimate the power of these small details in your business when it comes to attracting new business.

Karen

KristineS
06-15-2009, 06:18 PM
You're so right Karen. The small details may ultimately matter more than the big ones. Anyone can get the big stuff right, and generally will. It's the people who pay attention to the small details who can really get the job done well. You'd also be surprised how many people will notice those small details when they're overlooked.