It is possible to believe that content proofreading is a dated skill which is laboriously performed on paper with a red pen as well as old-fashioned symbols. Some people believe that proofreading is just for the publishing business. So, let me convince the reader that this isn’t an accurate assumption and that a standard spellchecker can’t compete with professional proofreaders.
The written word is everywhere throughout us, accessible digitally nearly everywhere, all the time. Words are a powerful tool to inform, stimulate to educate, entertain and inform. In business, Words are an effective instrument. If used properly and in a creative manner, they will inspire your audience to do something, no matter if they are current clients, employees within the company or prospective clients.
Your words need to be informative, engaging and use the appropriate voice and style to your target audience. In some cases, they must trigger an immediate response. That means that your message needs be short, concise, easy to read and most importantly, precise.
Don’t let your content down
Content is typically created, edited and then published in a pressured context. A multitude of editors, demanding work schedules and strict deadlines are the reason why minor errors can be missed in the writing procedure.
It is a significant investment to developing, planning and carrying out a strategy for content to make sure your message reaches its intended target audience. There are times when common mistakes or even a minor typo could cause a lot of damage. What do you think of whenever you see an error in spelling or grammar every day? A single mistake or mistake in your text, copy or messages can affect your overall impression. Small errors, no matter how small, are a sign of negligence, which could damage your brand’s credibility as well as the image you’ve put so much into building.
Social media’s power can also mean that your target audience is able to access a readily available and wide-ranging platform to report any infractions. With a few seconds, any negative criticism can reach not only you, but the entire population.
Benefits of proofreading content and why it’s well worth spending the time and cost
A proofreader adds the last finishing touch to your content and ensures clarity. Proofreading could provide assurance that your messages are top-quality and let you focus on doing the things you excel at. It can assist you to keep from embarrassment and negative criticism, and the time and expense of rectifying errors. Think about proofreading as your final line of defense before going out into the challenges of the world. After you’ve washed, you’ve brushed your teeth, put on a stylish outfit, and ate an excellent breakfast. The last thing you should do is check in your mirror to make sure you do not have any lingering particles on your teeth or stained coffee spots on your shirt. I would recommend that everyone incorporate proofreading into their publishing procedure. Also, be prepared to spend money on it, and acknowledge that it is a useful tool for your Content Strategy.
It is a specialized ability
Proofreaders are not any better than you. the proofreader, nevertheless received training in reading differently. As in addition to the required comprehension and knowledge of English words, spelling and grammar, they have a keen sense of detail with a methodical approach, as well as a fervent desire to spot and fix mistakes. It’s been said that I’m impernickety and pedantic, but those are traits that are ideal for being a proofreader. There can be a lot of confusion among both copy-editing and proofreading. The purpose of proofreading is to identify and correction of mistakes and irregularities. Copy-editing, on the other hand, is a process that involves revising the written text, for instance, the design the flow, or tone of the text. It is more of a personal area that requires an extremely high degree of trust between the writer and the copy-editor. The process of proofreading is simpler it doesn’t matter if the copy is accurate or not. The issue is not whether the text is long or voluminous, and isn’t about the individual’s taste. Every task is unique, but generally, proofreaders verify spelling as well as punctuation, grammar and spelling mistakes. They will identify formatting and layout inconsistencies, and check the accuracy (if applicable) of page numbering, tables of content, headings, cross-references and illustrations/captions. The proofreader also will make sure that the text is in line with the ‘ guidelines for style or create one for you, if necessary to be used in the future.
Modern methods to proofread text
It is generally done online, as opposed to in paper. The methods range from using to track changes made within Microsoft Word to editing PDFs by using software such as Adobe Acrobat or web content in the Content Management System (CMS).Don’t be reluctant to request an individualized service, in case you’re not interested in having formatting or layout checked, just send your copy in a Word document. Be aware that mistakes can occur during the process of designing or cutting and pasting text in the CMS.
Common mistakes and what you need to look out for
The process of becoming a proofreader isn’t in a day, but there are typical mistakes you need to take note of:
- Spelling typos are created through changing letters, or simply by mistyping. They should be detected by the spellchecker, in addition to the traditional form of from.
- Use of incorrect words for example: to the, there the, they’re the following sentence:
The research suggests that, with the second variant, even though the letters of certain words may be jumbled, they are able to read their meanings. Third version clearly compiled from incorrectly utilized terms, however, spellcheckers would be able to pass all spellings correctly. It’s a very extreme case however, it illustrates the idea and, when it’s simply one word, it can be often overlooked.
- The spelling may be inconsistent – this is the case for both i.e. US and UK versions, such as the spellings -ise/-ize are two that are accepted, i.e. focused or focussed. Also, abbreviations, capitalisations, and the hyphenation, to mention but some.
Best tips to proofread the content
The most effective advice I could offer is to not edit your work yourself. Employ an experienced proofreader (but naturally, I’ll mention this)!
You can also ask a coworker to review your writing or for you. If you are unable to do that and you must edit your work, These are some tips:
- Make sure to take a break between editing and proofreading, ideal is to do it over the course of the night.
- Slowly read and then speak read aloud.
- Be aware of common mistakes for example, incorrect use of a word.
- You should look for consistency in the consistency of spelling, capitalisation and punctuation used for names or products, services, and the industry-specific terms you use across the various platforms you use for your content.
- Develop a style guideline that will guide potential content writers. This will help assure consistency.
I hope I’ve given you some insight into the purpose, nature and value of modern-day proofreading. I also hope that I have convinced that you should incorporate proofreading into your process for creating content. The most important thing is prior to hitting the publish, send or tweet button, and once you’ve used your spelling checker, make sure to make sure you read the entire article.
