Remember at school when the teacher told you to always check your work before you hand it in? Well, the same is true for websites. Whether you are a small shop on Bangor's High Street, or an industrial unit in Balloo, you need to proofread your website.
I come across websites every day that have typos. Sometimes it's just one, but often there are many. The most common mistakes are grammatical errors, such as apostrophes in the wrong place and getting words like their, there and they're mixed up. One that sticks in my mind is a healthcare professional who had spelt (or spelled if you're American) the name of their profession incorrectly!
If you have written all the content for your website yourself, it can be even harder to spot mistakes because your brain already knows what it is supposed to say.
Top Tip: Always get a fresh set of eyes to check over written content before it goes live.
So why are typos bad for your website?
1) If you spell important keywords incorrectly, then you won't show up in search engine results for those words.
2) Typos affect the credibility of your site. People are on the look out for scams and fake sites. Typos are one of the red flags that make people question the credibility of a website.
3) It might make you look like you don't take pride in your work. Customers might not trust you to do a thorough, careful job if you haven't taken the time to check the spelling on your online shop front. This is true for some professions more than others.
Common mistakes to look out for
Apostrophe S
There are two times that you should use an 's
when you write it's instead of it is
to show possession of something. For example John's bicycle.
Here are some examples of when/when not to use an apostrophe:
New car's will be in stock this Friday ❌
New cars will be in stock this Friday ✔ (the cars don't belong to anyone in this sentence so no need for an apostrophe)
Our companys promise is to always be honest ❌
Our company's promise is to always be honest ✔ (you need an apostrophe because the promise belongs to the company)
Todays special offer is Lasagne and Chips ❌
Today's special offer is Lasagne and Chips ✔ (the offer belongs to today)
Its not often that we have these in stock ❌
It's not often that we have these in stock ✔ (It's is short for it is)
The gadget comes with it's own power supply ❌ (you only use an apostrophe with 'it' if it is short for 'it is.')
The gadget comes with its own power supply ✔
Top Tip: If you have written it's, read the sentence and say 'it is' instead. Does the sentence make sense?
Homophone
These are words that sound the same but are spelt differently and mean different things. You just need to learn the difference, or use a grammar checking tool.
They're: they are
Their: belongs to them
There: a location
Hear: a sound
Here: this place
Capital letters
You don't need capital letters as much as you think you do.
Our online Shop has everything you need ❌
Our online shop has everything you need ✔
Here's a helpful guide (it's American so it uses 'z' instead of 's'). You can find more detail on their website.
Spelling mistakes
Last, but not least, we have spelling mistakes. Always use a spell checking tool. Enough said.
Getting Help
Don't let typos ruin all your effort of getting your business online. For just £30*, I can proofread your website and either make the changes directly or send you a list.
Sound good? Get in touch for a fast turn around, usually within 48 hours.
*£30 is for a website with up to 10 pages.