Typos, Lits* and Bad Spelling.
[Lits’ – abbreviated version of Literal: Noun – a mistake in printed matter resulting from mechanical failures of some kind]
The common belief is that a few typos on any website are to be expected. But why should that be, with the many spell-check programmes freely available now? And does it really matter?
Spelling should be accurate no matter what. There is no excuse for poor spelling, which on a website can negatively affect that company’s image 100%.
Poor grammar and misspellings severely compromise the value of a body of work, and marketing material or websites containing such can be interpreted that the business is an organization that does not take pride in its work. If the marketing material contains errors then what does that say about the quality of their products and services?
Any communication that goes to customers and the general public must be correct. Good spelling is essential when wanting to create an image and being able to put your message out in a way that is the most appealing.
So the importance of proper spelling is not only key in getting your work read but that it also affects the manner of presenting yourself to people. Spelling errors can cause your business to be seen as less than professional and even just a handful of typos on a page could easily turn off potential clients. It is difficult to ascertain how much business might be potentially lost by errors on the site, but it is important to properly use correct language in business communication.
Corporate communications should be flawless in both grammar as well as spelling since the language used by an institution, company or person can be seen as a reflection of their attitude, capabilities and skills.
True, there are people out there who don’t notice spelling errors, but just to be sure that you do not negatively influence perception of your company, you have to get your communication right. An over abundance of mistakes will convey an amateur impression of your website and like any professional writing, these corporate communications represent the company. It won’t matter who the audience is – incorrect grammar and spelling will reflect that the company doesn’t care about their corporate image.
So do spelling errors, typos and lits really matter?
They’re critical!