Great copywriting has the power to make your business sound more professional, trustworthy and intelligent. Bad writing has the power to do exactly the opposite.
Here’s “Weird Al” Yankovic’s brilliant take on the situation…
According to one influential online entrepreneur and industry analyst quoted on BBC News, poor spelling is costing the UK millions of pounds every year in ecommerce revenue—indeed, a single spelling error can slash online revenue by as much as 50%. Why? Because proper spelling and grammar are important to establishing trustworthiness. The moment readers see a mistake in your online copy, they begin to question your credibility as an organisation.
Of course, these results shouldn’t come as a surprise. When presenting a professional image, attention to detail is what counts most. Finding an error in your copy is akin to finding a cockroach in your hotel room: par for the course at the Kozy Komfort Inn, but absolutely unthinkable at the Ritz Carlton. All things considered, I know where I’d rather spend my hard-earned money…
But what the BBC article really proves is a quantifiable correlation between the quality of your copy and the amount of your revenue – not to mention the intangible benefits in customer goodwill, brand identity and online community building.
The lifeblood of the digital world is text. And what you say (and how you say it) leaves a lasting impression on readers. Thoughtful, engaging copywriting can make the difference between a loyal customer and a “Yawn. <Click> Next.”
Given the importance of good copywriting, it’s a shame that good writers are such a rarity. According to the Confederation of British Industry, 42% of UK employers are not satisfied with the basic reading and writing skills of millennial job applicants, and half of employers have invested in remedial training courses. (I wonder what happened to the other half? Hopefully they hired copywriting agencies.)
Which neatly segues into today’s key message: it pays to hire a professional copywriting agency for your marketing and corporate communications. A good copywriter will work with you to determine the tone of voice that best represents your company, then craft just the right words to achieve your desired results. When done well it’s a blend of poetry, psychology and marketing.
And we have editors to check our spelling.