18 Jun A good copy editor: four reasons you need one
Clients are finicky about where they spend their money. When it comes to how your business presents itself, then, it’s imperative that you put your best foot forward. Copy is often the vehicle via which you make first contact with prospective clients so it’s essential you get it right. This is where a copy editor comes in.
A copy editor checks your copy for grammar, spelling, style and punctuation issues. But that’s just the beginning. A good copy editor also helps you hone your content so it makes conversions. Every piece of content has a purpose – it’s a copy editor’s job to ensure your copy is effectively serving that purpose.
Still not convinced? Here are four more reasons you should pay attention to your copyediting.
1. Grammar mistakes can cost you clients
Can you afford to lose 59% of your prospective clients? Because that’s how many are turned off by grammatical or spelling errors on your website.
This may seem like an extreme reaction to some – particularly if your business isn’t in the writing game – but think of it from the client’s perspective. You’ve just landed on a business’ website. By all accounts, they’re professionals – they come highly recommended after all.
Then you see it:
“Brisbane professionals with decade experience”
Oh boy. Not so professional now. Is this the attention to detail they afford to all their business dealings? Do you really want to take that risk? Odds are, you don’t. So you click away.
When it comes to your copy, it’s imperative you present a clean, error-free face. Anything less than that means you’ll lose prospects, period.
2. A copy editor helps craft your buyer’s journey
Copy editors are in the business of making sure your content works. It’s more than just stringing sentences together or checking for grammatical errors, it’s about crafting content for a specific purpose.
Crafting a clear buyer’s journey isn’t easy. You need to know when and how to place CTAs, ensure consistency of your message and avoid roadblocks. A good copy editor knows how to do this. They can help you hone your content’s journey in such a way that it effectively guides prospects down your sales funnel.
Where is your reader at in their journey? Where do they need to go next? Copy editors make sure your content answers these questions.
3. Copy editors are objective
Proofreading your own work is fraught with obstacles. Familiarity with content means your brain parses the information differently, often overlooking glaring errors or grammatical mistakes. This is where a copy editor comes in.
A copy editor is a fresh, objective pair of eyes. They’re able to read content without falling into the trap of familiarity. This means they can catch errors and offer insight into a piece that will improve its overall message.
Copy editors are also great Alpha readers. They’ll be able to tell you if your message is being received clearly. If not, they can then help you re-craft it into something more effective.
4. Copy editors encourage skill development
Great writing doesn’t happen overnight. It requires practice and patience and more practice. It also benefits greatly from constructive criticism.
A good copy editor is a master at delivering such criticism. They’re able to offer corrections and advice for future improvement. Work with one long enough and you’ll find something of a symbiotic relationship develops. As your copy editor learns your writing style, they’ll be able to offer bespoke advice that encourages skill development.
This will not only improve your current work, it will help you to develop into a better writer down the track.
Hire a professional copy editor in Brisbane
Copyediting is essential when it comes to crafting clean, effective content. Copy editors help you retain prospects, craft your buyers journey, develop your skills as a writer and more. Now you know just how important a copy editor is, are you ready to reach out? Search and Site Authoring are professional copy editing and proofreading experts based in Brisbane. Get in touch today to see how we can help you take your copy to the next level.
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