photo by alexliivet
What’s wrong with that headline, other than the fact that I just called you stupid? Could it be the spelling errors my fourth-grader would catch? Yep.
As you may have guessed, I do not fall into the camp that forgives illiteracy on the web. I have no problem with the democratization of information putting a virtual printing press in the hands of every content reader yearning to jump the divide and become a publisher. But I’d prefer it if said publishers had a basic grasp of spelling. Not perfection, mind you … just the basics.
For example:
“Their” is the possessive form of “they.” “They’re” means “they are.”
“Its” is the possessive form of “it.” “It’s” means “it is.”
“Your” is the possessive form of you. “You’re” is short for “you are.”
Apparently fine distinctions like these don’t really matter if we’re chattin’ it up on the Internet. It’s appalling how many otherwise bright, articulate people can’t seem to master this stuff. I recently read a report from a self-anointed Twitter guru who reminded me that “first impressions count” before ruining his with bad spelling and typos.
Sorry, but when I’m reading some post on how social media is transforming marketing and the author doesn’t know the difference between “affect” and “effect,” it tends to affect my opinion of them. I just naturally assume that people in the communication business have achieved mastery over general communication concepts. Like spelling. (Punctuation’s good to know, too.)
There’s no shortage of bloggers out there bemoaning the fact that journalists and prissy English teachers are quick to attack their little errors. Sorry, but if you want to be a content producer, quality assurance is part of the game. Unless you work for FOX News, of course.
Here’s the bottom line: Do you really want anything in your writing to suggest that maybe you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about? Bad spelling, typos and other writing mistakes undermine your credibility.
Your audience may be pretty forgiving now, but that won’t always be the case. Content on the web is going to continue to improve over time. You can either get better along with it or stay stupid. The choice is yours.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Comments on this entry are closed.