Why Proofreaders are Essential to Create Great SEO Copy

In the world of online marketing, mistakes matter. When potential customers read content produced by companies, they are not just looking for relevant information. They are looking for reasons to trust that company, and spelling or grammar mistakes are one of the first things they notice.

Look around the web. Do poorly written websites rank well? Do you respond favourably to marketing copy that is littered with errors? Almost certainly not, and with good reason.

Despite this, many businesses, prefer to focus their SEO copywriting resources on keyword research and search engine analytics, taking their eye off basic language skills in the process. At greatcontent, we know that's a false economy for SEO professionals, and here's why.

1. Proofreading Leads to Increased Trust Levels

The first reason is fundamental to all businesses but especially those relying on web-based content. Casual visitors to business websites are fickle beasts. They can easily be turned off by mistakes, however trivial. And they won't trust businesses that don't take the effort to master basic spelling.

Investing in proofreading services is a very affordable way to ensure that bounce rates are minimised. At the least, you'll see visitors staying for longer, and ? potentially ? taking more time to purchase your products.

2. A Second Look Results in Better Content

Proofreading isn't just an insurance policy against off-putting content. It's also a great way to optimise the content you publish, enhancing its accuracy and flow.

Good proofreaders are trained to spot inconsistencies in the structure of texts. They can point out flawed arguments, flag up unverified assertions, and offer suggestions about how to improve the way texts read.

Even the best writers can benefit from a fresh pair of eyes reading their work. That applies to everyone, from the lowliest copy writer to Nobel Literature prize winners. Your business is no different.

And don't assume that software can fill the gap. Some "visionaries" are pondering the question will artificial intelligence replace humans? Well, that's unlikely where proofreading is concerned. Human input is absolutely invaluable ? at least for the time being.

3.  Proofreaders Can Fine Tune Content For Google

Bringing in proofreading services can also provide a huge boost where Google rankings are concerned for a number of reasons.

On one hand, there's accuracy. By pointing out inaccuracies, proofreaders can help to boost the relevance of your content ? something that Google has publicly stated that it wants to encourage.

Proofreaders can also double check that relevant keywords have been used correctly. It's not always easy to insert the keywords required without compromising the flow of SEO copywriting, but proofreaders can use their expertise to mix textual flow and SEO optimisation.

4. Proofreading is a Major Time Saver

In many cases, enlisting specialist proofreaders can make content production more efficient, releasing time to devote to other tasks.

If you keep content creation in-house, there's a tendency to waste time double-checking that every text meets your brand requirements and quality levels. That's a real time sink that managers could do without.

If you out-source content creation without adding proofreading services, there's a risk that large amounts of inferior content will be produced. In the end, that can necessitate lengthy revisions or re-orders. Again, there's nothing efficient about that.

Add an Extra Layer of Expertise to Realise Big SEO Benefits

The world of SEO is becoming ever-more focused on quality and relevance. Brands need to stay on-message and consistent, and they need to serve customers as well as they possibly can. All of these reasons have led to a proofreading boom, helping content creators to rise up the search rankings.

Whether you need to populate a travel site or market complex software solutions, greatcontent's team of proofreaders and writers can help. Get in touch and we'll find a way of using our skills to take your content to the next level.

Text: Sam Urquhart
Image: unsplash.com