Picture this: You’re searching the web for a particular product or service, weighing your options and ultimately basing your decision on which company has the most compelling content.
Then, just as you’re about to reach for your wallet, you see it. They’ve used the wrong form of “there.” The punctuation is a mess. Capitalization is inconsistent. Some words are misused or misspelled. Would you still trust them?
More than 97% of people wouldn’t.
Never — and we mean never — underestimate the power grammar has on your brand’s image.
Even with eye-catching design, consistent branding and low-priced offerings, words are at the root of it all. If you’re truly the “best in the business,” you’ll need to prove it. It all starts with good grammar.
How Writing Mistakes Impact Your Brand
A 2022 study by customer service platform Tidio found most people care about grammar more than you might expect.
- 97.2% of people say grammar influences their perception of a company, in general.
- 51.8% say grammar influences their perception of a company’s professionalism.
- 34.9% say grammar influences their perception of a company’s credibility.
And, if you’re writing as an individual on behalf of your business, 96% of people will judge your intelligence, level of education, eloquence and authority based on your grammar.
The United States also cares more about grammar than the rest of the world. In the study, 94% of U.S. respondents considered themselves attentive to errors when they read online content, compared to 86% of respondents from other countries.
Grammar Across Generations
Along with geography, age also impacts attentiveness to grammar and spelling. Turns out the older we get, the more we care. Here’s how much each generation considers themselves to be grammar conscious:
Common Errors (And How They’re Perceived)
Grammar as a whole is important for your brand’s perception, but certain standalone mistakes can also cause more controversy than others. Want to grind your readers’ gears? Here are a few errors that would do the trick, according to Tidio:
Theory Does Not Equal Practice
Disclaimer: Just because the bulk of people care about grammar, that doesn’t mean they’re grammar whizzes themselves (although most think they are). In fact, the English portion of the ACT and SAT is consistently the lowest-scoring section among all categories.
Just 13% of U.S. adults have advanced literacy skills, and 19% are considered illiterate, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Furthermore, 80% of Americans think they’re good at grammar, yet only 3% are fully proficient.
Grammar is hard, and even the best-trained experts will slip up now and then. Sure, you could rely on readers not catching your mistakes. However, if blunders are ever-present in your copy, don’t be surprised when it backfires.
Being right is in your best interest when it comes to growing conversions, customers and credibility. Chances are your competitors are taking every measure to double-check their work.
I’m Bad at Grammar. Now What?
Not everyone can be a word nerd, grammar police or copywriting rockstar — and that’s okay! Luckily, there are simple ways to prevent errors before they’re posted or published.
- Proof Thoroughly: It’s possible that time crunches and carelessness could be causing your typos; not necessarily a lack of knowledge. Once you’ve written something, read it aloud twice. Then, have someone else on your team do the same. If you run into questions about a commonly encountered error, Google is your friend.
- Use Grammar-Checking Tools: Online resources can help you create concise and grammatically correct copy. Grammarly is the most popular, but there are plenty of other free and paid options.
- Hire a Copywriter: If you have the budget and demand to hire an internal writer, it’s well worth the investment. The quality of your work will transform when a professional steps into the role.
- Turn to an Agency: Even better, you can hire a whole team of professionals who will not only ensure your copy is free of grammatical mistakes, but they will also strategically tailor it to your brand’s voice, tone, audience and objectives. Agencies are also ideal if you don’t have the demand or bandwidth to hire a full-time copywriter.
Speaking of agencies, our team of professionally trained copywriters generates high-quality content that spurs results. Grammar is always top of mind, of course — so you’ll never have to worry about a blunder costing your business again.
