How important are grammar and spelling in marketing and branding a business? Sometimes overlooked and taken for granted, grammar and spelling have a significant impact on how a company is perceived in the marketplace. There are several ways bad grammar and spelling affect a company’s brand. In a business climate dominated by technology, online searches, and algorithms it is critical to understand how this works.
First Impressions Make or Break a Business
Are first impressions important in business? Your company’s written content is often the first impression potential customers have of your brand. According to BrightLocal, 90% of consumers use the internet to find a business. Errors in grammar and spelling in your website, social media posts, or marketing materials, make your company appear unprofessional and careless. This can make a negative first impression and turn off potential customers from engaging with your brand. It is unlikely they will return to your website. Each incident is a lost opportunity.
Building Credibility and Trustworthiness
How important is credibility and trust to your customers? In the business world, credibility and trustworthiness are crucial elements of building a strong brand. When your written content is riddled with grammatical and spelling errors, it creates doubt in the minds of potential customers. They question your attention to detail and the quality of your products or services. On the other hand, well-written content demonstrates professionalism and attention to detail and enhances your brand’s credibility and trustworthiness.
Brand Consistency
Is consistency important to building a strong brand? Consistency is key to building a strong brand, and this includes your written content. Having a consistent voice and style in your written content helps establish your brand’s identity and makes it easier for customers to recognize and remember your brand. Consistent grammar and spelling can also enhance the readability and effectiveness of your content. It becomes engaging and persuasive and sets you apart from your competitors.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
How do search engines help prospects find a business? Search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo, use algorithms that analyze the quality and relevance of website content to determine search engine rankings. Poor grammar and spelling can negatively impact your website’s search engine ranking. This makes it harder for potential customers to find your brand.
Well-written, error-free content can improve your website’s Search Engine Results Page (SERP) ranking, increasing your visibility. If you aren’t listed on the first page of search results, that’s a death knell for your business. While the data varies and is often much higher, a conservative 75% of users never click past the first page of search results.
In its survey of over 1,800 people, Tidio learned that 97.2% claim that grammar mistakes affect the perception of a company. Nearly 52% of respondents admit that grammar mistakes can ruin a company’s professional image. Adding to that, nearly 35% believe grammatical errors can affect a company’s credibility.
An analysis run by Website Planet of more than 5,000 site visits over a two-week period confirms that sloppy grammar and spelling are bad for your brand. A website’s bounce rate is determined by the percent of visitors who leave or bounce off after viewing a single page. The analysis showed that the bounce rate was 85 percent higher on landing pages with sloppy spelling and grammar. This compares to bounce rates for correctly written and spell-checked landing pages.
How are grammatical errors and misspellings related to bounce rates? Prospective clients find you by conducting online searches. A high bounce rate is a red flag for Google that a site is not trustworthy. This translates to a lower position for your company in the organic SERPs delivered. If that pushes a company’s listing beyond the first page of results, the likelihood of being seen is very low.
Can proper grammar and correct spelling elevate your brand? Grammar and spelling can have a significant impact on a company’s brand in the marketplace. Attention to detail in written content can improve first impressions, enhance credibility and trustworthiness, establish brand consistency, and improve search engine optimization. By paying attention to these details and prioritizing well-written content, companies can establish a strong brand identity and stand out in the marketplace.
