As a small business owner, you know that you have to write great copy for your website and marketing materials. You also know that you have to be on social media if you want to find customers. But did you know that even if you have great copy and a strong social presence, the quality of your grammar can have a negative effect on your conversions? 46% of internet users say that poor grammar is the most annoying thing on the Internet. If you’re using poor grammar online, you might have people hitting the back button more than you’d like.
Bad Grammar Hurts Conversion Rates
Bad grammar is one of the biggest copywriting mistakes small businesses make. It’s a classic rookie mistake, and it hurts their conversion rates. A study by the University of Waterloo found that, in customer-facing copy, every grammatical error reduced readership by 7 percent. Grammatical errors hurt conversion rates because most people think poorly of companies with low standards for their writing.
Whether you’re a student aiming for high test scores or a business owner aiming for more sales, good grammar should be a priority. The reason? Poor grammar can hurt you and your business on multiple levels. For example, it can make people less likely to click on your ads or help you make sales, or even lose you out on a job opportunity. (Sadly, we’ve all heard of job applicants who were passed over due to their poor grammar.) But what if you’re not a huge grammar nerd? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered in this article.
What is considered bad grammar
It can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what constitutes bad grammar. In some cases, it’s obvious: if you use the word “whom” in a sentence, you’re using bad grammar. But what about “currently” versus “now”? Or “your” versus “you’re”? And what about the comma splice? While it’s true that there are some grammar rules that are more “flexible,” there are some things you just need to know about grammar to avoid making obvious mistakes. Spelling mistakes are just as bad.
How to fix common grammar errors
Grammar is an integral part of any language, so it’s often a good idea to double check your text for mistakes and errors before you post it for the world to see. If writing good content is a challenge for you, we strongly suggest hiring a content creator. Otherwise, you can always use one of these tools to correct your text:
Final Thoughts
Writing plays a critical role in how your business communicates, both internally and externally. Good writing not only helps you build trust and credibility with clients and customers, it makes you stand out as a service provider.
