Proofreading your copy
As marketers, we tend to write a lot of copy. Between blog posts, content creation, and copywriting across numerous websites, it’s normal to make typos and spelling mistakes along the way. That being said, it’s crucial to have harsh eyes when it comes to examining copy, because your customers certainly will. A mistake can completely ruin your messaging. It goes without saying, proofreading is paramount. Read, read and re-read.
Few things are as fun to share on social media as when a company messes up. Look no further than Starbucks as an example; how many times have you joked about the incorrect spelling of people’s names on coffee cups around the world. Other companies are getting similar attention for failing to follow basic English grammar. Make sure that your brand isn’t the topic of online grammar abuse, and edit all of your ads — multiple times.
Double and triple check your copy. Even if you think your copy is perfect — check it again. Mistakes can make their way through to your campaign even when you’ve been diligent about checking for mistakes. A well-thought-out tagline can be killed instantly by a simple typo. Just because it got past you, that doesn’t mean it will get past your customers. There are entire websites dedicated to capitalizing on companies’ mistakes. Keep your campaigns off of these sites by being extra cautious of what your ads say.
When Snickers created its “Hard to Spell When You’re Hungry” ad, it was extremely obvious to readers that all the mistakes were intentional. Snickers’ main marketing tagline is that, “You are not you when you’re hungry.” This tactic that is usually used in commercials was applied to print marketing with the above campaign. And again, the ad is conscious of its mistakes, encouraging customers to recognize that this was all done on purpose.
To ensure that your brand gains as much positive attention on social media, in the eyes of consumers, or anywhere else for that matter, make sure copy editing your campaigns is an essential step of your marketing process.