Many people may not think a simple spelling error is a big deal, but it could be to your readers. This is why it is so important to put in the necessary time and effort into ensuring that all published online content is not only high quality and insightful, but also free of mistakes. Content mistakes can and will hurt your credibility. This could cause you to loose blog readers, make it more difficult to build an online following, and most importantly, you could lose customers, sales and it could impact your bottom line.

Content mistakes that will hurt your credibility

We are now at a point in time where anyone can publish content online. With no shortage of WYSIWYG applications that allow you to blog and create webpages, more and more people are writing, and writing content that is full of mistakes.

Here are 5 of the most common content mistakes that you need to avoid:

  1. Focusing on keyword density over quality. One of the biggest content writing mistakes made by small businesses is focusing too much on SEO and keyword density. Yes, we understand that you want to get ranked on the first page of Google, but you should never sacrifice the quality of your content to do so. Google is now putting a lot of emphasis on high quality content. More importantly, when posting awkward and keyword stuffed content, you will have a difficult time converting your visitors into customers if your content is low quality and provides little value.
  2. Rushing the writing project. A second common mistake that can hurt your credibility is rushing any writing project. Rushing over things opens the door for many different oversights to occur. From spelling and grammar errors, to broken links, lack of quality, less than enticing titles and a general disconnect between what your readers want and the content you provide, there is no shortage of things that could hurt your credibility if you rush your writing.
  3. Hard selling all the time. While there is a time and place for hard selling, it doesn’t mean that you need to do it all the time. People are savvy to hard selling techniques and are turned off by them. Therefore, you need to find the right mix of content that offers insightful information and content that is meant to convert sales.
  4. Not having someone else read over your work before posting. This is perhaps the most common mistake made by everyone. Even though it may take a little longer to get your content posted online, having a fresh pair of eyes can do wonders for your writing. It is so easy to overlook minor spelling errors. Plus, a second look from a trusted colleague could provide you with additional insights and ideas to make your writing even better. If you don’t have someone else to look over your work, let it breathe and then come back to it for a round of editing.
  5. Not thinking about the readers. Give your readers what they want. This will keep them coming back to your website. Failure to be customer focused is transparent and your readers will see right through you. Not creating content that your customers are looking for will have a negative impact on your perceived company image.

If you follow these 5 tips, then you will definitely be on the right track to improving your writing and ensuring that you avoid posting anything that will hurt your credibility.