Do I really need a proofreader/editor to check my website in this current market?

At first glance, the answer to this question might appear to be an obvious one – no. I can’t afford it.

But the next question I wish to pose is can you afford not to have a proofreader/editor check it over?

In this difficult economic climate (and it is very difficult), money is tight, but then so is the competition out there. If you are relying on your new, well-designed website to attract new customers, but it has spelling mistakes, grammar problems and formatting issues, it may just be giving out the wrong message.  Perhaps one that says you don’t show enough attention to detail, that shows you are a bit sloppy and unprofessional.

You may have a fashion retail site selling some lovely shoes for example and you have a great picture of one pair in particular, but the text describes them as ‘glamorous party shose’. Would it inspire a customer to look any further? There are a lot of other websites which look as good as yours, offer the same shoes even, but whose texts are error free!

If you are selling a service, it arguably becomes even more important. Imagine mistakes on a website which offers a secretarial service or a CV typing one… I think you get the picture.

It is often very affordable to employ a proofreader to check over your text either before or after the site goes live, and the peace of mind it brings will justify the small expense.

Not everyone ‘sees’ mistakes or is bothered by them, but there are enough people (and I am not talking about proofreaders/editors who do this for a living) who would be bothered, and perhaps put off browsing the site any further.

Think of your website as a reception to the world or as the glass front to your shop – first impressions count so make sure they are positive ones.

Julia Bodie, proofreader and owner of Copy-proof