Quality Control

When countless blogs and pundits are throwing their opinions and deals onto the internet, it might not seem like publishing standards apply. Spelling and style errors are everywhere. It’s all about getting out your message; nobody cares about the technicalities, right?

Putting words or pictures on the internet is just as important as putting them in print, if not even more so (remember, things online can be searched for and found long after a brochure vanishes). Would you publish a flyer rife with errors, or containing views that might alienate your costumers? Just because it’s easy, doesn’t make it simple.

The reason that few, among the millions, of blogs are popular is for the same reason certain authors rule the bookshelves. Quality, both in terms of content and in how it is written, separates a website you’ll come back to from a one-time visit. Whether you’re just posting a new story from that Ladies’ Night or a long memo to the masses about a change in your company’s direction, peruse the paragraphs for errors and flow. Send it to a colleague to review, and try to read it out loud just to get a better sense of how it works. If you’re running out of breath frequently, shorten some sentences.

Of course, your web quality extends beyond your blog. Take a look at your pages and ask if this or that really needs to be there. Ask yourself if this is really going to help a consumer in their decision to purchase something you sell, or to read your news. An easy place to start is your “About Us” page, where most people feel the need to detail every step of their company’s lives (or, in some cases, their own in-depth family history).  A brief (one short paragraph) overview coupled with some impressive statistics is both convincing and respectful of your visitor’s time.

When it comes to your products, remember that online space is limitless but a reader’s time is not. Take the time to list all the necessary information for every item, but organize it so that the most important details are first, and the buy button is right up front. This way, both your casual and informed consumers will appreciate your efforts, and they’ll come to you first next time.

If a magazine like TIME makes an error, readers will go to another news source. If a book comes out full of typos, you’re not going to read past the first page. You hold these media responsible, and your website’s visitors see you in the same light. Make this work in your favor – quality content equals quality customers.