Skills For Better Online WritingHow would your readers grade your online writing? A? B? C+? Unfortunately, many online articles, blogs and posts loose readers in the first paragraph.  In a world when you only have seconds to entice readers to read more, an A for effort coupled a C for execution would equal a failing grade. Want to learn new skills for better online writing so your readers will read and return?

Follow the basics

  • Spelling matters.  Write with a dictionary and thesaurus at your side.  Use them often.  When online, check with http://dictionary.com and http://thesaurus.com.
  • Proof before publish.  Typos, incorrect punctuation and spelling errors send readers running and discourage trust in you and your products.

The following except, posted in a LinkedIn group, should position the author as an expert.  Instead, the mis-spelled words (beginning with the second word) and glaring grammatical errors render the opposite effect.  Let’s take a look.

LinkedIn Group Post Excerpt
I can not (1) over stress how important linkedin (2) can be to your online marketing, and if your linkedin (2) profile is not right, then all your (3) doing is sending people to a page that is not converting…

Dont (4)get me wrong, taking care of those things are (5) very important. I own a company that guarantees you the top three spots in Google…

You will notice that my profile is blank and bare. I placed arrows on places you need to pay attention to. (6)

Corrections
(1) Cannot is one word.
(2) LinkedIn
(3) You’re is a contraction of the words you and are.
(4) Don’t, another contraction, needs an apostrophe for the missing vowel “o.”
(5) Incorrect subject-verb agreement.  The verb modifies the subject “care” and should be “is” not are.
(6) It is incorrect to end a sentence with a preposition (to) when the sentence carries the same meaning without the preposition.

You get the point.  I wouldn’t consider this writer an expert.  Would you? Seems he could update his skills for better online writing. Have you ever been shocked by poorly written online content? If so, share the common mistakes you find on the web.