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Good written communication is essential for your business

Good communicators know they have many tools at their disposal, and this applies to businesses too. The written word is still one of the main ways in which we communicate as so much of what we do occurs online or virtually. Written material, frequently referred to as copy or content, is often the first point of contact for potential new clients. It’s just as important for existing ones too.
While videos may be gaining in popularity for getting messages across, they have their downsides too. They are important but will never ‘replace’ writing. (And if they provide information or explanations, they will often need a well-written script to work properly anyway.) Don’t underestimate how vital good writing can be for a business.
People will judge you on your written content
You will be judged by how you ‘show up on the page’ just as you’ll be judged on how you show up in person. And by page, we mean any written communication – whether that’s your website, a brochure, a survey, an email: even a WhatsApp message. It’s all written, even if you didn’t use a pen to write it with. And even if you didn’t write it yourself. It still represents you, your business, and your business approach.
So, whether we like it or not, people judge others. It doesn’t matter how inclusive and understanding we want to be, there are certain things businesses cannot take for granted. You want your business to be judged as professional and trustworthy. You want people to know you take pride in doing things properly. That you have an eye for detail, and that you care.

And while you might not care about grammar and spelling, or even notice them, others do.
Poorly-written websites, brochures, and so on, with bad grammar and spelling mistakes, will not give potential customers a positive first impression. They will assume you cannot be trusted to take the care and attention over their orders and your business that they would expect.
“When asked whether bad grammar or obvious spelling errors would stop them buying from the website, 59 per cent said it would, with the majority claiming that they “wouldn’t trust” the company to provide a good quality service. Others would be put off due to an obvious lack of care, or would consider the company to be unprofessional.”
Global Lingo Survey
Good writing creates more than just a good impression
Having the right content is just as important as what you’ve written being correct. ‘Good’ content should engage people. It should help with social proof and show your business as an authority that can be trusted. It can include a ‘call to action’ to prompt people to do something: whether that’s to buy a product, subscribe, get in touch, and so on. Whatever it is, you need compelling messages that perform specific functions.
And don’t forget, this applies to all your business messaging, whether you are looking at website content or emailing team members: professional, engaging, and persuasive writing will have much better results.
How many times have you received a long, rambling, confused email and wondered exactly what you’re supposed to take from it? What, if anything, is required from you? Your website, blog posts, and all your other written communications should serve their purpose, whatever that purpose may be. They should make persuasive arguments, explain things properly, give clear instructions, be shared because they are interesting, convert or reassure customers: whatever it is you need them to do, they should do it.

Poorly written copy will confuse and annoy at best.
Writing for people, not just search engines
When you’re writing online copy, don’t fall into the trap of thinking you’re writing for the search engines. There are certain search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques and strategies you can employ to ‘help’ the search engines find your content. However, the algorithms are now sophisticated enough that they will reward content that is well-written in a natural style and appeals to a reader. So, make sure you’re writing for your readers.
Your website should give people what they want: interesting content that makes a difference. That shows you’re the expert and that you care about your customers and what is important to them. That you are approachable and accessible. That you’re professional and trustworthy. All the things that matter to you, too.
Don’t panic if writing isn’t your thing!
If writing isn’t your strong point, don’t panic! A professional SEO copy and content writer can help you. If you are not sure if your website copy is up to the task, an SEO website copy audit will help. It will give you all the pointers you need to take easily actionable steps to improve it. If you think you need new SEO website copy or help with regular, professional content support please get in touch.