Writing content? Use this self-editing checklist

I’ve edited thousands of communications in my professional life, from my time as a copy editor in the newsrooms of two major publications to my current role as a marketing and communications director at one of the top CPA and advisory firms in the U.S. One thing I’ve learned from that experience is that every writer can benefit from an editor.

However, business leaders at small and mid-size organizations don’t always have access to a dedicated editor to help with their written communications. Fortunately, editing your own work using a checklist like the one below can significantly improve the quality and effectiveness of your communications.

Whether you’re creating content marketing to grow your reputation as a thought leader, sharing social media posts to build brand awareness for your business, or sending email communications to facilitate customer service, your marketing and business communications should be professional (and error-free!) in order to be most effective.

Use the following self-editing checklist to help you review and improve your written content.

Know your audience

Any content you share should add value for your customers and prospects, so it’s important to always keep your audience in mind. Understand their background, role, mindset, experience, and needs, and tailor your communications accordingly.

• Are the tone and level of complexity appropriate for the audience?

• Is the message relevant and useful?

• Does it answer, “what’s in it for them?”

• Is there enough context?

Master the fundamentals

Grammar, punctuation and spelling—oh my! These may seem like basics, but missteps here can be credibility killers. For example, if you send out an email that is full of typos, your customers could see that as a lack of attention to detail and wonder what other areas (beyond communication) you have overlooked. Likewise, inaccurate numbers or facts can erode your audience’s trust.

• Is it clear and concise?

• Are all facts, numbers, and dates accurate?

• Did I catch any typos or misspelled words?

• Did I use proper grammar and punctuation?

• Have I eliminated jargon and technical terms, except when necessary?

• Did I use active voice?

Stay organized and focused

Knowing your objective for the communication from the beginning will help you to stay focused throughout. Are you trying to inform, persuade or remind your audience of something? Are you trying to boost search engine optimization (SEO)? Once you know what you’re trying to accomplish, make sure to start strong, progress logically, and end strong with a closing thought, next step or call to action.

• Does the message flow logically?

• Did I use subheadings, bullet points and lists to make it easy to scan?

• Did I break up long sentences and paragraphs to improve readability?

• Are stats appropriately attributed to sources?

• Is there a clear call-to-action or next step?

• Does the communication achieve the intended objective?

Techniques for reviewing

When reviewing your work, you can use tools such as spellcheck and Grammarly, but avoid the pitfall of over relying on digital tools, which may not identify credibility killers such as inaccurate facts or numbers. Take the time to read your draft out loud to catch errors and awkward phrasing—or ask someone else to read it. And don't forget visual appearance, which can enhance the effectiveness of your marketing communications.

Editing your communications may feel like an extra step, but it’s a necessary one if you want your content to resonate with your audience and achieve its objective. If you don’t have an editor who can provide feedback on your written content, use a self-editing checklist like the one above to help you improve the quality and effectiveness of your marketing and business communications.