Have you ever worn a knit cap with a baseball hat on top of it?
Probably not. Not only would it look odd, but it would feel uncomfortable.
Yet, many content marketers attempt to do something similar every time they review a piece of content, acting as both editor and proofreader.
But editing and proofing are not the same – even with AI assists. And by treating them as a single hat, you create an uncomfortable experience for your audience.
Even the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recognizes proofreaders as distinct from editors. Its description of proofreaders’ duties includes: “Read transcript or proof type setup to detect and mark for correction any grammatical, typographical, or compositional errors. Excludes workers whose primary duty is editing copy.”
How to edit well
With your editor’s hat on, follow this five-step process:
- Make sure you understand the overall purpose of the piece of content for the audience and the brand before you read the first word.
TIP: Require content creators to write one or two sentences at the top of the content to explain to the editor who the intended audience is and why the content was created.
- Read through the content as a reader would – hands off the keyboard except to scroll. (If reviewing in print form, keep the pen out of your hands.)
- Go through the content again as an editor. Put your hands on the keyboard (or pen in hand) and note where the content doesn’t work well and why. Does the opening grab the reader’s attention? Is the content focused on a singular theme throughout the piece? Can every sentence and paragraph be understood? Does the order of the content flow logically? Does the content represent the brand’s voice and style?
- Pause, then edit. Depending on your process, if the needed changes are significant, return the marked-up content to the writer for revision. Use an AI editing tool, whether the built-in one offered by Microsoft or an add-on extension like Grammarly. Look only at the editing-related counsel and consider if they would improve the piece. If the content won’t be going back to the writer, go ahead and make the changes.
- Read through a final time to ensure that the content reads well from the audience and brand’s perspective.
TIP: If you revise the content significantly, go back to the writer, especially if the article includes a byline, to make sure you edited it accurately.
With the content in good shape from a readability perspective, you can now scrutinize other elements of the content. You should:
- Ensure factual correctness and proper credit. If the content includes research, statistics, opinions, or quotes, make sure they are accurate and attributed correctly. In digital form, make sure links go to the original source of information (not to another post quoting the original content).
- Do the math. If the content includes numbers, make sure they add up correctly. For example, if an article about favorite ice cream flavors includes the sentence: “70% agree chocolate ice cream is better than vanilla,” the next sentence should not be “one-third prefer vanilla over chocolate.” The math doesn’t add up…Read More