In this time of panic, confusion, and uncertainty, it’s a relief to be able to look back on a good memory. One that at the moment, you didn’t realize how lucky you were to experience. One memory that sticks out to me is the Brand Launch event we held and the conversations I got to have with the residents of Point Pleasant. As the Digital Media Director, I was responsible for writing all copy featured on the website, and during the Brand Launch, I got to show off the new, updated site. Before any of this happened, I had to ensure the site was perfect. If you’re creating a new site or writing a blog, follow these tips I’ve created to be fully confident in your work.
Check, double-check, then triple check all written content - After you’ve written everything needed, start rereading it. I recommend reading it out loud to catch typos, spelling mistakes, or sentences that sound odd. Another piece of advice I’ve learned about editing from Dr. Colistra is to always print it out and hand-edit it. This is a little harder to do on a website than say a general document, but if it’s possible, do it! I know how frustrating this can be, but I promise you, it’s the most important step in the process.
Don’t forget about your external links - On the new Point Pleasant site, we included various links that took visitors to other pages on the site or to documents they can download. Make sure to go through each link you have and ensure that it directs the viewer to the proper page. You don’t want visitors to get confused while browsing your site.
Be consistent - If you’ve decided to write “and” as “&," or not use the Oxford Comma or many of the other preferences you might have as a writer, make sure you are consistent with that choice. For example, on the website, we decided to write “&” which meant we had to go through the copy separately to check that “and” wasn’t written anywhere. Consistency is key!
Enlist a second pair of eyes - Let’s face it, you’ve read your content more times than you care to think about. You’re tired. You might be missing things. This is when you call in backup. I recommend having one or two people read it over for you and let you know of any needed edits. It’s beneficial to have others edit your work for various reasons. One of the biggest is they can let you know if your message is being properly conveyed. Check out this article for other reasons why another pair of eyes is a good idea.
By following these tips, I felt fully confident in showing the website to attendees at the Brand Launch event. Since I’d reviewed it often, I knew the features and how to discuss them properly. By having this confidence and knowledge, it felt like a conversation with each person - not a presentation.
My name is Chelsea Harper. I am the Digital Media Director for BrandJRNY’s Point Pleasant project. My posts (and life) generally revolve around my 100-pound dog, Olive. Follow me to see our journey and unreasonable amounts of dog pics. --- @chelseaharperrr