Guest post by Matt Banner
Today’s digital age has brought back the craft of writing, but at a cost. With the rising popularity of hashtags, tweets, emoticons, and shorthand phrases like the ever-present “LOL,” it seems like good grammar has gone out the window. At the end of the day, does grammar still matter in this digital age?
For the foreseeable future, the answer is yes. While you can’t take ten steps on the Internet these days without running into a typo-ridden blog post or a social media post that looks like Freddy Krueger took his clawed hands to the language, there’s still a place for those who hold grammar in high regard.
6 Reasons Every Writer Should Adhere to Proper Grammar
Let’s take a look at six compelling reasons for using proper grammar, despite the rising tide of haphazard content flooding the Internet. No perfect blog post is complete without a healthy dose of pristine writing, so keep these reasons in mind.
1 Credibility and Reputation
We all seek to create an online persona that is respected by the community. To find success in that endeavor, we must build a reputation for accuracy and credibility. Unfortunately, poor grammar and spelling errors are not trademarks of a credible writer.
These types of issues reflect ignorance and carelessness and suggest the writer didn’t truly care about the quality of the post. In short, mistakes reflect poorly on your brand. If you want the respect and adoration of your readers, provide them with high-quality and polished content free of grammatical errors.
2 Maintain Professionalism
Nowhere in the list of grammar rules is there one that prohibits having fun with your writing. That being said, lazy writing and sloppy grammar are detrimental to any sense of professionalism you’re seeking to establish.
It doesn’t matter if your content is being read by your mother or by a corporate CEO—it should always be professional and well written.
3 Respect For Your Readers
At the end of the day, quality grammar is a sign of respect. It allows your writing to clearly and concisely deliver your message. Without it, you’re not respecting the time or the intelligence of your readers. Besides, if you’re sending it to someone who intends to publish it, your errors will simply slow down the process.
4 Clear Understanding
Proper grammar ensures that your message is delivered properly to the reader. A host of typos and grammatical errors will do nothing but cloud the ultimate purpose of your writing.
5 Convenience for Everyone Involved
Great content will inspire people to share it. If you neglect proper grammar, many people will be less inclined to share what you have to offer. They will feel embarrassed to share it because it might reflect poorly on their own reputation.
People will be more inclined to share your content if it’s well written and free of errors.
6 Long-Term Posterity
Unless you take it down yourself, your writing can theoretically appear anywhere on the Internet. Once published, it will stay there for all to see. Do you want people to remember your post for its excellent content, or should they use it as a warning to those who dare to ignore the power of grammar?
Final Thoughts
While it may seem like the English language is slowly devolving, there are still plenty of people who cherish the time and effort spent on a well-crafted article or post. Grammar may not be as popular as Twitter, but it still deserves a place in the digital age. How do you keep good grammar alive? Let us know in the comments below!
