\nIf you’re not sure when you should hire a copy editor for your content versus trying to rework it yourself, our answer is always: it depends on a lot of factors. You should ask yourself if you can produce error-free writing on your own, for instance. Or if you have the time, energy, and know-how to go through all of your content systematically.<\/p>\n

In short, if you’re not a copy editor, you just might need one. Below are some of the situations we see most often when people need a copy editor.<\/p>\n

Situation 1: When Dealing With a Document That Needs to Be Error-Free<\/h3>\n

When proofreading your resume for a much sought-after job, you probably ask people you know to look it over for you. The same should logic should apply to your business or non-profit, however. Writing is often the first thing consumers see when they encounter our organizations. You don’t want customers, donors, or volunteers to find a typo or awkward sentence in the first thing they see.<\/p>\n

And unless you employ a professional editor, there are likely to be errors (with spacing, font size consistency, parallelism, etc.) that you may miss. There are also errors that even software like Grammarly,<\/a> which we both use and recommend, won’t always catch. These include issues of style, such as when a sentence effectively conveys meaning and when it doesn’t. Professional editors recognize the diverse style of different types of writing and can edit accordingly. Having the feedback of a well-trained editor can mean the difference between impressing consumers or alienating them.<\/p>\n

Some documents you might want to hire a copy editor for include:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
• Resumes<\/li>\n
• Posters<\/li>\n
• Flyers<\/li>\n
• Brochures<\/li>\n
• Print newsletters<\/li>\n
• Business plans<\/li>\n
• Grant proposals<\/li>\n
• Technical documents<\/li>\n
• Employee manuals<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  Situation 2: When You’re Using Any Kind of Advertising (Digital or Traditional)<\/h3>\n

  Even though you may not think of yourself as a writer and your organization may not offer writing as a service, consumers expect the content in your advertising to be error-free. Whether you’re running a Google ad or paying for a radio spot, your advertising is selling what your organization has to offer. Error-free advertising content shows that you care about details.<\/p>\n

  If you have unintentional spelling or grammar errors in your advertisements, on the other hand, you may turn off consumers that you could have landed otherwise. Advertising also often intentionally breaks grammar rules in specific ways that only those who work in the industry may realize. It’s a fine line between using an incomplete sentence because it’s catchy and using one because you didn’t realize it was an incomplete sentence, in other words. If you’re spending money to deliver your advertising message to a broad audience, you want to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward.<\/p>\n

  Some types of advertising you might want to hire a copy editor for include:<\/strong><\/p>\n

  \n
  • Facebook ads<\/li>\n
  • Google ads<\/li>\n
  • Radio ads<\/li>\n
  • TV ads<\/li>\n
  • Newspaper ads<\/li>\n
  • Other types of digital ads such as Yelp or Yellow Pages ads<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Not sure which type of advertising you need? Check out this article on the differences between traditional and digital marketing:<\/p>\n

    Traditional Marketing vs Digital Marketing: 3 Things To Consider<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n