If you’ve ever written a university paper, you know that there are specific ways to structure your information and cite your sources. Once people are out in the working world, however, the use of style guides seems to drop off (unless, of course, your employer has an established internal style guide). A lack of reference material for those who are producing documents for a business can lead to inconsistencies, making communications look unprofessional or disjointed. What is a style guide? Style guides provide standards for things like punctuation usage, abbreviations, and formatting. They are useful not only for maintaining consistency between documents, but also maintaining consistency throughout a single (perhaps lengthy) document. What kinds of style guides are there? There are a number of style guides to choose from, and which one you select will likely depend on what types of documents you are producing and the makeup of your audience. Popular style guides include:
How do I know what kind of style guide I need? Normally, it makes sense to choose a style guide or two and then adapt the information to suit your needs (by selecting standards that apply to your field and communication goals). You can then add your own style standards that have been agreed upon by those involved in your company’s communications activities. Some things to think about include:
How can I make a customized style guide? Once you have selected a base style guide, you can begin to adapt it and add your own standards. It is useful to record set standards in a document that can be shared with anyone in your company who is producing communications material (emails, reports, marketing material, presentations, etc.). Just be sure to update the document and distribute the updated version any time a standard changes or needs to be removed. Some basic standards to include in your style guide are:
What if I’m completely confused? Language use, despite what some guides and language purists will tell you, is an ever-evolving and often subjective process, and what one group decides works for them could seem completely unnecessary in the eyes of another group. The best way to go about choosing a style guide is simply to review a variety of guides, pick one you feel comfortable with and that makes sense for the type of writing you're doing, and use the guide's standards (along with some of your own) consistently. You can also look for guidance from a friendly editor! Do you use a style guide where you work? Is it something you think could help your company, if you’re not already using one? What are your go-to guides and why? I’d love to hear about your experiences, so please feel free to comment below! More information on style guides:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_style_guides
http://nectafy.com/written-style-guide/ http://www.intelligentediting.com//resources/writing-a-style-guide-what-you-need-to-know/ http://marketeer.kapost.com/best-content-marketing-style-guides/ https://gathercontent.com/blog/how-to-make-a-style-guide-that-people-will-actually-use When you’re scrolling through your Facebook News Feed, how long does it take you to find a grammatically incorrect post or one so riddled with typos it’s hard to take the message seriously? When you’re reading the latest tweets from those you’re following on Twitter, does it look like those who are tweeting reviewed what they wrote before putting it out there for everyone to see? Social media has made it seem completely acceptable to use language as loosely as possible, and in some ways this is OK. Sharing information with friends and family on a purely personal level on social media is kind of like having a conversation with them in person. You probably don’t need to worry too much about carefully selecting words and eliminating any mistakes from your banter. Presenting Your Company’s Best Image However, if you’re tweeting and posting on behalf of your own business or the company for which you work, being conscious of the quality of the writing you add to social media can be important for the company’s brand. Businesses using social media as part of their marketing strategy should treat social media messages similarly to those they distribute via traditional marketing channels. They should be crafted with care and with the company’s brand in mind. Bad grammar, typos, and poorly communicated messages can damage brand image by making key messages seem untrustworthy, sloppy, and unprofessional. Potential customers can be turned off by messaging that reflects a company that doesn’t seem to care much about how they present themselves. And that might lead to the perception that the company perhaps doesn’t care much about the work they do either. Catching Mistakes Before They’re Posted Some ways to ensure the social media messaging put out by your company is making the right impression include:
Do you ever find yourself doubting a company’s credibility or professionalism when you come across bad grammar or typos in their social media messaging? Please share your stories and opinions in the comments section below! Where to read more on grammar and social media: http://themediahaus.ca/the-negative-effects-bad-grammar-social-media/
http://www.networkcomputing.com/networking/11-most-common-grammar-gaffes-social-media/1884709025 http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/07/15/is-bad-grammar-killing-your-brand/ http://www.likeable.com/blog/2014/04/6-grammar-mistakes-youre-making-on-social-media |
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