How Important is Your Grammar?

How important is grammar in your blog post or advertising?

The answer is not so simple.

Most advertising copywriters I know save in-depth grammar checks for client presentations and final stages.

This drives everyone nuts, especially art directors.

We don’t just do this because we’re lazy.

We do it because "syntax is no substitute for great communication.

Take that last sentence, for example.

It’s not very good.

Neither was that last sentence.

Or this one.

And this one starts with a preposition (or is it a conjunction?).

Either way, my English teacher would not approve.

But we don’t write ads and blog posts for our high school English teacher.

We write ads for people.

So first and foremost, what matters is whether we’re getting the message across.

Kapish?

Disagree?

Then perhaps you shouldn’t “Think Different” or ask someone if they “Got Milk?”

But on the other hand, mistakes don’t count.

None of this excuses typos (except for the emails on your phone), spelling errors and misplaced punctuation.

You can fix those later.

But letting clients or readers see them should be avoided.

Letting them “go to print” or publishing them should 110% be avoided.

So always have at least two people proofread your copy.

Or always run it through Grammarly.

The conclusion of this post?

Ignore the rules that can be ignored.

Fix the ones that can’t.

And to quote Nutella, don’t forget to “Spread the Happy.”