Do you grammar-snob out over mistakes you find in other people’s websites? I did in 2004. But now I don’t. (Should I add a comma after “now”?)
Now, as a blogger, I routinely circle back to posts I have already published, find errors, and fix them. Crazy, right?
In fact, I plan to do that right after I publish this and have a little late lunch.
You Can’t be a Solopreneur AND a Grammar Snob.
If you hail from corporate creative, which I did, you might look down on the fact that people sometimes publish blog posts with errors in them.
But I’ll be honest. Many practices from my corporate job that were drilled into my work habits, like being meticulous about typos, had to be let go of after I jumped into the online business scene.
I remember when I first started coming across other people who had online businesses. These were other copywriters like me. Designers. Virtual assistants and coaches. Now they were pitching their services, or selling digital products. Selling via email. Wild stuff.
Thinking Less of Others’ Typos as the Grammar Snob I Was
Sometimes I would dig into some juicy blog reading from them, find a typo and think poorly of those folks. (Shakes head at self.)
But within a few years of being out here on the wild world web, I came to the realization that the “analysis paralysis” of proofreading perfection was stopping me from taking action and making money.
That’s because when you’re kicking it solo without a safety net, you can’t afford to stay stuck for too long in the tiny details.
Completing the income-generating action counts more for you than attending to the little tiny, picky things that delay your launch, promo or whatever you’re running.
You made a mistake. Someone told you about it, and now you have a new friend. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need in online business.
Grammar Snobs Can Always Go Back and Fix It Later
With websites especially, most people don’t realize how dynamic they are. This is a totally different mindset than print advertising because you have the power to change what you already put out there. You can even delete it! That’s amazing.
Get in the habit of logging into your website or blog. Go back and fine-tooth comb posts that you released last week which are already ranking on search engines.
It’s definitely much more important to publish that content and get the search engine love, than it is to make sure you set everything up perfectly with not a single error.
Because if you don’t release the content, no one will see it.
And if you do release the content with mistakes, maybe a few people will see them but most won’t.
But they will get the message, and that is the most important part.
Even SEO-Obsessed Peeps Can Circle Back to Supercharge Old Posts
Did you know that you can even go back and fix the SEO months or even years after you publish an article on your blog?
Yup! If you skipped the SEO on your blog post because you were in a hurry, and you didn’t slip the keywords into those key spots, you can just backtrack on the project. Log in and make your SEO improvements.
Hit re-publish, and in a couple of weeks some good targeted traffic could be flowing your way.
Break Free of Proofreading Perfectionism if You Want to Prosper in Online Business
If you’re corporate but the tides recently shifted for you, open your mind to new habits and attitudes.
A lot of us out here have been doing okay these past few years just working on our own. Join us!
The very best way to establish an identity for yourself online as a freelancer is to get a website. Build it, and start posting!
That website will be the basis for your transformation that’s coming soon, if you choose to accept the challenge.
That was a hard lesson I learned because of my corporate mental blocks: don’t sweat the small stuff in small business.
I wish you much success in this changing professional landscape.
Dina Gio has been writing ever since she could hold a pen. Bring her in for copywriting support. Because teams work better together when you need to catch those typos.