What is copy editing?
Not to be confused with proofreading, copy editing is the process by which an editor reviews a piece of content for grammar, punctuation, and spelling, as well as brand voice, tone, and overall story flow.
Depending on the publication, multiple style guides may also be in place — slightly differing in voice and tone from content platform to content platform — and a copy editor ensures that the style of the piece remains consistent with the established brand guidelines.
Why is copy editing so important?
First and foremost, copy editing is important because, well, the internet never forgets. One little editing faux pas and you could be your target audience’s favorite joke — and not in a good way — for months or years to come. While mistakes can and do happen, you can guard yourself from the ire of the internet by utilizing a copy editor for your content.
Secondly, brand trust and loyalty are built with your audience over time. But they are both fragile, and it doesn’t take much to erode them. Content that’s littered with typos and bad grammar/punctuation sends the message to your audience that you’re not willing to take the time and/or invest the money to make sure you’re putting your best content foot forward. If that’s how you approach the content you put out into the world, how is your audience supposed to believe you’ve invested time, money, and care into your product or service?
You can’t build trust and loyalty in your brand without consistency. This comes through in your brand voice and tone, which a copy editor ensures stays consistent throughout all the content you publish.
And thirdly, it’s always important to have an objective set of eyes on anything you choose to put out into the world. (We’ll get into that more below.) Just because you, the author, know what you intended when you wrote that piece of content doesn’t mean the average reader will pick up what you were putting down.
What are some tips for copy editing?
You should already have established some editorial and brand guidelines for your content, so you’ll want to be extremely familiar with those before editing anything. Beyond that, here are some helpful best practices when it comes to copy editing:
- Avoid the passive tense. Active tense is exactly what it sounds like — it takes action! You’ll sound confident, and your content will be much easier to read.
- Edit backward. Start with the last sentence and work backward line by line. This is a handy trick for forcing your brain to actually read what’s in front of you rather than scanning (which is the brain’s natural default setting). It makes you far less likely to miss errors.
- Be concise. Short, easy-to-read sentences are far more likely to engage readers and keep them on the page. (It also helps with SEO!)
- Be consistent with stylization. Once again, consistency is key… especially if you’re working with a team of freelancers to generate your content. Your style guide is your friend here.
Why should you hire a copy editor? Can’t you just edit it yourself?
In short, no. Or at least, we strongly advise against it. It is near-impossible to be objective about your own work, and even the most detail-oriented writer is certain to make mistakes from time to time.
Hiring an editor — whether full-time or freelance — means you’re investing in quality assurance. When your content is error-free and polished, it shows a commitment to providing high-quality content to your audience. That establishes your brand’s credibility, helping you stand out.
An editor for hire gives you an objective pair of eyes that ensures your content’s message is landing correctly and accurately. They maintain consistency across all your content channels, aligning your messaging with your brand.
Finally, hiring a freelance editor can be a smart, cost-effective solution to help your business. They add that extra layer of professionalism that ensures revisions are done correctly the first time, ultimately saving you time and money. Who doesn’t want to break free from the exhausting back-and-forth revision loop?
Get Started With a ClearVoice Copy Editor
At ClearVoice, we know how important finding the right freelance editor is to your content’s success. Our content writing solutions include the industry’s best editors for hire to help produce top-tier content every time.
Our Talent Network of over 200,000 vetted freelancers in 200+ industries includes not just content creators but skilled copy editors as well. ClearVoice talent managers manually vet every editor for hire who enters our network, confirming their work, credentials, and viability.
By partnering with ClearVoice, you can fully focus on driving your brand’s success. Ready to get started? Talk to a content specialist today!
