You’ve been tasked with composing your clinic’s newsletter or creating unique content for various social media platforms. Although you believe you produce useful communications regarding pet owner-facing issues, your message does not seem to resonate with your clients.
Keyboard crimes (i.e., writing errors) can prevent effective client communications from reaching their full potential by decreasing your credibility, presenting conflicting or incorrect information, or projecting an unprofessional image. To help ensure your clients read and appreciate the important messaging you provide, our Rumpus Writing and Editing team presents five of the most commonly committed keyboard crimes you should always avoid.
#1: Relying exclusively on artificial intelligence for content generation
As science fiction movies often exhibit, properly utilized artificial intelligence (AI) can be an incredible asset to society. However, irresponsible use or dependency transforms this handy tool into a destructive evil force. Avoid AI-associated disasters by using these platforms for inspiration, not creation. Although the thought of completing an email, blog post, or essay in seconds is appealing, using AI-generated content comes with significant risks, including:
- Plagiarism — AI platforms use machine learning to pull from various online resources and craft what you hope is unique copy. However, many AI platforms lift content without permission and fail to attribute ideas or statements to the proper sources.
- Medical errors — Veterinarians have spent decades refuting Dr. Google, so why rely on artificial software to educate and inform your clients?
- Generic tone and compromised credibility — AI-generated content lacks the human perspective’s warmth and complexity, often deterring recipients from reading your copy, while generic messaging negatively affects your brand and credibility.
#2: Failing to proofread your content before publishing
As a busy veterinary professional, writing isn’t the only task on your daily to-do list, and you certainly can’t devote hours to this effort. However, one writing responsibility you must always perform is proofreading.
If you think an incorrectly placed comma or a misspelled word doesn’t matter, consider this: According to LinkedIn, 91% of survey respondents reported that misspellings prompt them to exit a website. Of millennials (i.e., the country’s largest pet-owning population), 85% reported that they were less likely to buy a product if its ads had grammar or spelling errors.
Keep these statistics in mind before you click “post” or “send,” and take a few minutes to review your copy for spelling, punctuation, grammar, readability, and tone. Fact-check all veterinary health information to ensure accuracy and clarity.
#3: Forgetting to include a call to action
Whether your audience is one person or your entire client base, they need a clear call to action (CTA) inviting them to perform an action that creates a positive result for your business. To define your CTA, ask yourself what a specific message’s purpose or goal is. Do you want clients to schedule an appointment, check out your practice blog, or sign up for your newsletter? To craft a clear, direct, and inspiring CTA, keep your goal in mind and consider the following messages:
- Schedule a visit with our team.
- Visit our blog for informative pet health articles.
- Click the link to receive ABC Animal Hospital’s latest information, delivered straight to your inbox!
#4: Writing without an outline
Writing without an outline is like driving without GPS or a map. Whether you reach your intended destination (i.e., deliver a clear and informative message) is a complete gamble. An outline helps you organize your main ideas and supporting points by providing structure and purpose as you create content. Without this guidance, your piece may lack objective or provide conflicting or convoluted information or incomplete ideas.
Unfortunately, outline development can trigger writer’s block, especially for content creators who lack confidence. You can avoid this common trap by keeping in mind that an outline doesn’t have to be extensive or follow a precise formula. Rather, develop a flexible outlook by thinking of an outline as simply the key points or ideas you wish your piece to communicate.
#5: Using long sentences or complex terms to wow your audience
In an attempt to provide detailed information or convey credibility and expertise, aspiring writers often compose long-winded sentences filled with technical words and lengthy clauses. Unfortunately, doing so can confuse or frustrate readers, causing them to lose interest. Rather than obsessing about providing the most detailed or inspiring copy, focus on communicating a clear and direct message. Include only the information the audience needs and avoid using industry jargon when everyday language will do.
No matter how amazing your message, a keyboard crime can damage your content’s efficacy and cause your audience to ignore your marketing or educational goals. If you’re guilty of being a serial keyboard criminal, schedule a consultation with our Rumpus Writing and Editing expert copywriting and editing team. We can transform your content into grammatically law-abiding works of art.
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