Why Grammar Matters in Social Media Postings
Society today is increasingly polarized with people on every side of practically any issue looking for ways to tear down others. Business is no different. No matter what industry a business is in, there are competitors eagerly seeking to exploit any signs of weakness. This is only one reason why grammar is taking on new importance when it comes to social media postings.
Social media is the new preferred medium for small businesses to get the message out about special offers, one-time deals, sales, and deep discounts. Some might say it is an ideal tool for sending out these important messages. It’s free to use. Social media messages are valid 24/7. And there are tools, like HootSuite, that make utilizing and managing social media posts easier than ever.
However, the ability to instantly send out messages to thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people, can carry a high price if the message sends a mixed message due to a comma placement error. A common example used to explain the importance of comma placement is this:
“A woman, without her man, is nothing.”
vs.
“A woman, without her, man is nothing.”
The placement of the comma completely changes the meaning of the sentence. Tools like Grammar Check can help you explore common grammatical mistakes in your writing before posting to social media. You might also consider taking advantage of the Grammarly free trial explore the differences between the two and help you decide which one serves your needs best.
For some in business, the real question to consider is this, “Why social media?” In addition to the speed with which businesses can connect to their own audiences and followers, there is always the possibility of the messages they send, for better or for worse, to go viral.
When this happens, the messages businesses share go beyond their normal audience with the potential to reach hundreds of thousands, if not millions more people in the process. When businesses are thrust onto a global stage, it becomes more important than ever to have a social media history full of grammatically correct and professional quality posts, messages, and sentiments.
Words today are rarely spoken in a vacuum. Social media offers the opportunity for all words to reach much larger than intended audiences. Once the message goes live, it is nearly impossible to reset or delete from existence the message that was sent. The instant one person cuts and pastes, shares, or retweets, the message it takes on a life of its own. That is the beauty and the bane of using social media for communication as a small business.
Not only is it necessary to check social media communication for grammar, but also for the content of the message as well. Avoid the temptation to rush messages, check the grammar, and create messages that focus on building your audience while avoiding alienation.