The Call to Social Proofing

People all over the world are flocking to social networking sites. The web has become one of the hottest mediums for marketing. Businesses are now switching their advertising efforts from TV, radio, and newspapers to Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. While this opens the door for many people to be productive in the privacy and comfort of their own homes, another unwelcomed door is being forced open as well. Documents not only have to pass through a spelling and grammar check, but now they must be socially proofed. This refers to the correction of errors that come from typing as if on the web socially networking. At times, an overuse of acronyms, cut-off words, and abbreviations will creep onto some of my more important writings. Initially, I’m usually embarrassed, but when I consider the hours and days browsing other’s (even writer’s) pages, I see that I’m not alone. It appears the social bug has bitten even some of us wordsmiths. Perhaps someone will pitch an effective proposal to Microsoft to have them implement a social check which replaces “u” with you, “ur” with you are, “gonna” with going to, and just eliminates “LOL” altogether.

At Rasilliant Enterprises our goal goes beyond just your editorial needs, but we seek to help potential writers to hone in on an effective style and voice. One way to tarnish editorial credibility is for your document to host a bunch of avoidable grammar mistakes. Yes, this is an era of heightened social interaction, but let’s not allow the web to destroy the rudiments of correct grammar and style. I’m getting to the point where I toil over every nook and cranny of my Facebook statuses. That’s only because I’m committed to being consistent in style. One thing is for sure—I’ve developed a small audience. The last thing I want to do is ruin my rapport with my audience by dulling down my editorial voice to socially mingle. Twitter is an additional challenge as well. On top of being grammatically correct, you’ve also got to be concise. One Hundred and Forty characters leaves little margin for error and permits an immediate opinion on the presentation of style, grammar, and spelling skills. Tweet with caution, folks! Of course we all love the benefits of these great resources, but remember we’re still professionals who must never negate the importance of making a lasting first impression.