Everyone has different standards, but everyone should understand your business website content as easily as possible. Following grammar rules standardizes language enough to communicate effectively. By understanding the rules, you know how to effectively communicate your message and help users understand why your business can help them.
A lot of guides exist to answer questions like “how many times do I need to have a keyword on a web page?” But, few of them go into the basics of grammar.
What are the most common grammar mistakes?
We all have those pet-peeve grammar mistakes we notice everywhere—chances are one of yours is on this list—and a lot more that we’re blind to.
Its versus it’s (and general apostrophe use)
If we had a nickel for every time I’ve seen a professionally made sign or billboard misusing “it’s” or using possessive apostrophes, stuff like “Atomic Bagel’s” or something, we’d probably all be lounging on a beach somewhere instead of writing this blog. BUT HERE WE ARE, so let’s do this.
Do plural nouns need apostrophes?
No. Plural nouns do not need apostrophes.
Possessive nouns versus contractions
Apostrophes belong in possessive nouns and contractions. A possessive noun is straight-forward. “The dog’s bed.”
And before anyone tries to give us sh*t about my definitive answer on whether plural nouns need apostrophes—obviously that changes if it’s a plural POSSESSIVE noun. A plural possessive noun looks like this: “The dogs’ bed.”
Singular proper nouns and possession
Proper nouns use apostrophes to denote possession and chances are if you’ve got more than one grammar nerd on your team, they’ve got different opinions on the right way to denote a possessive proper noun. If the noun ends in an “s,” does it need an “s” after the apostrophe?
Good news, nerds—you’re all correct! As long as you maintain consistency in your writing, both forms are correct. “James’ pot pie.” “James’s pot pie.”
Incomplete comparisons
Incomplete comparisons are pretty straightforward and common in advertisements. You’ve probably come across something like “Are you ready for a skin treatment that’s just better?” Just better than…?
If you’re using comparative language, make sure you’re able to finish that comparison with something concrete: “Are you ready for a skin treatment that’s just better than anything you can do at home?”
Passive voice
Active voice is nearly always more clear, more concise, and more engaging. You absolutely will find times, though, when passive voice makes more sense for your writing. Good copy contains a mixture of passive and active voice.
How to spot passive voice in your writing
You find passive voice around versions of the verb “to be.” So, look for “Is, are, was, were, has been.” Passive voice is often indicated by the appearance of “by the.”
To style that in a more active fashion, it’d say “The appearance of ‘by the’ often indicates passive voice.” So as you can see, once you train yourself to spot passive voice, you can switch it to active voice pretty easily. And if making a sentence active makes it wonky? Switch it back.
Does grammar matter in web content?
When you write content for your business website, you want the reader to believe you know what you’re talking about. Whether your topic is foundation repair or warehouse sorting systems, your readers are more likely to trust well-presented, clear examples of your advanced knowledge.
Grammar helps people understand what you do and instills confidence in your abilities to do it. You gain domain authority by having quality content showing anyone who reads it you’re capable and educated on the given topic.
Not to mention the fact that grammar can impact page rank. Google’s John Mueller at one point stated Google doesn’t actively penalize websites for bad spelling or grammar, but he added that all the top-ranked websites had error-free content. And although it’s easy to forget sometimes, Google isn’t the only search engine people use. Bing, for example, does look at the grammar and spelling of websites.
It all comes down to user experience and how that impacts your rankings. Google’s algorithms don’t measure your comma usage, but they can detect when users have a bad experience and no one is likely to linger on a website that’s riddled with spelling and grammar errors.
Want help producing the best web content for your site?
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At Lifted Logic, we love to help our clients feel more confident and informed in their digital decision-making.
Lifted Logic
Lifted Logic is a team of creative writers, designers, developers, and photographers who specialize in digital storytelling. As a leading web design company in Kansas City, Lifted Logic works with hundreds of small, medium, and large businesses across the country every year.
