New survey highlights importance of immaculate content

Graeme Parton +

Almost two thirds of Brits would avoid using a company after seeing spelling or grammatical mistakes on its website or marketing materials, according to a new study.

A further 82 per cent said that poorly translated text would have the same effect.

The research, which was carried out by professional transcription and translation firm Global Lingo, saw just over 1,000 adults in the UK questioned on their internet browsing and purchasing habits.

Respondents were asked if they tended to notice mistakes in the text on company websites, with 74 per cent saying ‘yes’. The researchers then asked whether spelling errors or grammatical mistakes would affect their decision to buy products from a site – 59 per cent said they would. Most of these said their trust in the firm in question would be damaged, while others would begin to view the company as ‘unprofessional’.

Global Lingo’s director of marketing and technology, Richard Michie, said the results show the importance businesses should be placing on making the most of their opportunities online.

He explained how companies have little time to present themselves to potential customers and that spelling errors, however minor, should definitely be avoided.

He added:

“Competition is tough, and if you don’t take the care to present yourself in as professional a light as possible, you may well be losing yourself important business.”

The survey’s respondents were also asked whether they had ever visited a website which had been poorly translated into English from another language. Almost a third (31 per cent) said they had found themselves in this situation, with only four per cent admitting that they had continued using the site.

No doubt Global Lingo’s research will act as a stark warning for many business owners in the UK. A large number of the country’s firms turn to professional content providers to avoid the embarrassment caused by basic errors.