One of the problems with online communication is the inability to create emphasis in the text we type. This problem is particularly present in blog comments and social media. In the past, I’ve discussed how we should use bold and italics to create emphasis in the words we write. That’s easy enough to do in… Continue reading How to use bold and italics on social media
Author: Kim Siever
I am a copywriter and copyeditor. I blog on writing and social media tips mostly, but I sometimes throw in my thoughts about running a small business.
Follow me on Twitter at @hotpepper.
Stop using capital letters for emphasis
From time to time, I come across people using capitalization to emphasize words. This is wrong. Let me show you why. Consider this sentence:
Do you capitalize “husband”?
Earlier this week, someone ended up on my website searching for the phrase “Do you capitalize husband”. Although that’s not a frequent search phrase used by my website visitors, I thought it would make a good topic for this week’s blog post.
We need to proofread before we post
A few months ago, I wrote an article about how correcting others’ grammar online is classist. On the opposite end of the argument is the idea that we shouldn’t worry about how we write at all. I engage with a lot of people online: Facebook, Twitter, comment sections, and more. Seriously. A lot. Something I… Continue reading We need to proofread before we post
2 reasons why I avoid keyword stuffing when writing for the web
Last week, a potential client phoned me about writing some content for the website. They had been concerned that they hadn’t been receiving the traffic they wanted, so their website person told them that they probably needed new content optimized for keywords. I told them to email me the details, and that I’d take a… Continue reading 2 reasons why I avoid keyword stuffing when writing for the web
Social media cheat sheet [infographic]
The people over at Website Builder recently created the following infographic that tells you everything you need to know about marketing on the main social media sites.
4 tips to use social listening while live tweeting
Decades ago, when you wanted to share a bit of hot news, your only option was to phone someone. Social media, such as Twitter, and smart devices have changed all that — and it’s not just individuals who can quickly connect with others. Companies, too, can share of-the-moment news and insights at events. Done well, it’s… Continue reading 4 tips to use social listening while live tweeting
10 examples of words to use instead of very
I’ve talked before about trying to avoid using very and really in your writing. There is no good reason to use them as modifiers when you can just use a more descriptive word. Here are 10 examples of common very phrases and some alternatives you can use in their place:
You should replace “percent” with % when writing for the web
One thing I see a lot of online, especially in news sources, is the spelling out of percent when indicating a percentage. Here are a few examples:
Curse words: where do they come from?
This post contains curse words, so if that offends you, please note that you’ve been forewarned. Have you ever wondered why some words are curse words but others aren’t? Why is shit considered vulgar, for example, but defecate isn’t? Why is fuck profane, but copulate isn’t. Why can we say derriere in polite company, but not ass? Well, ultimately, it comes… Continue reading Curse words: where do they come from?