Article Quality Checklist
Before publishing any form of content, the following 7 items should be checked first:
- Is this content useful?
- Is the information accurate?
- Is the wording influential?
- Is this content effective?
- Is the tone appropriate?
- Is this page free of any errors?
- Is this page complete?
To elaborate, editing 101 is all about checking for spelling and grammar issues. However, there are 5 items that are more important to look at. Useless content is easily identified as having a weak topic (usually identified by a keyword oriented headline) full of filler fluff and jargon.
A quality article will always make a point clearly, accurately, and effectively. Usually this can be done in fewer words, so try to avoid word count quotas whenever it is not necessary for design purposes.
Influential copywriting, for sales pages, is more motivating and less sales-y.
An effective article can’t exist without something to measure it against, hence there should be a goal (that isn’t search engine ranking) for every article you publish. If you’re seeking brand awareness, you can determine whether an article will effectively raise awareness about your brand. The point is that your page is not complete unless it is effective.
Exclusive for articles published on the web:
- Readabilitytakes into consideration that your reader is probably sitting uncomfortably at a desk or is browsing on their smartphone. They have no patience and no time. Simplifying web content does not necessarily mean you have to dumb it all down, but you do have to cater to shorter attention spans.
- Visually appealing content is broken up into shorter sentences and paragraphs, usually with subheaders and lists or call outs to break down important points. The easier it is to scan through (without reading the whole page) and still get the key information, the better.
- Search engine optimization still matters, but it’s almost an afterthought. Don’t write about keywords, but make sure you use the best phrases naturally to attract targeted Google users.
- Human oriented shouldn’t even have to be on this list, but it is. Write for people, mmmmkay?
