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Content editing has a more important place than ever in your content marketing plan.
There is a lot of web content out there, so for content to stand out to readers, it must be at its best.
That’s where a content edit comes in to examine the overall quality of your writing and check critical boxes for structure, style, flow, voice, strength, accuracy, and readability, to name a few.
Content editing, also known as developmental editing in the publishing world, is a comprehensive review of your content to ensure it is logical, valuable, understandable, and poised to make the greatest impact.
Content editing examines everything from the substance, big-picture concepts, and the overall structure and style of content to the individual elements that contribute to strong writing, such as voice, flow, grammar, consistency and readability.
In some cases, a content edit is the first step in reviewing a new piece of content to ensure it meets the expectations of the content brief and is a strong piece of writing that adheres to all brand standards.
In others, content editing may be used to take a piece of writing that isn’t performing well and edit it to be stronger, more compelling content.
Content editing assesses the overall qualities and substance of writing, considering the content from a broader lens.
Copy editing, by contrast, gets into the more technical, surface-level, line-by-line details of writing, such as word usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
That isn’t to say that one type of editing is excluded from doing other checks.
Some content editors may also copy edit and some copy editors may also content edit. For instance, a copy editor may notice issues with structure or readability, and a content editor may note errors in punctuation or word choice.
Essentially, depending on the size of your content marketing team, content and copy editing may happen at different stages of the review process or at the same time.
Whether you hire a content editor or develop a content editing process for yourself, the aim of this crucial step involves investigating the overall qualities of the piece.
Content editing looks at several aspects of a piece of writing:
Does the piece do what it intends to? For instance, if the piece is a blog article about how to use new software, will a reader learn how to use that software by reading this article?
In content marketing, SEO is typically a top consideration when editing a piece of content. So, at this stage, the editor may review how well an article aligns with search intent as well.
Is the copy easy to read and accessible to the target audience? Does it use language that is easy to follow, and are the sentences and paragraphs easy to consume? The writing should also be clear and concise. Fluffy language obscures readability.
At this point in the editorial process, an editor may incorporate a readability checker into the process to measure readability scores.
Is the content organized in a logical way that is easy to follow? During the content edit, walk through the steps you give a reader and see if they make sense. Does the overall structure make sense, or would some rearranging make the message clearer for your audience?
The content should consistently follow brand voice guidelines. Your brand voice reflects the distinct personality of your business, and all content created needs to capture its tone.
Along with organization and logic, a content edit involves checking for good flow. Good organization contributes to flow, but the rhythm and flow of words and sentences do the rest.
The content editor checks for a smooth flow that makes ideas easy to follow. For instance, the editor may suggest some rearranging, better transitions, or altering the length of sentences.
How well do the ideas in the content come through? Are they clear, or could they use a little tweaking to make them shine? Copy editors may suggest rewording to help some ideas come through more clearly.
Giving comprehensive information is much different than keyword stuffing or adding fluff for length. A content editor will determine how well a piece covers the intended topic and answers the necessary questions. Some areas might need more conciseness, but others may need more expansion to give the reader the best, most comprehensive information.
Does the content offer a fresh perspective? Is the writing engaging and up to professional standards? During the content edit, the overall strength and strategy of the writing will be assessed, and suggestions will be given to make it as powerful as possible.
In the context of content marketing, this is where aspects like whether the content is people-first or follows Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines are typically considered.
Content editors tend to notice other aspects of writing, too.
A content edit may include checking for SEO, fact-checking, source or citation review, target audience alignment, and a review of whether the piece aligns with the overall content strategy.
At this point, an AI checker may also be used to see if AI tools have been used, depending on the AI writing contract guidelines and content brief.
While a content edit may not always include line-by-line edits for grammar and punctuation, if those things distract from the overall success of a piece of writing, they will be noted.
As a content marketer, you can’t afford for your content to be anything but its best. There is a lot of competition for views, engagement, leads, and conversions. To attract, retain and engage prospective customers, you need high-quality content that is fine-tuned to reach your target audience.
Content editing is the first step in taking that content your team worked hard to create and giving it a careful lookover to ensure you bring out the best from it.
In addition, with AI content on the rise, content editing is crucial for your customers, your brand image, and search engine optimization (SEO) to ensure you are publishing original content that stands out.
If you are hiring a content editor or have a content editor on your team who reviews your work, the best tip you can follow is: Don’t take content edits personally.
The editor is there to help make your words live their best lives and communicate their message clearly to help drive the success of your brand.
Work collaboratively with your editor and develop a positive working relationship so you can learn from the process and create fantastic content together.
If you are self-editing your content, take a step away before you attempt to look at your writing through a different lens. Read something else. Take a walk. Listen to music. When you do dig into the content edit, try reading aloud to give yourself a little distance from the writing and hear your words as a reader.
Content editing is overall an important part of the content marketing process that makes sure a piece is at the highest standards before publication.
Depending on your content marketing team, content editing may also include aspects such as copy editing and checking for grammar, SEO optimization, and aligning a piece with brand voice.
Streamline your editing process today with Originality.ai’s best-in-class suite of tools including a Grammar Checker, AI Checker, and Plagiarism Checker.
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