Web designers with poor copy

[goodintentions]

Not sure if a lot of people reading this forum are designers but if you are then sort out your copy.

Been looking at a lot of website design company sites recently and noticed a few with really bad spelling or wrong words (e.g. there instead of their). Some have more sentences wrong than right!

I know design and language are separate issues but when I am looking for someone to design something for me I would expect their own shop window which displays their talents to look good.

If i got two companies quoting similar prices and one has errors littered all over their own site I would pick the other one purely on the fact they appear more professional and I would assume would be better in a lot of aspects such as hitting deadlines and attention to detail.

Bit of a rant but if you do have a design website with language errors on it then sort it as it puts off potential clients. I'm sure I am not the only potential customer that can make decisions based on something like this and potentially all it needs is for you to get a friend(s) to proof read for you.

oh and I have no problem with bad english in forums it is just something I have found that puts me off some company websites.

 

[tony79]

Not all of us have poor grammar

 

[mattsaw]

To be fair to designers, they're just that - designers. If you want great copy then you need to hire a copywriter.

I've worked with several designers and most expect the clients to provide and proof the copy. If the client expects them to also deal with copy then they simply outsource it to a copywriter and add their % on top.

 

[paretowasright]

So starting sentences with 'Been' and 'oh' is good then?

 

[Dawg]

He is being fair to designers.

He is saying that they should take the trouble to make sure their own websites, their shop windows, are not cluttered with mistakes. Nowhere did he say that he expects them to be able to write copy, proof copy, only to be sure that the copy in their owns sites reflects a professional approach and attention to detail.

By saying designers are "designers" and professional methods of presentation don't apply you are basically saying that they are mental and business crips, and can be excused from commercial life. If you are running a business you should present it well. If you don't the business will suffer, whether it is design, law, plumbing or the selling of snake oil.

 

[ORDERED WEB]

Not sure if a lot of people reading this forum are designers but if you are then sort out your copy.

Been looking at a lot of website design company sites recently and noticed a few with really bad spelling or wrong words (e.g. there instead of their). Some have more sentences wrong than right!

I know design and language are separate issues but when I am looking for someone to design something for me I would expect their own shop window which displays their talents to look good.

If i got two companies quoting similar prices and one has errors littered all over their own site I would pick the other one purely on the fact they appear more professional and I would assume would be better in a lot of aspects such as hitting deadlines and attention to detail.

Bit of a rant but if you do have a design website with language errors on it then sort it as it puts off potential clients. I'm sure I am not the only potential customer that can make decisions based on something like this and potentially all it needs is for you to get a friend(s) to proof read for you.

oh and I have no problem with bad english in forums it is just something I have found that puts me off some company websites.

To be fair, Mr "I have only 8 posts"... If you are goiing to stand on the mountain and preach, you could at least try and attempt decent grammar

 

[SneakSMS]

To be fair, Mr "I have only 8 posts"... If you are goiing to stand on the mountain and preach, you could at least try and attempt decent grammar

Hardly preaching, and a bit of incorrect grammar on here is unlikely to affect anyone. And I agree that if I was approaching web designers, the quality of their own site would definitely influence me!

By the way, you spelt "going" wrong

And what should only having 8 posts have to do with anything?!

 

[ORDERED WEB]

Hardly preaching, and a bit of incorrect grammar on here is unlikely to affect anyone. And I agree that if I was approaching web designers, the quality of their own site would definitely influence me!

By the way, you spelt "going" wrong

And what should only having 8 posts have to do with anything?!

I am not pretending to be great at grammar. More to the point - If I can spot so many errors - it must be bad

It seems to be a patern here for certain new posters to make a statement out of the blue... The main reason seems to be to spam or pimp something the moment they have the required amount of posts

 

[SneakSMS]

I am not pretending to be great at grammar. More to the point - If I can spot so many errors - it must be bad

So in order to make a point about grammar/spelling, his own must be perfect? I am 100% with Dawg on this one.

It seems to be a patern here for certain new posters to make a statement out of the blue... The main reason seems to be to spam or pimp something the moment they have the required amount of posts

So we should judge all new members in this way? If this is what he's doing, he's doing it subtly. If it was just trying to boost a post count, wouldn't the pointless dragging up of old threads with no new input, or a few empty comments on other's threads be easier?

It's clear he's just voicing an opinion, far from preaching, and in fact, seems quite understanding!

 

[Gill]

selling of snake oil.

Where can I buy this please?

!!!

I agree that your website is your window, you could be the greatest designer ever, however if you describe yourself as the gratest disiner I am not sure I am going to believe you - it is surely how you present yourself and you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

See me for lots more cliches!

As for the amount of postings I think this a little unfair - I have been a member for a while but my postings are erratic, just because I have posted a number of times it doesn't make my opinion any more or less interesting, if you don't like the thread - why reply?

This is hardly likely to encourage more new people to post is it?

I agree with you, odd mistakes and grammatical errors can be forgiven of course but why would you when so many others get it right?

Incidentally I will not eat in a restaurant if the menu contains spelling errors - it is all about standards and attention to detail if the proprietor doesn't care about this he might not care about how the food is sourced, prepared etc, etc.......

Off we go.................

 

[Dawg]

It seems that some designers ate the chips off only the one shoulder at lunch today.
The OP was a valid and useful post.

 

[Dawg]

Where can I buy this please?

Re your Snake Oil enquiry.

I can provide a limited amount of second hand Snake Oil, which unfortunately is not biodegradable, and has a high carbon footprint, being as it consists largely of methane gas leaked from the spurious claims of Search Engine Geriatrics, High Street Smudgers and Crayon Users.

HTH

 

[edmondscommerce]

i wouldnt worry about the designers site

a lot of busy business might have a basic site of their own.

the real issue is how good are their clients sites - that is the basis you should be judging on

a really great designer might simply not have the time to polish their own site

 

[goodintentions]

To be fair, Mr "I have only 8 posts"... If you are goiing to stand on the mountain and preach, you could at least try and attempt decent grammar

slight irony that you highlight the bit regarding not caring about english in forums - mentioned because I kind of expected a response such as yours.

A forum is not a shop window where I am trying to get someone to part with their money in a field where lots of people provide a similar service.

The point was not to attack but to explain as someone who has researched designers from a customer point of view that this is something I have come across lots and it is an instant deal breaker for me when there are thousands of other designers to choose from.

I am not preaching in any way. Just observing something that might help some people attract a couple more customers.

You can attack my language all you want, rack up a post count and award yourself a medal - all I am saying is from a customer point of view it does not look good and it doesn't.

I have a dream that despite the abuse i get for making this stand, if just one website gets 1 customer because of it then it will all be worth it

 

[goodintentions]

I am not pretending to be great at grammar. More to the point - If I can spot so many errors - it must be bad

It seems to be a patern here for certain new posters to make a statement out of the blue... The main reason seems to be to spam or pimp something the moment they have the required amount of posts

To be fair to me I have nothing to spam or pimp at present on here I just thought it was a business forum.

The reason the statement is out the blue is I have been looking at design websites for a week and it is something I noticed and thought might be useful from a business context.

To be fair to you I think in another thread I had a query in which you sent me a link to your site which had a good article on it regarding things to think about before setting up an e-commerce site. However I do think your attack of me in this instance is totally unjustified and unnecessary.

 

[ORDERED WEB]

To be fair to me I have nothing to spam or pimp at present on here I just thought it was a business forum.

The reason the statement is out the blue is I have been looking at design websites for a week and it is something I noticed and thought might be useful from a business context.

To be fair to you I think in another thread I had a query in which you sent me a link to your site which had a good article on it regarding things to think about before setting up an e-commerce site. However I do think your attack of me in this instance is totally unjustified and unnecessary.

Pours everyone a cold one

 

[Gill]

Oh good, we are all friends again.

Life is too short.

 

[goodintentions]

ok good stuff can crack on with my yorkshire puds - and no i am not trying to sell them.

 

[Medden Website Design]

I have to admit I am not proud of my site at all. I have been redesigning mine for 4 months - but havent had time to finish it. Too busy with clients work...lol

But I think you make a fair point. (Off she runs at nearly midnight to work on hers again!!!)

Clare
xx

 

I have to admit I am not proud of my site at all. I have been redesigning mine for 4 months - but havent had time to finish it. Too busy with clients work...lol

But I think you make a fair point. (Off she runs at nearly midnight to work on hers again!!!)

Clare
xx

I like your site Clare, its clean and friendly and not overly complex, it makes me think that its an approachable company and doesn't do the overpowering in your face hard sell that some designers sites do...some may think thats a bad thing, but I suspect that in the main you prefer to attract the customer who may be somewhat intimidated by all the fuss and pallaver introduced on other sites and who just wants to feel that they've found someone they can talk to about their idea....so I should not stress

And yes I agree a myriad of misspellings is off putting, it does happen with busy sites and busy people though, we just have to try to eliminate it. It wouldn't entirely make me dismiss a web designer afterall I do want them for their design prowess not their literary capabilities, but it may make me check the site more thoroughly for any signs of things not adding up so by virtue of that it does engender mistrust.

 

[Medden Website Design]

Thanks for your kind words Boho.... I do seem to attract the start ups or small businesses which is great for me as they are great to work with.

Still going off to finish mine - honest.....lol

 

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[cmcp]

OP has a point.