Many web site designers work very hard to fully optimise their web presence in terms of the various criteria which need to be taken into account: SEO (link popularity, keyword density, naming conventions, HTML design); choice of domain name(s); server considerations such as downtime, bandwidth, etc. However, what is rarely touched upon in web-based documentation on this subject is the requirement for grammatically correct content.

Many web designers quake at the mere mention of the word 'grammar'. After all, we are technical exponents of a worldwide communication medium, so why should we need to worry about something as old-fashioned as grammar. Well, actually, that is exactly why we need to concern ourselves with it; consider the term 'worldwide communication medium' and think a little about it. What does this mean to you? Well, as far as sales and traffic are concerned, it means you have access to an unparalleled market in terms of size and accessibility. Nice! On, the flip side of this, you must associate this immense global market with the also unparalleled need for clear communication. A huge proportion of your target audience will not be native English speakers. Most of this market subset will have been taught how to write English using formal methods, i.e. proper grammar. Failure to adhere to using correct grammar runs the risk of making a website experience more confusing than enlightening. Have you ever tried to learn a language and then listen to native speakers of that language speak using colloquialisms? Difficult, isn't it. Couple that with poor grammar and you really start losing the thread of the conversation. Similarly, when writing online, it is important to do so unambiguously, writing in the correct tense, using punctuation where necessary to allow sentences to be read as they were intended to be. Non-native English speakers can more often than not be more rigid on their understanding and usage of English grammar than the more fluent native speaker.

Having explained the need for correct grammar and the avoidance of less popular slang/colloquialisms, hopefully it won't be too big a step to see that failure to take this consideration into account may result in disinterested traffic. After all, you are looking for an edge on your competitors, right? Can you afford to lose traffic due to visitors clicking elsewhere because they struggled to fully grasp what you were writing? Trust me, that is exactly what happens. Keep it simple and clear. There is a system in place for making sure the language in our head translates accurately to what we write; it is called 'grammar'. Ignore it and risk losing potential customers.

Another angle to consider when ignoring the quality of your writing is the opinion of the native English speaker. I am not alone in finding poor grammar a cause of consternation. Do you really expect me to respect your authority in a subject if you can't properly construct your content? I am not alone in that opinion. There are many web sites out there that exude amateurism, yet still try to sell online. There are also many ways to identify these sites and hence avoid them; spotting poor grammar is one way to differentiate a novice web site from a professional one. You really can't afford to ignore the effects of grammar. Get it right and most will not notice, however get it wrong and you may lose business. Your competitor knows this, do you?