Did you know that your grammar and spelling could be directly linked to your job performance?

We're typing faster and more furiously than ever before, and it's all too easy to slip up. Then, there are those grammar rules that are easy to miss, even when you take your time. "Then" vs "than" is only the tip of the iceberg!

This is why grammar checkers are any business professional's best friend. Are you currently using one you love?

Today, we're sharing how you can find the best grammar checker for your needs, so let's get started!

How Does a Grammar Checker Work?

Chances are, you've used a spell checker since grade school. This is one of the most commonly used proofreading tools, even if 80 percent of Americans consider themselves good spellers.

More recently, spell checkers on word processing software have given rise to auto-correct features on your mobile device. While we may have myriad tools to help us out in this regard, grammar has long mystified the masses.

Online grammar checkers are designed to help alleviate this burden.

These programs work by first examining each sentence in your text. Then, they define individual words to discern their meaning. Finally, they parse them together to ensure that each word makes sense in context.

By doing so, they can recognize hundreds of grammar errors, including:

• Tense agreement
• Number agreement
• Word order
• Passive vs. active voice
• Spelling and punctuation

These are only a few of the ways your grammar checker can improve your writing. Next, we'll share how to find the best one.

How Can I Find the Best Grammar Checker?

One quick internet search will reveal that there are a host of grammar checkers available at your fingertips. To help narrow your options, it helps to consider the functionality you want your tool to have.

Let's take a look at the key features available.

Writing Across the Web

Are you looking for a grammar checker that will only review the documents you create in Microsoft Word? Or, do you want one that will check your writing all across the web, including social media posts, blog entries, emails and more?

If you need a comprehensive writing assistant, look for one that works as an extension to your web browser, such as Grammarly. In addition to the Grammarly Chrome Extension plugin, you can also find a desktop app for Windows and Mac users. It's also available as an iOS and Android app!

Paid vs. Free Tools

Another distinction to make is whether you want a basic, free tool or a more in-depth, paid version.

For writers on a tight budget, most free grammar checkers offer all the resources you need. These will check for spelling, punctuation and grammar all at once, but the errors will be primarily high-level.

Premium, paid versions will take a deeper look at your writing, helping you understand more nuanced mistakes. These will also include insights that explain why these issues need correcting. For example, the Premium version of Grammarly includes checks to ensure:

• Compelling vocabulary
• Engaging sentence variety
• Politeness
• Tone
• Inclusivity
• No plagiarism

If your budget allows, the breadth of features included in a premium version can help both your personal and professional writing shine. However, most casual writers should find that the free version suits their needs.

Language and Linguistic Settings

Does your job require you to change the language in your writing to appeal to a specific audience? For instance, you may write one white paper in American English for your U.S.-based clients, and another in Canadian English for your northern neighbours.

If you frequently switch between languages or require linguistic variations, look for a grammar checker that enables such flexibility.

Grammarly does this, as does another online tool called Ginger. While Ginger allows you to translate your writing into 40 different languages, you'll need to sign up for access to the free Chrome plug-in. Otherwise, the free version is limited to text under 350 characters.

Word Processor Integration

What software do you typically use to compose your writing? From Microsoft Word and Google Docs to WordPress and Gmail, it's likely that you switch between quite a few different platforms.

Look for a grammar checker that is compatible with all of the ones you use. Otherwise, you could be limited in how you access it. For instance, while Grammarly integrates with almost every online platform, Ginger is incompatible with Google Docs.

For some, this might not be a deal-breaker. Still, it helps to know how you'll be able to use the tool before you invest any money in it.

Customization Options

Many online grammar checkers will give users the ability to create custom dashboard views. If you prefer certain font styles, background colors, or toolbar displays, this may be a feature to prioritize.

Research the features of your tool to understand how much customization will be available.

If you prefer a program that will categorize your proposed edits by color, then Hemingway Editor is ideal.

With this program, you simply copy and paste your text into the online editing app, and your results are displayed immediately. It's easy to understand exactly where you need to make changes when passive voice is highlighted in green, complex sentences are in purple, and so on.

Better Grammar, One Check at a Time

Maybe you write professionally, spending hours each day behind a keyboard. Or, your writing might be more personal, limited mostly to emails and blog posts.

Either way, it's important to find the best grammar checker to help your final compositions appear as polished as possible. From basic, free versions to premium alternatives, there is a range of tools to choose from. Take the time to think of the features that are most important to you, and use these answers to guide your decision.

Want to skip the red-dos and instantly improve your online content? Our program makes it easy. To share your project instantly with thousands of professional freelance writers, sign up today!

Does your content keep your audience wanting more? For your audience to stick around, you need to keep them engaged. Regardless of whether you're a large or small business, content creation is critical for the success of your marketing efforts.

While content is critical, content creation is not just about churning out as much content as possible. It's also not only about trying to reach new audiences and gain new customers but about appealing to your current customer base.

Creating custom content is key here. Let's look into how your company can start providing your audience with quality content that will keep them coming back for more.

The Difference Between Custom Content and Content Marketing

Not all content is created equal. While the two terms may seem similar, content marketing and custom content creation are two very different things. They both involve the creation of content like blog posts, white papers, podcasts, and more. While the materials are the same, there are big differences between the messaging of the two.

Content Marketing

Content marketing is outward-facing and is mean to attract new audiences. It involves the creation and publishing of content with the purpose of getting new prospects and ultimately, customers for your business. Content marketing is also used to improve your rankings in the search engines.

Custom Content

Custom content creation is a bespoke method of content that caters to your existing audience with the purpose of building a connection with your existing customers. With this technique, you know who you're creating content for and why, so you're better able to meet your current audience's needs.

Why You Need Custom Content Creation

Implementing custom content creation into your marketing strategy is essential for providing information to your customers that will keep them interested in your brand. The benefits don't just stop at your existing clients. Your current customer base is your biggest advocate, and you can benefit from receiving referrals from happy customers. So while your branded content is targeted toward your existing customers, it plays a part in receiving new clients.

Businesses that use custom content creation will benefit from building brand visibility through various platforms, building brand authority, and creating a community around your brand.

What are the Traits of Effective Custom Content?

While content is one the most effective ways to market your brand, it's important to make your content stand out from the crowd. Some of the leading traits of great custom content include:

Value-Based Content

Ultimately, customers don't care about how great you say your products and services are—they care about how your products and services can alleviate their challenges. So when creating content for your business, you don't want to focus on how great your business is. Instead, it's important to focus on your customer's challenges and show how you can help solve them.

Providing value-based content will help your brand build a community that looks to you as a thought leader and a credible resource.

Shareable Content

Your custom content needs to be shareable to extend its reach (and your success). To ensure your content is shareable, you need to create high-quality content that attracts social shares. To do this, you'll need to identify the topics that your current audience needs. Surveys are helpful in getting this information and will give you the insight you need to cater to your current audience.

Competitive

To create great content, your brand should also stay on top of what your competitors are doing. A competitor analysis will give you the information you need into how your competition is providing content to their audiences, and where.

Check out the social media channels, their blog, and the downloadable content they provide on their website. This will give your brand the insight you need to go above and beyond and exceed your competition.

Purposeful

The content you provide to your audiences should help your company build brand awareness. To help this along, your content should serve a purpose for your customers, such as educating them on the latest industry trends and news in their niche. This will keep them engaged and will improve your chances of getting referrals.

How to Create Effective Content for Your Business

To create high-quality content for your business, there are some steps to follow for success:

Identify Buyer Personas

Your buyer personas serve as a representation of your ideal audience. Creating buyer personas is the first step in creating great content because it will give you insight into what kind of messaging will resonate with each of your target audiences.

To identify buyer personas, you'll need to look into your existing customer challenges, demographics, and buying behavior. You'll also need to know which social media channels they frequent so you can focus your social media efforts in those areas.

Use Keyword Optimization

It's not only important to create content; you'll also need to create content with the right keywords. This will expand the reach of your content and help you build brand awareness. Look for keywords that your target audience is searching for on Google and long-tail keywords that have high search volume and are less competitive.

Create Compelling Content

After you've got the data you need from your buyer personas and keyword research, it's time to put that into action and create content that resonates. This information will give you the foundation you need to create content that will help you connect with your existing audience.

Success with Custom Content

Remember, quality over quantity. Custom content creation will help your business stand out amongst your competitors, and it will provide your audience with the value-based content they need.

You don't have to do this alone. Register with us today and see how we can provide you with compelling custom content for your business.