The devil IS still in the detail, as our new Accuracy Matters survey finds written errors can cost brands customers, cash and their reputation.

The way we communicate is changing.

As consumers spend more time on video-dominated social platforms like TikTok and Instagram, one could be forgiven for thinking that the written word has had its day. Not so. In fact new research has revealed that correct spelling and grammar still matters deeply to consumers, according to the results of a survey conducted by Accuracy Matters.

The survey, carried out by Opinium in June 2022, found that:

• more than two-thirds of UK adults (68%) said they’d be less likely to purchase from a brand if it had grammatical or spelling mistakes in its brand messaging
• almost three-quarters of UK adults (73%) said their perceptions of a brand would worsen if they noticed grammatical or spelling mistakes in brand messaging

These results are conclusive: not only do the vast majority of UK adults think less of a brand which makes mistakes, but more than two-thirds of adults said they would be less likely to spend money with that brand.

Director at Accuracy Matters Rachel Nixon explains: ‘After 10 years in business we know from clients that errors can cost them dear. But within the context of our fast-changing communications landscape, we wanted to make sure that our pillars of editorial integrity – accuracy and clarity – were still important to consumers.

‘It turns out that accuracy doesn’t just matter, it also pays! If you want your customers to understand, engage or take action, you can’t afford to make errors.

‘In a world of seemingly infinite video and audio content, being able to speak to your audience clearly using correct grammar and spelling gives your brand an edge, and actually becomes a brilliant way of standing out.’

Survey highlights

• 71% of UK adults over 55 said mistakes would negatively impact their purchasing; this dropped to 65% of 18–34s.
• Females are more put off by mistakes: 71% of women said they’d be less likely to purchase from a brand if they saw mistakes in messaging; 65% of men agreed.
• More than three-quarters (77%) of over-55s said they’d think less of a brand which made mistakes. The 18–34 cohort were least likely to report worsening perception, with two-thirds (66%) agreeing, and 10% reporting that their perceptions would in fact improve.

Image by Afif Kusuma on Unsplash