Typos and tone slips on business social media

Key takeaways

Spelling mistakes on business social media matter more in some sectors than others. A typo in a cafe's post is a small slip; a wrong figure or misspelt client name in a solicitor's post questions their care. Wrong prices, dates and names cause the real damage. A 60-second read-aloud check before posting catches most errors.

• Wrong prices, dates and names matter far more than small typos.
• Professional and regulated firms are judged harder on accuracy.
• Reading a post aloud catches most errors in 60 seconds.
• Edit quietly for small errors; correct openly for wrong facts.

Do typos really cost trust?

Typos cost trust when buyers use writing as a sign of care, which is common in professional services, healthcare and high-value work. In casual consumer posts, an occasional slip is barely noticed. The bigger risk is factual: a wrong price, date or phone number sends buyers the wrong way.

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What about tone slips?

Tone slips, such as a joke that lands badly, sarcasm in a reply or a post written while annoyed, usually do more harm than spelling. They are also harder to undo once screenshotted. A rule of waiting before posting anything written in frustration prevents most of them.

• An inconsistent brand voice on social media

How do you check posts quickly?

Check posts in about a minute: read the post aloud, check every number, date, price, name and link, and look at it on a phone. For important posts, ask one other person to read it first.

• Read it aloud.
• Check numbers, dates, prices and names.
• Tap every link.
• View it on a phone.

Should you edit or delete a post with an error?

Edit small errors quietly where the platform allows. For a wrong fact that people may have acted on, such as a price or date, correct it openly in the post and the comments. Delete only if the post is harmful or misleading and cannot be fixed.

• Posted something by mistake? What a business should do

Which errors should you check for first?

Check first for the errors that send people the wrong way: prices, dates, times, phone numbers, links and people's names. These cause real problems when wrong. Spelling and grammar come second. A quick scan of every number and link, then a read-aloud, catches most errors in about a minute.

• Prices and offer terms.
• Dates, times and venues.
• Phone numbers and links.
• Customer and staff names.

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see: an event post with the wrong date, spotted after people have shared it. A clear correction in the post and a pinned comment does far less damage than quietly deleting it, which leaves people who saw the first version confused.

• See client work
• Social Media Marketing for UK businesses

Accuracy checklist

• Read every post aloud.
• Check numbers, dates and names.
• Test every link.
• Wait before posting when annoyed.
• Correct wrong facts openly.

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Next step

Add a 60-second check to your posting routine today: aloud, numbers, links, phone.