Online Editing: A Simple Checklist for Your Blog

Blogging and online content creation is a fast, be-on-your-toes industry. Every copywriter has been there: you become so immersed in your work that you miss minor inconsistencies, like mismatched font sizes or the odd typo.

Or perhaps, when working to a tight deadline, you link to the wrong page, leaving readers scratching their heads. These small oversights, although seemingly harmless, can detract from the professionalism and credibility of your blog post. That’s why we can’t overemphasise the importance of online editing.

But writers and editors are only human (for the most part), so sometimes we need a little help. This is where a blog editing checklist comes in. This valuable tool isn’t just about spotting spelling mistakes. It’s about making sure every element of your blog post—from its consistency and technical accuracy to its adherence to a style guide—shines through.

A comprehensive online editing checklist is your final guard against imperfections, giving your content the polish it deserves before making its debut.

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Your roadmap to effortless and error-free online content

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Table of Contents

    1. Start Editing By Getting the Full Picture

    Re-reading your blog post in its entirety is a pivotal step in the online editing process. As we write and edit, we often get caught up in perfecting individual sections, paragraphs, or even sentences. So, while you may end up with a blog with compelling segments, you may find it fails to come together as a whole.

    By stepping back and digesting the content as a complete piece, you ensure that your main points stand out, transitions are smooth, and it logically builds upon itself. 

    It's crucial for your reader's journey to feel consistent and engaging from introduction to conclusion.

    Tips for a Comprehensive Content Review

      • Revisit your outline: Briefly review your original outline or the main points you wanted to cover in your blog. Check if each section aligns with this initial roadmap and make any necessary adjustments.
      • Read aloud: This might seem old-fashioned in the digital age, but there’s a reason it’s a tried-and-true best practice for editing. Reading your content aloud can highlight awkward phrasings, repetitive sections, and gaps in logic.

    2. Use the Right Language

    The language you use in your blog is the vehicle that carries your message to your readers. 

    The wrong language choices can confuse, bore, and even alienate them. But the right words, syntax, and punctuation ensures your content is readable and relatable and that your message comes through clearly and correctly. Plus, it creates an overall lasting impression of expertise and professionalism.

    Common pitfalls in online editing include overlooked grammar errors, spelling mistakes, sneaky typos, unnecessary jargon, and overusing passive voice. While technical terms might make sense in a niche industry article, they can muddle the message for a broader audience. Similarly, while not inherently wrong, passive voice can make your content feel distant or less engaging.

    Tips for Language Perfection

      • Use editing software: Don’t solely rely on spellcheck. Invest in dedicated editing software like Grammarly, Hemingway, or ProWritingAid. These tools provide a more comprehensive check, spotting grammar issues, style inconsistencies, and overused words. While paid plans are typically best, many tools have free to use versions if you want to test them first.
      • Stay updated with your readers: Keep up-to-date with your target demographic’s constantly evolving language trends to stay relevant. 

    3. Double-Check Your Facts and Figures

    In the age of information, the credibility of your blog hinges on the accuracy of its content. 

    Facts, statistics, quotes, and references aren’t just tools to strengthen your argument. They also help to establish your blog as a trustworthy and authoritative source.

    However, using misleading or outdated information, even unintentionally, can shake people’s trust and hit your reputation hard. It’s not just about dropping impressive numbers into your content—those figures must be rooted in truth.

    In a similar vein, it’s paramount that you ensure your sources are current and relevant and that any hyperlinks actually work and lead to the right places.

    Tips for Fact-Checking Mastery

      • Use link checkers: Tools like Dead Link Checker take the tedious manual work out of checking your content for broken links.
      • Update older content: What was true a year ago might not still be valid today. Verify the accuracy of your facts, and regularly review and update older blogs with fresh statistics or findings.

    4. Format Your Text and Images

    It’s not only what you say, but how you say it. So, how you present your content can guide readers through your narrative with ease, enhancing their comprehension and engagement.

    If we liken a blog to a meal at a fine-dining restaurant, you may have the finest ingredients and a delectable dish, but if you don’t present it with finesse, it’s unlikely to wow consumers. 

    Similarly, not fixing inconsistent indents, mismatched font styles, colours, or sizes, low-quality images, or images that vary significantly in size while online editing can all detract from the overall reader experience.

    Tips for Flawless Formatting

      • Pay attention to whitespace: We often overlook the amount of whitespace on our page. Sufficient (but not excessive) whitespace makes your content more readable, preventing readers from feeling overwhelmed with too much text.
      • Optimise images: Use tools like Canva, TinyPNG, or ImageOptim to compress images (without compromising their quality) for faster page loading times.

    5. Evenly Distribute Your Keywords

    Keywords are like a trail of breadcrumbs that lead readers to your blog. They’re essential for optimising your blog for search engines, boosting visibility, and reaching your intended audience.

    But tread carefully! There’s a delicate line between effective keyword usage and keyword stuffing—the practice of overloading your content with keywords to the detriment of its readability and quality. 

    It’s not only off-putting to readers, but search engines may penalise your blog for such practices. Incorporating keywords naturally and evenly throughout your content, including in meta tags, is key for striking a winning balance between getting found and maintaining your writing’s integrity.

    Tips for Balanced Keyword Distribution

      • Use synonyms and LSI keywords: Synonyms and Latent Semantic Indexing keywords prevent your content from sounding repetitive. This improves readability and covers a broader range of search queries to potentially expand your audience.
      • Let SEO tools do the heavy lifting: Use software like SEMrush or Ahrefs to identify keywords and optimal keyword density. Tools like Yoast SEO or Surfer SEO can help you integrate them organically throughout your content, including meta descriptions, titles, headings, and subheadings.

    Check All Your Online Editing Boxes

    Online editing is more than just spotting typos or adding flair to your writing. It’s like assembling a jigsaw puzzle—every piece is necessary for a complete end result, and every piece interlocks intricately with the next.

    You need a flowing story, the right words, accuracy in every detail, flawless formatting, and the perfect sprinkle of keywords. But with so many components to consider, it’s easy to let something slip.

    But here’s the good news: with a structured approach, you can confidently tackle online editing. Our blog editing checklist is the perfect tool to guide you. It’s not just a to-do list—it’s an easy-to-use safety net against errors and oversights.

    If you want to make extra sure everything’s on point, check out our downloadable template to streamline this process. So before hitting ‘publish’, take a moment to check off all the boxes and make sure every piece is perfectly in its place.

    Get Your Online Editing Checklist

    Your roadmap to effortless and error-free online content

    Download Now

    Blue Leaf Team

    The Blue Leaf Editing team has over 10 years of combined editing, publishing, and book industry experience. We’re passionate about content and storytelling, and sharing our knowledge with others.