5 DIGITAL CONTENT GRAMMAR RULES WE ALL NEED TO LET GO OF

The internet has undoubtedly changed the rules that writers have been taught to live by in the world of academia. It can be difficult to know which rules to keep and which ones to let pass away under a pile of jewel boxes in attic between your iPod Shuffle and a stack of Entertainment Weekly’s.

Here are 5 content grammar rules we all need to let go of --

1. Using The Oxford Comma ​

When it comes to writing digital copy, being concise is extremely important. That’s exactly why journalists ditched the Oxford comma years ago. Unfortunately, digital content writers are not all on the same page when it comes to this topic.

If you’re a big proponent of the Oxford comma, there are many sentences you can use to try to prove your point. However, if the sentences relies on that comma to make sense, the sentences should be restructured. Here’s an example:

We invited the strippers, JFK, and Stalin.

 VERSUS

We invited the strippers, JFK and Stalin.

Business Insider suggests that what’s really bothering an Oxford comma fan who reads the second sentence is the order in which the words are used. ​Here’s how they fixed it --

    We invited JFK, Stalin and the strippers.

The problem wasn’t the comma usage, it was the sentence.
​

via GIPHY

2. Refusing To Use "They" As A Singular Pronoun

More and more people are publicly identifying outside of the traditional gender binary and unfortunately the English language does not have a singular pronoun to describe those individuals. Many writing purists have argued that it is grammatically incorrect to use “they” when referring to them. ​

Well, if that’s the type of mountain a writer wants to die on, they’re probably pretty irrelevant in today’s world. Language evolves. Embrace it. If it means making people feel more respected for how they choose to identify, change with the game people.

3. Avoiding Contractions

One of the main goals of digital content is to engage with your reader in a conversational manner. When we speak, we generally speak in contractions unless we’re being purposefully obtuse.

​By using contractions in your writing, you’re being friendlier. People like it when you’re friendly. Use contractions.

4. Putting A Suit And Tie On B2B Content

This is not to say that a business blog should read as sloppily as a Trump tweet...oh...wait a second, Trump is a businessman who managed to get himself elected as the president of the United States while speaking like a trucker waiting for a portajohn. Whether you're a fan or not, the man didn't get to where he is being afraid to be colloquial. 

The fact of the matter is that a “professional” business tone is not what it once was and it's a combination of factors that have led to this. Cryptocurrency geniuses, for example, aren't making their millions strutting down Wall Street with a pocket square and neither is Elon Musk. 

Should we speak in complete sentences and avoid allowing ourselves to disintegrate into a pile of emojis and text speak? Yes. However, we do need to understand that many successful business people wear black t-shirts to work instead of button ups.

Know your audience and adjust to the changing times.

via Gfycat

5. Creating Long Paragraphs

To a writer, it does feel as if pretty soon, we’re just going to be blinking at each other from across the country with laser beams of Kris Kardashian gifs, but we can’t let our paranoia get the best of us. Words still matter, but the way we consume them has undoubtedly changed, especially considering that we’re consuming most of them on tiny little screens.

By creating shorter paragraphs, we’re increasing the chance that someone may actually read and comprehend what we’re writing. Sometimes it’s even acceptable to create a paragraph out of a single sentence. Give it the old college try some time and let me know how you feel about it.

​Whether you agree or disagree with the above list, I’d genuinely appreciate hearing from you in the comment section. Leave a comment below.