I’m going to tell you guys a secret: one of my favourite things to do in business is beta-read. Yes, I’m a writer, and I absolutely adore writing product descriptions and website copy, but I have a soft spot for beta reading too. Most writers do, actually, so perhaps it’s not much of a secret after all…

Secret or not, beta reading is fun and exciting, and it’s also important. Not sure quite how the benefits of beta reading extend to business writing? Here are the details!

Why is business-oriented beta reading important?

Business-oriented beta reading is similar to traditional beta reading. When you’ve got a piece of writing done that you can’t take further but you need some advice on it, a second opinion can be the next logical step. After all, before you publish a blog post or website content, you want to make sure that it’s the best it can be, right? An experienced business content writer will be able to take a look at what you’ve got done and recommend changes throughout to make it even stronger. They’ll also give you a good sense of where readers are getting stuck or even what parts they’re skipping over.

Business content is professional content. Taking the time to ensure that everything is clear and present in your content before you make it live for the world to see is just as important as every other step. That being said, many professionals just skip right over it, and it shows.

How to get the hang of beta reading business content

If you want to make sure that you give the right impression to your client who is looking for comments on their business content, here are the tips to help you out.

• Pretend to a random reader on the web: Just like beta reading a romance novel as someone who loves to read romance novels, you’ll want to pretend to be the unassuming, random person that visits a web page (or blog post or product description) on the web with no assumptions. See it through their eyes and take note of what registers positively or negatively.

• Be thorough and nit-picky: Sure, you don’t want to have 70 things to comment on, but remember that this professional needs you to be their second pair of eyes. So, be thorough. Is there a certain subheading bugging you? Tell them, Is one sentence not feeling right in the section with the call to action? Make a note of it. Go through it with a fine-tooth comb, and don’t be afraid to spill it all out. They’ll appreciate the due diligence.
• Think about what you’d want: When all else fails, think about what you’d expect from a beta reader if you are asking for one. Do you want all of the details mentioned? Would you want a summary done? Or perhaps you’d rather have the notes in the margins instead. Whatever you may realize, use that to guide you in making your comments and suggestions. 

Interested in beta reading services for your business content? Feel free to reach out and contact me with any questions you may have. Or, you can consider ordering the service if you’re ready to get some feedback!