Editing Checklist

The checklist below is a general guideline for editors to follow when reviewing copy. While specific campaigns may have requirements, you should typically follow the steps below when editing. We expect all editors to use a grammar plugin, like Grammarly, to find and correct spelling and grammatical errors.

✅ Read the Style Guide for the campaign before editing

✅ Review the article title

• Check the capitalization
• Ensure it exactly matches the campaign keyword (unless the writer is advised to create a title)

✅ Check that the copy meets the word count

• Generally, it can be no more than 10 words below and 75 words more than the allotted word count, unless otherwise directed.

✅ If the assignment calls for links, make sure it includes the proper links.

• The links work.
• The anchor text exactly matched the optional field.
• Links are not in the first paragraph.
• Links are naturally inserted into the content.
• Links are set to open in a new tab unless otherwise instructed.

✅ Review the content

• It follows Style Guide and client instructions.
• It does not mention competitors (including photo attribution).
• It includes an introduction, subheadings, and a conclusion, unless otherwise directed.
• All elements are separated by one space unless directed otherwise.
• Paragraphs are formatted with paragraph text.
• Subheadings are formatted with the subheading hierarchy, starting with Heading 2.
• All extra line breaks are removed (including at the end of the content).

✅ Check the images

• Images are licensed for reuse (don’t check for Connections Content).
• Images include proper attribution and links.
• Image quality is high.
• There is at least one image if applicable.
• Apps/webpage screenshots are used when applicable.
• Images are between 300 and 600 pixels wide.
• Images are not centered or wrapped in text.

✅ Request an edit if correcting changes would take more than 10 minutes.

✅ Make comments on any changes you made throughout the copy.

In-Depth Checklist

✅ Quality push when appropriate (for client-specific work and when deadlines allow it)

✅ Review the subheadings

• Subheadings are in logical order.
• Give the most interesting elements at the beginning and the end, unless otherwise directed.
• Subheadings are parallel elements. Subheadings are all questions or statements or names of apps, etc.
• Subheadings answer the question or address the statement/topic in the headline (if the title includes “Steps to,” “Reasons for,” etc., make sure the subheadings are the proper elements (steps, reasons, etc.).
• There are a good number of subheadings (3 or more for 500+ words).

✅ Check the sections and formatting

• Sections should contain no more than four paragraphs. Three is ideal. (When four or more are used, it's usually a sign of fluffy content.)
• Content utilizes bullet points when it adds to the clarity of the content

✅ Show vs. tell

• Content should provide the most interesting element of the idea. (If the idea is about highest-grossing apps, include numbers that show revenue.)
• Content should include relevant facts, tips, examples, and stories.

✅ Identify fluff

• It should be obvious that the writer performed additional research (outside of the given resources).
• Content should not include fluff and/or filler text.
• Sections and paragraphs that don’t add any substance to the article should be removed.

✅ Ensure the content contains unique ideas

• Content should not include obvious elements and common knowledge.