What is proofreading?
Busy global content teams often turn to Planet Languages for help with proofreading. The term “proofreading” means different things to different people, though. To some, it means a final check before publication. In other cases, it means editing a text so it reads more clearly. Sometimes it means checking a translation against the original. At Planet Languages, often it’s about making sure a source text is ready for translation. Whatever the brief, the aim is to protect your message, your brand voice and your reader’s experience.
At Planet Languages, we don’t assume. We look at the content, the stage it’s at, and help you choose the right approach.
You don’t need to know the exact industry term before you contact us. You just need to know what you want your content to achieve.
Who our proofreading service is for
Our proofreading service is for you if you are:
- Trying to avoid last-minute quality issues before publication
- Launching training content
- Reviewing AI-assisted copy
- Preparing content for translation
- Managing a multilingual campaign
- Publishing product copy across markets
- Coordinating feedback from local teams
Whether you need a final confidence check or a more detailed review, we can help you choose the right approach.
What can we proofread?
We have experience in supporting busy global content teams with the following:
- Marketing copy
- Website content
- Product descriptions
- E-learning content and training material
- Internal communications
- Reports and business documents
- Presentations
- Subtitles and scripts
- Content prepared for multilingual rollout
The different types of proofreading we offer
Send us your content for proofreading, and we’ll tell you what level of intervention your content needs. We offer the following services:
Copy-editing
This is for content that needs more than a final check. This is best when your text is still editable and there is room to improve how it reads. Copy-editing covers:
- Grammar, spelling and punctuation
- Clarity and readability
- Tone and style
- Consistency
- Structure and flow
- Terminology
- Formatting consistency
- Suitability for the intended audience
Proofreading
Our proofreading service is for content that is almost ready for publication. It has already been copy-edited and typeset in its final layout. The scope for making changes at this stage is limited to:
- Typos and minor errors
- Punctuation and spacing
- Formatting inconsistencies
- Page, heading and caption checks
- Layout-related issues
- Final pre-publication checks
Proofreading is the best approach when your content needs a final quality check.
Plain English editing
Plain English editing is about putting your readers first. It involves transforming jargon-heavy content into clear, accessible English. Clearer content is more inclusive content, too. It helps people reading under time pressure and those with different literacy levels.
Plain English editing can also help when your English content is aimed at people who speak English as a second language. It’s not a substitute for translation when your audience needs content in their own language, though.
Translation-readiness checks
The later you find a problem, the more expensive it usually is to fix. Making sure your source text is in good shape prevents problems further down the line.
We apply a combined copy-editing / proofreading approach to content destined for translation. Our translation-readiness check also covers:
- Ambiguous wording
- Inconsistent terminology
- Overly long or complex sentences
- Culture-specific references
- Non-editable text
- Formatting issues that may cause problems in translation
- Content that may not work across languages
A translation-readiness check is especially useful for content destined for a multi-market rollout. Global content teams that entrust us to proofread English content before translation benefit from:
- A shorter, clearer source text
- Reduced translation costs
- Smoother workflows
A translation-readiness check can also uncover a need for better terminology management. We can flag terminology issues and help you build or maintain glossaries for future projects.
Bilingual revision
Bilingual revision is the process of checking a translation against the source text. The ISO 17100 standard covers the requirements for revision. This service covers, among other things:
- Checking that all text is present and translated, with no unjustified omissions or additions
- Making sure the translated text accurately represents the source text
- Ensuring that the translation uses appropriate terminology and follows the style guide specified
- Checking the translation’s suitability for the audience and agreed purpose
- Applying the appropriate orthographical conventions of the target language
- Checking that formatting such as bold or italics corresponds to the source text
It’s worth knowing if your language service provider is certified to the ISO 17100 standard. That’s because this standard sets out minimum competence requirements for both translators and revisers. Bilingual revision is a good option for high-stakes content where accuracy matters.
Review
Review is the ISO 17100 concept of reviewing target-language content on its own. It’s useful for assessing whether the translated copy stands on its own, without the influence of the source text. Review covers:
- Naturalness
- Readability
- Audience suitability
- Brand tone
- Clarity
- Cultural fit
- Terminology consistency
This is where a subject-matter expert’s input is valuable. Our team of experts includes specialists in luxury goods retail, B2B tech and learning & development.
In-market approval
Your in-country colleagues are often the people who end up using your translated content. They’re often keen to review content before publication. Their local market insights are valuable when it comes to creating truly localised content. We can organise in-market approval with your nominated representatives as part of our project management service.
Human quality checks for AI-assisted content
Busy global content teams often turn to AI to produce quick first drafts. It can be a useful tool for research, overcoming writer’s block and finding angles you may have missed. But AI-generated text can be inaccurate, inconsistent or off-brand. Planet Languages can check AI-assisted content for clarity, consistency and tone.
Need help deciding which option is right for you?
There’s no need to worry if you’re not sure what you need. Just send us what you have, tell us what you’re aiming for, and we’ll recommend the right approach.
Talk to us about your proofreading needs
Why proofreading matters
Small errors can create bigger problems. This is particularly true when you’re working on high-value content, where protecting your brand voice is critical.
Reduce risk during multilingual content rollouts
Small errors tend to proliferate when you’re handling content in multiple languages:
- One ambiguous English sentence can become 20 inconsistent translations.
- One inaccurate product description can be replicated across multiple web pages and markets.
- Unclear instructions can slow down your entire global content production workflow.
Protect your credibility
For sectors such as luxury goods, jewellery, tech and e-learning, precision matters. A small error can affect customer confidence, brand perception or learner comprehension.
You’re too close to the text
When you’ve worked on content for weeks, it becomes harder to spot mistakes. Your brain recalls what you meant to write, and you gloss over what’s actually on the page.
A fresh pair of eyes
Sometimes, it’s best to get a fresh perspective from a professional. Especially before moving forward with translating your content. At Planet Languages, we’ve acted as a linguistic safety net for busy global content teams for more than 30 years.
Our approach: a proofreading process built around your content
Here’s what our approach looks like:
- We clarify the brief with you: Who is your content for? Has your content already been edited, translated or typeset?
- We recommend the right approach: The best option depends on the content type, what stage your content is at, and its purpose.
- We check your content carefully following the agreed brief, style guide, glossary, reference material and format requirements.
- We provide clear corrections and comments: Depending on the file type, we can use tracked changes, comments, marked-up PDFs, QA reports or other agreed workflows.
- We help you prepare for the next stage: We offer support beyond proofreading – including translation, approval, typesetting, publication and multilingual rollout.
Proofreading support in multiple file formats
We can usually work with your preferred file format or advise on the best way to annotate changes. We regularly work with files in the following formats:
- Word
- PowerPoint
- Excel
- InDesign
- CMS content exports
- E-learning exports
- Subtitle files
- Bilingual files
Why choose Planet Languages
Proofreading for detail-sensitive content
Busy global content teams rely on Planet Languages when quality is non-negotiable. Niches where we excel include:
Luxury goods and jewellery
In high-trust sectors like luxury, details matter. Discerning customers expect a first-class experience at every touchpoint, including content. They will almost certainly notice errors that dull your brand’s shine. We have extensive experience in polishing content for luxury goods and jewellery brands.
B2B tech
In a sector that often communicates complex information, proofreading helps ensure your content is understandable. We balance industry expertise with readability by:
- Checking that acronyms have definitions
- Ensuring consistent handling of proper names
- Trimming unnecessary wordiness
E-learning and training
Learners need content that’s clear, consistent and easy to follow. Our plain English editing service helps your employees complete training faster, with greater confidence, and thrive in the workplace.
Marketing content
For websites, brochures and campaigns where tone, clarity and consistency are just as important as grammar.
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