01
What is worth checking, and in what order?
Names first, because a wrong name is the error people notice and mention. Then figures, because a wrong number undoes the point. Then the opening line, because it decides whether anyone reads the rest. Then position, which is the only one that has to be checked inside the app rather than in an editor.
02
The four point pass
Reading every word is what stops people doing this at all. Four targets is short enough to do every time, which is what makes it worth having.
| Check | Why it is first | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Names | The error people notice and mention | In the editor, before producing |
| Figures | A wrong number undoes the point | In the editor, before producing |
| Opening line | It decides whether the rest is read | In the editor, read cold |
| Position | The app draws controls over the frame | In the app, after posting a test |
03
Why errors cluster in the same places
Most text errors fall into a few groups: names of people and brands, numbers, words that sound like other words, and technical terms. Ordinary vocabulary is rarely the problem. Knowing this lets you check smartly instead of reading every word with equal suspicion.
Keep a list of the terms that go wrong most often in your content. Over time it becomes a personal checklist that catches the majority of errors in seconds.
04
Reading with fresh eyes
Errors are easier to spot when you have not just been working on the clip for an hour. If time allows, step away for a few minutes before the final check. Even a short break helps your brain see what is actually on screen rather than what you expect.
Reading the text without the audio, then again with it, catches different mistakes: the first pass finds spelling, the second finds words that do not match what was said.
05
Checking timing as well as spelling
A correctly spelled word that appears too early or too late still looks like a mistake. Watch for lines that arrive before the speaker says them or linger after they have moved on. Viewers notice these mismatches even if they cannot say what is wrong.
Pay particular attention to the first and last lines, where timing errors are most obvious.
07
Handling mistakes after posting
If an error slips through, decide based on its impact. A small typo may be fine to leave. A wrong name, number or claim deserves a correction, either by replacing the clip or adding a clear correction in the post text or a pinned comment.
Note the mistake on your list so it does not happen again.
08
A short check, every time
- Scan for names and numbers only. Ignore ordinary sentences. The risk is concentrated in a handful of words.
- Read the first line as a stranger would. If it does not make you want the second line, change it.
- Check position in the app, not the file. The buttons that cover text only exist once the clip is playing in a feed.
Run one clip and try the four point pass on it.
Questions people ask
- Do I need to read every word?
- No, and trying to is why people skip the check entirely. Four targets is fast enough to actually do every time.
- When can the words still be changed?
- Before the clip is produced. That is the moment the check belongs in.
- What if I find an error after posting?
- Deciding in advance whether you replace or leave it saves an argument with yourself later, since deleting and reposting has its own costs.
- Does this get faster with practice?
- It does, and it also gets shorter, because you start recognising which words in your own subject matter tend to need attention.
- Is it worth it for every clip?
- For anything you would be unhappy to see quoted with an error in it, yes. That is most of them.
- How long does the pass take?
- Under two minutes on a typical clip, because three of the four checks are scans rather than readings.