Typos. They creep into our writing when we aren’t paying attention. Even reputable sites sometimes contain errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Granted, gobsmacked is not a word that is often used by Americans, but mistakes can occur both when you are in unfamiliar territory (you don’t know what you don’t know) and when you are in familiar territory (you assume that what you’ve always done/said/heard is correct).

Problems arise when we believe we know the answer and we are mistaken. We make assertions that are, well, incorrect. We don’t bother to consult a dictionary or trusted source, because we’re sure we are right. Then, our ignorance shows and our credibility suffers.

A quick search for “nitch” on Google would have shown the correct word (niche):

Wiktionary’s entry would also alert you to the “misspelling”:

If you are a piano player looking for gigs, you might not miss out on opportunities if you are a poor speller. If, however, you are an editor, publisher, ghost writer, attorney, accountant, or professional working in a field where accuracy and attention to detail are important, errors in your books, correspondence, and websites can create an unfavorable impression.

Even the most careful writers (and editors!) overlook errors from time to time, but when you are paying for expert advice, you don’t expect to find documents riddled with mistakes.

And if you do, you may be wise to take your business elsewhere.