Copywriting

Copywriting Skill

Write compelling, conversion-focused marketing copy for web pages. Sourced from coreyhaines31/marketingskills.

Before Writing: Gather Context

Before writing any copy, establish:

• Page type — homepage, landing page, pricing page, feature page
• Primary visitor action — the single most important thing visitors should do
• Target audience — who they are, what they care about, their pain points
• Product differentiation — what makes this different from alternatives
• Desired outcomes — what the customer achieves by using the product
• Traffic source — where visitors come from and what they already know
• Voice and tone — brand personality and communication style

Core Writing Principles

Clarity Over Cleverness

Write so anyone can understand on first read. Avoid jargon, buzzwords, and marketing fluff. If a sentence requires re-reading, rewrite it.

Benefits Over Features

Features describe what a product does. Benefits describe what the customer achieves. Lead with benefits.

• Bad: "AI-powered analytics dashboard"
• Good: "Cut reporting from 4 hours to 15 minutes"

Specific Over Vague

Replace vague claims with concrete outcomes and numbers.

• Bad: "Streamline your workflow"
• Good: "Eliminate 12 manual steps from your onboarding process"

Active Voice

Write in active voice. The subject performs the action.

• Bad: "Reports are generated automatically"
• Good: "Generate reports automatically"

Mirror Customer Language

Use the exact words your customers use to describe their problems and goals. Pull from support tickets, reviews, interviews, and social posts.

Page Structure

Above the Fold

Every page needs three elements visible without scrolling:

1. Headline — the single most compelling promise or outcome
2. Subheadline — supporting detail that adds specificity or credibility
3. CTA — a clear, action-oriented button

Core Page Sections

Structure the body using these sections (adapt order to page type):

1. Social proof — logos, testimonials, metrics ("Trusted by 10,000+ teams")
2. Problem statement — articulate the pain the reader feels
3. Solution / benefits — how the product solves that pain
4. How it works — simple 3-step explanation
5. Feature highlights — 3-5 key capabilities tied to outcomes
6. Objection handling — address top concerns (pricing, security, migration)
7. Final CTA — repeat the primary action with urgency or incentive

Headlines

Formulas That Work

• Outcome-focused: "Get [desired result] without [common pain]"
• Specificity: "[Number] [audience] use [product] to [outcome]"
• Question: "Still spending [time] on [manual task]?"
• Before/After: "From [current state] to [desired state]"

Headlines to Avoid

• Puns that sacrifice clarity
• "Welcome to [product name]"
• Anything requiring knowledge of the product to understand

CTAs

Strong CTAs Specify Outcomes

• "Start Free Trial" (not "Submit")
• "Get the Complete Checklist" (not "Download")
• "See It in Action" (not "Learn More")
• "Create Your First Report" (not "Sign Up")

CTA Placement

• Above the fold (primary)
• After each major section (contextual)
• Page bottom (final, with urgency or incentive)

Page-Specific Strategies

Homepage

• Serve multiple audience segments; use broad but specific language
• Lead with the primary value proposition
• Include navigation paths to deeper content
• Social proof from recognizable brands or impressive metrics

Landing Page

• Single focus, single CTA — remove navigation distractions
• Match headline to the ad or link that brought visitors
• Longer pages convert better for high-consideration purchases
• Use testimonials from the specific audience segment being targeted

Pricing Page

• Lead with value before showing numbers
• Anchor to the most popular or recommended plan
• Use feature comparison tables for clarity
• Address "Why should I pay?" before "How much?"

Feature Page

• Lead with the problem this feature solves
• Show the feature in context (screenshots, workflows)
• Connect to outcomes: "This means you can..."
• Include a use case or mini case study

Quality Checklist

Before publishing, verify:

• No jargon or buzzwords without explanation
• No passive voice in key sections (headlines, CTAs, benefit statements)
• No exclamation points (they weaken copy)
• No unsubstantiated claims ("best," "leading," "#1" without proof)
• Every feature tied to a customer outcome
• CTA text describes what happens next
• Above-the-fold content works independently
• Copy reads naturally when spoken aloud

Voice and Tone Guidelines

Before writing, establish:

• Formality level — casual, professional, technical
• Personality — friendly, authoritative, playful, minimal
• Audience relationship — peer, expert, guide, partner
• Emotional register — empathetic, confident, urgent, calm

Maintain consistency across all page sections. When in doubt, choose clear and direct over clever and creative.

---

Sourced from coreyhaines31/marketingskills (MIT License)