Copywriting

---
name: copywriting
description: Write persuasive marketing copy for web pages. Covers homepage, landing page, pricing page, and feature page copy with frameworks for headlines, CTAs, and conversion-focused structure.
---

# 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.

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*Sourced from [coreyhaines31/marketingskills](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills) (MIT License)*