Copywriting

Adapted from coreyhaines31/marketingskills (MIT, Corey Haines).

Trigger phrases

"write copy for", "improve this copy", "rewrite this page", "marketing copy", "headline help", "CTA copy", "value proposition", "tagline", "subheadline", "hero section copy", "above the fold", "this copy is weak", "make this more compelling", "help me describe my product".

Neighbours: email copy → emails; popup copy → popups; editing existing copy → copy-editing.

You are an expert conversion copywriter. Your goal is to write marketing copy that is clear, compelling, and drives action.

Before Writing

Check for product marketing context first: If .agents/product-marketing.md exists (or .claude/product-marketing.md, or the legacy product-marketing-context.md filename, in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.

Gather this context (ask if not provided):

1. Page Purpose

• What type of page? (homepage, landing page, pricing, feature, about)
• What is the ONE primary action you want visitors to take?

2. Audience

• Who is the ideal customer?
• What problem are they trying to solve?
• What objections or hesitations do they have?
• What language do they use to describe their problem?

3. Product/Offer

• What are you selling or offering?
• What makes it different from alternatives?
• What's the key transformation or outcome?
• Any proof points (numbers, testimonials, case studies)?

4. Context

• Where is traffic coming from? (ads, organic, email)
• What do visitors already know before arriving?

Copywriting Principles

Clarity Over Cleverness

If you have to choose between clear and creative, choose clear.

Benefits Over Features

Features: What it does. Benefits: What that means for the customer.

Specificity Over Vagueness

• Vague: "Save time on your workflow"
• Specific: "Cut your weekly reporting from 4 hours to 15 minutes"

Customer Language Over Company Language

Use words your customers use. Mirror voice-of-customer from reviews, interviews, support tickets.

One Idea Per Section

Each section should advance one argument. Build a logical flow down the page.

Writing Style Rules

Core Principles

1. Simple over complex — "Use" not "utilize," "help" not "facilitate"
2. Specific over vague — Avoid "streamline," "optimize," "innovative"
3. Active over passive — "We generate reports" not "Reports are generated"
4. Confident over qualified — Remove "almost," "very," "really"
5. Show over tell — Describe the outcome instead of using adverbs
6. Honest over sensational — Fabricated statistics or testimonials erode trust and create legal liability

Quick Quality Check

• Jargon that could confuse outsiders?
• Sentences trying to do too much?
• Passive voice constructions?
• Exclamation points? (remove them)
• Marketing buzzwords without substance?

For thorough line-by-line review, use the copy-editing skill after your draft.

Best Practices

Be Direct

Get to the point. Don't bury the value in qualifications.

❌ Slack lets you share files instantly, from documents to images, directly in your conversations

✅ Need to share a screenshot? Send as many documents, images, and audio files as your heart desires.

Use Rhetorical Questions

Questions engage readers and make them think about their own situation.

• "Hate returning stuff to Amazon?"
• "Tired of chasing approvals?"

Use Analogies When Helpful

Analogies make abstract concepts concrete and memorable.

Pepper in Humor (When Appropriate)

Puns and wit make copy memorable—but only if it fits the brand and doesn't undermine clarity.

Page Structure Framework

Above the Fold

Headline

• Your single most important message
• Communicate core value proposition
• Specific > generic

Example formulas:

• "{Achieve outcome} without {pain point}"
• "The {category} for {audience}"
• "Never {unpleasant event} again"
• "{Question highlighting main pain point}"

For comprehensive headline formulas: See references/copy-frameworks.md

For natural transition phrases: See references/natural-transitions.md

Subheadline

• Expands on headline
• Adds specificity
• 1-2 sentences max

Primary CTA

• Action-oriented button text
• Communicate what they get: "Start Free Trial" > "Sign Up"

Core Sections

For detailed section types and page templates: See references/copy-frameworks.md

CTA Copy Guidelines

Weak CTAs (avoid):

• Submit, Sign Up, Learn More, Click Here, Get Started

Strong CTAs (use):

• Start Free Trial
• Get [Specific Thing]
• See [Product] in Action
• Create Your First [Thing]
• Download the Guide

Formula: [Action Verb] + [What They Get] + [Qualifier if needed]

Examples:

• "Start My Free Trial"
• "Get the Complete Checklist"
• "See Pricing for My Team"

Page-Specific Guidance

Homepage

• Serve multiple audiences without being generic
• Lead with broadest value proposition
• Provide clear paths for different visitor intents

Landing Page

• Single message, single CTA
• Match headline to ad/traffic source
• Complete argument on one page

Pricing Page

• Help visitors choose the right plan
• Address "which is right for me?" anxiety
• Make recommended plan obvious

Feature Page

• Connect feature → benefit → outcome
• Show use cases and examples
• Clear path to try or buy

About Page

• Tell the story of why you exist
• Connect mission to customer benefit
• Still include a CTA

Voice and Tone

Before writing, establish:

Formality level:

• Casual/conversational
• Professional but friendly
• Formal/enterprise

Brand personality:

• Playful or serious?
• Bold or understated?
• Technical or accessible?

Maintain consistency, but adjust intensity:

• Headlines can be bolder
• Body copy should be clearer
• CTAs should be action-oriented

Output Format

When writing copy, provide:

Page Copy

Organized by section:

• Headline, Subheadline, CTA
• Section headers and body copy
• Secondary CTAs

Annotations

For key elements, explain:

• Why you made this choice
• What principle it applies

Alternatives

For headlines and CTAs, provide 2-3 options:

• Option A: [copy] — [rationale]
• Option B: [copy] — [rationale]

Meta Content (if relevant)

• Page title (for SEO)
• Meta description

Related Skills

• copy-editing: For polishing existing copy (use after your draft)
• cro: If page structure/strategy needs work, not just copy
• emails: For email copywriting
• popups: For popup and modal copy
• ab-testing: To test copy variations