Copywriter
Overview
This skill produces high-converting marketing copy using proven frameworks like AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action), PAS (Problem, Agitate, Solution), and benefit-led writing. It distinguishes features from benefits, uses power words strategically, and places calls to action where they convert. Whether you need punchy hero copy for a SaaS landing page, a product description that sells on Amazon, or two variations to A/B test, this skill delivers persuasive copy that moves readers toward a decision.
When to Use
- Landing page hero sections, subheadlines, and CTAs
- Product descriptions for e-commerce or app stores
- Digital ad copy (Google, Meta, LinkedIn)
- Sales emails and promotional sequences
- Taglines and brand positioning statements
- Pricing page copy
- Webinar or event registration pages
When NOT to Use
- Long-form editorial or thought-leadership articles (use
blog-postskill) - Technical documentation or product guides (use
technical-writerskill) - Journalistic or news content
- Academic writing (use
academic-essayskill)
Quick Reference
| Task | Approach |
|---|---|
| Hero headline | Lead with the transformation/outcome, not the product |
| Features vs benefits | Feature: "256-bit encryption"; Benefit: "Your data stays private, always" |
| AIDA | Attention → Interest → Desire → Action |
| PAS | Problem → Agitate → Solution |
| Power words | Free, proven, guaranteed, instantly, effortless, exclusive, limited |
| CTA | Verb + specific outcome: "Start saving time" not "Submit" |
| Social proof | Specific numbers beat vague claims: "4,200 teams" not "thousands" |
| A/B testing | Change one element at a time: headline OR CTA, not both |
Instructions
- Identify the ONE conversion goal. Every piece of copy has one job: get a click, start a trial, complete a purchase, fill a form. Determine this before writing a word.
- Define the target reader. Who are they? What do they desperately want? What pain are they trying to escape? What objections will they have? Copy that speaks to everyone persuades no one.
- Extract benefits from features. For each product feature, ask "so what?" until you reach an emotional or practical outcome:
- Feature: "Automated invoice reminders" - So what? → "Clients pay on time" - So what? → "You don't have to chase money" - Benefit: "Stop chasing invoices. Get paid on time, automatically."
- Choose the right framework. AIDA (best for landing pages and ads): PAS (best for email, short-form, pain-heavy products): FAB (best for product descriptions):
- Attention: Hook with the problem, bold claim, or surprising stat - Interest: Explain why it matters specifically to this reader - Desire: Show the outcome/transformation; use social proof and specifics - Action: One clear CTA - Problem: Name the pain precisely—readers feel seen - Agitate: Make them feel the cost of not solving it - Solution: Introduce your product as the relief - Feature: What it is - Advantage: What it does better - Benefit: Why the reader's life improves
- Write the headline first. The headline is 80% of the copy's success. Formulas:
- Outcome-led: "Ship features 3x faster without the planning overhead" - How-to: "How 4,000 freelancers invoice clients without the awkward follow-ups" - Question: "Still losing deals to competitors with better decks?" - Before/After: "From scattered notes to published book in 30 days"
- Use power words with intention. Don't stuff—select 2–3 per piece:
- Urgency: immediately, today, deadline, expires - Exclusivity: exclusive, members-only, early access, limited - Trust: proven, guaranteed, certified, trusted by - Ease: effortless, in minutes, done-for-you, one-click - Value: free, save, bonus, no-cost
- Write the CTA as a verb phrase, not a noun.
- ❌ "Submit", "Click here", "Learn more" - ✅ "Start my free trial", "Get my custom plan", "Save my spot", "See how it works"
- Create A/B variations. Change one element at a time. Commonly tested elements:
- Headline angle (benefit-led vs. problem-led) - CTA copy ("Start free trial" vs. "Try it free for 14 days") - Social proof type (testimonial quote vs. stat vs. logo strip)
Examples
Example 1: Landing Page Hero Copy
Input: "Write hero section copy for a project management SaaS aimed at creative agencies (10–50 person teams). Key features: timeline view, client portals, resource tracking. Main pain point: projects go over budget and miss deadlines. Include headline, subheadline, and CTA button."
Output:
Headline: Every project. On time. Under budget.
Subheadline: Cretivo gives creative agencies a single place to plan work, track resources, and share progress with clients—so nothing slips through the cracks and no one gets surprised at invoice time.
CTA Button: Start your free 14-day trial →
Variant A (problem-led headline):
Headline: Stop explaining why the project ran over.
Subheadline: Cretivo helps agency teams spot scope creep, balance workloads, and keep clients in the loop—before a small delay becomes an expensive conversation.
CTA Button: See how it works →
Why these work:
- "Every project. On time. Under budget." directly addresses the stated pain in three punchy phrases
- The subheadline names the audience (creative agencies), the mechanism (plan/track/share), and the outcome (no surprises)
- Variant A uses PAS structure—the headline names the pain, the subheadline agitates it, the CTA implies relief
- Both CTAs are action verbs tied to a specific outcome
Example 2: Product Description (E-commerce)
Input: "Write a product description for a $180 weighted blanket called 'Hush'. 15 lbs, cotton cover, glass bead fill, machine washable. Target: adults with anxiety or sleep issues. Max 150 words."
Output:
Hush Weighted Blanket — Finally, a night that feels like rest.
Deep pressure stimulation isn't just science—it's the feeling of waking up and actually feeling rested.
Hush is filled with thousands of tiny glass microbeads, evenly distributed so the weight settles across your whole body, not just one spot. The 100% cotton cover is cool to the touch—no overheating, no sweating, just steady, calming pressure through the night.
15 lbs. The research-backed sweet spot for most adults.
Machine washable. No dry-clean-only anxiety on top of your actual anxiety.
Sleep better. Wake up lighter.
[Choose your size →]
Word count: 97 words
What's working:
- Opens with the transformation, not the product specs
- "No dry-clean-only anxiety on top of your actual anxiety"—humor that resonates specifically with the target audience
- Specs appear mid-copy, after emotional engagement, not at the top
- CTA button copy is action-oriented
Example 3: Google Ad Copy
Input: "Write Google Search ad copy for an accountant targeting small business owners searching for 'small business accountant'. Include headline and description variants."
Output:
Headline 1: Small Business Accountant Headline 2: Tax Prep, Bookkeeping & CFO Help Headline 3: Free 30-Min Strategy Call
Description 1: Stop guessing on taxes. We handle the numbers so you can focus on the business. Serving 500+ small businesses. Description 2: Fixed monthly pricing. No surprise invoices. Get an accountant who actually explains things. Book your free call today.
Variant (pain-led): Headline 1: Paying Too Much in Taxes? Headline 2: Small Business Accountant Headline 3: See What You Could Save
Description 1: Most small businesses overpay taxes by 20% or more. We help you keep more of what you earn. Book a free review.
Best Practices
- Lead with the reader's desire or pain—not your company's history or mission
- Be specific: "saves 3 hours a week" converts better than "saves time"
- Match the copy's sophistication to the buyer's awareness level—don't educate a hot lead, sell to them
- Use short sentences for urgency; longer sentences for nuance and trust-building
- Social proof works hardest near the CTA—place testimonials or stats just before the button
- Write to one person, not "customers"—use "you" throughout
Common Mistakes
- Feature dumping: Listing what the product does instead of what the reader gets
- Passive headlines: "Introducing our new project management tool" tells readers nothing
- Vague CTAs: "Learn more" and "Get started" are meaningless without context
- Missing objection handling: Great copy anticipates and defuses doubt before it stops the click
- Too many CTAs: One conversion goal, one CTA. Multiple options create decision paralysis.
- Superlatives without proof: "World-class", "industry-leading" signal nothing without evidence
Tips & Tricks
- Read your copy aloud—if you wouldn't say it to a person, don't write it
- Write the CTA first, then reverse-engineer the copy that earns it
- The "before and after" technique: describe life without your product, then with it
- For high-ticket products, longer copy outperforms short copy—objections need space to be answered
- "Fascinations" (bulleted curiosity-gap lines) work exceptionally well just before CTAs
- If you can't explain the product's biggest benefit in 10 words, you don't understand it well enough yet