copy-review

name	copy-review
description	Line-edit for readability, accessibility, and SEO without touching facts. This is your technical publishing QA before editorial review—catch typographical errors, rhythm problems, ad placement conflicts, and metadata gaps that confuse search engines.

Copy Review Skill

Overview

Copy review is technical publishing QA, not editorial judgment or fact verification. This skill focuses on:

• Readability for your target audience (parameterized, not assumed)
• Typographical correctness (grammar, spelling, consistency)
• Accessibility compliance (alt text, heading hierarchy, color contrast assumptions)
• SEO metadata integrity (title tags, meta descriptions, structured data)
• Ad placement safety (no conflicts with inline ad slots, no ad-adjacent content problems)
• Style consistency enforcement (house style, voice, terminology)

This skill does NOT:

• Alter facts or sourcing
• Dispute editorial choices or story angles
• Change article tone or angle
• Verify claims (that's final-editor-review)

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Readability Optimization

Target Audience Parameterization

Before copy review, establish your audience profile:

Audience Factor	Example Values	Impact on Review
Reading Level	High school (8.0), College (12.0+), Professional jargon-heavy	Flesch-Kincaid score targets; vocabulary simplification; jargon explanations
Time Budget	2 min (news brief), 8 min (investigative), 30 min (whitepaper)	Paragraph length, sentence density, scannable structure
Domain Knowledge	Lay audience, Domain experts, Mixed	Define technical terms in context; assume no prior knowledge or assume deep knowledge
Device	Mobile-first, Desktop, Print	Sentence length (shorter = mobile-friendly); heading density; link density
Language	English (native), English (second language), Bilingual	Passive voice reduction; Latinate word replacement; sentence length

Red Flag: Copy review proceeding without audience parameters = uneven readability standards.

Readability Checklist

• Sentence length: Median 15–20 words. Max 40 words (except intentional emphasis).
• Paragraph length: 2–4 sentences max for web. Longer in longform, but break at idea boundaries.
• Passive voice: <10% of sentences. Flag all instances; keep only when actor is unknown or irrelevant.
• Jargon: Every technical term defined in context on first mention. No acronyms without expansion (first use: "Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)").
• Verbs: Active, present-tense preferred. Weak verbs ("was"), intensifiers ("very"), hedges ("somewhat") flagged and rewritten.
• Transitions: Logical flow between paragraphs. No abrupt jumps. Signpost phrases present where needed.
• Subheading hierarchy: H1 > H2 > H3. No skipping levels. Alt text present on all images.

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Ad Placement Validation

Generic Ad Pattern Safety

Most publishers use one of these patterns:

Pattern	Description	Copy Review Focus
Top-of-page ad (leaderboard)	728×90 or 970×250, pre-headline	No image captions or critical content in top 250px; headline spacing clean
In-article ads (mid-roll)	300×250 or 336×280 sidebar/inline	No tombstoning (two ads touching); text wrapping correct; no ad labels bleeding into article text
Native ads (sponsored content)	Clearly labeled "Sponsored" or "Partner Content"; same grid system as articles	Review sponsor disclosure is visible, not buried; sponsor links don't masquerade as story links
Sticky footer (mobile)	Persistent footer ad on mobile	No footer ad text overlapping article body text; sufficient margin below content
Sidebar ads (desktop)	Vertical 160×600 or 300×600	Article content doesn't narrow to <500px; ad containers have breathing room

Critical Safety Rules:

• No article text directly adjacent to sponsored content without visual separation.
• No mention of advertiser in body copy without disclosure ("Partner post" at top).
• No affiliate links disguised as citations.

Checklist

• Ad placement zones match expected container sizes (no content crowding).
• Tombstoning (two ad blocks touching) avoided.
• Sponsored/native ads clearly labeled above-the-fold.
• No content reflow issues on mobile (sticky footer doesn't crush text).
• Image captions don't overlap ad zones.
• CTAs in article don't visually mimic ad CTAs (color, button style).

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SEO Metadata Verification

Required Metadata Elements

Field	Character Limit	Requirement	Example
Meta Title	50–60 chars	Unique per article; keyword + brand optional; no clickbait	"How Pesticide Runoff Pollutes County Water: 2025 Investigation"
Meta Description	155–160 chars	Compelling summary; no keyword stuffing; includes hook	"Investigative report reveals how agricultural chemicals contaminate drinking water. Read our analysis of state testing failures."
H1 (Article Headline)	—	One per page; matches or closely mirrors meta title	(same as title, usually)
Image Alt Text	<125 chars	Describe what's in image; don't repeat caption; include relevant keywords naturally	Alt: "Water sample from Miller County aquifer glowing under UV light, showing fluorescent chemical residue"
Open Graph (og:title, og:description, og:image)	—	Mirror meta title/description; 1200×630px image; JPG/PNG	og:image should be unique per article (not site-wide placeholder)
Structured Data (JSON-LD, NewsArticle)	—	Include author, datePublished, dateModified, headline, image, description	Required for news index eligibility

Checklist

• Meta title: 50–60 chars, includes primary keyword, no clickbait.
• Meta description: 155–160 chars, compelling hook, no keyword stuffing.
• H1 tag present and unique on page.
• All images: alt text present, <125 chars, descriptive not repetitive.
• Open Graph tags populated (og:title, og:description, og:image).
• og:image is unique per article, 1200×630px, JPG or PNG.
• Structured data (NewsArticle schema) present and valid JSON.
• No duplicate meta titles across site (check against published articles).

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Accessibility Checks

WCAG 2.1 AA (Minimum Standard)

Element	Requirement	How to Verify
Color Contrast	4.5:1 (text), 3:1 (graphics)	Use WebAIM contrast checker; assume no user color-blindness mode
Heading Hierarchy	H1 → H2 → H3 (no skips); one H1 per page	Outline test: press Tab, verify logical reading order
Links	Descriptive text, not "click here"; sufficient size (24×24px); underlined or high contrast	"Read the investigation" not "click here"
Images	Alt text present (or decorative: alt=""); captions for charts/graphs	Every image has alt attribute; charts have long descriptions
Video	Captions (live speech), transcript (background audio)	Assume deaf user; assume no audio
Forms	Labels associated with inputs (for/id attributes); error messages clear	No placeholder-only labels
Mobile	Touch targets 24×24px; zoom to 200% doesn't break layout	Test on real device, not just browser zoom

Checklist

• No color used as only means of conveying information (e.g., "red text = error").
• Heading hierarchy: H1 (single), H2s, H3s; no skips.
• Alt text on all images; captions on charts/graphs/infographics.
• Links descriptive ("Read investigation" vs. "Click here"); not underlined link pseudo-text.
• Video captions present; transcripts provided.
• 200% zoom: no text cutoff, no horizontal scroll introduced.
• Assume reader uses screen reader: link text makes sense out of context.

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Style Consistency Enforcement

House Style Template

Create a style reference for your publication (update once, reuse always):

Category	Rule	Example/Counterexample
Numbers	Spell out zero–nine; numerals 10+; exceptions: addresses, percentages, dollar amounts	"Five people" vs. "25 people"; "$5.2M" not "five point two million"
Dates	Month DD, YYYY or DD Month YYYY (not MM/DD/YY)	"March 15, 2025" not "3/15/25"
Time	12-hour with a.m./p.m., not 24-hour	"3:30 p.m." not "15:30"
Oxford Comma	Use in lists	"Red, white, and blue" not "red, white and blue"
Quotes	Double quotes; single quotes inside; attribution after period	"He said, 'Hello.'" not 'He said "Hello."'
Acronyms	Expand on first use	"Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)" then "FBI" thereafter
Emphasis	Italics for publication titles, vessels; bold for headers only	New York Times vs. New York Times
Contractions	Use or avoid consistently (decide once per publication)	"don't" or "do not" — pick one, apply everywhere
Titles Before Names	"Mayor Jane Smith" or "Jane Smith, mayor"?	Decide; apply consistently
State/Country Abbreviations	Two-letter postal codes (AP style) or spell out?	"TX" vs. "Texas" — decide

Red Flag: Inconsistent application of style rules (some articles spell out numbers, others don't).

Checklist

• Numbers 0–9 spelled out; 10+ numerals (except special cases: addresses, percentages, dollars).
• Dates: Month DD, YYYY format.
• Times: 12-hour with a.m./p.m.
• Acronyms expanded on first mention.
• Quotes: double quotes with single inside; attribution after period.
• Emphasis: italics for titles/vessels; bold for headers only.
• Titles/names: consistent format across article.
• Contractions: consistent within publication.

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Implementation Workflow

Step-by-Step Copy Review Process

1. Establish Parameters (5 min)

   • Target audience reading level
   • Expected time to read
   • Device priority (mobile-first or desktop)
   • House style reference (or inherit from publication defaults)

2. Readability Pass (10–15 min)

   • Read article aloud (catch rhythm/flow problems).
   • Sentence length: mark anything >40 words.
   • Paragraph length: flag anything >4 sentences.
   • Jargon/acronyms: circle unexpanded terms.
   • Passive voice: underline instances.
   • Use Flesch-Kincaid calculator (target score: 50–60 for general audience).

3. Accessibility Audit (10 min)

   • Run WAVE or Axe DevTools (browser extension).
   • Check all images for alt text.
   • Verify heading hierarchy (H1→H2→H3, no skips).
   • Test 200% zoom; check mobile tap targets.
   • (If video present: captions verified? Transcript available?)

4. SEO Metadata Check (5 min)

   • Meta title: 50–60 chars? Keyword present? Unique?
   • Meta description: 155–160 chars? Hook compelling?
   • og:image: 1200×630px? Unique to article?
   • H1: present, unique on page?
   • JSON-LD structure: valid? (Test with Google Structured Data Tester)

5. Ad Placement Safety (5 min)

   • Mock layout: where will ads render?
   • No text overlap? No tombstoning?
   • Native/sponsored clearly labeled?
   • Sufficient spacing around ad zones?

6. Style Consistency Pass (10 min)

   • Spot-check against house style guide.
   • Numbers: spell-out vs. numeral consistency.
   • Dates/times: format consistency.
   • Acronyms: all expanded on first mention?
   • Emphasis: italics vs. bold usage consistent?

7. Final Read (5 min)

   • Read opening + closing paragraphs aloud.
   • Scan subheadings; do they summarize sections?
   • Click all links; confirm they work and go to intended destination.
   • Check for widow/orphan words (single word on its own line).

8. Sign-Off

   • Document findings: list of edits, explanations.
   • Mark as "Ready for Final Editor Review" (NOT "Ready to Publish").
   • If major changes needed: request author rewrite; re-run accessibility check.

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Common Mistakes & Red Flags

Readability Mistakes

Mistake	Why It Fails	Fix
Entire paragraph is one sentence (>50 words)	Reader loses thread; accessibility burden (screen reader pause required)	Break into 2–3 sentences at natural pause points
All paragraphs 1 sentence	Feels choppy; no rhythm	Vary: some single, some 2–3 sentences
Passive voice everywhere ("The report was issued by the agency.")	Buried actors; weaker voice; harder to parse	Rewrite active: "The agency issued the report."
Acronym used without first expansion ("The EPA warned...")	New reader lost; accessibility failure (screen readers spell out "EPA")	First use: "Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warned..."
"Very," "really," "quite," "somewhat"	Weak intensifiers; editorial bias	Delete or replace: "really good" → "increased by 40%" (fact, not opinion)
Heading caps: "Flood Waters Rise In Three Counties"	Harder to scan; unclear emphasis	Use sentence case: "Flood waters rise in three counties"

Accessibility Mistakes

Mistake	Why It Fails	Fix
Red text (no underline) for links on blue background	Color-blind readers can't distinguish; fails 4.5:1 contrast	Underline all links; confirm 4.5:1 contrast ratio
Heading hierarchy: H1 → H3 (skips H2)	Screen reader users can't navigate by skipped levels	Follow strict H1 → H2 → H3 hierarchy
Alt text is caption or redundant ("Image: Flooded street")	Screen reader repeats caption; wasted alt space	Write unique alt: "Main Street submerged under 4 feet of water, Sept 2025"
Decorative image with alt text ("Decorative line separator")	Screen readers read unnecessary text; auditory clutter	Use alt="" (empty) for purely decorative images
Video captions auto-generated (unchecked)	Auto-captions often wrong ("river" → "reever"); fail accessibility	Manually review captions; sync timing

SEO Metadata Mistakes

Mistake	Why It Fails	Fix
Meta title = article headline (always)	No brand recognition; missed keyword opportunities	Meta title can be slight variation: headline vs. title
Meta description copied from first paragraph (no hook)	No reason to click; low CTR	Write benefit-driven summary: "Investigative analysis reveals..." not "The report shows..."
og:image is site-wide placeholder	Social shares don't show article-specific image	Generate unique social card per article
H1 ≠ meta title	Search engines confused about primary topic	Align H1 and meta title; allow minor variation for readability
Keyword stuffed in title ("Water Pollution Investigation Water Pollution Report Water")	Google penalizes keyword stuffing; unreadable	Use keyword once naturally: "Water Pollution Investigation: County Failed Safety Standards"
Structured data missing or invalid JSON	News articles not eligible for Google News index	Test with Google Structured Data Tester; include author, datePublished, headline, image

Ad Placement Mistakes

Mistake	Why It Fails	Fix
Article text flows directly into sidebar ad (no margin)	Visual confusion; readers click ad by accident (high bounce rate)	Add 20–30px margin; visual border/background color difference
Two ad blocks side-by-side with no gap (tombstoning)	Reads as single mega-ad; low CTR; looks cheap	Ensure grid system prevents adjacent ad slots
Sponsored content not labeled "Sponsored" (or buried)	FTC violation; reader deception; destroys trust	Label above-the-fold in 14+ pt font, contrasting color
Sticky footer ad covers article body on mobile	Unreadable; high bounce; low engagement	Test on real mobile device; ensure sufficient bottom margin
Affiliate links disguised as citations ("Click here for more info [affiliate link]")	Deceptive; undermines credibility; potential legal exposure	Disclose affiliate status upfront; use [Affiliate Link] label if policy requires

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Boundary: What Copy Review Does NOT Cover

• Fact-checking (belongs to final-editor-review)
• Tone/angle disputes (editorial decision; assign to editor if concern)
• Structural changes (if article needs reordering, request author rewrite)
• Sourcing critique (belongs to final-editor-review)
• Headline rewrite (that's the editor's domain; copy review validates existing headline)

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Escalation

If copy review uncovers factual inconsistencies (dates, titles, quotes), do NOT fix them:

1. Flag for final-editor-review with note: "Copy review found potential factual discrepancy: (specific example)"
2. Do not proceed with publication until editorial confirms.

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Checklist for Publication

Before marking "Ready for Final Editor Review":

• Readability: target audience parameters met (Flesch-Kincaid score in range).
• Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA audit passed (zero contrast failures, heading hierarchy clean).
• SEO metadata: title, description, og:image, H1, structured data all present and valid.
• Ad placement: no text overlap, spacing adequate, native ads labeled.
• Style consistency: numbers, dates, acronyms, emphasis uniform.
• All links working; no broken URLs.
• No spelling/grammar errors.
• Sign-off document attached with detailed notes.