iblai-marketing-copy-editing

name	iblai-marketing-copy-editing
description	When the user wants to edit, review, or improve existing marketing copy, or refresh outdated content. Also use when the user mentions 'edit this copy,' 'review my copy,' 'copy feedback,' 'proofread,' 'polish this,' 'make this better,' 'copy sweep,' 'tighten this up,' 'this reads awkwardly,' 'clean up this text,' 'too wordy,' 'sharpen the messaging,' 'refresh this content,' 'update this page,' 'this content is outdated,' or 'content audit.' Use this when the user already has copy and wants it improved or refreshed rather than rewritten from scratch. For writing new copy, see iblai-marketing-copywriting.
globs	null
alwaysApply	false
metadata	{"version":"1.3.0"}

/iblai-marketing-copy-editing

Improve existing marketing copy through focused, sequential edit passes. Preserve the core message; sharpen the execution.

Step 0: Context Check

Read .agents/product-marketing-context.md (or .claude/product-marketing-context.md on older setups) before editing. Use brand voice and customer language from that context to guide every change.

Good editing isn't rewriting — it's enhancing. Each pass tackles one dimension; trying to fix everything at once misses things.

Principles:

• Don't change the core message; sharpen it
• Multiple focused passes beat one unfocused review
• Every edit has a clear reason
• Preserve the author's voice while improving clarity

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The Seven Sweeps Framework

Edit through seven sequential passes — Clarity, Voice and Tone, So What, Prove It, Specificity, Heightened Emotion, Zero Risk. After each sweep, loop back to confirm earlier sweeps weren't compromised.

#	Sweep	Question it answers
1	Clarity	Can the reader understand it?
2	Voice and Tone	Does it sound like the brand?
3	So What	Why should the reader care?
4	Prove It	Where's the evidence?
5	Specificity	Is it concrete, not vague?
6	Heightened Emotion	Does it move the reader?
7	Zero Risk	What hesitations remain?

Full sweep-by-sweep guidance, examples, and per-sweep checklists: references/seven-sweeps.md.

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Expert Panel Scoring

Use this after the Seven Sweeps as an extra quality gate. For high-stakes copy (landing pages, launch emails, sales pages), multi-persona review catches what a single perspective misses.

How It Works

1. Assemble 3-5 expert personas relevant to the copy type
2. Each persona scores the copy 1-10 on their area of expertise
3. Collect specific critiques — not just scores, but fixes
4. Revise based on feedback — address lowest-scoring areas first
5. Re-score after revisions — iterate until every persona scores 7+, panel average 8+

Recommended Panels

Landing page copy:

• Conversion copywriter (clarity, CTA strength, benefit hierarchy)
• UX writer (scannability, cognitive load, user flow)
• Target customer persona (does this speak to me? Do I trust it?)
• Brand strategist (voice consistency, positioning accuracy)

Email sequence:

• Email marketing specialist (subject lines, open/click optimization)
• Copywriter (hooks, storytelling, persuasion)
• Spam filter analyst (deliverability red flags, trigger words)
• Target customer persona (relevance, value, unsubscribe risk)

Sales page / long-form:

• Direct response copywriter (offer structure, objection handling, urgency)
• Skeptical buyer persona (proof gaps, trust issues, red flags)
• Editor (flow, readability, conciseness)
• SEO specialist (keyword coverage, search intent alignment)

Scoring Rubric

Score	Meaning
9-10	Publish-ready. No meaningful improvements.
7-8	Strong. Minor tweaks only.
5-6	Functional but has clear gaps. Needs another pass.
3-4	Significant issues. Major revision needed.
1-2	Fundamentally broken. Rethink approach.

When to Use

• Always for launch copy, pricing pages, high-traffic landing pages
• Recommended for email sequences, sales pages, ad copy
• Optional for blog posts, social content, internal docs
• Skip for quick updates, minor edits, low-stakes content

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Quick-Pass Checks

Use for faster reviews when a full seven-sweep process isn't warranted.

Word-Level

Cut these words:

• Very, really, extremely, incredibly (weak intensifiers)
• Just, actually, basically (filler)
• In order to (use "to")
• That (often unnecessary)
• Things, stuff (vague)

Replace these:

Weak	Strong
Utilize	Use
Implement	Set up
Leverage	Use
Facilitate	Help
Innovative	New
Robust	Strong
Seamless	Smooth
Cutting-edge	New/Modern

Watch for:

• Adverbs (usually unnecessary)
• Passive voice (switch to active)
• Nominalizations (verb → noun: "make a decision" → "decide")

Sentence-Level

• One idea per sentence
• Vary sentence length (mix short and long)
• Front-load important information
• Max 3 conjunctions per sentence
• Usually under 25 words

Paragraph-Level

• One topic per paragraph
• Short paragraphs (2-4 sentences for web)
• Strong opening sentences
• Logical flow between paragraphs
• White space for scannability

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Copy Editing Checklist

Before You Start

• Understand the goal of this copy
• Know the target audience
• Identify the desired action
• Read through once without editing

Clarity (Sweep 1)

• Every sentence is immediately understandable
• No jargon without explanation
• Pronouns have clear references
• No sentences trying to do too much

Voice & Tone (Sweep 2)

• Consistent formality level throughout
• Brand personality maintained
• No jarring mood shifts
• Reads well aloud

So What (Sweep 3)

• Every feature connects to a benefit
• Claims answer "why should I care?"
• Benefits connect to real desires
• No impressive-but-empty statements

Prove It (Sweep 4)

• Claims are substantiated
• Social proof is specific and attributed
• Numbers and stats have sources
• No unearned superlatives

Specificity (Sweep 5)

• Vague words replaced with concrete ones
• Numbers and timeframes included
• Generic statements made specific
• Filler content removed

Heightened Emotion (Sweep 6)

• Copy evokes feeling, not just information
• Pain points feel real
• Aspirations feel achievable
• Emotion serves the message authentically

Zero Risk (Sweep 7)

• Objections addressed near CTA
• Trust signals present
• Next steps are crystal clear
• Risk reversals stated (guarantee, trial, etc.)

Final Checks

• No typos or grammatical errors
• Consistent formatting
• Links work (if applicable)
• Core message preserved through all edits

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Common Problems & Fixes

Problem: Wall of Features

Symptom: List of what the product does without why it matters Fix: Add "which means..." after each feature to bridge to benefits

Problem: Corporate Speak

Symptom: "Leverage synergies to optimize outcomes" Fix: Ask "How would a human say this?" and use those words

Problem: Weak Opening

Symptom: Company history or vague statements Fix: Lead with the reader's problem or desired outcome

Problem: Buried CTA

Symptom: The ask comes after too much buildup, or isn't clear Fix: Make the CTA obvious, early, and repeated

Problem: No Proof

Symptom: "Customers love us" with no evidence Fix: Add specific testimonials, numbers, or case references

Problem: Generic Claims

Symptom: "We help businesses grow" Fix: Specify who, how, and by how much

Problem: Mixed Audiences

Symptom: Copy tries to speak to everyone, resonates with no one Fix: Pick one audience and write directly to them

Problem: Feature Overload

Symptom: Every capability listed, reader overwhelmed Fix: Focus on 3-5 key benefits that matter most

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Working with Copy Sweeps

When editing collaboratively:

1. Run a sweep and present findings — show what you found, why it matters
2. Recommend specific edits — propose solutions, not just problems
3. Request the updated copy — let the author make final calls
4. Verify previous sweeps — re-check earlier sweeps after each round
5. Repeat until clean — until a full sweep surfaces no new issues

This iteration respects the author's ownership while compounding improvements.

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References

• Plain English Alternatives: Replace complex words with simpler alternatives
• Content Refresh: Full checklist, refresh vs. rewrite matrix, and cadence guide

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Content Refresh Editing

Existing pages decay — outdated stats, stale examples, drifted brand voice. Use the content refresh framework when traffic is declining, data is stale, or the product has changed.

Full refresh checklist, refresh-vs-rewrite matrix, cadence guide: references/content-refresh.md.

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Task-Specific Questions

1. Goal of this copy? (Awareness, conversion, retention.)
2. What action should readers take?
3. Specific concerns or known issues?
4. What proof/evidence is available?
5. New copy or refresh of existing content?

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Related Skills

• iblai-marketing-copywriting: Writing new copy from scratch (use this skill to edit afterward)
• iblai-marketing-page-cro: Broader page optimization beyond copy
• iblai-marketing-psychology: Why certain edits improve conversion
• iblai-marketing-ab-test-setup: Testing copy variations

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When to Use Each Skill

Task	Skill to Use
Writing new page copy from scratch	iblai-marketing-copywriting
Reviewing and improving existing copy	iblai-marketing-copy-editing (this skill)
Editing copy you just wrote	iblai-marketing-copy-editing (this skill)
Structural or strategic page changes	iblai-marketing-page-cro