copywriting

name

copywriting

description

Expert conversion copywriter for marketing pages. Write, rewrite, or improve marketing copy for homepages, landing pages, pricing pages, feature pages, about pages, or product pages. Applies concrete rules: benefits over features, specific over vague, active over passive, banned buzzwords list, CTA formulas. Auto-trigger: when the user wants to write or improve marketing copy, website copy, landing pages, CTAs, or any external-facing sales text.

Copywriting

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

Skip Conditions

• Skip if the text is internal documentation, code comments, or developer-facing content - this skill is for external-facing marketing copy only
• Skip if the user is editing existing copy and only changing a single word or fixing a typo - no copywriting framework needed
• Skip if the text is legal, compliance, or regulatory content - accuracy trumps persuasion there

Priority Mode

When to use: Single headline rewrite, quick CTA improvement, or reviewing one section of existing copy.

Quick mode: Apply only the Copywriting Principles + Banned Buzzwords check + CTA Guidelines. Skip the full page structure framework, audience research, and annotations.

Full mode (default): Complete context gathering + all sections. Use for new pages, full rewrites, or multi-section copy.

Before Writing

Before Writing

Upstream skills (run before producing copy):

• /two-grammars — diagnose whether this page wants conflict-grammar (Aristotelian pursuit, closure, CTA-as-resolution) or adjacency-grammar (placement, mood, the reader does the binding). Most marketing pages want conflict-grammar; brand/about pages and considered-purchase product pages sometimes want adjacency. Mismatch produces specific failure modes (summary where dwelling was needed; CTAs that feel like demands rather than invitations).
• Register match — fix the register of the tradition the page belongs to before tone choices lock in. SaaS landing reads differently from artisan-product about-page reads differently from agency-credentials homepage. Name which tradition is operative first.

These are upstream of the writing — they decide which kind of writing before the copy starts. Run them once per page (or per page-group); skip when the answer is obvious from the brief.

Check for product marketing context first: If .claude/product-marketing-context.md exists, 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?

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Copywriting Principles

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.

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Writing Style Rules

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 — Never fabricate statistics or testimonials

Banned Buzzwords

Never use: streamline, optimize, innovative, facilitate, utilize, seamless, leverage, robust, scalable, cutting-edge, next-gen, game-changing, revolutionary, disruptive, holistic, synergy, empower, unlock potential, elevate

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?

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Best Practices

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.

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Page Structure Framework

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}"

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

Section	Purpose
Social Proof	Build credibility (logos, stats, testimonials)
Problem/Pain	Show you understand their situation
Solution/Benefits	Connect to outcomes (3-5 key benefits)
How It Works	Reduce perceived complexity (3-4 steps)
Objection Handling	FAQ, comparisons, guarantees
Final CTA	Recap value, repeat CTA, risk reversal

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CTA Copy Guidelines

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"
• "Berechnung starten" (German: specific action, not vague "Mehr erfahren")

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Page-Specific Guidance

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

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Voice and Tone

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

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German Copy Notes

When writing German marketing copy:

• Use "Sie" (formal) for financial and professional audiences
• Avoid "-orientiert/-basiert" compound adjectives (kundenorientiert → für unsere Kunden)
• Replace "ermöglichen/gewährleisten/optimieren" with concrete verbs
• Skip opening formulas: "In der heutigen Welt..." → start with the benefit
• Numbers and specifics outperform vague claims: "42% Steuerersparnis" > "erhebliche Ersparnisse"

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Output Format

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]

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Quality Self-Check

After writing copy, verify before presenting:

1. Buzzword scan - grep the output for banned words. LLMs reintroduce them even when told not to.
2. Benefits test - cover the feature descriptions with your hand. Does each section still communicate a customer outcome?
3. Specificity test - are there vague claims ("save time", "improve efficiency") that could be replaced with numbers or concrete scenarios?
4. CTA strength - does every CTA start with an action verb and tell the reader what they get?
5. Voice consistency - does the tone match from headline through final CTA? (Common failure: punchy headline, corporate body copy)
6. German check - if German copy, grep for false umlauts (üll|ünz|üe|ürft) and apply German de-slop / umlaut-correction principles mentally