copywriting-patterns

name	copywriting-patterns
description	Use when writing marketing copy, landing pages, email subject lines, CTAs, headlines, UX microcopy, or A/B test variants. Covers proven copywriting frameworks (AIDA, PAS, BAB, 4Ps), headline formulas, conversion-focused writing, tone and voice guidelines, and copy testing strategies.
user-invocable	true
allowed-tools	["Read","Write","Edit","Grep","Glob"]

Copywriting Patterns -- Frameworks, Formulas & Conversion Copy

1. Core Frameworks

AIDA -- Attention, Interest, Desire, Action

Best for structured persuasion (landing pages, ads):

A — ATTENTION:  Bold headline addressing the pain. Stop the scroll.
I — INTEREST:   Relevant facts, stories, or data. Show understanding.
D — DESIRE:     Paint the outcome. Benefits + social proof + specificity.
A — ACTION:     One clear CTA. Remove friction. Create genuine urgency.

PAS -- Problem, Agitate, Solution

Best for problem-aware but not solution-aware audiences:

P — PROBLEM:    State the problem clearly in the reader's language.
A — AGITATE:    Make the pain vivid. Show consequences of inaction.
S — SOLUTION:   Present your solution as the relief, tied to the pain points.

BAB -- Before, After, Bridge

Best for transformation stories and case studies:

B — BEFORE:     Describe the current painful state.
A — AFTER:      Describe the ideal future state.
B — BRIDGE:     Show how your product bridges the gap.

4Ps -- Promise, Picture, Proof, Push

Best for sales pages and product marketing:

Promise:  Specific, compelling big benefit
Picture:  Help the reader visualize the outcome
Proof:    Evidence (data, testimonials, case studies)
Push:     Reason to act now + clear CTA

PASTOR (Long-form sales)

Problem -> Amplify -> Story/Solution -> Transformation -> Offer -> Response

When to Use Which

Framework	Best For	Audience Awareness
AIDA	Landing pages, ads	Varies
PAS	Email, blog intros	Problem-aware
BAB	Case studies, testimonials	Problem-aware
4Ps	Feature/product pages	Solution-aware
PASTOR	Long-form sales pages	Unaware to problem-aware

2. Headline Formulas

HOW-TO:          "How to [outcome] without [objection]"
NUMBERED LIST:   "[N] [noun] that [verb] [outcome]"
QUESTION:        "Are you still [painful activity]?"
DIRECT BENEFIT:  "The fastest way to [desired outcome]"
SOCIAL PROOF:    "How [customer] [achieved result] in [timeframe]"
NEGATIVE:        "Stop [mistake] before it [consequence]"
CURIOSITY GAP:   "We analyzed [N] [things]. Here is what we found."
SPECIFIC RESULT: "[Exact result] in [exact timeframe] — here is how"

Testing: One variable at a time. Min 100 observations/variant. Run 7+ days. Winner must beat control by 10%+.

3. CTA Optimization

Rules:

1. Start with a verb: "Start your free trial" not "Free trial"
2. State the benefit: "Get my report" not "Submit"
3. Be specific: "See pricing plans" not "Learn more"
4. Reduce friction: "See it in action -- no signup needed"
5. Match CTA to funnel stage: Awareness ("Read the guide") -> Decision ("Start free trial")
6. One primary CTA per email. Max two CTAs per page section.

Placement: Hero section (above fold) + after social proof + bottom of page.

4. Landing Page Structure

1. HERO:         Headline (benefit) + subheadline + CTA + visual
2. SOCIAL PROOF: Customer logos or key metric
3. PROBLEM:      2-3 pain points in their language
4. SOLUTION:     How you solve each pain point
5. FEATURES:     3-4 feature-benefit pairs (lead with benefit)
6. TESTIMONIAL:  Name, role, company + specific metric
7. HOW IT WORKS: 3-step process
8. PRICING/CTA:  Pricing table or repeated CTA
9. FAQ:          Top 5-7 objections, concise answers
10. FINAL CTA:   Restate benefit + CTA button

Feature-Benefit Formula

[Product] has [feature] so you can [benefit], which means [outcome the reader cares about].

Objection Handling Patterns

Objection	Response Pattern
"Too expensive"	Reframe as investment: "For less than the cost of one error..."
"No time to switch"	Address migration: "Most teams are running in 2 weeks"
"Too small/big"	Show range with proof: "Teams of 5 and 500 use it"
"What if it fails?"	Risk reversal: "Free 30 days, cancel with one click"
"Current system works"	Quantify hidden cost: "15 hours/month on manual work"

5. Email Subject Lines

CURIOSITY:       "The one thing your competitors are doing differently"
BENEFIT:         "Cut your [process] time in half"
PERSONALIZATION: "[First name], your [month] report is ready"
URGENCY (real):  "[Offer] expires [day]"
SOCIAL PROOF:    "How [customer] [achieved result]"
QUESTION:        "Still managing [task] in spreadsheets?"

Rules: 30-50 characters optimal. Front-load the key word. No ALL CAPS. Preview text complements, not repeats.

6. UX Microcopy

Error Messages

Formula: [What happened] + [Why] + [What to do next]

• Never blame the user. Be specific. Tell them how to fix it.
• Good: "That email is already registered. Try signing in instead."

Empty States

Formula: [What this area will contain] + [How to get started]

• Good: "No invoices yet. Create your first invoice to start tracking payments. [Create invoice]"

Confirmations

• Before: "Delete this invoice? This cannot be undone. [Cancel] [Delete invoice]"
• After: "Invoice INV-2026-00042 created and sent to [e-mail]."

Button Labels

• Use verb + noun: "Save draft," "Send invoice," "Run report"
• Mark optional fields, not required ones (when most are required)

7. Tone by Channel

Channel	Formality	Example
Legal/Terms	High	"The Service Provider shall..."
Product docs	Medium	"To create an invoice, navigate to..."
Blog post	Medium	"Here is a smarter way to handle..."
Landing page	Medium	"Get paid faster with automated..."
Email campaign	Low-Med	"Hi Sarah, quick update on..."
Social media	Low	"Month-end closing in 2 hours. Yes, really."
Error message	Medium	"Something went wrong. Try refreshing."

By Audience

• Technical: Lead with specifics, use technical terms, show code, skip sales pitch
• Business: Lead with outcomes/ROI, plain language, metrics, address risk
• End Users: Lead with ease-of-use, task-oriented, before/after comparisons

8. Copy Review Checklist

Clarity: Understandable to unfamiliar reader? Every sentence necessary? No ambiguity? Persuasion: Clear value prop? Benefits not just features? Social proof? Single clear CTA? Voice: Tone matches channel/audience? Active voice? Varied sentence length? SEO: Headline includes keyword? Meta description compelling? Headings structured H1>H2>H3? Accuracy: Claims factual? Statistics sourced? Product details current? Pricing correct? Accessibility: Inclusive language? Acronyms defined? Scannable (short paragraphs, bullets)?