Copywriting is writing that asks the reader to do something: buy, book, sign up, donate, apply, click. A letter persuades one reader; copy persuades thousands, most of whom will give it a few seconds. This guide explains what copywriting is, the kinds you are most likely to need, and the rules that make it work whether you are writing a shop sign, a web page or a fundraising email.
What copywriting is
“Copy” is any text written to be published, and copywriting is copy written to promote a product, service, organisation, idea or person. It appears on websites, in adverts, in emails and direct mail, on packaging, in brochures and leaflets, in social media posts and in the scripts of radio and video adverts. The measure of copy is not whether it reads well but whether the reader acts.
Before you write a word
Answer three questions. Who is the reader: one person, as specifically as you can picture them? What one thing do you want them to do after reading? Why would they, from their point of view, not yours? Most weak copy fails at the third question: it describes the company when it should describe the reader’s problem and how it goes away.
The rules that apply everywhere
- Lead with the benefit, not the feature. “Dries a full load in 40 minutes” is a feature; “Washing done before the school run” is the benefit.
- Headline first. Most people read only the headline. It has to carry the whole offer: what, for whom, and why now.
- One message. Each piece of copy makes one point. Extra points belong in another piece.
- Write to one person. “You”, not “customers”. Short words, short sentences, the way you would say it aloud.
- Prove it. Numbers, names, dates, guarantees, reviews. A claim without proof is noise.
- Make it scannable. Subheadings, short paragraphs, bullet points, bold on the words that matter. Readers skim first and decide whether to read.
- Tell them what to do. Every piece ends with one clear call to action: “Book a free survey”, “Reply by Friday”, “Add to basket”.
- Cut. Then cut again. If a word does not move the reader toward the action, it is in the way.
Kinds of copywriting
Advertising copy
Print adverts, posters, radio and video scripts, online display and social adverts. Space is tiny and attention is borrowed, so the headline does most of the work and the body copy adds one reason to believe and one instruction. Write for the person who is most likely to want the product, not for everyone. Empathy, not sympathy: show you understand the reader’s situation without pitying it. If there is an offer, put it in the headline.
Web copy
The home page says in one line what the organisation does and for whom. Each product or service page answers, in this order: what it is, who it is for, what it costs or how to find out, what happens next. Headings should make sense on their own, because people jump between them. Search engines read the same page as people do, so use the words your readers would type into a search box, naturally and once or twice, and never stuff them in. Copy written for search engines at the expense of readers ranks briefly and converts never.
Email and direct mail
Both go to a list, and the list matters more than the words: the best copy in the world sells nothing to people who have no use for the product. Write a subject line or envelope line that promises something specific. Keep the message short, make the offer early, and give one link or one reply device. In the UK, marketing emails to individuals generally need their consent (there is a limited exception for people who are already your customers) and every message needs a working unsubscribe link; for direct mail, screening the list against the Mailing Preference Service is standard practice. Test two versions of the subject line on a small part of the list before sending to the rest.
Sales letters
The long form of direct mail, still used by charities, publishers and professional services. A sales letter is a conversation with one reader: it opens with their problem, shows you understand it, presents the solution, proves it with examples and figures, deals with the obvious objection, makes the offer, and asks for the reply. A PS is read more than any paragraph except the first, so repeat the offer there. Avoid jargon and avoid talking about your own company’s history; readers want to know what changes for them.
Social media and short copy
A post is a headline with a picture. Say one thing, say it in the reader’s words, and ask for one action. The same rules apply as in adverts, with less room.
A simple method
- Write the call to action first. Everything else exists to earn it.
- List every feature, then turn each into a benefit by asking “so what?” until you reach something the reader cares about.
- Pick the single strongest benefit and write ten headlines for it. Keep the clearest, not the cleverest.
- Write the body in one sitting, as if explaining to a friend. Do not edit while you write.
- Leave it overnight. Then cut a third, read it aloud, and check every fact and spelling.
- Ask someone from the audience what they would do after reading it. If the answer is not the action you wanted, rewrite.
Honesty
UK advertising rules require copy to be legal, decent, honest and truthful, and consumer law makes misleading claims an offence. The practical rule is simpler: never write a claim you could not show evidence for if asked. Good copy persuades by being specific and true; exaggeration is what readers have learned to skip.
Related guides
Clear writing is the foundation of good copy. See Writing Conventions, Spelling Rules in English and Punctuation Rules in English. For a letter that sells you rather than a product, see Cover Letters.