Copywriting
Key question
How does a text move people to act, and when is it finished?
At the end of a text, there is almost always an action: book, sign up, call, read more. The call to action, or CTA for short, makes this step as easy as possible. Then comes editing: cutting, checking, refining, until every word does its job.
Learning objective: You will be able to write effective CTAs and microcopy, systematically edit your own texts, and check texts with a checklist before submission.
A piece of writing is complete when nothing more can be left out.
6.1 / The Call to Action
One verb, one benefit, one click.
A good CTA explains what happens after clicking, and ideally also what’s in it for the user. It is placed right where the decision is made, and there should ideally only be one per location.
01
Verb first
Start with the action. ‘Start subscription’ instead of ‘To subscription’.
02
State benefits
What do I get? A clear benefit lowers the barrier to entry.
03
Remove uncertainty
A sentence next to the button answers the last question.
Microcopy is part of this too: error messages, form hints, confirmations. They may be small, but they determine whether someone feels well guided.
A button promises what happens after the click.
6.2 / Editing
Shorten, check, sharpen.
Editing means taking a step back to re-read and improve a text. A tried-and-tested approach is to do several passes, each with a single focus: first structure and logic, then sentences and words, and finally spelling, numbers, and names.
A good rule of thumb is to cut the first draft by a third. Prime candidates for removal are filler words, repetitions, nominal style, and anything the image already conveys. Reading aloud reveals where the text stumbles.
Read aloud. Where you stumble, others will too.
6.3 / Submission and feedback
A text is only finished when others understand it.
Before submitting, it is worth running through a quick checklist: Does the message match the brief? Is the tone of voice consistent? Are names, prices, dates, and links correct? Does the copy fit the design, including on mobile?
Feedback from others is the most powerful tool. The most helpful question to ask is "What did you understand?" rather than "Do you like it?". Follow-up questions reveal where the text is not yet clear.
Don't ask if they like it. Ask what was understood.
Exercise
Finalise a text
Task: Edit a landing page or flyer for submission.
STEP 1
Revise all buttons using the CTA check.
STEP 2
Shorten the body text by a third and compare both versions.
STEP 3
Checks names, prices, dates and links.
STEP 4
Have someone uninvolved read the text and ask them what they understood.
Evaluation: Which follow-up question surprised you the most?