The 21 Best Copywriting Articles Every Pro Needs to Read
Effective copywriting articles teach you three critical things: how to problem-solve existing issues, how to approach novel setbacks, and how to adapt your copy in the wake of constantly evolving online demand. They provide the key guidelines you need to adopt to become the best copywriter in your niche.
In this post, we’ll cover 21 of the best articles experienced copywriters must read.
Website: creative-copywriter.net
Konrad, Creative Copywriter’s CEO and Lead Strategist, employs a conversational style to distill complex marketing topics into easily digestible tidbits for professionals to read at their own pace. The author makes use of humor, everyday analogies, and fun copywriting hooks to effortlessly push readers further down the page (Joe Sugarman’s slippery slide technique, anyone?) and reveal industry-related, hard-hitting truths at just the right moment in the copy.
Additionally, the post breaks down the often-misunderstood content marketing flywheel, expanding it to include a stage that marketers typically tend to gloss over—post-sale care. Plus, it offers actionable tips to tailor your content according to your audience’s awareness stage and use data-driven methods to build and nurture a better rapport with your buyers in the long run.
Website: copyposse.com
Without spoiling anything, Alex’s post focuses on three major copywriting principles and how they affect content success: knowing the intent behind your audience’s actions, prioritizing product benefits instead of features, and creating the most powerful call to action (CTA) you can.
Recognizing how and when to apply these rules will increase your content’s reach and identify target demographics you never knew were interested in trying out your products in the first place.
There’s also a highly energetic video version of the article for those who prefer an audiovisual experience over text.
Website: crazyegg.com
Drawing from his personal experience as an industry veteran, Peter offers a captivating perspective on copywriting, debunking a ton of unsubstantiated claims about what it takes to write great copy. The article is jam-packed with actionable tips you can use instantly, like leveraging the AIDA and PAS frameworks to get a better sense of structure or digging into research well before you write your first sentence.
In addition, as the author points out, it’s not illegal to rewrite your headlines and CTAs, as these two elements will often make or break the overall effectiveness of your copy.
Website: john-carlton.com
As direct response advertising legend Gary Halbert’s protégé, John Carlton doesn’t shy away from dropping what was probably supposed to be a dry copywriting lesson in favor of a more heartfelt approach to life as it’s meant to be lived. John’s short essay style borrows a lot from Gary’s writing, reflected through the pacing, headings, conversational tone, dry wit, and the occasional ellipsis interjection throughout his post.
It’s a heartfelt tribute to one of the greats, and a valuable read for copywriters seeking inspiration outside the confines of professional achievements.
Website: annhandley.com
For a much-needed change of pace, Ann advocates HOW to write, not WHAT to write. Some of the author’s suggestions include starting with pen and paper to decrease any distractions and increase focus, making your mind work for you instead of against you.
The post also talks about the origins of the pomodoro technique, its unconventional usefulness, and its power to turn even the staunchest procrastinators into organizational masterminds and sticklers for rules.
Website: nickusborne.com
Nick tackles copywriting from a slightly different angle, addressing a common point that not many people dare to talk about. Namely, as Nick’s detractors would say, being older is somehow more detrimental to getting hired compared to a younger copywriter. However, and this is where Nick strongly objects, possessing decades of life knowledge comes with its own set of perks: deeper empathy, a broader set of skills, and the ability to tell unique stories stemming from a rich personal experience.
In short, the article’s worth checking out.
Website: valgeisler.com
Val Geisler is a post-conversion email expert, and it shows. In the author’s article, she points to a common problem plaguing SaaS and subscription-based businesses: the backward priorities that focus more on the initial onboarding process to the detriment of long-term customer retention.
Geisler isn’t all theory either. She identifies four distinct types of underused emails and provides practical guidelines on how to improve them to reduce churn. In short, sending thoughtful emails after a customer conversion can go a long way in nurturing lasting trust.
Website: crazyegg.com
This is an interesting one, and not because it’s featured on our blog. The article offers a straightforward comparison between the two most popular copywriting frameworks today: AIDA and PAS.
After a long and detailed explanation about the differences, similarities, and eccentricities of each formula, including a step-by-step comparison of two compelling examples—the author picks PAS over the AIDA framework. Point being, AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) is well-suited for long and structured copy, while PAS (Problem, Agitation, Solution) is more flexible and can be used everywhere: from email newsletters and landing pages to radio jingles and infomercials with comparable success.
Website: ogilvy.com
Originally published on Medium.com, “Would You Have Hired Steve Jobs?” by Kenneth Roman is an interesting exercise in how seemingly unqualified cadres can turn out to be generational talents, if one knows where (and how) to look.
In it, the author posits an interesting hypothetical: if you were a manager, would you have hired a young, deodorant-resistant Steve Jobs? Judging by young Steve’s lack of credentials, his unconventional behavior, and his disdain for authority, most owners would pass on the opportunity without giving it a second thought.
And therein lies the rub. Copywriting is much more than simply typing words on a screen. It’s also a strategic maneuver in talent acquisition that, when done right, can deliver long-lasting dividends well beyond its initial rollout.
Website: talkingshrimp.com
Laura’s quirky style gels well with copywriters who find themselves at their wits’ end, offering practical tips on email marketing, how to boost recipient engagement, and how to edit low-performing emails to achieve decent open rates sooner rather than later.
The author’s numerous accolades are proof that her methodologies perform effectively in the wild, such as a series of emails bringing in $200,000 in affiliate commissions for a single program launch, or selling out a high-ticket group program seven times without getting on a single sales call.
If you’re interested in converting readers into recurring customers, Laura Belgray’s advice is a must-read.
Website: from-scratch.net
This article is one for the books. In it, Sabine argues that short-form sales pages don’t perform as well as their more extensive counterparts, simply because the former fail to build an emotional connection with readers. Why? Short-form copy doesn’t have the leverage to define a foundational story anchor, establish a strong narrative, or end with a cathartic release.
By utilizing well-known formulas like PAS and DAS (Desire, Agitation, Solution), copywriters can weave a compelling plot that potential customers will recognize, identify with, and take action.
Website: larslofgren.com
John Caples, one of the fathers of modern copywriting, laid the groundwork for how headlines are supposed to look and what message to convey to prospective buyers. As it turns out, not having an eye-catching headline can tank your entire campaign regardless of the writing quality of the rest of your copy.
Cue in today. Lars’ post “The 35 Headline Formulas of John Caples” does exactly what it promises in its title. It compiles a handy swipe-file of all of Caples’ headline formulas, distills them to their basics, and offers short explanations for each headline category—100% fluff-free.
Lastly, use these headlines often, but don’t just copy and paste. Add your personal touch to build a more genuine connection with your readers.
Website: superside.com
In her piece, Michelle emphasizes the often underutilized approach of an unconventional, counterintuitive, and contrarian content marketing style to achieve the results you want.
For example, the author pushes to give away the juiciest goodies right from the start. Selling an ebook? Give it away for free as a lead magnet (within reason). Want your products to sell? Tell shoppers not to buy them, Patagonia style. Want prospects to convert? Write zero-click content.
Whether you decide to adopt these bold strategies to your writing (and whether it’ll work for your business) is up to you. Still, it’s somewhat refreshing to see novel concepts being explored after decades of identical content, repetitive articles, and regurgitative slop being hailed as the gold standard of content marketing, when, in fact, it’s just a re-packaged and SEO-laden fluff-fest served cold.
Website: crazyegg.com
Piggybacking off Lars’ John Caples’ headline formulas, Crazy Egg made its own contribution to the world of captivating headline formulas that convert. How do I know? Well, mind you, I wrote the article myself!
Cringe-inducing humor aside, this article presents 101 highly effective headline formulas (including an appropriate example accompanying each formula) you can use today to boost your clickthrough rates consistently over time.
My favorite formula: #42. Example: “17 Rage-Inducing Struggles Only Hardcore C# Coders Will Understand.”
Website: backlinko.com
Brian Dean is the pioneer of one-sentence paragraphs, and in a good way. He predicted the decreasing attention spans of readers, matching the incoming demand (shorter text) with an evolved supply (skimmable paragraphs).
Key concepts examined in Brian’s article on copywriting lessons include using strong CTAs to increase your conversion rate, researching your target demographic via Reddit threads, checking Amazon reviews to tighten up your copy, composing clear unique selling propositions (USPs) to demonstrate one-of-a-kind product/service values, and looking through customer surveys to identify the underlying principles behind your buyers’ motivations.
Website: justinwelsh.me
Justin Welsh, one of LinkedIn’s most prolific and successful influencers, offers his two cents on the power of specificity and how this simple concept helped him grow his business in a crowded online space.
The crucial takeaway is the following: write a specific tagline denoting WHO you could help, or your target audience, who you like WORKING WITH the most, or your ideal clients, and where your EXPERTISE will be the most valuable, or the perfect mutual fit. Once you nail these concepts down to a tee, you will automatically disqualify time-wasters and attract people who will be enthralled to collaborate with you.
Website: marketingprofs.com
If you can get over the freewall (you need to enter your email to read the full article), you’ll be in for a treat. Using the Socratic method, BSTRO’s Pam and Katie go hard in the paint explaining the differences between content writers, SEO content writers, copywriters, and content specialists.
The article flows like a conversation between two best friends who aren’t afraid to hash out their differences head-on. In fact, never in the history of copywriting has so much information been conveyed in such a casual tone. To Pam and Katie: When is the marketing podcast dropping?
Website: enchantingmarketing.com
Writers generally, and copywriters specifically, often fall victim to existing trends. Instead of exploring the things they know and are passionate about, they jump on the zeitgeist bandwagon to the detriment of their personal writing voice.
If you feel like this article description is speaking to you on a personal level, then Henneke’s advice will help you rediscover the joy of writing in four simple steps:
- Write for your favorite reader
- Define your message and communicate it clearly
- Write about the topics you’re passionate about
- Copy your favorite writers’ style until you discover your personal writing voice
Website: crazyegg.com
One of the key aspects of the content marketing funnel, a concept that doesn’t get enough attention, is objection handling.
In copywriting, objection handling boils down to this: whenever you’re advertising something for people to buy, they’ll naturally object to the product/service to test its—and by extension—your business mettle. If you can parry their criticisms successfully, they’ll turn from interested onlookers into warm leads, moving further down the funnel. If not, you’ve just lost yourself a customer.
In “Objection Handling: Go From “Heck No” to “Hell Yes”, Daniel presents a carefully thought out plan to handle customer objections with grace. And given that, on average, at least 60% of customers say “no” four times before saying “yes”, not sorting out this type of problem will result in a ton of botched deals and missed revenue goals the more the issue persists.
Website: digitalmarketer.com
In this digital marketing roundup, six experts give their predictions about the future of marketing, including the type of emerging trends professionals can expect, the evolution and regression of human-centered content, and the best ways to weather the onslaught of AI-generated content without losing one’s sanity in the process.
Featured experts include Lauren Petrullo, Amara Omoregie, Monique Morrison, Renée Boudakian, Scott Cunningham, and Dave Albano, with questions and answers curated by Digital Marketer’s Head of Programming, Kevin Kramer.
Website: coleschafer.com
As a post that fits into a single screenshot, Cole’s mini essay sure as hell packs a lot of copywriting-adjacent punch. The core premise compares crude data to the professional’s intuition, and the winner is determined by the marketer who knows more about how people behave—not necessarily the marketer who proselytizes exclusively about marketing 24/7.
No matter how you frame it, Cole’s short-form is an inspiring read either way. You can find many similar tidbits of wisdom on the author’s personal website, waiting eagerly to be slotted into practice.
