Have you ever stopped to think about what drives you to make a purchase? Often, it comes down to a series of nudges along the way, some subtle, others direct. In marketing, there’s a well-known concept called the Rule of Seven, which suggests people need to see a brand’s message an average of seven times before they’re ready to take action. You may not realize it, but you’re probably more familiar with that brand of prebiotic soda or allergen-free moisturizer than you think by the time you add it to your cart.
Conversion copywriting can play a critical role in this process. It’s the art and science of using words to guide potential customers toward a purchase.
When done well and paired with thoughtful design, conversion copy can turn a casual browser into a loyal buyer by transforming curiosity into action.
What is conversion copywriting?
Often credited to Joanna Wiebe, known as the “original conversion copywriter” and founder of Copyhackers, conversion copywriting blends customer research and focused messaging to move potential customers through the sales funnel, from awareness to action. The purpose of conversion copywriting is to clearly communicate your value proposition, how it addresses customer pain points, and inspire your target audience to take a specific action. The ultimate goal is for them to make a purchase, but along the way, you may also guide them toward another action, such as signing up for a newsletter or following your brand on social media. These are all specific calls to action (CTAs) that a great conversion copywriter can deliver on.
Unlike direct response copywriting, which aims for an immediate reaction, often through one-off campaigns or ads, conversion copywriting is built for the long game. A direct response email might push for a fast purchase with “Buy now. Limited time only!” urgency, while conversion copy might guide a hesitant shopper with “Start your free trial, cancel anytime.” Both aim to convert, but conversion copywriting is optimized for the full sales funnel and crafted to drive sustainable results across your website, ads, and other customer touchpoints.
Tips to improve your conversion copywriting
- Be specific to your audience
- Communicate your value proposition casually
- Write in your brand voice
- Be concise
- Consider the design
- Use compelling CTAs
- Align with business and campaign goals
Strong conversion copy is grounded in strategy, not just style. Whether you’re writing for a landing page, product description, or email campaign, these best practices can help your words turn visitors into paying customers:
Be specific to your audience
Before you write copy, clarify whom you’re speaking to. How old are they? What pain points do they face? Do they respond better to a more casual or formal tone? Customer research—via focus groups or trend reports from reputable sources such as Salesforce—will inform your buyer personas to help you understand your audience and tailor your copy to their needs. By grounding your message in what motivates your target audience, your headlines and body copy will address their goals, frustrations, and desired outcomes.
Vague copy and platitudes blend in, but specific details build trust and make your offer more tangible. Take this example:
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Vague: Get more done.
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Specific: Take your to-do list to done in half the time.
Communicate your value proposition casually
Conversion copy truly brings the phrase “show, not tell” to life. It’s less about describing your product or service and more about selling the outcome. What makes your offer different or better than others? Understanding this can help you craft your value proposition, a short statement that communicates the unique benefits of your product or service to fulfill your target audience’s needs. It should be evident across every touchpoint, from headlines to calls to action. The stronger your brand positioning, the easier it is to craft copy that converts.
Your audience shapes your brand personality and tone, but the actual words you use shouldn’t drown in niche speak. If your goal is conversion, clarity beats cleverness, and readers shouldn’t have to decode your message. Ditch the corporate or insider jargon and speak directly to the problems they’re trying to solve and the outcomes they care about. Consider this example:
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Jargon: AI optimization for your cycling FTP.
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Direct: Cycling workouts that automatically adjust as you go.
Write in your brand voice
Your brand voice should be as unique as your value proposition, whether it’s funny and inviting or bold and direct. By being consistent in your tone, word choice, and phrasing, you make it easier for customers to recognize your brand and build trust over time. A distinct brand voice can also help your brand stand out in crowded spaces and elevate what you offer as a cut above the rest. For example:
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Generic: With our electrolytes, it’s easier to stay hydrated.
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Distinct: Stay juicier than a ripe summer peach.
Be concise
Every word should serve a purpose. If it doesn’t, cut the fluff. Copy that converts often gets straight to the point. For example:
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Verbose: We’re excited to offer complimentary shipping for purchases over $50.
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Concise: Spend $50, get free shipping.
Consider the design
Effective copy doesn’t work in isolation. If you’re working with a designer, explore ways to cut down on words by making visuals to express concepts, like an arrow pointing down with “see more” instead of writing “scroll down to see more.” Make your copy scannable with bullet points and clear formatting so your message is easy to read and act on:
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Wall of text: Our protein bars are packed with 20 g of protein, only 3 g of sugar, and come in three flavors. Fuel your day with chocolate peanut butter, salted caramel, or cookies and cream without the crash.
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Scannable:
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20 g of protein
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3 g of sugar
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Available in Chocolate Peanut Butter, Salted Caramel, and Cookies and Cream
Use compelling CTAs
We’ve all seen plenty of “learn more” call-to-action buttons. Separate yourself from the crowd with a specific CTA that reinforces your value proposition and ties in a benefit to motivate readers to take action. For example:
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Generic: Explore more
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Compelling: Transform my living room
Align with business and campaign goals
Every piece of copy should serve a broader conversion optimization objective, like increasing website visitors, boosting sales, or reducing cart abandonment. All digital copy can use conversion rate optimization tools, A/B testing tools, and website analytics to identify what’s working, because high-converting copy is rarely perfect on the first try. Small tweaks can make a big difference—especially on landing pages, where even a small word change can drive more conversions. Align your messaging with optimization goals to guide customers and make every word work toward measurable key performance indicators (KPI) like click-through rate.
Real-world examples of conversion copywriting
- Beefcake Swimwear: Landing page
- Aura Bora: Product description
- Bruvi Coffee: Social proof
- Fly By Jing: TikTok
- Meow Meow Tweet: Instagram carousel
- Teach:able: Email newsletter
Real-world conversion copywriting examples show how great copy drives specific actions. These brands effectively use high-converting copy to move readers through the sales funnel, address pain points, and deliver persuasive messaging across different formats and platforms.
Beefcake Swimwear: Landing page
Desired action: Browse products
Beefcake Swimwear hooks website visitors instantly with the playful headline “Hello, Beefcake” over images of everyday people wearing its swimsuits. This establishes brand personality and connection. The sub copy, “One-piece swimsuits for any body, anywhere,” taps directly into a common customer frustration: finding comfortable swimwear. Emotional resonance and clear positioning inspire visitors to click “View all” and move deeper into Beefcake’s site.
Aura Bora: Product description
Desired action: Add to cart
Aura Bora’s product description for its Blackberry Black Pepper sparkling water uses sensory language to evoke nostalgia and “take you back to late end-of-summer nights.” This copy taps into emotional storytelling while reinforcing the natural ingredients the products are made with, making a persuasive case to add the drinks to your cart.
Bruvi Coffee: Social proof
Desired action: Add to cart or build a bundle
Bruvi leverages social proof to increase buyer confidence. Customer testimonials and quotes from trusted sources like Forbes and CNET reduce friction and increase trust by addressing doubts. Each quote addresses core customer concerns relevant to the coffee pod market, such as taste, convenience, and sustainability. This supports a seamless conversion path from browsing to either purchasing one Bruvi or building a customized bundle.
Fly By Jing: TikTok
Desired action: Purchase at Costco
Wildly popular Sichuan-inspired cuisine company Fly By Jing makes a compelling case for getting in your car and fighting traffic to buy its sauce at your nearest Costco in this TikTok video. The core message, which the person in the video explicitly states as, “I picked up a jumbo jar of Fly By Jing in the condiments aisle,” is woven into an even more enticing story by showing how the sauce pairs perfectly with Costco rotisserie chicken.
With descriptive lines like “Here’s one of my favorite Costco food hacks,” this video leans into the online trend of food hacks. The narrative goes on to elaborate on the benefits of the sauce: “The chicken is so juicy and savory, and a jar of chili crisp shaken and drizzled makes it that much better.”
Fly By Jing could have simply told its audience that its delicious sauce was available at Costco, but it found a way to pair it with another popular Costco item and craft the language around how the sauce elevates the chicken’s taste.
Meow Meow Tweet: Instagram carousel
Desired action: Join the Earth Month challenge
Rather than overtly push a product, Meow Meow Tweet uses an Instagram post to build brand trust. The line in the first image of the carousel, “Boycotting climate obstructive brands? Let us help you find alternatives,” is a strong opening statement that speaks to what its audience might be looking for. The CTA, “Join the challenge and download the app at the link in bio,” guides users toward a specific action and reinforces the brand’s eco-conscious values. This is a great example of conversion copywriting working across the funnel, not just at the point of sale.
Teach:able: Email newsletter
Desired action: Apply for a conference
Teach:able’s 9–5 Quitters Club email is an excellent example of a clear brand voice speaking to a distinct audience. Phrases like “Hey there, 9–5 quitter” and “build a business you don’t need to escape from” tap directly into the pain points of would-be creators tired of traditional jobs. This emotionally intelligent body copy sets up the compelling CTA to Apply Now for a networking and educational conference about building your business, hosted by Teach:able.
Conversion copywriting FAQ
What are the benefits of conversion copywriting?
Conversion copywriting helps businesses turn website visitors into paying customers through persuasive copy informed by customer research to emotionally connect with readers. When done well, it increases conversion rates and creates a better user experience with personalized messaging. Unlike general content, conversion copy is designed to drive a specific action at each stage of the conversion path.
What’s the difference between SEO copywriting and conversion copywriting?
Although both types of copywriting are essential to ecommerce success, they serve different purposes. SEO copywriting is focused on ranking high on search engine results pages (SERPs) using strategic keywords, while conversion copywriting is focused on converting readers once they land on your page. SEO brings traffic; conversion copy turns that traffic into customers. For best results, you should combine both: Write SEO-focused content that also includes high-converting and compelling CTAs.
How do I write copy that converts?
Start by understanding your target audience and doing in-depth customer research. Identify their pain points, highlight your value proposition, and structure your body copy to guide them toward a desired action. Use direct response copywriting techniques like urgency, social proof, and clarity, while staying true to your brand voice. Then test, iterate, and refine based on what successfully leads to more conversions.
