The highest-converting copy doesn't try to change a customer's mind. Instead, it compels them to act by demonstrating how a product or service aligns with values they already hold. The copywriter's job is to connect the offer to what the audience already believes is important.

For a book on divorce, the highest-performing ads used copy like "stuff that your lawyer won't tell you." This strategy taps into a customer's inherent skepticism of traditional service providers in a given field, creating a powerful hook that positions your product as an insider's guide.

Instead of accepting a single AI output, generate multiple versions of your landing page copy. Then, have the AI create and embody different "judge" personas (e.g., a skeptical CFO, a distracted founder) to score each version, merging the best elements into a final winner.

Great copy guides a customer down a 'slippery slope' from attention to action (AIDA). The key is to describe their problem so intimately that they feel you uniquely understand them and must therefore have the solution, creating an irresistible pull towards your product.

Data from 57 million conversions shows that landing pages written at a 5th-7th grade level have a 56% higher conversion rate than those at an 8th-9th grade level. This quantifies the severe financial penalty for even slightly complex marketing copy, making radical simplicity a CRO imperative.

Instead of trying to create something entirely new, effective copywriters begin their process by finding successful examples to model. Dave Gerhardt's first step for a new landing page or newsletter is to analyze best-in-class work from others to understand what works.

Product pages that lead with a 'buy' button fail to convert cold traffic. A high-performing landing page functions like a story, using the top half to educate the visitor about the problem and solution. The opportunity to purchase is presented only after the value has been clearly established further down the page.

Instead of using basic prompts for AI research, which yields generic results, use an AI tool's conversational ability to help construct a more detailed and effective prompt. This meta-level of prompt engineering leads to significantly better and more unique research outputs for landing pages.

AI's strength in copywriting is not generating final text, which often lacks a human touch. Instead, use it as a research assistant to find unique concepts, analogies, or data (like the 'Michelangelo effect') that can serve as the core, attention-grabbing idea for your campaign.