The Complete Copywriting Strategy Checklist
Crafting compelling ad copy is no small feat. To aid this intricate process, we’ve assembled the definitive checklist spanning objectives, messaging, psychology, design, and calls-to-action.
This comprehensive guidelines acts as a ready reference creators can consult before and during copy development projects to ensure no critical component gets overlooked. It prompts consideration of audience alignment, visual hierarchy, persuasion dynamics, concrete details and more that collectively precipitate high-impact promotions.
Brand managers can utilize the checklist as a creative brief template outlining required strategy elements when briefing agencies. Similarly, it allows individual writers to self-audit work against best practices. The cumulative answers help diagnose overall strengths, exposed gaps and paths for refinement.
Objectives & Audience
☐ Clearly identify campaign goal and customer segment
☐ Research target viewers’ needs, interests and pain points
☐ Determine optimal tone and vocabulary for readership
Message & Framework
☐ Ensure central value proposition is compelling and unique
☐ Build persona-resonating narrative arc around key benefit
☐ Establish coherent flow across headlines, subheads and body
☐ Use visual rhetoric and design to direct eye through hierarchy
☐ Intersperse proof elements like stats, testimonials and awards
Word Choice & Phrasing
☐ Keep language concise, conversational and audience-aligned
☐ Employ active voice with strong action verbs
☐ Limit use of overused buzzwords that breed skepticism
☐ Enable skimming through judicious bolding and bulleting
☐ Check reading level via Flesch Kincaid or other scoring tools
Persuasive Psychology
☐ Identify potential emotional triggers tied to product/service
☐ Build reciprocity through generous guarantees and free gifts
☐ Establish authority through expert endorsements
☐ Create fear of missing out via scarcity and social proof
☐ Enable visualization of ownership via descriptive details
Calls to Action
☐ Ensure desired response is prominent and repeats through copy
☐ Strengthen CTA language to necessitate response
☐ Underline value exchange of time/information for offer
☐ List specific benefits obtained from taking action
☐ Include motivating deadline, discount or gift for quicker action
With these five master categories each encompassing several nuanced copywriting success factors, marketers finally have an exhaustive inventory for optimizing ad text. Distribute freely as the perfect brainstorming companion, new hire training tool or efficiency aid in keeping multifaceted campaigns on track.
