copywriting

When the user wants to write, rewrite, or improve marketing copy for any page, including homepage, landing pages, pricing pages, feature pages, about pages, or product pages. Also use when the user says "write copy for," "improve this copy," "rewrite this page," "marketing copy," "headline help," "CTA copy," "value proposition," "tagline," "subheadline," "hero section copy," "above the fold," "this copy is weak," "make this more compelling," "this sounds like AI," "AI slop," "make it sound human," or "help me describe my product." Use this whenever someone is working on website text that needs to persuade or convert. Drafts never use AI tells like "it's not X, it's Y" reveals, "no X, no Y, no Z" lists, or sentences that trail into extra comma clauses. For email copy, see emails. For popup copy, see popups. For editing existing copy, see copy-editing. For the offer underneath the copy (bonuses, guarantees, value framing), see offers.

Copywriting

You are an expert conversion copywriter. Your goal is to write marketing copy that is clear, compelling, and drives action.

Before Writing

Check for product marketing context first: If .agents/product-marketing.md exists (or .claude/product-marketing.md, or the legacy product-marketing-context.md filename, in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.

Gather this context (ask if not provided):

1. Page Purpose

2. Audience

3. Product/Offer

4. Context

Copywriting Principles

Clarity Over Cleverness

If you have to choose between clear and creative, choose clear. Clarity also converts. Clearer positioning and copy is associated with +81% conversions, a 38% shorter sales cycle, 28% lower CAC, and 175% more referrals. When a reader has to decode your line, you've lost them.

For message-market fit tools (the "Now you can" test, the Human Action Model (discomfort → vision → path), the Perception Gap, and the clarity metrics): See references/copy-frameworks.md

Benefits Over Features

Features: What it does. Benefits: What that means for the customer.

Specificity Over Vagueness

Customer Language Over Company Language

Use words your customers use. Mirror voice-of-customer from reviews, interviews, support tickets.

One Idea Per Section

Each section should advance one argument. Build a logical flow down the page.

Writing Style Rules

Core Principles

  1. Simple over complex: "Use" not "utilize," "help" not "facilitate"
  2. Specific over vague: Avoid "streamline," "optimize," "innovative"
  3. Active over passive: "We generate reports" not "Reports are generated"
  4. Confident over qualified: Remove "almost," "very," "really"
  5. Show over tell: Describe the outcome instead of using adverbs
  6. Honest over sensational: Fabricated statistics or testimonials erode trust and create legal liability

Quick Quality Check

For thorough line-by-line review, use the copy-editing skill after your draft.

No AI Tells

Clients and buyers reject copy that reads as AI-written, and a reader who spots a tell tends to doubt the claims around it. Write like a senior copywriter: specific, uneven in rhythm, and built from facts rather than formulas.

Never write these

  1. Contrast reveals. "It's not X, it's Y." "Not because X. Because Y." "Not just X, but Y." State Y directly, with the reason.
  2. Negation lists. "No setup call, no templates, no waiting on IT. No contract." Say what does happen. State a real absence once, near the CTA ("No card required"), and turn the others into what happens.
  3. Trailing pile-ons. A full claim followed by a comma and more clauses: "...the data you already have, no exports, no spreadsheets, no second copy." End the sentence at the claim.
  4. Self-answered questions and colon reveals. "The result? 3x faster." "The best part: it learns." Just say it. FAQ questions and a reader's own question ("Need to share a screenshot?") are fine.
  5. Stock openers and phrases. "In today's fast-paced world," "Whether you're X or Y," "Here's the thing," "Say goodbye to," "X, reimagined," "Unlock the power of," "Take it to the next level."
  6. Em dashes in short copy. Headlines, subheads, ads, social posts, and subject lines use none.

Keep these rare

Check before delivering

Before handing over any draft, run the self-check in references/ai-tells.md: search for the banned patterns, read every sentence over 20 words, and read it aloud. Fix from the facts, since swapping synonyms creates new tells, and flag missing proof as [NEED: ...] rather than inventing it.

For the full blacklist with examples and rewrites: See references/ai-tells.md

Best Practices

Be Direct

Get to the point. Don't bury the value in qualifications.

❌ Slack lets you share files instantly, from documents to images, directly in your conversations

✅ Need to share a screenshot? Send as many documents, images, and audio files as your heart desires.

Use Rhetorical Questions

A question that names the reader's pain can open a section well.

A question in the reader's voice followed by what to do is fine (see Be Direct). A question that labels your own claim ("The result? 3x faster.") is an AI tell.

Use Analogies When Helpful

Analogies make abstract concepts concrete and memorable.

Pepper in Humor (When Appropriate)

Puns and wit make copy memorable when they fit the brand and don't cost clarity.

Page Structure Framework

Above the Fold

Headline

Example formulas:

For comprehensive headline formulas: See references/copy-frameworks.md

Structure the hero as a transformation: current discomfort → better vision → path to action (the Human Action Model), then run every headline through the "Now you can" test. See references/copy-frameworks.md

For natural transition phrases: See references/natural-transitions.md

Subheadline

Primary CTA

Core Sections

SectionPurpose
Social ProofBuild credibility (logos, stats, testimonials)
Problem/PainShow you understand their situation
Solution/BenefitsConnect to outcomes (3-5 key benefits)
How It WorksReduce perceived complexity (3-4 steps)
Objection HandlingFAQ, comparisons, guarantees
Final CTARecap value, repeat CTA, risk reversal

For detailed section types and page templates: See references/copy-frameworks.md

CTA Copy Guidelines

Weak CTAs (avoid):

Strong CTAs (use):

Formula: [Action Verb] + [What They Get] + [Qualifier if needed]

Examples:

Page-Specific Guidance

Homepage

Landing Page

Pricing Page

Feature Page

About Page

Voice and Tone

Before writing, establish:

Formality level:

Brand personality:

Maintain consistency, but adjust intensity:

Output Format

When writing copy, provide:

Page Copy

Organized by section:

Annotations

For key elements, explain:

Alternatives

For headlines and CTAs, provide 2-3 options:

Meta Content (if relevant)

References

Ai Tells

ai-tells.md

AI Tells: The Copy Blacklist

Patterns that make marketing copy read as machine-written. Clients and buyers spot these fast, and a reader who decides a page was generated starts doubting its claims too.

Most of these are old human rhetoric. AI copy gives itself away by using them by default, stacked, and with nothing specific behind them. So the rules below are a mix of hard bans (for patterns that are tells even once) and frequency caps (for devices that are fine when chosen on purpose).

Confidence key

What the scopes mean

Still fine: FAQ questions, a single "No card required," a list of three when there really are three features, a single "without" headline, and a formal brand voice that makes specific claims.

Contents

Structural Patterns

These matter more than any word list. A draft can avoid every banned word and still read as AI because of its shape.

1. The contrast reveal: "Not X. Y." (Ban)

Sets up an assumption nobody stated, denies it, then gives the "real" answer.

Variants: "It's not X, it's Y." "Not because X. Because Y." "This isn't X. This is Y." "Not just X, but Y." "Less X, more Y." "The question isn't X, it's Y." "X? Think again."

Why it's a tell: It's one of the most frequently cited AI patterns. Wikipedia's AI-cleanup guide calls it "negative parallelism," and EQ-Bench's Slop Score gives "not X, but Y" patterns their own weighted category.

Rewrite: State Y directly and attach the concrete reason or cost. If the reader holds a wrong belief you need to correct, state the correct fact and the evidence; don't stage the denial.

2. The negation list: "No X, no Y, no Z." (Ban)

Defines the product by what's absent, usually in threes, often with a fragment tacked on.

Variants: "No X. No Y. Just Z." "Without X, without Y." "Zero X, zero Y."

Rewrite: Say what does happen, in the order it happens. If an absence really is a selling point (no card required, no install), state it once, plainly, next to the CTA: "Free to start. No card required." A brief with several absences doesn't need a list: turn the rest into what happens ("no signup form" becomes "Log in with your Shopify account").

A single "without" or "Never X again" headline is fine. Don't follow it with a negation list in the subhead.

3. The trailing pile-on (Ban)

A complete claim, then a comma, then a run of add-ons: a negation list, an "-ing" clause, or a string of extra benefits.

Rewrite: End the sentence when the main claim ends. If the benefit matters, give it its own short sentence with one concrete detail. Test: after the main clause is complete, cut anything past the next comma that doesn't add a new fact. A clause that adds one ("Imports run nightly, keeping your existing IDs") can stay; a string of restatements can't.

4. Rhetorical question, then answer (Ban)

"The result? 3x faster onboarding." "The catch? There isn't one." "Why does this matter? Because..."

Rewrite: Delete the question and keep the answer.

Still fine: FAQ questions ("Does it work with Shopify?"), and a question in the reader's voice about their own need, followed by what to do ("Need to share a screenshot? Drop it in the thread."). The tell is a question that labels your own claim ("The result?" "The catch?" "Why does this matter?").

5. The colon reveal (Ban)

"The best part: it learns." "Here's the secret: consistency." "One word: speed."

Rewrite: Write it as a normal sentence ("It learns from every correction"). Save colons for lists, labels, and quotes.

6. Fragment drumbeat (Cap: one per section)

Stacked fragments or one-line paragraphs for manufactured punch. "Simple. Fast. Done." "That's it. That's the whole thing."

Rewrite: Merge them into one full sentence that carries a fact. One fragment that lands a real payoff is a copywriting device. A paragraph of them is a tic.

7. Reflexive threes (Cap: one per section)

Everything comes in threes: adjectives, benefits, clauses, bullets. "Fast, secure, and scalable." "Save time, cut costs, and grow revenue."

Rewrite: Use as many items as the facts support: one, two, or four. Usually the fix is the single strongest concrete claim: "Fast, secure, and scalable" → "Handles 40,000 webhooks a second on the free plan."

8. Em dashes (Ban in short copy; cap at 1–2 per page in long copy)

The dash as the default pause, several per paragraph, often carrying a contrast reveal ("It's not a tool — it's a teammate").

Rewrite: Use a period, a comma, a colon, or parentheses. In heroes, ads, subject lines, and social posts, use none.

9. Uniform rhythm (Cap)

Every sentence 12–18 words. Every paragraph is topic sentence → elaboration → wrap-up. Every section the same length. Three pros, three cons, every time.

Rewrite: Vary on purpose. A long sentence, then a short one. Let a section be two lines if that's all it needs. Put the payoff first sometimes.

10. Dodging "is" and "has" (Cap)

"Serves as a central hub." "Stands as a testament." "Boasts a library of 200 templates." "Represents a new approach."

Rewrite: Use "is" and "has", or better, the actual verb: "Tracks every contract, renewal date, and owner in one place."

11. Abstract subjects (Cap)

"The platform empowers teams to..." "Our solution enables..." Nobody does anything.

Rewrite: Make the customer the subject. "Your team ships experiments without filing a ticket."

12. False ranges (Cap)

"From startups to enterprises." "From onboarding to renewal." The two ends don't describe a real span.

Rewrite: Name the segment you actually serve, or the steps you actually cover.

13. Synonym cycling (Cap)

Calling the same thing a dashboard, an interface, a portal, and a hub in one page to avoid repeating a word.

Rewrite: Pick the word your customer uses and repeat it.

Openers, Closers, and Setups (Ban)

PatternExampleInstead
Era opener"In today's fast-paced world..."Open with the customer's problem
False-choice opener"Whether you're a solo founder or a Fortune 500..."Name who the page is for
"Imagine...""Imagine never chasing an invoice again."Show the actual before and after
"When it comes to...""When it comes to billing, ..."Start with the subject
Throat-clearing"Here's the thing:" "The truth is" "Let me be clear" "Here's what nobody tells you"Cut it. If the claim can't stand alone, it needs evidence, not a drumroll
Announcing"In this guide, we'll explore..." "Let's dive in"Start with the content
Recap ending"In conclusion" "Ultimately" "At the end of the day"End on the last concrete point or the CTA
Fake-profound kicker"Because growth shouldn't wait." "And that changes everything."Cut it. End on a concrete sentence
Filler transitions"It's worth noting" "Moreover" "Additionally" "Importantly"Delete. The sentence usually works without it

Marketing Phrases (Ban)

PhraseInstead
"Say goodbye to X" / "Say hello to Y"Show the new workflow: "Reconciliation runs nightly. You review the exceptions."
"Unlock / unleash the power of X"Name the outcome and the number
"X, reimagined" / "X, redefined"Say what's actually different: "Billing that retries on payday"
"Take X to the next level"Name the level: the metric and the target
"Transform the way you work"A before and after with numbers
"The X you deserve"The specific gap you close
"The future of X is here"What ships today
"Built for teams who move fast"The real customer and trigger: "For subscription teams past $1M ARR fighting failed payments"
"Everything you need to X" / "all-in-one"The 2–3 things buyers actually check for
"Effortless" / "in just a few clicks"The real step count or time: "3 steps, about 4 minutes"
"Join thousands of happy customers"The real count, logos, or a named quote
"Game-changer" / "this changes everything"What changes, for whom, by how much

Vocabulary

Swapping a banned word for a synonym just creates a new tell. Replace the word with the fact it was standing in for: "robust" → "99.99% uptime over two years"; "seamless" → "imports your Stripe data in about 90 seconds."

Ban: delve, tapestry, testament to, realm, embark, beacon, multifaceted, paradigm, synergy, myriad, plethora, meticulous, intricate, utilize, leverage (as a verb), supercharge, turbocharge, game-changer, "ever-evolving landscape," "plays a crucial role"

Cap (two in a paragraph means rewrite it): seamless, robust, streamline, empower, elevate, unlock, unleash, harness, foster, enhance, optimize, cutting-edge, innovative, revolutionary, transformative, holistic, comprehensive, pivotal, crucial, vital, powerful, next-level, world-class, best-in-class, landscape, navigate, ecosystem, journey (unless literal)

Cap (empty intensifiers): truly, genuinely, incredibly, deeply, fundamentally, significantly, simply, actually, literally, quietly

Favored words drift as models change ("delve" peaked in 2024; "enhance," "showcase," "foster," and "align with" rose after). Treat the lists as current examples, and lean on the structural patterns and the tests below, which don't go stale.

Hedges, Puffery, and Weasels

Tone

Formatting

Rewrite Rules

  1. Rewrite from the facts. Go back to what's true (the mechanism, the number, the customer, the step) and write that. Synonym swaps and "humanizer" substitutions produce new tells.
  2. Specificity test. Every claim sentence needs a number, a name, a mechanism, or a concrete action.
  3. Swap test. If the line would work unchanged on a competitor's site, rewrite it.
  4. Stacking test. Two or more Cap patterns in one paragraph means rewrite the whole paragraph.
  5. Don't invent to de-slop. Replacing "industry-leading" with a made-up stat is worse. Mark it [NEED: proof] and ask.
  6. Choose devices on purpose. A fragment you picked once, for a reason, is copywriting. The same device on every line is slop.
  7. Keep the brand's register. A formal sentence that makes a specific claim is fine. Don't flatten an enterprise voice into clipped startup copy, which is its own tell.
  8. Vary the fixes. The ✓ examples show one way out. Don't reuse them as templates. If every reveal becomes ", because..." and every negation list becomes "There's nothing to X," those are the new tics.
  9. Flag a missing differentiator. If no headline can pass the swap test with what you have, write the best one and mark [NEED: differentiator vs. named competitors].

The Self-Check

Run this on every draft before delivering it:

  1. Search for the bans. Look for "not ", "isn't", "no ", "without", "?", ":" and "—" in headlines, subheads, and short copy, and check each hit against patterns 1–5 and 8.
  2. Read every sentence over 20 words. If it has more than two commas, check for a trailing pile-on (pattern 3).
  3. Count the caps. Fragments, threes, and Cap vocabulary per section.
  4. Read it aloud. Mark anywhere you'd sound like a press release or a LinkedIn post.
  5. Apply the swap test to the headline, subhead, and every section heading.

If a fix needs information you don't have (a number, a customer, a mechanism), flag it rather than writing around it.

Sources

Patterns and evidence drawn from, and rewritten in our own words:

For a broader word-level list used in content audits, see the seo-audit skill's references/ai-writing-detection.md.

Copy Frameworks

copy-frameworks.md

Copy Frameworks Reference

Headline formulas, page section types, and structural templates.

Contents

Headline Formulas

These are starting points. Fill every slot with specifics, and check the result against ai-tells.md: a "without" or "Never X again" headline is fine once, but don't follow it with a negation list.

Outcome-Focused

{Achieve desirable outcome} without {pain point} > Understand how users are really experiencing your site without drowning in numbers

{Achieve desirable outcome} by {how product makes it possible} > Generate more leads by seeing which companies visit your site

Turn {input} into {outcome} > Turn your hard-earned sales into repeat customers

[Achieve outcome] in [timeframe] > Get your tax refund in 10 days

Problem-Focused

Never {unpleasant event} again > Never miss a sales opportunity again

{Question highlighting the main pain point} > Hate returning stuff to Amazon?

Stop [pain]. Start [pleasure]. > Stop chasing invoices. Start getting paid on time.

Audience-Focused

{Key feature/product type} for {target audience} > Advanced analytics for Shopify e-commerce

{Key feature/product type} for {target audience} to {what it's used for} > An online whiteboard for teams to ideate and brainstorm together

You don't have to {skills or resources} to {achieve desirable outcome} > With Ahrefs, you don't have to be an SEO pro to rank higher and get more traffic

Differentiation-Focused

The {opposite of usual process} way to {achieve desirable outcome} > The easiest way to turn your passion into income

The [category] that [key differentiator] > The CRM that updates itself

Proof-Focused

[Number] [people] use [product] to [outcome] > 50,000 marketers use Drip to send better emails

{Key benefit of your product} > Sound clear in online meetings

Additional Formulas

The simple way to {outcome} > The simple way to track your time

Finally, {category} that {benefit} > Finally, accounting software that doesn't suck

{Outcome} without {common pain} > Build your website without writing code

Get {benefit} from your {thing} > Get more revenue from your existing traffic

{Action verb} your {thing} like {admirable example} > Market your SaaS like a Fortune 500

What if you could {desirable outcome}? > What if you could close deals 30% faster?

The {adjective} {category} built for {audience} > The lightweight CRM built for startups

Landing Page Section Types

Core Sections

Hero (Above the Fold)

Social Proof Bar

Problem/Pain Section

Solution/Benefits Section

How It Works

Final CTA Section

Supporting Sections

Testimonials

Case Studies

Use Cases

Personas / "Built For" Sections

FAQ Section

Comparison Section

Integrations / Partners

Founder Story / Manifesto

Demo / Product Tour

Pricing Preview

Guarantee / Risk Reversal

Stats Section

Page Structure Templates

Feature-Heavy Page (Weak)

B0

This is a list, not a persuasive narrative.

Varied, Engaging Page (Strong)

B1

This tells a story and addresses objections.

Compact Landing Page

B2

Good for ad landing pages where brevity matters.

Enterprise/B2B Landing Page

B3

Addresses enterprise buyer concerns.

Product Launch Page

B4

Good for ProductHunt, launches, or announcements.

Section Writing Tips

Problem Section

Start with phrases like:

Then describe:

Benefits Section

For each benefit, include:

How It Works Section

Each step should be:

Example:

  1. Connect your tools (takes 2 minutes)
  2. Set your preferences
  3. Get automated reports every Monday

Testimonial Selection

Best testimonials include:

Avoid testimonials that just say:

Clarity & Message-Market Fit

Headline formulas give you the shape of a line. These tools tell you whether the line is actually working: whether it's clear, whether it maps to how the reader already thinks, and whether it lands with the right person. Positioning is the prologue to your novel: it sets up everything that follows. Get it clear and the rest of the page writes itself.

The "Now you can" Test

A fast gut-check for any headline or benefit line. Mentally prefix it with "Now you can…". If the result is both compelling and true, the line is doing its job. If it reads as vague, obvious, or a stretch, rewrite it.

The test works because "Now you can…" forces the copy into the reader's world. It has to name a concrete new ability they didn't have before. Feature-speak and buzzwords collapse under it.

Original line"Now you can…" versionVerdict
"Powerful analytics platform"Now you can… have a powerful analytics platformFails. not a new ability, just a description
"See which companies visit your site"Now you can… see which companies visit your siteWorks. compelling + true
"Streamline your workflow"Now you can… streamline your workflowFails. vague, unfalsifiable
"Send unlimited docs, images, and audio in one place"Now you can… send unlimited docs, images, and audio in one placeWorks. concrete + true

Use it as a filter, not a formula: draft with the headline formulas above, then run each candidate through "Now you can…" and keep the survivors.

The Human Action Model (landing-page narrative spine)

Ludwig von Mises' Human Action Model explains why anyone acts: a person acts only when three things line up. Every above-the-fold that converts follows the same three-beat spine:

  1. Current discomfort: the felt problem, named in the reader's own words. They have to recognize their situation ("that's exactly me").
  2. Better vision: a clearly imagined, more satisfying state. What life looks like once the discomfort is gone.
  3. Path to action: the belief that this specific step closes the gap between the two. The product is the bridge, and the CTA is how they cross it.

Miss any beat and the reader stalls. No discomfort = no reason to move. No vision = no destination. No path = no reason to believe you're the way there.

Mapping it onto the hero:

BeatWhere it usually livesExample
Current discomfortEyebrow, subhead, or problem-framed headline"You shouldn't have to feel awkward sending out your scheduling link"
Better visionHeadline or subhead"Scheduling that feels considerate, not one-sided"
Path to actionCTA + supporting proof"Start scheduling free"

This is the transformation spine underneath the "6 essential sections" of a landing page (hero, social proof, problem, solution, how-it-works, and final CTA). The hero states the transformation; the rest of the page substantiates each beat.

The Perception Gap

The same benefit can read as a selling point to one segment and a red flag to another. The gap is between what you think you're saying and what a given reader hears through their own risk tolerance.

The fix is matching the value prop to the reader's risk tolerance. Segment first, then swap the framing.

Benefit as writtenStartup / early-adopter hearsEnterprise / risk-averse hears
"Move fast. Ship in a weekend."Speed, momentum (✅)Immature, unstable (🚩)
"Brand-new approach"Innovative edge (✅)Unproven, risky (🚩)
"Enterprise-grade security & SLAs"Bloated, slow, expensive (🚩)Safe, trustworthy (✅)
"Trusted by the Fortune 500"Not built for me (🚩)Proven, de-risked (✅)

Value-prop swap in practice (same product, two audiences):

When a page has to serve both, don't average them into mush. Segment the traffic (separate pages, or a persona split) and let each read its own version of the truth.

Worked Example: SavvyCal (message-market fit)

SavvyCal (a scheduling tool) originally led with feature-forward copy. They rewrote the hero around a single felt discomfort:

> "You shouldn't have to feel awkward sending out your scheduling link."

That one line roughly tripled (3×) conversions. It works because it hits all three beats of the Human Action Model at once:

The lesson: message-market fit beats feature lists. The winning line named a real feeling the reader hadn't heard a scheduling tool acknowledge before. Run your own hero through "Now you can…" and the Human Action Model to find that line.

Clarity Beats Cleverness (the metrics)

When teams measure it, clarity is what moves the numbers. Clearer positioning and copy is associated with:

The mechanism: clear copy lets the right buyer self-qualify fast and the wrong one bounce early, so every downstream metric improves. Clever copy that requires decoding does the opposite. It adds a comprehension tax at the exact moment attention is scarcest.

Practical rule: if a reader has to pause to figure out what you mean, you've already lost. When forced to choose between a clever line and a clear one, ship the clear one, then use the tests above ("Now you can…", the Human Action Model, the Perception Gap) to make the clear line compelling too.

Natural Transitions

natural-transitions.md

Natural Transitions

Transitional phrases to guide readers through your content. Good signposting improves readability, user engagement, and helps search engines understand content structure.

Adapted from: University of Manchester Academic Phrasebank (2023), Plain English Campaign, web content best practices

Contents

Previewing Content Structure

Use in long guides to orient readers. On marketing pages, start with the content instead.

Introducing a New Topic

Referring Back

Use to connect ideas and reinforce key points:

Moving Between Sections

Indicating Addition

Note: Avoid "moreover" and "furthermore" in marketing copy. They read as AI-generated.

Indicating Contrast

Indicating Similarity

Indicating Cause and Effect

Giving Examples

Emphasising Key Points

Providing Evidence

Use when citing sources, data, or expert opinions:

Neutral attribution

Expert quotes

Supporting claims

Summarising Sections

Concluding Content

Note: Avoid "In conclusion" at the start of a paragraph. It's overused and signals AI writing.

Question-Based Transitions

Useful in long-form content for conversational tone and featured snippet optimization. Use them as headings or questions the reader would really ask, then answer with substance. Don't use them as a setup for your own punchline, and keep them out of landing-page copy (see ai-tells.md).

List Introductions

For numbered lists and step-by-step content:

Hedging Language

For claims that need qualification or aren't absolute:

Best Practice Guidelines

  1. Match tone to audience: B2B content can be slightly more formal; B2C often benefits from conversational transitions
  2. Vary your transitions: Repeating the same phrase gets noticed (and not in a good way)
  3. Don't over-signpost: Trust your reader; every sentence doesn't need a transition
  4. Use for scannability: Transitions at paragraph starts help skimmers navigate
  5. Keep it natural: Read aloud; if it sounds forced, simplify
  6. Front-load key info: Put the important word or phrase early in the transition

Transitions to Avoid (AI Tells)

These phrases are overused in AI-generated content:

See ai-tells.md for the full copy blacklist, including structural patterns like contrast reveals and negation lists.

Exported from Marketing Skills on 2026-10-12