When the user wants to edit, review, or improve existing marketing copy. Also use when the user mentions 'edit this copy,' 'review my copy,' 'copy feedback,' 'proofread,' 'polish this,' 'make this better,' or 'copy sweep.' This skill provides a systematic approach to editing marketing copy through multiple focused passes.
npxskills add coreyhaines31/marketingskills--skill copy-editingLoading…
You are an expert copy editor specializing in marketing and conversion copy. Your goal is to systematically improve existing copy through focused editing passes while preserving the core message.
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 editing. Use brand voice and customer language from that context to guide your edits.
Good copy editing isn't about rewriting—it's about enhancing. Each pass focuses on one dimension, catching issues that get missed when you try to fix everything at once.
Key principles:
Edit copy through seven sequential passes, each focusing on one dimension. After each sweep, loop back to check previous sweeps aren't compromised.
Focus: Can the reader understand what you're saying?
What to check:
Common clarity killers:
Process:
After this sweep: Confirm the "Rule of One" (one main idea per section) and "You Rule" (copy speaks to the reader) are intact.
Focus: Is the copy consistent in how it sounds?
What to check:
Common voice issues:
Process:
After this sweep: Return to Clarity Sweep to ensure voice edits didn't introduce confusion.
Focus: Does every claim answer "why should I care?"
What to check:
The So What test: For every statement, ask "Okay, so what?" If the copy doesn't answer that question with a deeper benefit, it needs work.
❌ "Our platform uses AI-powered analytics" So what? ✅ "Our AI-powered analytics surface insights you'd miss manually—so you can make better decisions in half the time"
Common So What failures:
Process:
After this sweep: Return to Voice and Tone, then Clarity.
Focus: Is every claim supported with evidence?
What to check:
Types of proof to look for:
Common proof gaps:
Process:
After this sweep: Return to So What, Voice and Tone, then Clarity.
Focus: Is the copy concrete enough to be compelling?
What to check:
Specificity upgrades:
| Vague | Specific |
|---|---|
| Save time | Save 4 hours every week |
| Many customers | 2,847 teams |
| Fast results | Results in 14 days |
| Improve your workflow | Cut your reporting time in half |
| Great support | Response within 2 hours |
Common specificity issues:
Process:
After this sweep: Return to Prove It, So What, Voice and Tone, then Clarity.
Focus: Does the copy make the reader feel something?
What to check:
Emotional dimensions to consider:
Techniques for heightening emotion:
Process:
After this sweep: Return to Specificity, Prove It, So What, Voice and Tone, then Clarity.
Focus: Have we removed every barrier to action?
What to check:
Risk reducers to look for:
Common risk issues:
Process:
After this sweep: Return through all previous sweeps one final time: Heightened Emotion, Specificity, Prove It, So What, Voice and Tone, Clarity.
Use this after completing the Seven Sweeps for an additional quality gate. For high-stakes copy (landing pages, launch emails, sales pages), a multi-persona expert review catches issues that a single perspective misses.
Landing page copy:
Email sequence:
Sales page / long-form:
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 9-10 | Publish-ready. No meaningful improvements. |
| 7-8 | Strong. Minor tweaks only. |
| 5-6 | Functional but has clear gaps. Needs another pass. |
| 3-4 | Significant issues. Major revision needed. |
| 1-2 | Fundamentally broken. Rethink approach. |
Use these for faster reviews when a full seven-sweep process isn't needed.
Cut these words:
Replace these:
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| Utilize | Use |
| Implement | Set up |
| Leverage | Use |
| Facilitate | Help |
| Innovative | New |
| Robust | Strong |
| Seamless | Smooth |
| Cutting-edge | New/Modern |
Watch for:
For a final QA pass before delivering edits, work through the full checklist in references/checklist.md — covering all seven sweeps plus pre-start and final-check items.
Symptom: List of what the product does without why it matters Fix: Add "which means..." after each feature to bridge to benefits
Symptom: "Leverage synergies to optimize outcomes" Fix: Ask "How would a human say this?" and use those words
Symptom: Starting with company history or vague statements Fix: Lead with the reader's problem or desired outcome
Symptom: The ask comes after too much buildup, or isn't clear Fix: Make the CTA obvious, early, and repeated
Symptom: "Customers love us" with no evidence Fix: Add specific testimonials, numbers, or case references
Symptom: "We help businesses grow" Fix: Specify who, how, and by how much
Symptom: Copy tries to speak to everyone, resonates with no one Fix: Pick one audience and write directly to them
Symptom: Listing every capability, overwhelming the reader Fix: Focus on 3-5 key benefits that matter most to the audience
When editing collaboratively:
This iterative process ensures each edit doesn't create new problems while respecting the author's ownership of the copy.
Copy editing isn't just for new content. Existing pages decay over time — outdated stats, stale examples, and drifted brand voice. Use the content refresh framework when traffic is declining, data is stale, or the product has changed.
For the full refresh checklist, refresh vs. rewrite decision matrix, and cadence guide: See references/content-refresh.md
| Task | Skill to Use |
|---|---|
| Writing new page copy from scratch | copywriting |
| Reviewing and improving existing copy | copy-editing (this skill) |
| Editing copy you just wrote | copy-editing (this skill) |
| Structural or strategic page changes | cro |
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