--- name: landing-page-copy-writer description: "Writes the complete copy for a newsletter subscribe page — headline, subheadline, value proposition, social proof block, what-to-expect section, and call-to-action button text — optimised for conversion without resorting to hype or false urgency." status: stable category: newsletter subcategory: growth version: 1.0 eval_score: 4.4 tags: [newsletter, growth, landing-page, subscribe, conversion, copywriting] --- # Landing Page Copy Writer ## What This Skill Does Writes the complete copy for a newsletter subscribe page — headline, subheadline, value proposition, social proof block, what-to-expect section, and call-to-action button text — optimised for conversion without resorting to hype or false urgency. ## When To Use This Skill - You are launching a new newsletter and need a subscribe page before you start promoting it - Your current subscribe page is underperforming (a conversion rate below 20% for warm traffic is a common signal) and you want to rewrite the copy from scratch - You have rebranded the newsletter and the current page no longer reflects what you publish - You are running a paid campaign to drive subscribers and need landing page copy that can hold up under scrutiny from cold audiences ## What You Need To Provide **Required:** Newsletter name; what the newsletter covers and for whom (2–3 sentences); publishing cadence; the newsletter's tone and register **Optional:** Current subscriber count or open rate if you want to use it as social proof; any testimonials or quotes from existing subscribers; the single most impressive or interesting edition you have published (title and one-sentence summary); whether there is a paid tier; any incentive for subscribing (free issue, lead magnet, etc.) ## How the Assistant Approaches This 1. Identifies the sharpest single benefit the newsletter offers its specific reader — not "stay informed" but something the reader cannot easily get elsewhere, stated in terms of outcome rather than content 2. Writes a headline that leads with that benefit, using the reader's language rather than the publisher's. Tests two alternatives in the output so the editor can choose 3. Builds a value proposition that answers the reader's implicit question: "Why this newsletter instead of all the others about this subject?" — the differentiator must be real, not generic 4. Structures the social proof to be specific rather than impressive: a precise open rate, a testimonial with a real-sounding job title, or a subscriber count with context is more credible than a round number without attribution 5. Writes a what-to-expect section that removes uncertainty — specific cadence, typical length, one concrete example of the type of insight the reader will get — because uncertainty is the primary conversion killer on newsletter subscribe pages ## Output Format Complete page copy delivered as labelled sections: **Headline** (two options), **Subheadline**, **Value Proposition** (2–3 sentences), **Social Proof Block** (using data or testimonials provided, or flagging what you should gather), **What To Expect** (3–4 bullet points or short paragraphs), **CTA Button Text** (three options). Total copy: 250–400 words excluding the CTA options. No design instructions included — copy only. ## Quality Criteria - [ ] The headline leads with reader benefit, not newsletter brand name or generic claim ("Get smarter about X" is not a benefit; "Know what the market missed this week" is) - [ ] The differentiator in the value proposition is specific to this newsletter — it cannot be copy-pasted onto a competitor's subscribe page without changing anything meaningful - [ ] Social proof is specific: a number, a job title, a real-sounding quote — not "our readers love us" - [ ] The what-to-expect section removes at least two common subscriber uncertainties (how often, how long, what exactly they will learn) - [ ] CTA button text is more specific than "Subscribe" — it names what the reader is signing up for ## Example ### Input Newsletter: *The Long View* Description: Weekly essays on economic history and what past crises teach us about the present. Written by a former economic historian who left academia. Audience: Finance professionals, policy people, and serious journalists who want depth and rigour without academic jargon. Cadence: One essay, every Sunday morning Tone: Calm, authoritative, slightly contrarian Subscriber count: 9,400 Open rate: 51% Best edition: "The 1970s Inflation We're Not Supposed to Remember" — a 2,200-word piece using declassified Federal Reserve documents to show that the policy response to the 1970s inflation was far more improvised than the official history suggests Testimonial: "The only newsletter I read the same day it arrives." — Senior economist, international development organisation No paid tier. No lead magnet. ### Output --- **Headline — Option A:** What the official history of every financial crisis leaves out **Headline — Option B:** One essay, every Sunday, that makes this week's economic news make sense --- **Subheadline:** *The Long View* is a weekly essay on economic history — for people who want to understand the present, not just react to it. --- **Value Proposition:** Most economic commentary tells you what happened this week. *The Long View* tells you why it was always going to happen — using primary sources, declassified documents, and the kind of research that doesn't fit into a 48-hour news cycle. Written by a former economic historian who left academia to write for people who think, not people who already agree with each other. --- **Social Proof:** 9,400 subscribers · 51% open rate *"The only newsletter I read the same day it arrives."* — Senior Economist, International Development Organisation --- **What To Expect:** - One essay, every Sunday morning — typically 1,500–2,200 words - Written for professionals who want depth, not jargon. You don't need an economics degree; you need patience and curiosity - Recent essays: why the 1970s inflation response was improvised, not planned; what the 1997 Asian financial crisis actually revealed about capital flow doctrine; the forgotten bank run that shaped modern deposit insurance - No sponsorships, no affiliate links, no promoted content — ever --- **CTA Button Text — Option A:** Start reading Sunday **CTA Button Text — Option B:** Get the next essay **CTA Button Text — Option C:** Subscribe — it's free ## Known Limitations - Copy quality is limited by input quality: a vague or generic value proposition in the brief will produce a vague or generic page — the differentiator must be real before the copy can make it compelling - The skill writes copy, not design — it cannot account for page layout, visual hierarchy, or how the copy will actually appear on the screen. Good copy on a poorly designed page will still underperform - Social proof elements must come from you: the skill can format and present them effectively, but if you do not have a testimonial or a meaningful subscriber count yet, it will flag that honestly and suggest what to gather rather than inventing figures - Conversion rates also depend on traffic source quality — this copy is optimised for motivated warm audiences; it will perform differently with cold paid traffic ## Related Skills - [niche-positioning-brief](../../strategy/niche-positioning-brief/SKILL.md) - [referral-copy-writer](../referral-copy-writer/SKILL.md) - [paid-tier-pitch-writer](../../monetization/paid-tier-pitch-writer/SKILL.md)