Landing Page Copy

---
name: landing-page-copy
description: "Writes conversion-focused landing page copy with hero, benefits, social proof, and CTA sections. Use when building a landing page for a product, service, or lead magnet."
allowed-tools: Read Write Glob
metadata:
  author: matthewhitcham
  version: "1.0"
---

# Landing Page Copy

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Write copy for a product or service landing page
- Create a lead magnet opt-in page with compelling copy
- Produce a sales page for a digital product, course, or offer
- Build a webinar or event registration page

**DO NOT** use this skill for full website copy (multiple pages), blog posts, or email sequences. This is for a single landing page.

---

## Core Principle

A LANDING PAGE HAS ONE GOAL AND ONE CTA — EVERY WORD EITHER MOVES THE VISITOR TOWARD THAT ACTION OR SHOULD BE CUT.

---

## Phase 1: Brief

### Required Inputs

| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|-------|------------|---------|
| **Offer** | "What are you offering? Product, service, lead magnet, event?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Target visitor** | "Who is landing on this page? Where are they coming from?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Primary CTA** | "What is the ONE action you want visitors to take?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Price / cost** | "What does it cost (money, email, time)?" | Free (email opt-in) |
| **Key benefits** | "What are the top 3 benefits for the buyer?" | Will extract from offer description |
| **Social proof** | "Do you have testimonials, numbers, or logos to include?" | None — will write placeholder sections |
| **Objections** | "What are the top 3 reasons someone would NOT buy/sign up?" | Will identify common objections |
| **Urgency** | "Is there a deadline, limited supply, or expiring bonus?" | None |

**GATE: Confirm brief before writing.**

---

## Phase 2: Outline

### Landing Page Architecture

```
1. Hero Section — headline, subheadline, CTA, hero image direction
2. Problem Section — pain points the visitor is experiencing
3. Solution Section — what you offer and how it solves the problem
4. Benefits Section — 3-5 key benefits (outcomes, not features)
5. Social Proof — testimonials, numbers, logos, case studies
6. How It Works — 3-step process (simplify the path to value)
7. Objection Handling — FAQ or objection-busting section
8. Final CTA — urgency element + primary CTA repeated
9. Guarantee — risk reversal statement
```

**GATE: Approve structure before writing.**

---

## Phase 3: Write

### Hero Section

```
## Hero Section

**Headline:** [10 words or fewer — states the primary benefit or transformation]
**Subheadline:** [1-2 sentences — expands on the headline with specifics]
**CTA Button:** [Action-oriented text: "Get [Offer] Now" / "Start [Benefit] Today"]
**Hero Image Direction:** [What the image should show]
```

Headline formulas:
- "[Achieve Result] Without [Common Obstacle]"
- "The [Adjective] Way to [Desired Outcome]"
- "Stop [Pain]. Start [Gain]."
- "[Specific Result] in [Timeframe]"

### Problem Section

```
## Does This Sound Familiar?

- [Pain point 1 — written in the visitor's own words]
- [Pain point 2]
- [Pain point 3]

[Agitate: 1-2 sentences on what happens if they do nothing]
```

### Benefits Section

```
## What You Get

**[Benefit 1 headline]**
[2 sentences — outcome the buyer experiences, not a feature description]

**[Benefit 2 headline]**
[2 sentences]

**[Benefit 3 headline]**
[2 sentences]
```

Rule: every benefit must answer "So what?" from the visitor's perspective.

### Social Proof Section

```
## What [Customers/Users/Members] Are Saying

> "[Specific testimonial with a measurable result]"
> — [Name], [Title/Business]

> "[Another testimonial]"
> — [Name], [Title/Business]

**[Number] [customers/downloads/users] and counting.**
```

### How It Works

```
## How It Works

**Step 1: [Action]** — [One sentence explanation]
**Step 2: [Action]** — [One sentence]
**Step 3: [Action]** — [One sentence]
```

Always simplify to 3 steps, even if the actual process has more.

### Objection Handling / FAQ

```
## Frequently Asked Questions

**[Objection framed as a question]**
[Direct answer that removes the concern]

**[Objection 2]**
[Answer]
```

### Final CTA + Guarantee

```
## [Urgency headline if applicable]

[1-2 sentences restating the key benefit]

[CTA BUTTON: Same text as hero CTA]

**[Guarantee]:** [Money-back period, no-risk language, or satisfaction promise]
```

### Writing Rules

| Rule | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **One CTA** | Every button on the page drives the same action |
| **Benefits over features** | "Save 5 hours a week" not "Automated workflow engine" |
| **Short paragraphs** | 1-3 sentences per section |
| **Scannable** | Bold key phrases, use bullet points, clear section headers |
| **Specificity wins** | "$47 one-time" beats "affordable pricing" |
| **CTA appears 3x** | Hero, mid-page, and final section |

---

## Phase 4: Polish

### 1. Conversion Checklist

```
## Landing Page Checklist

- [ ] Headline communicates the primary benefit in under 10 words
- [ ] Subheadline adds specificity or addresses the target audience
- [ ] CTA button text uses an active verb (not "Submit" or "Learn More")
- [ ] CTA appears at least 3 times on the page
- [ ] Benefits are outcomes, not features
- [ ] Social proof includes specific results (not just "Great product!")
- [ ] "How it works" is simplified to 3 steps
- [ ] Top 3 objections are addressed in the FAQ
- [ ] Guarantee or risk-reversal is included
- [ ] Page has one goal and one CTA (no competing links or actions)
- [ ] Copy reads well on mobile (short blocks, no wide elements)
```

### 2. Headline Variants

Provide 3-5 headline alternatives for A/B testing.

### 3. Design Notes

Include layout suggestions, image direction, and color/contrast notes for CTA buttons.

---

## Example: Landing Page for a Freelance Proposal Template

```
Hero: "Win More Clients With Proposals That Close"
Subheadline: "The exact proposal template that helped 500+ freelancers close $2M+ in projects. Download it free."
CTA: "Get the Free Template"

Problem: "You spend hours writing proposals that go nowhere..."
Benefits: Close 3x more projects / Write proposals in 15 minutes / Look more professional than 90% of freelancers
Social proof: "I closed a $12K project using this template the week I got it." — Jason R.
How it works: 1. Download the template 2. Fill in your details 3. Send and close
Guarantee: "100% free. No credit card. Unsubscribe anytime."
```

---

## Anti-Patterns

- **Multiple CTAs** — "Buy now, subscribe, follow us, read the blog" splits attention. One page, one action.
- **Feature dumping** — listing every feature without translating to benefits. Always answer "What does this mean for me?"
- **Weak headlines** — "Welcome to Our Product" wastes the most important real estate on the page. Lead with the benefit.
- **No social proof** — unproven claims are ignored. Even one testimonial is better than none.
- **Vague guarantees** — "Satisfaction guaranteed" is meaningless. "30-day money-back, no questions asked" is specific.
- **CTA only at the bottom** — visitors ready to convert after the hero section should not have to scroll to find the button.

---

## Recovery

- **No testimonials:** Use placeholder text and ask the user to collect 3 testimonials. In the meantime, use metrics ("500+ downloads") or credibility markers ("Featured in...").
- **Offer is hard to explain:** Force a one-sentence summary. If it takes more than one sentence, the offer needs simplification.
- **No urgency element:** Create one — early-bird pricing, limited bonus, or seasonal framing. If impossible, lean harder on the benefit.
- **Page is too long:** Cut the weakest section. Most landing pages perform best at 500-1,500 words.
- **User wants multiple CTAs:** Push back firmly. One CTA. Period. If they have multiple offers, they need multiple landing pages.