copy-editing

Use a multi-pass editing approach: review the copy in separate focused sweeps for clarity, voice, benefits, proof, specificity, emotion, and risk reduction. Fixing one dimension at a time catches issues that a single unfocused review misses.

Copywriting creates new copy from scratch, while copy editing improves copy that already exists. Use copywriting for a first draft, then apply the editing sweeps to refine clarity, proof, and tone before publishing.

Refresh when the core message still works but stats are stale, examples are dated, or voice has drifted. Rewrite when the positioning, audience, or offer has fundamentally changed. The content-refresh reference includes a decision matrix for this call.

Use multi-persona scoring for high-stakes copy like launch emails, pricing pages, and high-traffic landing pages. Each persona scores 1-10 on their specialty; iterate until all score 7+ with an average of 8+. Skip it for minor edits and low-stakes content.

Common causes are features without benefits, unsupported claims, vague language, and friction near the CTA. The So What, Prove It, and Zero Risk sweeps specifically target these conversion killers by adding benefit bridges, evidence, and trust signals.