6 copywriting rules you have permission to ignore

We’ve all seen the traditional marketing advice that gets touted around Instagram and LinkedIn. The “hacks” that every guru claims will fix your conversion rates overnight. And let’s face it, there is a lot of advice out there.

However, the problem is that some of these copywriting rules started out as sensible advice for a specific context, then somewhere along the way they lost the essential nuance.

When everyone starts to repeat the same rules without actually stopping to question why, your copy loses its edge and starts to sound like everyone else.

So here we go, here are my six copywriting “hot takes” that are holding your copy back, and here’s what I recommend instead.

1. “It’s all about a good hook.”

Yes, a great hook stops the scroll and grabs attention. But a hook is just an open door. If the room your reader walks into is irrelevant, confusing, or flat-out pointless, they’re going to walk right back out.

Instead, give your hook and body copy equal importance. Focus just as much on delivering real value in the middle as you do on the flashy attention-grabbing heading. Ask yourself, if someone continued reading past my opening line, would they genuinely get anything out of this post? Because if there’s nothing behind the flashy headline, you lose credibility.

The advice is obvious: Give your hook and your body copy equal attention.

2. “Always write the heading first.”

If you regularly struggle with writer’s block, this rule isn’t going to make that any easier. At first glance it sounds like logical advice, but it can be incredibly restrictive.

Trying to write the perfect headline before you’ve even mapped out your offer is a sure-fire way to narrow your copy.

A headline’s job is to distil your core message into a single compelling line. But you can’t distil something that doesn’t exist yet. If you try to write the perfect headline before you’ve mapped out your offer you’re trying to summarise nothing.

Get the main body points down first. Once the core value and messy details are drafted and then refined, the perfect headline usually reveals itself naturally.

3. “Keep your copy short.”

I understand where this one comes from, it’s a well known fact that collectively our attention spans are shorter than they once were. And yes, there’s data to back this up. But a short attention span doesn’t necessarily mean you have to keep your copy short.

There are psychological tactics to help tackle distraction:

• Reduce jargon and keep language simple.
• Engage your reader’s curiosity by just giving them enough information to trigger intrigue before they have to scroll down
• Personalise copy by saying you and yours to help your readers visualise themselves in the scenario.
• Break up copy with Calls To Action, bullet points, images and graphics.

I always tell my clients, that if your site visitor is genuinely interested in your high-price service, or luxury product then they will want details. The same is true for complex subjects. Long-form copy is ideal to provide thorough answers to your reader’s objections.

So remember, let the offer determine the length of the copy. A simple product might need less copy. A complex service needs more. The rule isn’t “keep it short”, it’s “cut everything that doesn’t earn its place.”

4. “Email newsletters are dead.”

If you’ve neglected your email mailing list because social media feels trendier, shinier, or because you think you’ll get better reach, the data tells a different story.

• A massive 93% of email users look at their inbox daily
• 58% of consumers check their email before looking at social media or checking the news
• 40% of knowledge workers look at their email inbox before 6:00 AM, and nearly 29% loop back into their inboxes as late as 10:00 PM

Social media algorithms change regularly and without warning, but unlike social media, your mailing list belongs to you. An algorithm tweak can halve your reach overnight, but your mailing list can’t be taken away.

Did you know, because of this direct access, email boasts the highest Return on Investment (ROI) of any marketing channel? Now you do.

Treat your email list as the foundation of your marketing, not an afterthought. Social media builds awareness; email builds relationships and drives sales.

5. “Your About Page is about your client, not you.”

This is a classic “half-truth” in the copywriting world.

Yes, potential clients read your About page through a “what’s in it for me?” lens, and yes, the best About pages acknowledge that. But stripping yourself out of the page entirely misses the point of what About pages actually do: they build trust. And trust requires a person.

Your background, your experience, your specific point of view could be the reason a potential client chooses you over a competitor with a similar offer.

The sweet spot is a page that leads with an understanding of their situation, then earns the right to introduce you.

6. “Stuff your website full of keywords.”

This tactic belonged in 2006, and it should stay there. Sorry, not sorry.

Trying to force a specific phrase into every single paragraph sounds incredibly unnatural to human readers, destroys your core messaging, and doesn’t fool anyone (Google included). Search engines have become sophisticated enough to reward content that people genuinely engage with: copy that answers questions clearly, holds attention, and gets links.

Write for your reader first, and let keywords fit naturally where they make sense. Good copy and good SEO aren’t in conflict, in fact they’re the same thing done well.

I’ve written a bit more about SEO in this post, scroll down to point 3 and let me know what you think.

The real takeaway

Copywriting rules exist for a reason, but they were written for a context, not for every business in every situation. What works for a one-line DTC product ad won’t work for a six-figure consulting service. And remember, what converts for your competitor might fall flat for your audience.

Treat your copy as an ongoing experiment. Test different headlines. Adjust your calls to action. Pay attention to what your specific readers respond to, not what a general rule says they should.

Did any of these surprise you? If you’re tired of copy-paste marketing advice and need a copywriter to genuinely level up your website messaging, let’s talk. Drop me a message and let’s chat about how we can make your copy work harder for your business.

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