How to edit ad copy
Copywriters talk all the time about how to assemble and write copy.
But when it comes to editing…they're usually vague.
Evasive, even.
They mumble advice like “edit ruthlessly” and “use power words” and “cut the fluff.”
So in the next 60 seconds or so, I’m going to show you the three fundamental steps of editing.
And I’m going to show you how I took an ad for one of Stacked Marketer’s sponsors…
Step #1: Gather the context
Context refers to the medium and/or format of your message.
Every medium has its own rules, limitations, and challenges—not to mention other competing elements, like what other messages or elements will surround your message.
So one of the first things you need to do is understand where the copy is going to appear, and how it’s likely—or not likely—to be consumed.
In this case, my context is a daily digital marketing newsletter called Stacked Marketer.
The full context (i.e. the daily newsletter) includes:
2 additional ad placements.
3 news features.
2 marketing content placements.
1 fun/humorous placement.
1 riddle.
That's a lot of friendly “competition,” isn't it?
So the ad needs to feel native to the newsletter ("newsy") while also standing out.
If it looks too much like an ad, readers will ignore it. But if it looks like a news story or breaks pattern meaningfully, they might just read it.
And right now, the headline makes this look like an ad rather than a news story:
It calls out a problem (good) and offers a solution right away (meh).
It's a good start, but I'm worried this is too easy to ignore or dismiss, so I’m definitely going to change it.
More on that in a sec.
Step #2: Consider the audience
And when I say “consider the audience,” I don’t just mean who they are.
I also mean where they are. Their situation. Their life.
This audience is busy, under-pressure digital marketers at a range of company sizes, industries, and verticals.
They're reading the newsletter to catch up on what's happening in the digital marketing industry…which means they're probably scanning the content for news that's relevant to them.
And there’s a decent chance they’re reading this newsletter at work with a full to-do list in front of them.
Or maybe in the bathroom, the breakroom, or the train.
So if my headline A) doesn't tell a story or break news or B) successfully create an interruption (pattern break) without feeling like an ad, they'll just skip over it.
Another risk I’d rather not take.
Step #3: Draw out the single most compelling idea (or angle)
Given my context and my audience, now it's time to identify the strongest idea in the copy.
Right now, the copy mentions the pain of adjusting to GA4, but it doesn't illustrate this pain in a compelling way, or show exactly how Amplitude soothes it. Meh.
But the copy does list three well-known companies that chose Amplitude over GA4:
ABS-CBN.
Canva.
Walmart.
That’s interesting to me, because GA4 is a big, huge player in the analytics space, so alternatives have to look like a no-brainer if they want to compete.
One of the simplest cues human beings look for is social proof. If other people are doing something, then it’s probably safe.
And if famous people (or companies) are doing something, then it must be safe. Even desirable.
Oh, and speaking of safe…the original copy has real quotes from people at all three companies, too.
Very useful.
But what really stands out to me is the short story buried in this ad: Walmart, one of the biggest household names in retail, decided GA4 was too complicated even for them.
Boom.
There’s our angle.
Instead of mentioning a handful of company names, which just gives readers more info to process, I want to mention the most interesting and most familiar one, then dramatize the story a little bit.
So I adjust the headline to open a story loop...
Then I rework the copy to A) tell the story and B) amplify the drama with the other two companies...while speaking to the target reader's pain (very important).
By the way, see how I’m creating shorter sentences and more line breaks?
There’s a good chance people are reading this newsletter on their phones.
So I want the copy to be as easy to read as possible (especially the first 2–3 lines) so that it pulls readers effortlessly into the body.
Finally, because I know readers are busy, I tweak the call-to-action (CTA) to make it feel low-risk in terms of time and energy. Of course, it helps that our sponsor was thoughtful enough to include the estimated reading time in their brief.
Which gives us the final result:
Let’s recap this real quick…
So, to sum up, here are the basic steps of editing ad copy:
Gather the context.
Consider the audience.
Draw out the single most compelling idea.
Make sense?
Editing copy isn’t simply about cutting or refining.
It’s about making sure the strongest ideas are expressed compellingly for the right audience.
And it’s a skill few copywriters—and fewer marketers—have.
But now that you know the basic process, you can develop it. Your copy will dramatically improve, and your ads will perform better, too.
Are you more of a copywriter than a copy editor?
Sometimes I help out as a “fractional copy chief”—did I just make up a title?—by editing copy and content for high-volume clients who want to optimize their marketing for engagement and conversions.
I’ve also coached writing teams and helped them assemble brand style guides they can actually use, from well-known brands like Stacked Marketer to boutique consulting firms.
Sound like something you could use help with?
