Looking for copywriting tips and don’t know where to start? From online tools I use daily and content-rich free websites sharing best practices, to books that will take you deep down the copywriting rabbit hole and copywriting courses, these are the tools and resources I always recommend. Just click on the sites and titles to go straight to the source.
Copywriting Tools
Grammarly.com
You can’t just spell check your copy and call it good. Grammarly is an online tool that offers more robust spell-checking capabilities along with grammar and word choice checks. It’s much more helpful than regular spell check, especially if you don’t have someone else to look over your copy, but DO NOT solely rely on it to catch all errors. There are free and paid versions available. If you’re writing regularly, the paid version is worth the cost but, if not, the free version is still useful.
Thesaurus.com
An obvious choice but still important. I use this everyday.
Related Words Generator
This is like an extended thesaurus. Instead of just listing direct synonyms or antonyms for a given word, it also suggests a list of related words that you might have thought of if you had taken the time to free associate. For example, if you enter the word “dog,” it will suggest “puppy” or “animal” along with other potentially dog related words like “chase,” “tail” or “frankfurter”.
Visuwords
This is a visual dictionary/thesaurus/lexicon that doesn’t simply list connected words but shows how they’re connected in a diagram. (I prefer the Related Words site.)
Pun Generator
Enter a word into Pun Generator and access puns or phrases using that word. Yes, many are stupid or cheesy, but it’s a helpful tool to get you thinking about different plays on words or eye-catching phrases that can be particularly useful in headlines.
Online Copywriting Tips & Resources
Copyhackers
Copyhackers will take you deeeeeep down the copywriting rabbit hole, particularly if you’re focusing on high-converting sales pages. The site offers a ton of free content and email lists along with both free and paid online workshops webinars and courses. This is also a great resource for those focusing on copywriting for other businesses as it has many freelancing or business tips as well.
Copyblogger
Another content-rich resource like Copyhackers, Copyblogger shares copywriting best practices and tips focusing on content marketing (i.e. email series, blogging, podcasts, etc.).
The Copy Cure
Another content-rich resource like Copyhackers, Copyblogger shares copywriting best practices and tips focusing on content marketing (i.e. email series, blogging, podcasts, etc.).
Copywriting Books
Copywriting: Successful Writing for Design, Advertising and Marketing
by Mark Shaw
This book looks at best practices for copywriting and positioning messages for a variety of different mediums, from website sales pages to printed catalogs.
Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content
by Ann Handley
Written by an expert content marketer (think email marketing sequences and blog posts), this book explains clear grammar and writing rules along with a bunch of tips, examples and guidance for crafting copy especially for content marketing.
The Adweek Copywriting Handbook
by Joseph Sugarman
This is another good one for learning about how to craft and position messages in a way to better sell, especially in ads.
Bird by Bird
by Anne Lamot
Whether you’re a writer or not, this book is so good. Key point for writing and in life: if you don’t know where to start or are overwhelmed, just take things one step at a time.
Marketing Books
Purple Cow
by Seth Godlin
First published in 2003, this book from the go-to marketing and messaging expert in the U.S. is a must-read for any entrepreneur, writer or marketer.
This Is Marketing
by Seth Godlin
The latest book by Seth Godin focuses on the importance of producing work and marketing you’re proud of built on empathy and connection rather than click-bait or spammy messaging.
Building a Story Brand
by Donald Miller
Written by the founder of marketing firm StoryBrand, this book offers the company’s 7-part framework to create a marketing message and materials that turn potential customers into buyers by creating a story where the buyer is the hero, not the brand.
