Copywriting is a crucial part of the world we live in. You see copy every day on website landing pages, in your email inbox, in social media posts, and more.
If you want to be a successful copywriter, you need to study what effective copywriting looks like so you can learn from the best examples. You can even keep a swipe file, which is a collection of great advertising examples that you can refer to.
You should look at examples in the three major copywriting categories: website copywriting, ad copywriting, and direct response copywriting.
So, what exactly does great copywriting look like in each of these categories?
In this article, we’ve compiled 15 of the best copywriting examples to help you find inspiration for your own writing.
Website Copywriting Examples
Your website is usually the first place people will check to find out more about you, whether you’re an individual freelancer or a large organization.
That’s why it’s crucial for your website to have great copy. The text on every page contributes to the digital marketing of your brand, from the landing page to the contact form to every blog post you publish.
Here are five examples of great website copy you can add to your swipe file.
Cards Against Humanity
Cards Against Humanity advertises itself as a “party game for horrible people.” It’s a card game where each card is designed to be as offensive as possible.
This image is from the FAQ page of the Cards Against Humanity website. This is a great example of a website where the writing style perfectly matches the target audience.
Unlike most customer support web pages, this one uses blunt, funny, and potentially offensive sentences such as “We have no control over this, blame your government,” or “You’re just going to have to deal with the ramifications of your actions.”
It’s a refreshing change from most professional websites and clearly establishes the game’s brand. The landing page and the other pages on their website are all written in the same brand voice.
ModCloth
ModCloth is a women’s clothing brand that makes indie and vintage-inspired clothing. They’re known for their colorful, whimsical vibe.
The copywriting on their website is written in a conversational tone. Their product descriptions are often filled with puns and plays on words, which match the quirky style of their products.
Here’s an example of the product description copy for one of their dresses. It starts with a fun and flirty line: “To reach meteoric levels of cuteness, the only thing this navy blue midi dress is missing is you!”
The description provides all the information a customer would need, such as the type of fabric, the details of the print, and details about the collar and sleeves. It then concludes with a play on the Milky Way theme: “this long sleeve dress will launch your vintage-inspired style into orbit!”
First Round Capital
First Round Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in entrepreneurs and companies.
Their website is a great copywriting example for anyone who wants to make their readers feel seen and understood. It’s proof of how important it is to know your target audience and be able to empathize with them.
Here’s an example from the “Philosophy” page of their website. They do a great job recognizing their target audience’s pain points, such as “how hard and lonely the startup journey can be” and how much many entrepreneurs hate “stuffy board meetings.”
Their web copy creates an emotional bond with the reader and makes them feel like First Round Capital understands what they’re going through.
MasterClass
MasterClass is a company that offers online classes taught by well-known experts in various fields.
This is the landing page of their website, which is clearly designed to convey their value proposition. The first thing you see are images of celebrities who could become your next teacher, such as Serena Williams and Malala Yousafzai.
The copy is clear and concise. The headline is “Gain new skills in 10 minutes,” which promises to deliver knowledge while also saving you time.
The line below the headline says, “Unlimited access to 180+ classes delivered in bite-sized lessons,” which describes the value of MasterClass in simple words.
Lyft
Lyft is a rideshare platform that connects drivers with riders.
They’re in the unusual position of having to cater equally to two separate target audiences: potential drivers and potential riders.
Their landing page does a fantastic job speaking to both groups. One block of the landing page is centered around “Drive with Lyft,” and the next block is centered around “Ride with Lyft.”
Each block of copy is broken into three easy-to-read bullet points, highlighting benefits you can get by driving or riding with Lyft. It’s clear they understand their two buyer personas and can address the pain points of each.
Ad Copywriting Examples
One of the most well-known forms of copywriting is ad copywriting.
Whether it’s a print ad, a billboard, or a social media post, almost every company uses ad copywriting to promote their brand.
Effective ad copy needs to convince potential customers that your product or service is worth paying for. Here are five examples of ad copy readers will remember.
Dollar Shave Club
The Dollar Shave Club is a subscription service that sends customers a shipment of razor blades every month.
The tagline is, “Shave Time. Shave Money.” This pun is simple but catchy, which makes it likely to stick in readers’ minds. It also makes the company come across as witty and clever, which will make customers more inclined to think of them favorably.
The copy below the tagline describes the exact value proposition that Dollar Shave Club offers: “Great razors sent right to your door for a few bucks a month.” The ad provides clarity about what you’re signing up for while also being short and succinct.
Beyond Meat
Beyond Meat produces meat substitutes that are entirely plant based, such as vegan burgers, sausages, and more.
This is an ad they used to convince more people to buy Beyond Meat. It features only one line: “If every person in the US replaced just one beef burger per week with a plant-based Beyond Burger, it would be the equivalent of taking 12 million cars off the road.”
This line makes the reader feel like they should do their part to save the planet by replacing their normal meat options with vegan options. It effectively pulls on readers’ emotions, making them feel guilty for not buying Beyond Meat or proud to continue doing so.
Glossier
Glossier is a company that sells cosmetics, perfume, and other beauty products.
To promote the comeback of their Solid Perfume product, Glossier posted this image to their Instagram account.
It shows a customer’s glowing review of Solid Perfume, which describes one of the key features of this product, namely, “it was never going to leak in my bag.” The review concludes with a final plea: “Please bring it back.”
This is a great example of successful digital marketing that uses social proof to draw customers in. By keeping the post simple, Glossier allows the customer’s review to speak for itself and intrigue potential customers who haven’t tried Solid Perfume before.
BMW
BMW is a manufacturer of high-end vehicles. One of their top competitors is Mercedes-Benz.
This image is a Halloween-themed Twitter ad BMW posted. It shows a Mercedes-Benz dressing up in costume as a BMW, with the caption, “Now every car can dress up as its favorite superhero.”
The ad makes it look like BMW is better than Mercedes-Benz to the point where every Mercedes wants to become a BMW when it grows up.
Because of its humor and wit, this tweet received thousands of likes, comments, and retweets. It’s a great copywriting example because it makes people want to share it with their friends, even though they know it’s an ad.
Adobe Acrobat Pro
Adobe Acrobat Pro is an app that helps you create, edit, and share PDFs.
This piece of email marketing copy is brightly colored and visually arresting. It instantly grabs your attention with the headline, “Scan for easy organizing.”
Then it follows up with the sentence, “All those files cluttering your desk could be digital,” which creates a sense of intimacy between the copywriter and the reader, since it feels like the copywriter can see the messy state of your desk.
In just a few short sentences, this piece of copy establishes a connection with the reader and offers an enticing service that can help them organize their files better.
Direct Response Copywriting Examples
Direct response copywriting is a form of copywriting that elicits an immediate action from the reader.
This type of copy includes a call to action that urges the reader to take a specific action right away, such as signing up for a newsletter or following a company on social media. Many direct response copywriters also use techniques like the scarcity principle to create a sense of urgency so readers will act quickly.
Direct response copy still helps companies attract new users and increase sales, but it does so by targeting other important actions, such as spreading brand awareness or referring their friends, rather than focusing solely on sales.
Let’s look at five examples of direct response copy that encourage readers to take a specific action.
The Getty Museum
The Getty Museum posted this popular tweet around the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The tweet challenges people to choose their favorite piece of artwork, recreate it with objects they have lying around their house, and share it online. The challenge ended up getting thousands of submissions from people making art out of strange things.
The call to action in this social media post asks people to join the challenge, rather than specifically visiting the Getty Museum. Creating a challenge is a great way to advertise your company or brand without directly asking for a purchase.
Because the challenge got retweets and comments from thousands of people, it increased people’s awareness of the Getty Museum. It also demonstrated a clear sense of humor and likability, which likely attracted more customers down the line.
Booking.com
Booking.com is an internet travel agency that books your travel reservations for you.
The Booking.com website is full of direct response copywriting that encourages users to move smoothly and frictionlessly through the booking process. Every piece of copy is designed to elicit an immediate click to the next step in the process.
For example, this is a hotel listing where the call to action is the “See availability” button, which will take you to the next step. The words “Only 1 room left at this price” employ the scarcity principle to make readers feel a sense of urgency.
Notice that the call to action isn’t an immediate “Reserve now” or “Book your stay.” Instead, Booking.com breaks the booking process down into small steps and writes copy specifically designed for each step.
Book of the Month
Book of the Month is a book subscription service that curates each month’s best new books.
This email ad is designed to promote their referral program, which helps the company find new customers. The subject line of the email is, “Forward this email for a referral reward.”
This is an interesting copywriting example because it targets two audiences: users who already subscribe to Book of the Month and those users’ friends.
The body copy is written in the POV of the user. In other words, it’s written in the user’s voice rather than in the company’s voice.
If you forward the email to a friend, the first thing they’ll see is, “Hey friend, get your next book for $5.” It feels casual, conversational, and friendly, which are all hallmarks of good copywriting.
Betabrand
Betabrand is a women’s clothing brand known for designing business-casual pants out of comfortable materials.
Their website uses pop-ups to generate customer leads. For example, this image shows a pop-up that offers a 20% discount in exchange for entering your email address.
The 30-minute countdown timer makes readers feel a sense of urgency, which encourages readers to act quickly. The button uses the sentence “I’m ready to save!” which feels much more exciting than simply “Submit” or “Continue.”
This pop-up is a great way for Betabrand to gather the emails of potential customers so they can send them ads and other reminders.
Salesforce
Salesforce is a company that makes cloud-based software. Its goal is to help businesses attract more customers using the cloud.
This is a LinkedIn ad Salesforce used to promote their e-book, The Marketer’s Playbook for Success in a Post-COVID World. The call to action is the “Download” sign at the bottom, encouraging readers to download the e-book.
The caption describes the value of the e-book and makes it clear that Salesforce understands how today’s customers think. The tone is confident and professional.
Like most pieces of direct response copywriting, this piece of copy doesn’t explicitly ask people to sign up to use Salesforce. Instead, it’s used to spread brand awareness and establish Salesforce’s expertise as an industry leader.
Key Takeaways From the Best Copywriting Examples
There you have it—our list of 15 good copywriting examples that can serve as inspiration for any aspiring copywriter!
Here’s a quick summary of the key takeaways from these examples:
- There are many types of copywriting: website copy, social media copy, print ads, and more
- Good copywriting should be tailored to fit the brand voice of a specific company, such as the irreverent voice of Cards Against Humanity or the expert professionalism of Salesforce
- A great piece of copy needs to clearly convey the value proposition of a product or service while also grabbing the reader’s attention with a catchy headline
- Not all copywriting needs to directly encourage the reader to buy; direct response copywriting can focus on driving readers toward a smaller step in the process
Every piece of copy has a specific purpose, whether it’s to deliver information, make people laugh, or convince people to buy a product.
If you look at any of the examples in this article, you can clearly see the purpose of that piece of copy. Each company’s copywriters employ different marketing and psychology techniques to encourage the reader to act.
One way to make sure your words connect with your target audience is by running your copywriting through ProWritingAid. ProWritingAid’s Word Explorer can help you see all the connotations of each word, so you choose the perfect words to suit the purpose of your copy.
For more copywriting tips, check out our article on how to become a better copywriter.
Good luck, and happy writing!
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