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10 min · writing

Landing page copy loop (outline → draft → cut)

Goal: In one sitting, run three loops for a clean headline, three benefits, and one CTA—kill brochure filler.

Best for: Indie waitlists, feature launches, course/guide sites, simple SaaS pages.

Most “AI landing pages” fail the same way: vague promise, hype adjectives, benefits that could describe anything. Force outline first, draft second, cut third. Approve each pass before the next.

Why beginners skip this

One-shot landing copy feels finished—without a test loop, conversion stays a vibe. Write → test → revise.

Step 1 — Outline only (no prose yet)

Outline only—use the page you will actually ship tonight.

Outline only — no full sentences.
Audience: [who]
Promise in one line: [what changes for them]
3 benefits (each must be checkable)
Primary CTA: [verb + destination]
Secondary CTA (optional): [e.g. Browse guides]
Flag missing info I did not provide.
Banned for later draft: revolutionize, seamless, game-changer, cutting-edge, unlock your potential

Step 2 — Draft with hard length caps

Draft from the approved outline with hard length caps; add no social proof you did not give.

Using the approved outline, draft:
- Hero ≤ 20 words
- Subhead ≤ 28 words
- 3 benefits ≤ 12 words each
- CTA button label ≤ 4 words
Do not add social proof I did not supply. No banned hype words.
Example

Filled prompt

Approved outline:
Audience: absolute beginners picking ChatGPT vs Claude vs Grok
Promise: learn by real tasks, not parameter tables
Benefits: scenario guides; copy-paste prompts; bilingual EN/ZH
CTA: Start free reading
Draft hero ≤20 words, 3 benefits ≤12 each, CTA ≤4 words.
No fake user counts. Ban: revolutionize/seamless/game-changer.

What good output looks like

  • Hero names a concrete job (“pick a model for your task”)
  • Benefits sound testable, not poetic
  • No invented “10,000 learners” proof
  • You can paste into a static page tonight

Step 3 — Cut pass (make it sound human)

Cut hype in one human pass; read it aloud before you ship.

Cut pass only. Delete hype adjectives and empty openers. Replace vague verbs with concrete ones. Return cleaned copy + list of removed words. Do not add new claims.

Read the hero out loud. If you would not say it to a friend, cut again.

Example

Filled prompt

Product: schedulers for freelancers. Proof I have: cut weekly planning from 2h→40m (my notes).
Loop: outline → draft → critique hype → revise. No fake testimonials.

What good output looks like

  • Refuses invented facts or silent send/delete
  • Pass/fail check you can mark in one minute
  • Stops before irreversible steps without approval
  • Matches the named files/tools/constraints in the fill [writing-landing-page-copy-loop#1]

Close the loop

Write one line: next time I ship landing copy with no test, I refuse publish.

Example

Filled prompt

Hero for freelancer scheduler. Proof: planning 2h→40m (my notes).
Loop outline→draft→critique hype→revise. No fake logos.
Hard word caps; no synergy/disrupt; one human detail.

What good output looks like

  • Matches outline/voice freeze for “Landing page copy loop”
  • No AI-slop openers; one concrete proof from your notes
  • Numbers/names frozen — polish does not invent
  • Pass/fail: phone-skim 20s still clear

Red flag

Hype uncapped; no CTA; outline skipped—hard-cap and ship headline+CTA.

Save this card

Card: Outline → hard cap → cut hype—ship a headline and CTA in one sitting. Keep this beside the tool; read before you start.

Before you start

Name the reader and freeze facts on paper for “Ship a simple hero + three benefits + CTA.” If outline bullets do not exist yet, stop before prose. Guide: writing-landing-page-copy-loop. Keep the real job visible the whole time; a blank box means stop and fetch the artifact first.

How to use this week

This week run write → test → revise on a real landing page: one claim, one action, one proof; revise after the test.

Close the week by quoting aloud the refuse line you actually used once. If you cannot, rerun Practice now and date the pass/fail (Asia/Shanghai).

Pitfalls

PitfallFix
Jumping straight to “write a landing page”Outline → draft → cut, with approvals
Fake testimonials or download countsOnly proof you can link or show
Benefits that fit any productEach benefit must fail for a generic tool
CTA “Learn more”Prefer “Start free reading” / “See the 7-day path”
Example

Filled prompt

Temptation: skip the habit for writing-landing-page-copy-loop to save five minutes.
Job still: Ship a simple hero + three benefits + CTA
Smallest correct pass: Done visible · checkable artifact · Unknowns [?].
Boundaries: draft only; no silent send; no invented metrics.
Return: artifact + refuse-line said aloud.

What good output looks like

  • Names the shortcut refused (specific to writing-landing-page-copy-loop)
  • Still delivers checkable output for “Ship a simple hero + three benefits + CTA”
  • Unknowns labeled; draft-only
  • Pass/fail: refuse-line dated (writing-landing-page-copy-loop #4)

Field note: ship a headline + CTA in one sitting with a hard word cap. Read aloud once; cut any claim you would not defend on a sales call.

Practice now

Hero only: ship hero section first; rest can wait (Asia/Shanghai).

Social proof check: one proof line or delete the claim (Asia/Shanghai).

Objection line: one FAQ objection answered on-page (Asia/Shanghai).

Scroll test: first screen must state offer without scrolling (Asia/Shanghai).

Benefit line: rewrite subhead as reader benefit, not feature list (Asia/Shanghai).

CTA-only drill: rewrite CTA three ways; pick one; delete the other two (Asia/Shanghai).

Landing drill: headline / sub / CTA triad; A-B one variant only tonight (Asia/Shanghai).

Thin-spot drill: rewrite the Save card with real nouns from your work (repo, doc, inbox). Generic placeholders fail the drill.

Tonight run one hypothesis → copy → compare round on a real landing page; change one variable only.

Reality check: after Practice now, write one sentence you will refuse next time—and keep it on the Save card dated Asia/Shanghai.

One sentence takeaway

Write → test → revise; one claim, one action, one proof.

Next

Reject AI slop · Voice consistency · Ship a static guide site · Outline before prose

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