flagship course

Marketing Copywriting

Write clear, honest copy for ads, pages, emails and posts that moves readers to act, and test each piece so that choices rest on results.

about this course

What you will be able to do

L4 Practitioner8 modules · 37 h lessons plus practice

Write clear, honest copy for ads, pages, emails and posts that moves readers to act, and test each piece so that choices rest on results.

Define the audience, goal and one main message of a text.
Apply headline, structure and call-to-action rules.
Analyse a rival text and test results.
Evaluate claims for truth and fairness.
Create a portfolio of five tested pieces.

Task, condition and standard

Task

Produce five pieces of marketing copy, test at least two of them, and assemble a short portfolio.

Condition

About 8 weeks part-time. A computer, sample products or services of a local business, a free page or email tool, a mentor.

Standard

Each piece has a stated goal and audience; claims are true and backed; copy is edited to a plain reading level; at least two pieces are tested with numbers.

Who it is for: Writers, marketers, students, small business owners. Requirements: Good command of the language you will write in. Materials: lesson text, templates, rubric, check with answers.

lesson by lesson

8 modules with worked examples

Module 1 Know the audience and goal 4 hDefine

Describe one reader: who, what they need, what worries them.
Interview three real customers and note their exact words.
State one goal per text: click, call, buy or reply.
Write the main message in one sentence.

Worked example. Goal: 30 messages from tailoring customers in a month. Message: Get a blouse stitched in 3 days, or the stitching is free.

Activity. Write a brief for a local product.

Standard to meet. State the reader, goal and one-sentence message in the brief.

Module 2 Study offers and rival copy 4 hAnalyse

Collect five rival ads or pages.
Mark promise, proof and call to action in each.
Find what rivals all say and what none say.
Pick one honest difference for your product.

Worked example. Four of five rivals say best quality; none state delivery time, so a 3-day promise stands out.

Activity. Analyse five rival texts in a table.

Standard to meet. Build a table with promise, proof and gap for each.

Module 3 Write headlines and openings 5 hCreate

Lead with the reader benefit and a number where true.
Write 10 headlines and pick the best 2.
Keep headlines under 12 words.
Make the first sentence earn the second.

Worked example. Ten headlines drafted; the winner is Stitched in 3 days or free, at 6 words.

Activity. Write 10 headlines for one offer.

Standard to meet. Write the top two under 12 words, each stating a benefit.

Module 4 Structure the body 5 hApply

Use a simple order: problem, solution, proof, offer, action.
Write short sentences and short paragraphs.
Use words your reader uses, and cut jargon.
Check the reading level so a 14-year-old can follow it.

Worked example. A 120-word page: 2 lines of problem, 3 of solution, 2 of proof, 1 offer, 1 button.

Activity. Write a 120-word page.

Standard to meet. Complete the structure and keep the average sentence under 16 words.

Module 5 Write for each channel 5 hApply

Ads: one idea and a clear button.
Email: a subject line under 45 characters and one link.
Social post: hook in the first line.
Messaging apps: short, polite and with an easy way to opt out.

Worked example. An email subject, Your blouse is ready in 3 days, is 30 characters and has one link.

Activity. Write one ad, one email and one post.

Standard to meet. Fit each to its channel length and give it one action.

Module 6 Prove it and stay honest 4 hEvaluate

Back each claim with a fact, a number or a customer quote used with permission.
Avoid false urgency and made-up scarcity.
Follow the advertising code and consumer rules that apply in India.
Mark offers with dates and conditions.

Worked example. The claim 3 days is backed by a log of 40 orders where 38 met the promise; the copy says 95 percent within 3 days.

Activity. Audit one text for claims and proof.

Standard to meet. Source each claim and include no false claim.

Module 7 Test and improve 5 hAnalyse

Change one thing between versions A and B.
Send each version to at least 100 people at the same time.
Compare results: clicks divided by sends.
Keep the winner and note the lesson.

Worked example. A gets 9 clicks of 100 and B gets 15 of 100; B wins at 15 percent, but retest with 200 as the sample is small.

Activity. Run one A and B test and record it.

Standard to meet. Test changes one thing and results are shown as a rate.

Module 8 Capstone: copy portfolio 5 hCreate

Produce five pieces: ad, page, email, post and message.
Add a goal, audience and result to each.
Edit twice with a peer.
Present the portfolio.

Worked example. Portfolio of five pieces with two tests: email B lifted clicks from 9 to 15 percent.

Activity. Submit the portfolio.

Standard to meet. Show goal, claim proof and edit history for each piece.

assessment

How you are checked

Evidence: the work product from each module, kept in one folder with dates. A mentor and two peers mark it with this rubric. Pass: no criterion at 'Not yet'.

Marking rubric
Criterion	Not yet	Meets	Exceeds
Clarity	Missing or unclear	Meets the stated check	One message, simple words and clear action
Honesty and testing	Guessing	Evidence kept	True claims and tests recorded with numbers
Records	Gaps	Complete	Complete and reviewed by a peer
Safety and ethics	Overlooked	Followed	Followed and taught to others

Ten-question check, with model answers

Q1. Why write one goal per text?

Model answer: A text with many goals confuses the reader and weakens action. (Covered in module 1: Know the audience and goal. To pass that module: State the reader, goal and one-sentence message in the brief.)

Q2. What does a gap in rival copy give you?

Model answer: A point of difference you can honestly claim. (Covered in module 2: Study offers and rival copy. To pass that module: Build a table with promise, proof and gap for each.)

Q3. Why write many headlines?

Model answer: The first idea is rarely the best. (Covered in module 3: Write headlines and openings. To pass that module: Write the top two under 12 words, each stating a benefit.)

Q4. What order does a simple page follow?

Model answer: Problem, solution, proof, offer, action. (Covered in module 4: Structure the body. To pass that module: Complete the structure and keep the average sentence under 16 words.)

Q5. Why give each message one action?

Model answer: It makes the next step clear. (Covered in module 5: Write for each channel. To pass that module: Fit each to its channel length and give it one action.)

Q6. Why check claims before publishing?

Model answer: False claims harm readers and break advertising rules. (Covered in module 6: Prove it and stay honest. To pass that module: Source each claim and include no false claim.)

Q7. Why change only one thing in a test?

Model answer: Then you know what caused the difference. (Covered in module 7: Test and improve. To pass that module: Test changes one thing and results are shown as a rate.)

Q8. What proves copy works?

Model answer: Test results against the stated goal. (Covered in module 8: Capstone: copy portfolio. To pass that module: Show goal, claim proof and edit history for each piece.)

Q9. What is a call to action?

Model answer: The clear next step you ask the reader to take. (Covered in: Task, condition and standard, near the top of this page.)

Q10. Why edit after writing?

Model answer: To cut waste and fix unclear lines. (Covered in: Task, condition and standard, near the top of this page.)

seven levels

Your ladder, L1 to L7

This course sits at L4 Practitioner. Each level adds to the one below.

L1 Basic. Read well and write clearly.
L2 Awareness. Explain audience, goal and message.
L3 Foundation. Write short copy under guidance.
L4 Practitioner. Write and test copy alone.
L5 Specialist. Edit and review copy for others.
L6 Advanced. Lead a content team.
L7 Super expert. Set copy standards for a brand and train writers.

Slide by slide

Seven slides, one per level. Open each for the slide text and the speaker notes.

Slide 1 L1 Basic: Clear reading and writing

Read 3 short ads and rewrite each in under 25 words, keeping one main point and cutting every unneeded word.

Speaker notes. Teacher gives a wordy shop notice and counts the words after rewriting. Covered in module 4, Structure the body.

Slide 2 L2 Awareness: Audience goal message

Explain the audience, goal and single message of 3 real ads in one line each, and name what the reader should do next.

Speaker notes. Teacher picks a bus-stop ad and checks the learner states who it speaks to and its one action. Covered in module 1, Know the audience and goal.

Slide 3 L3 Foundation: Guided short copy

Write 5 short pieces (headline plus 2 lines) from a brief, using a given structure, and fix them after one round of teacher notes.

Speaker notes. Teacher gives a brief for a tailoring shop and checks each piece has a headline, a benefit and a call to action. Covered in module 4, Structure the body.

Slide 4 L4 Practitioner: Tested copy alone

Write two versions of one email or ad alone, test both on at least 100 people each and pick the winner using the counted results.

Speaker notes. Teacher checks the counts for both versions and that the claims in the copy are true. Covered in module 7, Test and improve.

Slide 5 L5 Specialist: Copy review and editing

Edit 5 pieces by other writers using a 6-point checklist and give written notes that cut each piece by at least 15 percent.

Speaker notes. Teacher compares before and after word counts and checks the notes explain each cut.

Slide 6 L6 Advanced: Content team leadership

Lead 3 writers through a 4-week content plan with weekly reviews, and keep all pieces on time with fewer than 2 rounds of edits each.

Speaker notes. Teacher reviews the plan board and checks due dates, owners and edit counts.

Slide 7 L7 Super expert: Brand copy standards

Write a brand copy guide of 1 to 2 pages with voice rules, banned claims and examples, then train writers until 5 of 5 sample pieces pass.

Speaker notes. Teacher gives 5 draft lines and checks each is marked pass or fail with the right rule named.

jobs this leads to

Where this takes you

Copywriter
Content writer
Email marketing executive
Social media executive
Marketing assistant

ten locations and global

Your place

Local rules change licences, data handling, pricing words and names of bodies. Check them for your place before you act.

India (Bengaluru)

Language: English, Hindi, Kannada. Currency: INR. Data rule for what you publish: Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023. Skills frame to cite: National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and the national credit framework.

Netherlands (Eindhoven area)

Language: Dutch, English. Currency: EUR. Data rule for what you publish: EU GDPR (Dutch: AVG), supervised by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens. Skills frame to cite: the Dutch qualification framework (NLQF) linked to the European Qualifications Framework.

UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi)

Language: Arabic, English. Currency: AED. Data rule for what you publish: Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 (personal data protection). Skills frame to cite: the emirate education and training regulators (for example KHDA in Dubai) and the national qualifications framework.

Brazil (Sao Paulo)

Language: Portuguese (Spanish and English support). Currency: BRL. Data rule for what you publish: LGPD (Lei Geral de Protecao de Dados). Skills frame to cite: the national technical-education catalogue and the national S-system training bodies.

Canada (Toronto)

Language: English, French. Currency: CAD. Data rule for what you publish: PIPEDA, with provincial rules where they apply. Skills frame to cite: the provincial colleges framework and the national credential-recognition guidance.

United States

Language: English, Spanish. Currency: USD. Data rule for what you publish: state privacy laws (for example California), and COPPA for children under 13. Skills frame to cite: state and community-college credit systems.

Singapore

Language: English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil. Currency: SGD. Data rule for what you publish: Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Skills frame to cite: the Singapore national skills frameworks and the national credit system.

Australia

Language: English. Currency: AUD. Data rule for what you publish: the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Skills frame to cite: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels.

Hong Kong (Eastern Asia)

Language: Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin), English. Currency: HKD. Data rule for what you publish: the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. Skills frame to cite: the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework.

Georgia and Israel (Western Asia)

Language: Georgian, Hebrew, Arabic, English. Currency: GEL or ILS. Data rule for what you publish: the personal data law of the country where the learner lives. Skills frame to cite: the national qualifications framework of that country.

Cayman Islands (Caribbean)

Language: English. Currency: KYD. Data rule for what you publish: the Data Protection Act. Skills frame to cite: the local education and training framework.

Mexico

Language: Spanish, English. Currency: MXN. Data rule for what you publish: the federal law on personal data held by private parties. Skills frame to cite: the national competency certification system and the education ministry levels.

Draft

Draft flagship. Own wording. Not live.