copy-editing

Run the copy through focused editing passes: check clarity first, then voice consistency, benefit connections, proof for claims, specificity, emotional impact, and risk reducers near CTAs. Editing one dimension at a time catches issues that a single unfocused review misses.

It is a sequential editing method with passes for clarity, voice and tone, the "So What" benefit test, proof, specificity, heightened emotion, and zero risk. After each sweep, you loop back to verify earlier sweeps were not compromised by new edits.

Use copy editing when you already have a draft and want to improve tone, clarity, and persuasiveness while preserving the core message. Use copywriting when creating new content from scratch with no existing draft.

Replace vague phrases with concrete numbers, timeframes, and examples. For instance, change "save time" to "save 4 hours every week" and "many customers" to "2,847 teams." Remove content that cannot be made specific, since it is likely filler.

Yes, an eighth sweep covers SEO compliance: keyword density of 1-1.5%, entity coverage in frontmatter and body, 3-7 internal links with natural anchor text, heading optimization, and title and description length limits.

It improves existing copy but cannot fix a fundamentally wrong message, audience, or strategy. It also requires knowing the copy's goal, target audience, and desired action upfront, or the edits may optimize for the wrong outcome.