5 Copywriting Mistakes That K*ll Your Marketing

Great copy can make your marketing shine. Poor copy can quietly sabotage all your efforts, without you even realising it.

Even large businesses and experienced marketers sometimes fall into these common copywriting traps.

So, let’s fix them!

Here are five of the most common copywriting mistakes that I see most often, and how you can correct them.

1. Vague messaging

The mistake: Using generic language that doesn’t clearly explain what you do or – more importantly - why it matters to your audience.

Example:

“We offer marketing services to help your business grow.”

It’s clear you do marketing, but that’s pretty broad… It doesn’t tell the reader what services you offer or how these will help their business.

Better:

“We help small businesses get more clients through social media, email campaigns, and content strategies that actually convert.”

Why it works: Being specific helps to build trust. Your audience instantly understands what you do and why it matters to them.

2. Focusing on ‘we’, not ‘you’

The mistake: Believing people care more about you than them! This is what I call ‘weeing all over your website’ – writing way too much about your business, instead of how you’re going to help the viewer improve theirs.

Example:

“We are a talented team of consultants with an in-depth knowledge of every area of HR.”

It should go without saying that your HR consultants are knowledgeable about HR! The focus should be on how they add value to businesses – the benefits for whoever is reading it!

Better:

“All your HR needs taken care of by specialists, so you can focus on growing your business with a happy and productive workforce”

Why it works: It flips the narrative. It still informs the reader of your expertise, but the emphasis is on how this benefits them.

3. No Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)

The mistake: Leaving readers unsure about the next step.

Example:

“We provide professional dental implants, tooth whitening, and straightening to give you back your smile.”

Great, you’ve clearly set out your services and how you help, but what now? Should they call you? Turn up at your clinic? Fill out a website form?

Better:

“Ready to smile with confidence again? Call our friendly team to book an appointment and take your first step towards professional dental implants, tooth whitening, or straightening.”

Why it works: A clear CTA gives readers direction and encourages engagement, turning passive readers into active leads.

4. Overloading Copy With Jargon or Buzzwords

The mistake: Using technical terms or trendy buzzwords that confuse your audience.

Example:

“Our omnichannel, synergistic solutions leverage actionable insights to optimise conversion funnels and increase ROI.”

This sounds impressive… but it’s meaningless to most readers.

Better:

“We help you turn social media followers into paying clients using easy-to-follow strategies that make you more money.”

Why it works: Simple, relatable language makes your message accessible and memorable.

5. Writing for Yourself, Not Your Audience

The mistake: Focusing on features or what you think is impressive, rather than thinking about what your target audience values.

Example:

“Our platform uses AI-powered automation to improve user experience.”

Better:

“Save hours every week by automating repetitive tasks - so you can focus on growing your business.”

Why it works: People care about how your product or service helps them, not how clever it is. Write with your audience’s goals and pain points in mind.

Copywriting doesn’t have to be complicated (in fact, simple is usually always better!), but small mistakes can quietly undermine your marketing efforts.

Focus on clarity, benefit, and action. Simplify your language and always ask: Does this help my reader solve a problem or get closer to their goal?

When your copy works, your marketing works.

Want help to unpick the word soup you’ve already created? Get in touch and I’ll grab my sieve!