Frameworks that work

Copywriting formulas

Proven structures used by the world's best copywriters. Each formula is broken down step by step — with real examples and guidance on when to use each one.

12formulas covered
AIDA — Classic

Attention · Interest · Desire · Action

The original copywriting framework. Used in ads, emails, and landing pages for over 100 years.

Difficulty:
Beginner-friendly
A
Attention
Stop the scroll. Your headline or opening line must be impossible to ignore.
I
Interest
Hold them. Expand on the promise with facts, a story, or a surprising insight.
D
Desire
Make them want it. Vivid benefits, testimonials, and emotional resonance.
A
Action
Tell them exactly what to do next. One clear, friction-free CTA.
Real example — email subject + body
Attention“Why your landing page converts at 1% (and what fixes it overnight)”
Interest“Most landing pages lose visitors in the first 5 seconds — not because the offer is bad, but because the headline doesn't match what the ad promised.”
Desire“Our clients fix this in one afternoon and typically see conversions double within a week.”
Action“Download the free headline audit checklist →”
Best used for
Email campaignsDisplay adsLanding pagesSocial adsDirect mail
Why it works
  • Mirrors how humans naturally make decisions
  • Easy to audit — check each stage is doing its job
  • Works for both short and long-form copy
  • Universally understood by clients and stakeholders
Watch out for

Skipping the Desire stage and jumping straight to Action. Readers who aren't emotionally invested won't click, no matter how strong your CTA is.

Modern variation

AIDCA adds Conviction between Desire and Action — useful for high-ticket or sceptical audiences who need extra proof before committing.

PAS — Emotional

Problem · Agitate · Solution

The most powerful short-copy formula. Empathise first, then offer relief.

Difficulty:
Beginner-friendly
P
Problem
Name the pain precisely. Use the reader's own language — show you understand their world.
A
Agitate
Stir the emotional cost of the problem left unsolved. Make the status quo feel uncomfortable.
S
Solution
Present your offer as the natural relief. The reader should feel like you wrote this for them.
Real example — Facebook ad
Problem“Still rewriting your bio for the fifth time and it still doesn't sound like you?”
Agitate“Every day your profile sits bland, potential clients scroll past and hire someone whose copy did its job — even if their work isn't as good as yours.”
Solution“ProfileCopy.co writes your complete bio in 48 hours. Sounds like you. Converts like a pro. Starting at $97.”
Best used for
Short adsEmail subject linesSocial postsIntro paragraphs
Why it works
  • Leads with empathy — readers feel understood
  • Creates emotional urgency without being pushy
  • Works in as few as 3 sentences
  • Agitation is what separates average from great copy
Watch out for

Over-agitating to the point of feeling manipulative. The pain must be real and your empathy genuine — readers sense when it's manufactured.

Power tip

The Agitate stage is where most writers are too timid. Spend the most words here. If the problem doesn't sting, the solution won't land.

BAB — Emotional

Before · After · Bridge

Paint the dream, not just the solution. Show readers where they're going before you show them how to get there.

Difficulty:
Beginner-friendly
B
Before
Describe the reader's current painful reality. Be specific — vague pain doesn't motivate.
A
After
Paint the ideal future state. Make it vivid and desirable. This is the dream they're buying.
B
Bridge
Your product or service is the bridge between those two worlds. Introduce it here.
Real example — SaaS onboarding email
Before“You're spending 3 hours every Monday manually compiling last week's reports from four different tools.”
After“Imagine opening your laptop on Monday to a single dashboard — every metric, every channel, every team update — already compiled and ready to share.”
Bridge“That's exactly what Dashify does. Connect your tools in 10 minutes. Your first automated report is ready tonight.”
Best used for
Onboarding emailsProduct demosVideo scriptsSocial proof sections
Why it works
  • Focuses on transformation, not just features
  • The "After" state sells the dream — people buy outcomes
  • Makes your product feel like the obvious next step
  • Works beautifully in testimonial structure too
Watch out for

Rushing to the Bridge before the After state is vivid enough. If readers don't desire the future you've painted, they won't care about what bridges them there.

Difference vs PAS

PAS twists the knife on pain. BAB focuses more on the aspiration. Use PAS when the problem is acute; use BAB when the dream is more motivating than the pain.

FAB — Classic

Features · Advantages · Benefits

The antidote to feature-heavy copy. Forces every product claim to answer the reader's silent question: "So what?"

Difficulty:
Very easy
F
Feature
What it is or has. "256GB storage."
A
Advantage
What it does. "Holds 100,000 photos."
B
Benefit
Why it matters. "You'll never delete a memory to free up space again."
Real example — product bullet points
Feature“AI-powered grammar checker”
Advantage“Catches errors your eye skips over”
Benefit“Send every email with confidence — no more cringing at a typo after you hit send.”
Best used for
Product pagesBullet pointsSales decksBrochuresApp store copy
Why it works
  • Forces benefit-first thinking on every claim
  • Easy framework to apply to any product feature
  • Makes technical specs feel human and relevant
  • Great for training non-copywriters to write better
Watch out for

Stopping at the Advantage and calling it a Benefit. "Holds 100,000 photos" is an advantage. "Never lose a memory" is the benefit. Keep asking "so what?" until you hit emotion.

Quick rule

If your bullet starts with "It has…" or "Includes…" you're writing features. Rewrite it to start with "You get…" or "So you can…" to reach the benefit.

4Ps — Sales page

Promise · Picture · Proof · Push

A powerful sales page formula. Makes a bold promise, paints the picture, backs it up, then asks for the sale.

Difficulty:
Intermediate
P
Promise
Your headline. Make a bold, specific, believable promise that speaks to the reader's deepest desire.
P
Picture
Paint a vivid mental image of what life looks like after they take action.
P
Proof
Back it up. Testimonials, data, case studies, credentials — make the promise believable.
P
Push
Ask for the action. Add urgency if genuine. Make the next step obvious and easy.
Real example — course sales page
Promise“Write copy that sells — in 6 weeks or your money back.”
Picture“Imagine sending an email on Monday and watching sales notifications roll in by Tuesday morning. Your words doing the selling while you sleep.”
Proof“2,400 students enrolled. Average student doubles their freelance rate within 90 days. See their stories below.”
Push“Enrol before Friday and get the Swipe File Vault free — 300+ high-converting examples. Doors close Sunday.”
Best used for
Sales pagesLaunch emailsWebinar scriptsVideo sales letters
Why it works
  • Promise sets a specific expectation upfront
  • Picture creates emotional investment before objections arise
  • Proof answers the skeptic's voice in the reader's head
  • Push converts emotionally ready readers into buyers
Watch out for

A weak Proof stage. If your promise is bold, your proof must be stronger. One vague testimonial kills credibility. Stack specific, named social proof.

Power tip

The Picture stage is where most writers under-deliver. Spend real time here. Sensory, specific language ("watching sales notifications roll in") converts better than abstractions.

PASTOR — Storytelling · Sales page

Problem · Amplify · Story · Transformation · Offer · Response

The most complete long-form sales formula. Combines storytelling, proof, and persuasion into a single powerful structure.

Difficulty:
Advanced
P
Problem
Identify the core pain your reader is experiencing. Name it clearly.
A
Amplify
Show the cost of inaction. What happens if this problem goes unsolved?
S
Story
Tell a relatable story — yours or a client's — showing the journey from problem to resolution.
T
Transformation
Show the proof. Testimonials, case studies, results. Who has this worked for?
O
Offer
Present your solution clearly — what it includes, what it's worth, and what it costs.
R
Response
The close. Ask for the sale. Add urgency, a guarantee, and a single clear CTA.
Real example — long-form sales page
Problem“You're writing copy every day but your conversion rates haven't budged in months.”
Amplify“Worst part? You're losing clients to writers who charge double — because their copy actually works.”
Story“Three years ago I was in the same spot. Then I discovered a framework that changed everything. Here's what happened next.”
Offer“The Complete Copywriting Formula Pack — 12 battle-tested frameworks with real examples. $47 one-time.”
Response“Start writing better copy in the next hour. 60-day money-back guarantee. Get instant access →”
Best used for
Long-form sales pagesVideo sales lettersWebinar scriptsHigh-ticket offers
Why it works
  • Story creates trust and emotional buy-in before the pitch
  • Transformation/testimonials handle objections automatically
  • Complete structure means nothing critical gets missed
  • Designed for cold-to-warm conversion in a single session
ACCA — Email

Awareness · Comprehension · Conviction · Action

AIDA's more rational cousin — ideal when your audience needs to understand before they commit.

Difficulty:
Intermediate
A
Awareness
Make the reader aware of the problem or opportunity they may not have noticed.
C
Comprehension
Help them understand why it matters and what causes it. Educate without overwhelming.
C
Conviction
Build belief that your solution is the right one. Use data, proof, and logic.
A
Action
One clear, low-friction next step. Make acting feel like the natural conclusion.
Real example — B2B nurture email
Awareness“Most B2B companies lose 70% of leads because follow-ups arrive too late.”
Comprehension“The problem isn't your sales team — it's that lead scoring happens manually and nobody checks it until Friday afternoon.”
Conviction“Companies using automated lead scoring close deals 38% faster. Average 22% more revenue per rep.”
Action“See how LeadScore automates your follow-up in 10 minutes. Book a no-pitch demo →”
Best used for
B2B emailNurture sequencesComplex productsContent marketing
Why it works
  • Works for logical, research-driven buyers
  • Comprehension stage builds authority and trust
  • Conviction differentiates from competitors using evidence
STAR — Storytelling

Situation · Task · Action · Result

The case study and testimonial formula. Turns customer success stories into conversion machines.

Difficulty:
Beginner-friendly
S
Situation
Set the scene. Who is the client? What was their world before?
T
Task
What was the specific challenge or goal they needed to achieve?
A
Action
What did they do — or what did you do for them — to address it?
R
Result
The measurable outcome. Specific numbers always outperform vague praise.
Real example — case study
Situation“Sarah ran a 6-figure e-commerce store. Traffic was growing, but conversions stayed flat at 0.8%.”
Task“Redesign the product page copy to better communicate value and reduce friction at checkout.”
Action“Rewrote 12 product descriptions using FAB framework, added comparison table, simplified the CTA.”
Result“Conversion rate climbed to 2.4% in 30 days. That's $28,000 in additional monthly revenue.”
Best used for
Case studiesTestimonialsPortfolio pagesPitch decks
Watch out for

Burying the Result or leaving it vague. "They were very happy" is not a result. "Revenue increased 34% in 60 days" is.

OATH — Audience Awareness

Oblivious · Apathetic · Thinking · Hurting

Not a writing formula — a reader awareness framework. Use it to decide which formula to reach for first.

Difficulty:
Strategic
O
Oblivious
Doesn't know they have the problem. Lead with education, not selling.
A
Apathetic
Knows the problem, doesn't care yet. Agitate — make the status quo uncomfortable.
T
Thinking
Actively looking for solutions. Lead with your USP and proof.
H
Hurting
In acute pain. Lead with empathy, then solution immediately.
Real example — audience segmentation strategy
Oblivious“"New to email marketing? Here's why most campaigns fail in the first 90 days."”
Apathetic“"Still using the same welcome email from 2021? Your subscribers noticed."”
Thinking“"Comparing Mailchimp vs ConvertKit? Here's what the features page won't tell you."”
Hurting“"Your open rates dropped 40% overnight? Here's exactly how to fix it."”
Best used for
Audience segmentationAd targetingEmail sequencesStrategy planning
Why it works
  • Prevents mismatched copy — wrong message to wrong audience kills conversions
  • Helps you choose the right formula for each audience segment
  • Guides tone: educational for O, empathetic for H

At a glance

Quick reference table

FormulaStands forBest forDifficulty
AIDAAttention · Interest · Desire · ActionEmails, ads, landing pages★★☆☆☆
PASProblem · Agitate · SolutionShort ads, social, email intros★★☆☆☆
BABBefore · After · BridgeOnboarding, video scripts★★☆☆☆
FABFeatures · Advantages · BenefitsProduct pages, bullet points★☆☆☆☆
4PsPromise · Picture · Proof · PushSales pages, launches★★★☆☆
PASTORProblem · Amplify · Story · Transformation · Offer · ResponseLong-form sales, VSLs★★★★☆
ACCAAwareness · Comprehension · Conviction · ActionB2B, nurture sequences★★★☆☆
STARSituation · Task · Action · ResultCase studies, testimonials★★☆☆☆
OATHOblivious · Apathetic · Thinking · HurtingAudience strategy★★★☆☆