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Key Takeaways

• CTV advertising delivers video ads within streaming content on internet-connected TV devices, with targeting and measurement precision that linear TV never had.
• Streaming accounted for 45.6 percent of all ad-supported TV viewing in Q4 2025, while only 36 percent of U.S. adults still subscribe to cable or satellite.
• Inventory is expanding fast. Amazon has repositioned its demand-side platform (DSP) as a cross-screen programmatic platform, and Pinterest’s acquisition of tvScientific has brought discovery-based audience data into the CTV mix.
• CTV advertising rewards intentional spend. Set clear outcome goals, keep frequency under control, and track metrics that connect to real business results rather than just impressions.
• Not every business is a natural fit for CTV advertising, but self-serve buying tools have lowered the barrier significantly, making meaningful tests possible without a traditional TV budget.

According to Pew Research, 83 percent of U.S. adults watch streaming services, while only 36 percent subscribe to cable or satellite TV at home. In Q4 2025, 74.2 percent of all TV viewing was ad-supported, with streaming accounting for 45.6 percent of that share, the largest of any category, per Nielsen. 

Ad dollars are following the audience. According to IAB, CTV ad spend grew 16 percent year over year in 2024, and digital video surpassed linear TV (traditional scheduled television delivered via cable or satellite) for the first time that year, capturing 51 percent of total TV and video ad spend.

Here is what you need to know about CTV advertising to reach the right viewers on the biggest screen in the house.

What is Connected TV?

Connected TV (CTV) is exactly what it sounds like; televisions that connect to the internet. But it’s so much more than just smart TVs. CTV encompasses any device that allows you to stream content on your TV screen—think Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, and gaming consoles as well.

The shift towards CTV has been dramatic. In 2023, cable TV subscribers dropped to 72.2 million from 98.7 million in 2016. Why? Because 82% of American adults say streaming entertains them more than cable TV. It’s not just about cutting the cord—it’s about gaining control over what, when, and how we watch.

What Is CTV Advertising?

CTV refers to internet-connected devices that enable viewers to stream video content on a TV screen. This includes smart TVs like LG and Samsung, streaming sticks like Roku and Amazon Fire TV, and video game consoles like Xbox or PlayStation. 

CTV advertising is a form of digital advertising that delivers video ads within that TV streaming content. Ads can appear across ad-supported tiers of streaming services like Hulu and Peacock, free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels like Pluto TV and Tubi, and apps on streaming devices.

CTV ads give you the full-screen, lean-back viewing experience of traditional TV ads, with the reporting and optimization of paid digital. Google Display & Video 360 (DV360), for example, lets advertisers layer CTV-specific audience segments on top of first- and third-party data, going well beyond the demographic filters available in standard Google Ads campaigns. 

The screenshots below show the difference in targeting controls between the two platforms. Google Ads operates within Google’s own data signals, while DV360 lets you bring in your own customer relationship manager (CRM) lists and third-party data on top of that.

Source: https://improvado.io/blog/dv360-vs-google-ads

That kind of targeting sophistication is becoming the standard across the industry, and the major players have taken notice. Amazon has repositioned itself not just as a streaming platform but as a full-funnel, cross-screen programmatic ecosystem, reflective of broader trends in paid media. 

Through Amazon’s DSP, advertisers can now access inventory across its own distribution channels and third-party platforms like Netflix and Disney. Layering Amazon’s first-party shopper data on top of that inventory creates targeting and attribution capabilities that go well beyond standard streaming buys.

CTV advertising’s reach is expanding just as quickly as its targeting capabilities. Netflix’s ad tier generated $1.5 billion in revenue in 2025 and is expected to nearly double to roughly $3 billion in 2026. CTV ads on LinkedIn have also entered the mix, enabling B2B advertisers to reach professional audiences on connected TV screens through partners like Roku, Samsung, and NBCUniversal.

Metro Vein Centers is a good illustration of what CTV advertising precision looks like in practice. The clinic used CTV’s geotargeting to reach women in specific demographic groups near its physical locations, layering in a retargeting campaign to re-engage previous site visitors. The result was an 85 percent reduction in cost per site visitor.

How Does CTV Advertising Work?

Here’s how the CTV advertising process works from the moment a viewer hits play:

1. Viewer Initiates: A viewer selects content to watch on their connected device. This could be anything from a Netflix show on a smart TV to a YouTube video on a gaming console.
2. Publisher Transmits Data: The publisher (like Hulu or Roku) sends available viewer information to an ad exchange. This data might include device type, content genre, and any known viewer demographics.
3. Auction Begins: An automated bidding process, known as real-time bidding (RTB), starts for this specific ad opportunity. This happens in milliseconds, before the content even begins to load.
4. Platforms Share Information: Supply-side platforms (SSPs) provide more detailed information to potential buyers. This could include the viewer’s approximate location, the time of day, and the type of content being watched.
5. DSPs Bid: DSPs with matching criteria automatically bid for the ad slot. If you’ve set up a campaign to target, say, sports fans in Chicago, your DSP will bid on this opportunity if it matches.
6. Exchange Selects Winner: The highest-bidding DSP wins, and their ad is placed. If that’s your ad, it’s then served to the viewer as part of their streaming experience.

This entire programmatic advertising process happens in less than a second, across millions of devices simultaneously, matching your ad to the right viewer before content even loads.

There are three main ways to buy CTV ads:

1. Open auction or RTB: Prices are determined during a real-time auction.

Source: https://www.getpublica.com/blog/dont-chase-cookies-learn-how-ctv-targeting-really-works-the-state-of-ctv-targeting-1-2

2. Private marketplace (PMP): An invite-only version of an open auction.
3. Programmatic direct: Direct sales at a fixed price, bypassing the auction.

Source: https://www.getpublica.com/blog/dont-chase-cookies-learn-how-ctv-targeting-really-works-the-state-of-ctv-targeting-1-2

The key players in this process are:

• DSPs: Advertisers use them to manage bids and targeting. 
• SSPs: Publishers use them to make inventory available to buyers. 
• Ad exchanges: These are the digital marketplaces where SSPs and DSPs transact.

The buying process is getting smarter, too. NBCUniversal teamed up with agency RPA and ad server FreeWheel to test agentic AI systems that handle campaign planning, activation, and execution across both linear TV and streaming, including live sports. The goal is to let AI handle the operational grunt work so teams can focus on strategy.

Benefits of CTV Advertising

Here’s what CTV advertising can do for your marketing:

• Precise targeting: You can reach specific audiences based on interests, behaviors, and locations. 
• Real-time measurement: You’ll see who watched your ad, for how long, and what they did afterward. This instant feedback tells you what to change and when.
• Reach expansion: CTV advertising lets you connect with viewers who’ve switched to streaming. 
• Higher completion rates: CTV advertising’s targeting means your message is more likely to resonate, keeping viewers engaged to the end.
• Agile campaigns: Unlike traditional TV, you can adjust CTV ads quickly. Spot an underperforming element? Change it immediately and see the impact.

You’ll need enough budget to generate meaningful signal, creative built for a full-size screen, and a clear sense of your target outcome. Self-serve buying tools have made entry more accessible than ever, but you still need enough spend to generate data worth acting on.

How to Plan and Execute a Connected TV Campaign

A strong CTV campaign doesn’t happen by accident. Here is what the CTV advertising planning and execution process looks like step by step:

• Develop your strategy.
• Choose the right platform.
• Create compelling content.
• Set your budget and bidding strategy.
• Monitor and optimize your campaign.

1. Develop Your Strategy

Before you spend a dime, you need a clear plan:

• Define your objectives: Are you aiming for brand awareness, lead generation, or direct sales? Be specific.
• Identify your target audience: Who are you trying to reach? Provide as much detail as possible about your target audience’s demographics, interests, and viewing habits.
• Set clear KPIs: Decide how you’ll measure success. It could be:
  • Impressions: Tracks how many times your ad is displayed.
  • Completion Rate: Measures the percentage of viewers who watch your entire ad.
  • Cost Per Completed View (CPCV): Tracks the cost for each viewer who watches your ad through to the end.
  • Brand Lift: Measures changes in brand awareness, perception, or purchase intent after viewing your ad.
  • Reach and Frequency: Tracks how many unique viewers saw your ad and how often.
  • Website Visits: Measures traffic to your website after running the CTV campaign.
  • Conversion Rate: Tracks the percentage of viewers who take a desired action after seeing your ad.
  • Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Measures the revenue generated relative to your ad spend.
  • Foot Traffic: Tracks increases in in-store visits attributed to your CTV campaign for brick-and-mortar businesses.
• Align with other marketing efforts: CTV works best when it reinforces messaging across your other paid and organic channels. If you’re running paid search or paid social, make sure your CTV creative is telling the same story.

2. Choose the Right Platform

Source: https://about.ads.microsoft.com/en/blog/post/june-2024/making-ctv-accessible-to-everyone

Once your strategy is set, the next decision is where to run your ads. Here are your main options:

• Smart TV manufacturers: These are TV brands, like VIZIO and Samsung, that have built-in streaming capabilities. They offer ad inventory across their native apps and sometimes partner channels. 
• Streaming devices: These are external devices that connect to TVs to enable streaming. Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV are a few choices, though Roku and Amazon also manufacture their own smart TVs. They provide ad opportunities across their platforms and partner apps.
• Video streaming services: These content providers stream content directly to viewers and offer ad inventory within their programming streams. Hulu and YouTube are a couple of major players when it comes to CTV, but other apps like Netflix and Disney+ also offer advertising options. 
• DSPs: These technology platforms enable you to buy ad inventory across multiple CTV sources, offering broader reach and more advanced targeting options. Amazon’s DSP and DV360 are two examples. 
• Over-the-top (OTT) aggregators: OTT refers to video content delivered over the internet, bypassing traditional cable or satellite providers. CTV is the device used to view that content, like a smart TV or game console. In short, OTT is the delivery method, while CTV is the screen. Platforms like FreeWheel and Magnite aggregate ad inventory from multiple streaming services and devices, giving buyers a single point of access to diverse CTV inventory. Unlike DSPs, which operate on the demand side, aggregators work on the supply side, connecting publishers to potential buyers across multiple platforms.
• FAST platforms: Free ad-supported services like Tubi, Pluto TV, and The Roku Channel have expanded rapidly into mainstream viewing. Tubi is already reaching more than 100 million monthly viewers, offering broad reach at competitive CPMs.
• Social platforms: Social media platforms are increasingly entering the CTV space, extending their audience data and ad products to the television screen. Pinterest, for example, announced the acquisition of tvScientific, connecting its discovery-based audience data to TV reach. The platform’s first original CTV series, “Bring My Pinterest to Life,” launched on Roku in March 2026, giving brands a shoppable format that bridges upper-funnel inspiration with connected TV exposure.

Each platform type has its strengths, and the right choice depends on your campaign goals, audience, and budget. Smart TVs and streaming devices give you direct access to viewers, while DSPs and aggregators offer broader reach and more granular targeting. FAST platforms and newer entrants like Pinterest add scale and audience data that didn’t exist in CTV a few years ago. Most advertisers find that a mix works better than any single path.

3. Create Compelling Content

Good CTV creative has one job. It must earn attention on a screen where the viewer did not invite it in. A few principles separate the ads that work from the ones that get ignored.

• Hook fast, stay clear. You have seconds before a viewer mentally checks out. Lead with the problem, the product, or a visual that demands attention. The message should land cleanly, even if speakers are muted.
• Design for one takeaway. CTV is a lean-back environment. Viewers are not scrolling past your ad, but they are not taking notes, either. Pick one thing you want them to remember and build everything around it.
• Give viewers somewhere to go. A QR code, a branded search term, or a simple URL gives engaged viewers a direct path to act. According to Innovid, interactive ads earn an average of 71 additional seconds of viewer time over standard pre-roll, suggesting that engagement formats are worth the extra production effort.
• Match the creative to the audience. CTV targeting is precise enough to serve different messages to different household segments. A generic spot wastes that advantage. Tailor the message to those watching.
• Think beyond the 30-second spot. Pause ads, overlay formats, and shoppable units are all part of the modern CTV creative toolkit.
  • Overlay formats appear during content and let viewers scan a QR code or click through to take an action like visiting a site or making a purchase.
  • Pause ads appear when a viewer pauses content and can include QR codes or direct response prompts.
  • Shoppable units let viewers buy directly from their TV when their retail accounts, such as Walmart or Amazon, are linked to their device.

Sources:https://www.sabioctv.com/blog/top-8-ctv-ad-creative-units-to-boost-engagement, https://strikesocial.com/blog/getting-started-with-youtube-pause-ads-what-you-need-to-know/, https://www.collectivemeasures.com/insights/ctv-and-the-addition-of-shoppable-ads

Examples worth studying

Lexus used dynamic countdown creatives paired with a home screen roadblock on LG Smart TVs during the U.S. Open, reaching viewers the moment they launched the app before content even began. The campaign drove a 64 percent lift in brand perception, which is a strong illustration of how matching creative format to a high-attention moment can move brand metrics in a way a standard pre-roll spot cannot.

Another automotive brand used Vizio’s Inscape platform to target households identified as “auto intenders” on CTV, running seven campaigns across six models over three months. The campaign resulted in more than 2,600 vehicle purchases and delivered an average ROAS of $31.91, showing that CTV can drive high-value conversions when targeting is built around purchase intent rather than broad demographics.

Both cases illustrate what separates effective CTV from wasted spend. One shows how matching creative format to a high-attention moment moves brand metrics, while the other shows how building targeting around purchase intent drives measurable conversions. 

4. Set Your Budget and Bidding Strategy

CTV advertising rewards intentional spending over volume.

• Start with a test budget, not your full commitment. Give the campaign enough room to generate real traction across audiences and placements before scaling. Industry guidance generally points to dedicating 15 to 30 percent of your digital video budget to CTV advertising as a starting point for meaningful testing.
• Understand how CTV advertising is priced. Most CTV inventory is bought on a cost per mille (CPM) basis, with rates for most U.S. campaigns ranging from $20 to $40 per thousand impressions and many settling around $25 CPM, depending on targeting depth, content type, and inventory quality. Premium direct deals, such as those on Netflix, can push rates significantly higher. Cost per acquisition (CPA) is better thought of as an outcome goal than a bidding model, or something you optimize toward rather than bid on directly.
• Allocate budget across platforms based on performance. If you are running across multiple publishers or buying paths, let delivery data drive where the money goes. Do not set it and walk away.
• Set frequency caps. This prevents ad fatigue and stops you from burning budget on viewers who have already seen your ad enough times. Research suggests three to seven exposures optimize impact, while more than 10 can reduce purchase intent.

Spend less time chasing the lowest CPM and more time making sure your budget is working against the right audiences in the right environment.

5. Monitor and Optimize Your Campaign

CTV advertising gives you real-time performance data that most traditional TV buys never could. Here’s how to use it:

• Track key metrics. Monitor impressions, completion rates, and conversions to understand whether the campaign is delivering and whether viewers are watching through to the end.
• Analyze viewer behavior. Look at engagement patterns and drop-off points to understand where creative is losing attention and where it is holding it.
• Adjust in real-time. Many platforms enable you to optimize campaigns while they’re running, rotating creative, or tightening targeting based on what the data is telling you.
• Test and learn. Try different creative versions or bid strategies. Small tests compound into meaningful performance gains over time.
• Connect online and offline data. Use attribution tools to understand how CTV exposure influences actions taken on other devices or in physical locations.

Run incrementality tests. Platform-reported metrics often undercount CTV’s true contribution. Comparing exposed households against a control group gives you a cleaner read on whether your campaign is changing behavior, not just reaching people who were already going to convert.

FAQs

Conclusion

CTV has earned its place as a core part of any modern media mix. The brands winning on CTV right now are the ones applying the same discipline to testing and measurement that they bring to search and paid media. 

If CTV is not yet part of your 2026 media mix, start by defining your audience and picking a platform that fits your buying model. Strong video creative that holds attention on the biggest screen in the house will do the rest.

Read more at Read More

Key Takeaways

• Copywriting is persuasive writing designed to drive a specific action. It differs from content writing, which builds awareness over time. 
• Good copy starts with a deep understanding of your audience’s pain points. It goes deeper than just listing your product’s features. 
• AI can assist with drafting and scaling copy, but human strategy and judgment are what make it convert. 
• Craft fundamentals like tone and storytelling remain the backbone of effective copy. 
• Copy that demonstrates genuine expertise and cites original data is more likely to show up in AI visibility.

AI can write copy in seconds. So why does human-generated content still pull in 5.44 times more traffic than AI-generated content?

Copywriting is about getting people to act. That’s a skill that still demands a human touch.

Copywriting is different from content writing. Whereas content writing builds awareness over time, copywriting is built for one thing: conversions. Every word is focused on driving visitors to sign up or buy.

That distinction matters more than ever as AI floods the internet with generic output every day. The brands that cut through the noise are the ones treating AI like a tool, using it strategically to craft copy that speaks to real human motivations.

This guide covers what copywriting is, why it still matters in 2026, and which strategies work.

What Is Copywriting?

Copywriting is the practice of writing persuasive text to get readers to take a specific action, such as signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase. It includes everything from ads and landing pages to emails and product descriptions.

Good copy communicates your value clearly and motivates the reader to act. Features, benefits, pricing, and social proof all serve the message, but copy is what determines how those elements land with the reader.

In other words, your product or service is the offer, and your copywriting is the pitch. No matter how strong the offer is, a weak pitch won’t convert your target audience.

How Does Copywriting Differ from Content Marketing?

Many people get tripped up by the difference between copywriting and content writing. Some use the terms interchangeably, but they serve different purposes.

Content writing is the craft behind content marketing. It focuses on indirect goals, such as educating your audience or building brand awareness. Assets like blog posts and webinars fall into this category. Their aim is to bring readers in and keep them coming back.

Copywriting is more direct. Its job is to get the reader to take a specific action, right now. You see it in ads, calls to action (CTAs), and product descriptions, but it shows up everywhere decisions get made.

My own blog is a good example of both working together. The article you’re reading right now is content marketing. Its goal is to inform you about copywriting. 

However, the page also contains distinct copy elements, each doing a specific job: 

• The headline, “Comprehensive Guide to Copywriting: 2026 Update,” gets you to click. 
• The banner ad above drives traffic to our Ads Grader. 
• The CTA below, which also shows up in the sidebar of my site, nudges you to get a free SEO analysis and potentially work with our agency. 

All appear on the same page, but each has a different objective. 

Is Copywriting Still Important?

AI can generate copy at scale. So, the question many marketers are asking right now is: Do you even need a human copywriter anymore?

The short answer is yes. Here’s why.

Copywriting has always been about more than stringing words together. It’s about understanding what motivates your audience and building a message that moves them to act. AI can draft and iterate quickly, but it can’t replace the strategic thinking that makes copy convert.

There’s also a trust problem. According to Accenture’s Life Trends report, 62 percent of consumers say trust is an important factor when choosing to engage with a brand. 

At the same time, AI-generated content is flooding every channel. Audiences are getting better at spotting generic copy and tuning it out, and their eyes are sharpening quickly. Data from CivicScience shows 36 percent of consumers can spot AI in a brand’s marketing and won’t do business with them when they do. That number has gone up 4 percent in less than six months. 

This data illustrates exactly why copywriting is so important. A well-crafted headline or an email that sounds human still requires a writer who understands the nuance behind the words. 

AI is a powerful tool in the writing process, but the judgment and the strategy behind effective copy still require a person. Neglecting that human element means you could be missing out on over five times as much traffic, as we mentioned in the intro to this guide. 

Types of Copywriting

Copywriting strategies vary depending on your goals. Here’s a look at how brands can apply each of the types of copywriting.

Brand Copywriting

Brand copywriting defines how a brand displays its values and personality, creating an emotional connection with its customers. It shows up in landing pages and anywhere else a brand needs to interact with its audience.

Many people picture brand copywriting as the big, flashy stuff, like what you see in Pepsi commercials and on Nike billboards. Those are some of the most visible examples, but the goal is the same no matter the scale: to create an emotional connection with your audience.

That connection drives real business results. Analysis of over 1,400 advertising case studies in the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) dataBANK finds that purely emotional campaigns outperform those using rational content alone, generating almost double the profitability. 

Take the ad below from Apple as an example. It doesn’t mention product specs or features. It’s designed to make the viewer feel they’re getting the coolest products with the best technology when they buy from Apple. 

Brand copywriting is about making people emotionally connected to your brand. Done well, it turns a transaction into a lasting relationship.

Social Media Copywriting

Social media copywriting is about grabbing users’ attention as they scroll and then converting it. Every platform has its own rules, so your approach needs to adapt accordingly. Copy that works on LinkedIn, for example, won’t land the same way on X or TikTok.

That said, the goal’s the same across platforms: to get people to act. Recent data shows 89 percent of consumers say a brand’s social media impacts their purchasing decisions. That kind of conversion requires copy that’s platform-native and strongly guides viewers to a clear CTA.

While there are some nuances to creating native copy, here are a few principles that apply across channels:

• Use strong, active verbs and keep sentences short.
• Write in a tone that feels human, not corporate.
• Lead with your hook and always include a clear CTA.
• Mix it up. Rotate between educational, entertaining, and conversational content.
• Use hashtags strategically to extend your reach

SEO Copywriting

SEO copywriting is the practice of writing content that ranks well in search engines and provides value to the reader. It’s about creating copy that satisfies search intent and compels the right audience to take action.

For years, the formula was straightforward: Research keywords and build high-quality content around them. That formula still holds, but the game has changed.

AI is now answering questions directly on the search engine results page (SERP), which means traffic that once flowed to well-ranked content is shrinking. 

Recent data shows that the organic click-through rate (CTR) for queries featuring Google AI Overviews has dropped 61 percent (as seen in the graph below). Users are getting the information they need quickly and moving on without clicking through to your site. 

Source: https://www.seerinteractive.com/insights/aio-impact-on-google-ctr-september-2025-update

The right response is to make your SEO copywriting better. 

Copy that answers questions with depth and specificity, earning citations in AI Overviews, will outperform generic, keyword-stuffed content. According to the same study, websites cited in AI Overviews are seeing a 35 percent higher organic CTR than those without citations. 

Thought Leadership Copywriting

Thought leadership copywriting positions your brand as a trusted authority in your industry. The goal is to deliver expert perspectives and original thinking that earns credibility with the people who matter most. 

My team and I already implement this strategy through thought leadership pieces like this one on social ranking strategies from our Digital PR Director, Kimberly Deese:

This approach works well with experienced, senior audiences. 

According to the recent Edelman-LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report, the majority of decision-makers and C-suite executives spend an hour or more each week consuming thought leadership content. And 73 percent say an organization’s thought leadership is one of the best ways to evaluate the caliber of work it’s likely to deliver to clients.

Thought leadership content takes many forms: expert interviews, research reports, essays, podcasts, and branded publications. 

Nutanix is a strong example. Its online magazine, The Forecast, takes a broad look at enterprise cloud computing through expert content, and builds authority without ever leading with a product pitch.

Email Copywriting

Email copywriting is one of the most direct forms of copy you’ll write. You’re landing in someone’s personal inbox, and you have seconds to make an impression before they scroll past or hit delete.

The opportunity is worth the effort. Email marketing generates a higher return on investment (ROI) than virtually any other marketing channel, averaging $10 to $36 for every $1 spent.

What makes email copywriting distinct is the relationship it assumes. Unlike a social ad or a search result, an email speaks directly to someone who has already opted in. That trust needs to be respected. 

Strong email copy starts with a subject line that earns opens and delivers value quickly, then asks the reader to take action with your CTA. Personalization and relevance are the baseline.

Tools for Copywriters

AI writing tools aren’t going away, and that’s a good thing for copywriters. They can sharpen your output when you use them strategically. Without applying your own judgment along the way, though, they can flatten it. 

Here are four tools that can make your writing more efficient and impactful if you use them right.

1. Anyword

Anyword is a data-driven AI copywriting platform built specifically for marketers. Its standout feature is a predictive performance score that forecasts how well your copy will convert before you publish, based on a dataset of millions of real-world A/B-tested ad campaigns.

Anyword gives you multiple variations ranked by predicted performance. You pick the winner before spending a dollar on distribution.

It works best for performance-driven copy like paid ads. If you’re running campaigns where conversion rates directly impact revenue, Anyword’s ability to cut the guesswork makes it worth the investment.

2. Grammarly

Grammarly has been a popular copywriting tool for years. It integrates directly into the apps you already use, catching spelling and grammar mistakes and flagging tone mismatches.

In late 2025, Grammarly’s parent company rebranded to Superhuman, uniting Grammarly with productivity tools Coda and Superhuman Mail under one platform. The Grammarly writing tool itself remains unchanged. It’s just now part of a broader AI productivity suite that includes a new AI assistant called Superhuman Go.

For copywriters, the core value proposition hasn’t shifted. Grammarly is still one of the most reliable tools for catching errors and refining tone before your copy goes live.

3. Wordtune

Wordtune is an AI-powered rewriting tool built around one core idea: Your meaning is there, but the words aren’t landing yet. Paste in your copy, and Wordtune suggests alternative phrasings that preserve your meaning while improving clarity and flow.

Unlike tools focused on grammar correction, Wordtune is about expression. You can toggle between formal and casual tones and choose from multiple rewrite options for the same passage. It integrates directly into most major platforms, working wherever you write.

For copywriters, it’s most useful during the editing phase when you need to sharpen individual sentences without losing your voice. Think of it as a sounding board for your ideas.

4. Writesonic

Writesonic is a full-scale AI content platform built for marketers and content teams that need to produce high volumes of quality copy across multiple formats. Where tools like Wordtune focus on refining what you’ve already written, Writesonic is built for content generation.

Recently, the platform has grown beyond its content-generation engine roots to include SEO tools and AI visibility tracking, showing brands how they appear on platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity. For copywriters working on search-driven content, that’s an advantage over tools that rely solely on static training data.

Writesonic is best suited for small or large teams that need to produce high-quality content and track its performance in today’s search everywhere environment. 

As with any AI writing tool, of course, the output still requires human editing and strategic oversight, but it significantly reduces the time from a blank page to a working draft.

How to Copywrite: Copywriting Strategies

Tools can make you faster. Strategy is what makes you effective. Here are 10 basics of copywriting that turn good writing into copy that drives action.

1. Before You Start, Get to Know Your Audience

Great copy speaks directly to your reader. Before you write a word, you need a clear picture of who that person is.

According to Attentive’s Consumer Trends Report, 81 percent of consumers ignore irrelevant marketing messages. The fix is knowing your audience well enough that your copy never feels generic to them.

Start by building a buyer persona: a detailed profile of your ideal customer, like the one below. Pull from your actual customer data rather than assumptions. Look at who your highest-value customers are and what they have in common.

Source: https://xtensio.com/user-persona-template/

Once you have that profile, let it shape every copy decision. How does this person speak? What objections do they have to your brand? The more specifically you can answer those questions, the more directly your copy will speak to them.

Another simple tactic that works every time is writing to “you,” not “them.” Copy that addresses the reader directly, and not your audience as a group, converts better because it feels personal.

HubSpot proved this with a study of 330,000 CTAs over a six-month period. The resulting data showed that personalized CTAs performed 202 percent better than more generic CTA copy.  

2. Use the Right Tone

Tone is what makes copy feel right or wrong for a given audience. It’s the attitude behind your words that signals whether your brand is playful, authoritative, empathetic, or direct. Get it wrong, and even accurate, well-written copy can push people away.

Consider two versions of copy for a fictional sales software company:

“Understand your customers better using state-of-the-art software designed to take your business from zero to hero.”

“Gain a deeper understanding of your customers using our AI-powered sales software. SellingPlus helps streamline your sales funnel and drive revenue.”

The first is approachable and slightly playful, a good fit for a scrappy startup audience. The second is polished and precise, better suited for a C-suite buyer evaluating enterprise solutions.

Using the right tone will resonate more with the person you identified in your buyer persona. When tone matches the audience, readers feel like the copy was written specifically for them. 

3. Stress Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP)

U.S. e-commerce sales exceeded $1.5 trillion in 2025, according to Digital Commerce 360’s data analysis.

Source: https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/article/us-ecommerce-sales/

In a market of that size, the brands that win are the ones that are crystal clear about what they offer that their competitors don’t.

That clarity is your unique value proposition (UVP): a concise statement of what you do and why you’re the right choice over the competition.

Strong UVP copy is specific. “We help small businesses manage their finances” is a generic example. 

On the other hand, “Cloud accounting software built for small business owners who hate spreadsheets” tells someone exactly whether they’re in the right place.

Brands shouldn’t try to be perfect for everyone. 

A small business owner shopping on a tight budget has different needs than an enterprise CFO. A free-range egg farmer needs different tools than a factory operation. 

The more precisely your copy speaks to your actual audience, the more effectively it’ll convert. Stop trying to appeal to everyone and own your unique niche clearly.

4. Use Storytelling

“Facts tell, stories sell,” is one of the oldest sayings in sales and marketing, proving that storytelling is one of the most powerful tools in a copywriter’s toolkit.

A good story is more entertaining than a list of features and far more likely to be passed along. Most importantly, it puts the reader inside an experience rather than outside looking at a product.

Allbirds does storytelling well. The footwear brand leads with a story about why its shoes exist, giving customers a sense of pride when buying from them. By the time you get to a product page, you’re already invested.

Source: https://www.allbirds.com/pages/our-story

You can see from the above example that you don’t need a lengthy origin story to use this approach. Even a single sentence of narrative context can shift how copy lands. In this case, the copy tells you that the brand is about “creating better things in a better way.” 

That’s a strong ethos statement that people will feel compelled to support with their wallets. 

5. Solve Pain Points

Copy that leads with features tells people what you built. Copy that leads with pain points tells people you understand their problem. 

The second approach tends to convert at a higher rate because it meets the reader where they actually are. And that’s a big deal given that more than 80 percent of customers ignore irrelevant marketing messages.

Take Ubersuggest. When someone considers using my keyword research tool, they’re not thinking about features. They want to outrank their competitors and show up where it counts: on Google and in AI search results. The Ubersuggest landing page copy speaks directly to that ambition.

There’s no feature list or product description. Just the outcome the audience cares about.

That focus is intentional. Your copy can’t solve every problem, and it shouldn’t try to. 

Identify the most common pain points your audience faces and build your message around the one you solve best. Customer interviews and support ticket trends are all reliable ways to surface what really matters to your audience.

6. Leverage Social Proof

Consumers do their homework before they buy. 

According to recent data from BrightLocal, 41 percent of consumers “always” read reviews when browsing for businesses, a significant jump from 29 percent the year before (2025). 

If your copy doesn’t include social proof, then you could be leaving customers on the table.

The reason it works is that people trust other people more than they trust brands. A stranger’s review carries more weight than your best marketing copy, because it comes without a motive to sell.

There are two smart ways to use social proof in your copywriting. 

First, let it inform your messaging. Reviews and customer surveys reveal exactly what language your audience uses to describe the problems and benefits they care about most. 

Second, place it strategically on landing pages and homepages where buying decisions are made.

Social proof can apply to B2B brands, too. For example, Slack lets other businesses know they’ll be joining “the most innovative companies” by using their service:

Source: https://slack.com/

That single phrase tells a prospective customer that the decision has already been made by people like them. 

Case studies, testimonials, star ratings, and media mentions all establish trust before your copy even has to ask for the sale.

7. Avoid Fluff and AI Tells

In the age of AI-generated content, copy that reads like it came off an assembly line can erode trust in your brand.

AI tools can be incredibly useful, but you still need to edit like a human. That means cutting the filler phrases that weaken your message and replacing predictability with personality.

Here are some of the most common AI tells to eliminate from your copy. The fix is often as simple as deleting or reordering a few words.

• “When it comes to…”
  • The tell: When it comes to marketing, copywriting is a must-have skill.
  • The fix: Copywriting is a must-have marketing skill.

• “It’s important to know/remember…”
  • The tell: It’s important to remember to track your marketing campaign metrics.
  • The fix: Remember to track your marketing campaign.

• “By doing X, you can do Y”
  • The tell: By tracking campaign metrics, you can optimize the success of your marketing.
  • The fix: Tracking campaign metrics helps you optimize the success of your marketing.

• “Ever-evolving landscape of…”
  • The tell: AI tools are essential to survival in the ever-evolving landscape of copywriting.
  • The fix: AI tools are essential to your survival as a copywriter.

• “Whether you do X or Y…”
  • The tell: Whether you post blogs or record videos, your storytelling skills are important.
  • The fix: Strong storytelling resonates regardless of the format you choose.

• “ABC isn’t X—it’s Y”
  • The tell: Marketing isn’t about listing features, it’s about telling stories.
  • The fix: Marketing is about telling stories that move people to act.

• “ABC does more than X — they Y”
  • The tell: Marketers do more than advertise products, they provide solutions.
  • The fix: Marketers connect people with solutions to real problems.

• Predictable lists of three (“X, Y, and Z”)
  • The tell: Strong copy requires clarity, brevity, and a compelling call to action.
  • The fix: Strong copy is clear and concise, with every word earning its place, including the CTA.

If a phrase delays you getting to your point or creates a robotic cadence, cut it. 

A good rule of thumb is to read your copy out loud. If it sounds like something a machine would write, it needs another pass.

8. Test Your Copywriting

What resonates with your audience today might fall flat in six months. The only way to know what’s actually working is to test it.

A/B testing web copy means running two versions of the same element against each other to see which drives more action. According to a recent benchmark report from Unbounce, the median landing page conversion rate across 41,000 pages is just 6.6 percent.

That number leaves a lot of room for improvement, and systematic testing is how you close the gap.

The key is to test one variable at a time. If you change too many things at once, you won’t know what actually moved the needle. 

Focus your tests on:

• Headlines: Test different angles, benefit statements, or emotional hooks. 
• CTAs: Try variations in wording and placement to find what drives the most clicks. 
• Point of view: Compare second-person options like “you can save” against direct imperatives like “save now.” 
• Button copy: Make small wording shifts and measure the impact on conversions.

Testing is how you stay current with what the market wants. Audience expectations shift over time, and copy that converts well in January may need to be adjusted by Q4 as seasonal priorities change. 

Building testing into your process as a habit is the best way to stay ahead of the curve.

9. Use Engaging Data and SME Proof

With AI becoming widely adopted, it’s easy for just about anyone to produce content at scale. However, the question becomes: Is it effective, high-quality content?

Today, facts and data backed by subject matter expert (SME) proof are essential for your copy’s credibility and visibility.

According to the Content Marketing Institute’s B2B Content Marketing Report, only 4 percent of B2B marketers report a high level of trust in generative AI content output. 

Audiences are skeptical of AI-generated copy for good reason, but one of its biggest crimes is that it often makes assertions without evidence. The way for copywriters to stand out is to be someone who actually backs their claims.

This is what Google’s framework, experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T), looks like in practice. And it’s a ranking signal for traditional search and AI systems.

Content that demonstrates genuine expertise through proprietary data and named expert quotes is significantly more likely to earn citations in both traditional and AI-powered search.

For copywriters, the practical takeaway is to replace vague assertions with specific figures whenever possible. Swap anonymous claims for named expert quotes. Commission original research so your brand owns the data, as my team did with our AI hallucinations study:

If you can’t do that, the next best option is to source data from original, credible sources. Track data all the way back to the original organization or company that researched it. 

Another best practice is to use only data points from highly credible sites. Publications such as peer-reviewed academic journals and case studies are great places to look.

Implementing these copy improvements will result in strong copy that signals to both readers and AI systems that your content is worth citing.

10. Build Your Call to Action

Potential customers who visit your website need a clear path to follow. A CTA gives them that, telling them exactly what to do next. The goal is to remove any hesitation about taking that step.

Specific language like “Get your free report” outperforms generic phrasing like “Submit.” Specificity reduces friction and makes the value clear to the customer before they click.

CTAs are even more important on landing and product pages built around a single conversion goal. 

A few principles worth keeping in mind for CTA success:

• Use action-oriented verbs.
• Keep CTA language short.
• Align the CTA messaging with the copy above it.

You can take things a step further by A/B testing your CTAs. It should be a regular part of your process, since even the smallest wording changes can drive meaningful lifts in conversion. 

Copywriting for AI Visibility: What to Do

AI visibility is whether your brand gets cited or recommended by large language models (LLMs). It’s becoming as important to track as your search rankings. If your brand isn’t showing up as the answer to your audience’s queries on AI platforms, you risk being left out of the conversation entirely.

McKinsey’s AI Discovery Survey says half of consumers now intentionally seek out AI-powered search engines, and a majority say AI is the top digital source they use to make buying decisions. The good news is that many of the principles that make copy effective for humans also make it more likely to be cited by AI.

A few strategies that can help:

• Lead with clear, direct answers. AI systems favor content that gets to the point.
• Use specific data and named sources. Vague claims get skipped, while cited stats get repeated.
• Structure content with descriptive headers. Well-organized copy is easier for AI systems to parse and extract answers from.
• Include expert quotes with credentials. Named authority signals are weighted heavily as they establish credibility.
• Keep your copy current. AI systems favor recently published, frequently updated content.

How to Use AI for Copywriting (the Right Way)

AI writing tools are most useful when you treat them as a first-draft engine. Editing is important, but the output is only as good as the direction and input you give it up front.

The way you design your prompts is critical in making the most out of AI-generated content. Vague requests produce vague copy. The more context you give the tool, the more useful the output will be. 

Compare these two prompts:

• Weak: “Write a headline for my email marketing tool.”
• Strong: “Write five headline options for a landing page promoting an email marketing tool for e-commerce brands. The tone should be direct and confident. The main benefit is saving time through automation. The CTA is ‘Start your free trial.’”

The second prompt gives the AI something to work with. The first gives it practically nothing.

A strong copywriting prompt includes:

• Your target audience
• The goal of the piece
• The tone you want
• Any key points to hit

Once you have a draft, that’s where your work begins. Read it aloud and ask whether the cadence sounds or feels robotic. Does it sound like your brand? Does it lead with the right pain point and have a strong CTA?

AI can draft, but only you can judge whether it converts. Think of it as a collaboration where AI gives you the basic building blocks, and you turn it into something worthwhile.

FAQs

Conclusion

AI can generate copy at scale, but scale without strategy produces noise. The brands that stand out are the ones investing in copy that’s human and built around a real understanding of their audience. That’s a skill no tool can fully replicate.

The strategies in this guide give you a framework to start with. As you put them into practice, dig into the psychology behind why copy converts. Understanding what motivates your reader at a deeper level is what separates good copy from great copy. 

When you feel confident with the copywriting basics, you can focus on more targeted copywriting strategies that move the conversion needle.

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Key Takeaways

1. AI Overviews can reduce paid search click-through rates by more than 50 percent for affected queries, making impression share a critical visibility metric.
2. Informational queries are most vulnerable. AI answers resolve research intent directly in the SERP, reducing the number of users who scroll to ads.
3. Transactional and brand queries hold up better. Teams reallocating budget toward high-intent searches see more consistent engagement.
4. Measurement frameworks need to expand. Click-through rate alone no longer tells the full story when impressions rise but clicks fall.
5. Search is no longer a single channel. Brands that extend paid strategy to YouTube, Pmax, Demand Gen, Reddit, TikTok, and AI platforms capture demand earlier and across more touchpoints.

Your impression numbers look healthy. Your click-through rate tells a different story.

For many paid search teams, this is the new reality. AI Overviews now appear at the top of Google search results for millions of queries, answering user questions before they ever reach the ads. Impressions hold steady or climb. Clicks get harder to come by.

Research from Seer Interactive found that when AI Overviews appeared in search results, paid click-through rate dropped to 9.87 percent compared to 21.27 percent on the same queries without an overview. That translates to a 53.6 percent reduction in traffic.

Let’s look into why certain query types are more exposed than others and what paid search teams are doing right now to adapt their strategy, targeting, and measurement.

AI Overviews Are Reshaping the Search Results Page

When Google introduced AI Overviews, it fundamentally changed the architecture of the SERP. The AI-generated summary now occupies the most visible real estate at the top of many search results, answering the user’s question before they interact with anything else on the page.

For paid search, the implications are significant. Ads that once appeared near the top of the page now often appear below the AI summary. Users scroll past a detailed AI-generated answer before they encounter a paid result.

This is not just a visual shift. Seer Interactive’s research found that the presence of an AI Overview correlates with a 12 percentage point decrease in paid click-through rate. Across a full dataset, that translated to a 53.6 percent reduction in traffic compared to searches where no AI Overview was shown.

The core issue: paid search visibility is no longer the same as paid search attention. An impression in a SERP dominated by an AI Overview does not carry the same weight as an impression on a traditional results page.

If teams assume all impressions carry equal value, their performance data will remain difficult to interpret. Impressions go up. Clicks stay flat. Revenue and ad costs become harder to predict.

Understanding this requires analyzing which query types most frequently trigger AI Overviews and the resulting implications for budget allocation.

Why Informational Queries Are Becoming Less Valuable for Paid Search

Not all queries are equally at risk. AI Overviews appear far more often on informational queries than on high-intent queries, and that distinction matters for budget allocation. This is closely tied to the broader trend of zero-click searches, where users get what they need from the SERP itself and never click through to a website.

Now the AI summary answers the question on the spot. The research phase that once sent users scrolling through several pages of results has been compressed into a single AI-generated box. Users read the answer, get what they need, and move on without clicking.

Transactional queries tell a different story. Searches with clear purchase intent, such as pricing inquiries, product comparisons, and demo requests, are less likely to trigger an AI Overview. When they do, ads still perform reasonably well. According to the same Seer research, brand queries with AI Overviews present still generated a 16.36 percent click-through rate, well above the average for informational query types.

The practical implication: budget allocated to queries that consistently trigger AI Overviews is at higher risk of generating impressions without clicks. Identifying which queries in your account fall into that category is a practical first step toward protecting performance.

10 Paid Search Pivots Teams Are Making Right Now

Paid search teams are not waiting for Google to solve this. The following pivots reflect what practitioners are already doing to protect performance and adapt to a more competitive SERP.

Shift Budget Toward Transactional Queries

Informational searches increasingly resolve in the SERP. Queries like “what is a CRM” or “how does ROAS work” are prime territory for AI Overviews, which means fewer users scroll to ads.

Transactional searches behave differently. “Best CRM for small business,” “Salesforce pricing,” and “schedule a demo” queries still generate strong ad engagement. Auditing your campaigns for intent and moving spend away from informational keywords toward conversion-ready queries is one of the most direct ways to protect revenue.

Structure Campaigns Around Intent, Not Just Keywords

Traditional keyword groupings by topic are giving way to segmentation by intent stage. Organizing campaigns into informational, commercial, and transactional buckets allows teams to allocate budget with more precision and adjust quickly as AI Overview coverage expands.

When informational campaigns are isolated from high-intent traffic, reducing or pausing them becomes a cleaner decision. You can act without disrupting the campaigns that are still driving results.

Defend and Expand Brand Search

Brand queries are among the most resilient in an AI-driven search environment. Users searching for your company by name carry strong purchase intent, and brand ads still convert at high rates even when AI Overviews appear.

Without an active brand campaign, competitors can bid on your brand terms and capture that traffic directly. Protecting brand terms is a baseline priority that pays off consistently.

Make Ads More Visually Competitive

Ads appearing below an AI summary need to work harder to earn attention. Every available asset matters. Sitelinks add navigation options. Callouts reinforce value propositions. Structured snippets give product category detail. Pricing extensions answer a buyer’s primary question before they click.

A well-extended ad standing out below an AI Overview will consistently outperform a barebones text ad in the same position.

Write Ad Copy That Moves the Decision Forward

The user who sees your ad has likely already read an AI-generated summary of the topic. Ad copy should not repeat what the AI already covered. It should move the decision forward.

“Get a free audit” does more work than “Learn more about SEO.” Specificity converts when users are already past the information-gathering stage. Copy focused on differentiation, pricing clarity, or a clear next action earns the click that a generic brand message will not.

Expand Competitor Conquesting

AI Overviews frequently name specific products and brands when summarizing a category. After reading a summary that lists top CRM tools, a user often searches immediately for a specific brand’s alternatives or pricing. That is a conquesting opportunity.

Bidding on “[Competitor] alternative” and “[Competitor] vs [Your Brand]” queries reaches users at the moment they are actively comparing options. These searches happen right after the AI Overview has done the initial filtering for them.

Invest More in Remarketing and Audience Targeting

AI Overviews compress the research phase, but they rarely close the decision entirely. Many users read the summary, step away, and return to search again before converting. Remarketing lets you reconnect with those users in that return window.

First-party data becomes more valuable here. Building audience segments from site visitors, email lists, and CRM data gives teams the targeting precision that broad keyword bidding alone cannot provide.

Use Broader Match to Capture Conversational Queries

AI-influenced searches tend to be longer and more natural in phrasing. Users accustomed to conversational AI tools bring that style to their search queries. Exact match lists built for shorter, traditional keyword patterns will miss a growing share of that traffic. Revisiting your paid search bidding strategies with this in mind is worth the time.

Performance Max campaigns and broader match types help capture the longer, less predictable queries that are becoming more common. The trade-off is less control, which makes ongoing performance monitoring more important.

Rethink How You Measure Search Performance

Click-through rate dropping while impressions hold is not necessarily a failure. In an AI Overview environment, it is often an expected outcome. The mistake is treating CTR as the primary health indicator when the SERP environment has fundamentally changed.

Teams shifting their measurement frameworks are tracking impression share, top-of-page visibility rate, branded search volume growth, and assisted conversions alongside traditional metrics. Together, those signals give a fuller picture of what search is actually contributing to business outcomes.

Source: The Media Captain

Diversify Beyond Search Ads

Zero-click trends reduce the available inventory of high-quality search clicks. As explored in the zero-click future of search, search still matters, but it cannot carry the same weight alone that it once did.

Demand Gen campaigns, YouTube, Display, and paid social all help reach users earlier in the funnel before they arrive at Google ready to buy. Search then becomes the capture mechanism for demand built elsewhere. The full paid media mix has to work together more tightly than before.

Paid Search Measurement Is Changing

The instinct to look at click-through rate when paid performance dips is understandable. It is one of the most visible metrics in any search account. In an AI Overview environment, though, it is an incomplete signal.

Rising impression counts with declining click-through rate is not always a campaign failure. It often reflects a change in SERP composition. Search Engine Land’s analysis of paid search teams confirms that AI Overviews are lowering CTR and raising CPCs simultaneously, compressing the buyer journey and requiring a measurement evolution rather than just a performance fix.

Source: Adthena

Impression share tracks how often ads appear for eligible queries. A high impression share with low CTR confirms visibility is strong but engagement is soft. That is a different problem than an impression share problem, and it calls for a different solution.

Branded search volume is a proxy for overall demand. If awareness campaigns and upper-funnel efforts are working, brand search volume should rise over time. It is one of the cleaner ways to confirm whether broader marketing spend is translating into search intent.

Assisted conversions show how search contributes to outcomes that close on a different channel or in a later session. Search often does awareness and consideration work that surfaces in the last-click data of another touchpoint entirely.

Top-of-page rate tracks the share of impressions appearing in the highest-visibility positions above organic results. In an AI Overview environment, that position matters more than it ever has. Semrush’s AI Overviews study found that AI Overview prevalence varies significantly by industry, which means teams with niche-specific data will have an advantage in calibrating how aggressively to adjust their measurement benchmarks.

Source: Semrush

The Bigger Shift: Search Is Becoming an Ecosystem

Google is still the dominant search platform. But as AI SEO continues to reshape how content gets discovered, search as a behavior now happens across a much wider set of surfaces.

Users looking for product reviews turn to Reddit. Short-form how-to content lives on YouTube and TikTok. AI tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT answer research queries directly. Younger audiences often bypass Google for discovery entirely, using social platforms as their primary search interface.

Source: Yewx

For paid teams, search advertising strategy has expanded to match. Visibility on Google still matters. So does presence on the platforms where users form opinions and compare options before they ever open a search bar.

Paid search budgets are increasingly being redistributed to reflect this. Teams that once concentrated the majority of digital spend in Google search are now testing YouTube, PMax, Demand Gen, Reddit Ads, and TikTok in parallel. The goal is not to abandon search but to meet demand at every point it forms.

FAQs

Conclusion

The teams that adapt their targeting, measurement, and channel strategy will find that paid search still delivers. The approach that worked in 2022 or 2024 just needs a serious audit.

AI Overviews have compressed the research phase, shifted where attention falls on the SERP, and exposed the limitations of click-through rate as a standalone KPI. Marketers who recognize those shifts early and adjust accordingly will stay competitive as Google’s search experience continues to evolve.

Search is not disappearing, but the way people use it is. The paid media strategies built for that evolution will outperform those still built for a world where clicking through to a website was the default outcome of every query.

For a deeper look at how paid and organic strategies work together in this environment, explore the complete guide to Google Ads and the SEO strategy guide to see how these channels can reinforce each other. Our Google Ads Grader will also help make sure the ads you do make are best positioned to succeed.

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