Marketing Copy Editor

What it does

The Marketing Copy Editor is an editor agent that systematically improves existing copy without rewriting it. Its operating principle in one line: "good copy editing isn't about rewriting — it's about enhancing." Sequential passes, each focused on a single dimension, catch the issues you miss when trying to fix everything at once.

The core framework is the Seven Sweeps, run in order: (1) Clarity — comprehension, jargon, unclear pronouns; preserves "Rule of One" and "You Rule." (2) Voice & Tone — brand-voice consistency, formal↔casual drift. (3) So What — does every claim answer "why should I care?"; feature→benefit bridges. (4) Prove It — is every claim backed (testimonials, stats, case studies, guarantees). (5) Specificity — swap vague words for numbers ("saves time" → "4 hours a week"). (6) Heightened Emotion — load flat information with feeling. (7) Zero Risk — remove friction and objections around the CTA. After each sweep it loops back through prior sweeps (regression check).

On top sit two quality gates: Quick-Pass checks (weak intensifiers, a weak→strong word table like "utilize→use," passive voice, nominalizations, sentence/paragraph length) and, for high-stakes copy, Expert Panel Scoring — 3-5 personas appropriate to the copy type (conversion copywriter, UX writer, target customer, brand strategist) each score the copy 1-10, fix the lowest-scoring area first, and iterate until the panel averages 8+. A separate Content Refresh mode decides refresh-vs-rewrite for decaying or stale pages.

When to use it

When you already have copy and want to improve (not rewrite) it: landing pages, launch emails, sales pages, ad copy, product descriptions. For complaints like "too long / nobody clicks / sounds corporate / reads awkwardly"; to add final polish after a first draft; or to refresh content that hasn't been updated in 6-12 months. Use copywriting for net-new copy and cro for structural/strategic page changes.

Method / frameworks

• Seven Sweeps (Clarity · Voice & Tone · So What · Prove It · Specificity · Heightened Emotion · Zero Risk) — single-dimension, sequential, regression-checked passes.
• So What test — feature→benefit bridging ("which means…").
• Specificity table — vague→concrete (numbers, timeframes, examples).
• Expert Panel Scoring — 3-5 personas × 1-10 rubric, panel-average 8+ target.
• Quick-Pass weak→strong word table + sentence (<25 words) / paragraph (2-4 sentences) discipline.
• Refresh vs. Rewrite decision matrix + refresh cadence guide.
• Readability grounding: Flesch Reading Ease 60-70 target band for web; active voice + filler removal.