12 Resources for Finding High-Quality Copywriting Inspiration
Searching for high-quality copywriting inspiration can be daunting, but industry leaders have shared their go-to resources to keep creativity flowing. Founder CEOs reveal their top picks, starting with Really Good Emails and concluding with leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT. Discover a total of twelve invaluable insights from various experts. These recommendations will guide you to the freshest ideas and techniques in the copywriting realm.
- Turn to Really Good Emails
- Explore Twitter and Reddit
- Use Copyblogger for Techniques
- Utilize Swipe Files for Ideas
- Study Old Adverts and Magazines
- Visit Adweek for Campaign Insights
- Explore Swipe-Worthy for Marketing Tactics
- Find Inspiration on Tumblr
- Use Ad-Transparency Tools
- Listen Closely to Your Clients
- Look Beyond Traditional Marketing Examples
- Leverage AI Tools Like ChatGPT
Turn to Really Good Emails
When I'm looking for fresh copywriting ideas, I turn to Really Good Emails. It's packed with examples of brands using clear, engaging language that connects with people. I love seeing how they make each word count—there's always something new to learn about keeping things simple and impactful. It's a go-to resource for inspiration that feels practical and easy to apply.
Explore Twitter and Reddit
To write truly captivating copy, you need to see how real people communicate and connect. Forget stuffy textbooks and sterile websites—dive headfirst into the vibrant world of Twitter and Reddit. These platforms are teeming with authentic voices, raw humor, and genuine reactions.
If you're looking to make your copy sparkle with wit, pay close attention to the jokes and stories that go viral. What makes people laugh, share, and engage? Observe how language is used, how trends evolve, and how communities interact. This is where you'll find the pulse of real-world communication—the kind that resonates with readers and makes your copy truly stand out.
Use Copyblogger for Techniques
I recommend Copyblogger as a fantastic resource for high-quality copywriting inspiration. It offers a wealth of articles on writing techniques, content marketing strategies, and real-world examples of effective copy.
To find fresh ideas, I also explore platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, where I can discover creative visuals and copy-styles that spark inspiration for my own writing. Following industry leaders and engaging with their content can also provide valuable insights and new perspectives.
Utilize Swipe Files for Ideas
One resource I consistently turn to for high-quality copywriting inspiration is swipe files. These are collections of standout examples of ad copy, landing pages, or even headlines that have been proven to work. They are a great way to break through creative blocks and find new angles for content. For my local SEO agency, which focuses on helping businesses rank higher on Google Maps by optimizing their Google Business Profiles, swipe files offer fresh perspectives on how to present our services effectively.
For instance, when we were working on copy for a law firm's Google Business Profile, we wanted to create descriptions that would attract attention in a crowded market. We found a swipe file with well-crafted examples from similar industries and were able to adapt the language to suit the legal market. This led to more engaging copy that resonated with potential clients and highlighted the law firm's key strengths.
Swipe files are particularly useful because they allow you to see what has worked for others while giving you the flexibility to adjust it to fit your own voice and audience. It's not about copying the content but rather using it as inspiration to guide your approach.
Study Old Adverts and Magazines
Read old adverts, magazines, and newspapers. See what the best do, understand it, and try to replicate it with your style.
Visit Adweek for Campaign Insights
For film-transcription business, most of the time, I use Dribbble, Behance, or Pinterest to find inspiration for the relevant copywriting project or task that I am working on. But I came across this publication once, which is named "Adweek." This site is the go-to for the latest campaigns, copies, and sometimes even articles dissecting a particular copy or campaign, which help the readers/audience to understand the brainstorm process. I find it quite helpful in the phase of initial research and inspiration-seeking.
Explore Swipe-Worthy for Marketing Tactics
One indispensable resource for finding high-quality copywriting inspiration is 'Swipe-Worthy.' It's a treasure trove specifically designed for marketers and copywriters looking to spark creativity and refine their craft.
Swipe-Worthy is an archive full of successful marketing and advertising campaigns, offering a whole host of real-life ads, email campaigns, and more, from various brands across different industries.
This makes it a fantastic place to dissect what works (and what doesn't), understand various audience appeals, and keep abreast of effective marketing tactics. It's my go-to for fresh ideas and seeing practical applications of outstanding copywriting in action.
Find Inspiration on Tumblr
Tumblr is where I uncover most of my creative ideas. I think it's undervalued as a source for content inspiration—many copywriters aren't aware of its potential. I've written several posts inspired by Tumblr content, and they've really resonated with my audience.
Use Ad-Transparency Tools
I love using each of the social media platform's ad-transparency tools to get the perfect copywriting inspiration. Since you know that a competitor is willing to put dollars behind the copywriting, it is more likely that this language has been previously tested to perform well. If you're a challenger company, you can put in your direct competitors. If you're unsure, you can search by keyword to find similar companies around the world to provide you with copywriting inspiration. It's a great way to get out of your own head.
Here are the links if you need them:
https://adstransparency.google.com/?region=US
https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/?active_status=active&ad_type=political_and_issue_ads&country=US&media_type=all
https://www.linkedin.com/ad-library/home
https://ads.tiktok.com/business/creativecenter/inspiration/topads/pc/en?period=30®ion=US
Listen Closely to Your Clients
I had to chuckle when I first saw this question because, for me at least, and for the best copywriters I know, inspiration doesn't generally come from a 'resource' per se. The first and most important 'resource' is your clients. Did you listen closely to what they're trying to say? Can you synthesize what is often a mass of disparate messages they deem equally important into that one marketable idea?
Inspiration, though, tends to come from within.
The fun part is taking what you've heard and then rooting around in the deep well of your own experience and awareness of current cultural cues until you excavate a string of words that conjures a sticky image or emotion you know in your bones will resonate with the target demographic.
Where does that come from? Well, I am often sparked by noticing something whose unusual specificity will somehow engage commonality and keeping a tickler file of these kinds of things for whenever I need to call upon something a little different.
Because that's what every marketer is looking for. Whether the copy is long-form or short, we're going for brand differentiation. So the key is when you can cleverly, truthfully, and succinctly infuse what your client is trying to say with that one weird thing that tickled your fancy.
Look Beyond Traditional Marketing Examples
One powerful resource I recommend for copywriting inspiration is looking beyond traditional marketing examples and exploring cross-industry applications of digital strategy. My agency, Cush Digital, has continually evolved our approach to copywriting by integrating insights from technology advancements, particularly in AI, to craft persuasive, resonant messaging that adapts to the latest consumer trends. For more on how AI can be harnessed to create hyper-personalized, high-quality copy, check out this resource: [https://cush.digital/blog/leveraging-ai-in-digital-strategy-harnessing-potential/].
Another method I rely on is analyzing B2B and B2C messaging from successful SaaS platforms and telecoms, drawing on my time with Blackbird plc and Canar Telecom. Observing how these industries address complex customer needs with clarity has inspired approaches that simplify sophisticated topics for broader audiences—a practice particularly valuable in high-stakes copy, where precision is crucial.
Leverage AI Tools Like ChatGPT
One resource I highly recommend for finding high-quality copywriting inspiration is AI tools like ChatGPT. These tools offer unique perspectives by generating diverse content ideas, uncovering alternative approaches to copy, and pushing the boundaries of conventional thinking. I often use AI to brainstorm, asking it to rephrase a message or suggest angles I hadn't initially considered. This approach is incredibly effective when you're stuck in a creative rut or aiming to deliver fresh, original content that resonates with different buyer personas.
AI also helps with critical thinking by providing rapid insights into trends, tone variations, and potential messaging that could appeal to specific audiences. For instance, I might prompt ChatGPT to provide ideas tailored for an audience segment, generating suggestions that I can refine to better align with my brand voice. It's like having a collaborative partner who encourages you to think differently and see new possibilities, enhancing your overall creative process and ensuring you're constantly delivering compelling, innovative copy.
