Every copywriting term, defined in plain English

This page defines the terms copywriters use, in plain English, and gives each one a worked example. If you come across AIDA, above the fold or USP in a brief or a guide and are not sure exactly what it means, this is where you look it up.

What each entry gives you

Every term follows the same pattern: a plain-English definition, then a single line showing the term in use. Above the fold, for instance, means the part of a page a reader sees before scrolling, so a headline placed above the fold is read by everyone who lands on the page, while one placed below it is read only by those who scroll. The example is there so you can see the term working.

Why the wording matters

Copywriting terms get used loosely, and two people in the same meeting can mean different things by conversion copy or power word. Where a guide on this site uses one of these terms, it uses the definition given here, so if a guide and your own understanding disagree, this page is the one to trust. That consistency is also what makes the glossary useful as a reference on its own, separate from any particular guide.

Finding your way around

Entries run alphabetically, so scan for the term you need. Some terms, such as those covered under UK advertising rules, are explained here as craft vocabulary rather than legal definitions: for how a term like a substantiated claim actually functions under the CAP Code, the UK advertising rules guide goes further than a glossary entry can. If a term sends you looking for a fuller explanation of how to apply it, the copywriting guides are the place to go next, and several of them, including the one on AIDA and other copywriting formulas, build directly on definitions given here.