How Mintlify improves Ad Copywriting: 3 Proven Tips With Examples

How to Write Great Copy: 3 Copywriting Tips

Many copywriters dream of creating viral or award-winning ads, but the most successful copy isn't about creativity for creativity's sake—it's about clarity, directness, and impact. The best ad copy puts the audience's needs first, speaking directly to their challenges and guiding them toward a solution.

1. Write for Your Audience, Not Yourself

Numerous copywriters aspire to develop flawless ad copy—whether it goes viral, garners awards, or sparks lively debates reminiscent of a Mad Men boardroom. Yet, the most impactful copy is straightforward, concise, and rich in detail. To help your client hit their sales targets and satisfy customer expectations, it's vital to view things from the perspective of their target audience.

Focus on Benefits, Not Features

Consumers aren’t concerned with your company’s prestige—they care about how your product can enhance their everyday lives. Far too often, businesses list features rather than emphasizing the meaningful benefits that resonate with their audience.

A prime example of benefit-driven copy is seen in Booking.com’s ad for Paris hotels, which goes beyond merely noting availability to highlight convenience, cost savings, and the ease of booking.

• "Quick, Easy Booking. No Reservation Costs." →Emphasizes convenience and cost savings.
• "Save 10% with Genius." →Offers a tangible financial incentive.
• "24/7 Customer Service. We speak your language." →Builds trust and reduces barriers.
• "Read Real Guest Reviews." →Helps users make informed decisions.

By focusing on ease of booking, affordability, and customer support, Booking.com ensures its ad aligns with what travelers care about most—a hassle-free, reliable experience.

In contrast, David Yurman's ad for men's jewelry prioritizes features over benefits, failing to connect with the audience on an emotional level:

• Lists product types but doesn't explain why they're unique or valuable.
• Fails to highlight customer benefits like craftsmanship, exclusivity, or personalization.
• Misses emotional connection—jewelry purchases are often tied to special occasions, yet the ad doesn't evoke sentiment.

2. Content Matters, but So Does Structure

Even a brilliant message can fall flat if it’s buried in a cluttered, poorly structured ad. The way you present your copy is just as crucial as the content itself.

Lead with Your Strongest Copy

Most readers don’t digest ads word-for-word; they tend to skim. In fact, research from the Nielsen Norman Group indicates that 79% of users only scan new pages, with a mere 16% reading the content in full.

Similarly, Penn State research found that over 75% of people share links on social media without even clicking on them. (Source: Penn State Study)

This behavior underscores why your most compelling message should come first. If your key selling point is hidden in the middle or at the end, it risks being missed. Whether it’s a strong benefit, a solution-oriented claim, or a boost to credibility, front-loading your best content maximizes engagement and impact.

3. The Power of Word Choice

Choosing the right words can give your ad a personal, urgent, and engaging feel. The appropriate tone can be the decisive factor between an ad that converts and one that’s overlooked.

Use Words That Resonate with Your Audience

To truly capture attention, speak in your audience’s own language. Mirroring the terms and phrases they actually use addresses their needs directly and makes your copy more relatable.

Employing keyword research is an excellent strategy for word mirroring. By analyzing the actual search terms people use, you can identify common language patterns and naturally integrate them into your ads.

Here's how you can do it:

• Leverage Customer Data →Analyze customer reviews, feedback, and support inquiries to identify recurring phrases and concerns.
• Study Competitor Keywords →Find out what terms your competitors are using to attract traffic, and incorporate those insights into your own ad copy.

If you want to see what keywords your competitors are targeting, tools like Ahrefs, Similarweb, Inpages can help you analyze their traffic sources and identify high-performing keywords.

By using familiar words and phrases, you can make your message feel more authentic and relevant, increasing the chances of capturing your audience's attention and driving meaningful engagement.

Mintlify's Ad Copy: Tips in Action

We've covered key tips to keep in mind. Now, let's take a look at real examples from Mintlify to see how these tips are applied in actual Google paid ads.

1. Writing for the Audience, Not Yourself

The ad clearly targets developers and tech teams by emphasizing benefits that directly address their common challenges, such as sluggish documentation systems and ineffective collaboration. By highlighting faster loads, interactive APIs, and an improved developer experience, it speaks directly to the audience’s needs and demonstrates how Mintlify can improve their daily workflows.

2. Content Matters, but So Does Structure

The ad copy is structured to immediately grab attention with the bold headline 'Mintlify - The Modern Docs Alternative,' ensuring the primary message is seen first. It follows with a logical progression of benefits—from system performance to collaborative features—which caters to the tendency of users to skim content. This strong opening and organized flow align with the sub tip of leading with the strongest copy and using a clear, segmented layout for maximum impact.

3. The Power of Word Choice

The choice of words in the ad is dynamic and benefit-focused, using action verbs like 'Improve' and 'Effortlessly manage' that encourage immediate engagement. The language is tailored to resonate with tech-savvy users by incorporating terms like 'interactive' and 'AI-powered,' which not only modernizes the message but also directly mirrors the jargon and expectations of the target audience. This strategic word mirroring reinforces trust and urgency, key aspects of converting interest into action.

1. Writing for the Audience, Not Yourself

The ad copy is sharply tailored to resonate with developers by spotlighting how AI-powered documentation directly enhances their work, aligning with Mintlify’s modern and collaborative ethos. It avoids generic feature lists, instead emphasizing concrete benefits such as a more intuitive and streamlined developer experience, ensuring the message speaks directly to the audience’s needs.

2. Content Matters, but So Does Structure

The copy excels in structure by leading with its most compelling benefit—improving developer experience—thereby capturing attention immediately. This aligns with the advice to front-load strong messaging, making the content easily scannable. Key indicators like faster load times and interactive APIs are presented succinctly, ensuring that those who skim can quickly grasp the value proposition.

3. The Power of Word Choice

The use of action-driven adjectives like 'AI-powered' and descriptors such as 'faster' and 'interactive' creates a sense of urgency and modernity. Although the language is technical and benefits-focused, incorporating more direct audience address could further enhance engagement. Overall, the word choice mirrors the developer community’s language, ensuring relatability and clarity.

Conclusion

Great ad copy isn't just about being clever—it's about understanding your audience, structuring your message effectively, and using the right words to drive action. The examples from Mintlify demonstrate how well-crafted copy can make an ad more engaging, easy to understand, and conversion-focused.

Key Takeaways:

• ✅Write for Your Audience

  Focus on their needs, not features. Align with their goals and search intent.

• ✅Structure Matters

  Lead with your strongest copy. Keep it short, scannable, and benefit-focused.

• ✅Use the Right Words

  Start with action verbs, personalize with "you", and keep language simple.

By applying these principles, you can craft ad copy that grabs attention, builds trust, and drives higher conversions—just like Mintlify.