Order matters more than wording. A visitor needs four things before they will consider buying: what this is, whether it applies to them, evidence that it works for someone like them, and what happens if it does not. Pages that skip straight to features lose the reader who was still deciding whether they were in the right place.
The sections below are ordered accordingly. Use them in sequence the first time; once you know your audience, drop the ones that do not apply.
Section 1 — Headline and subheadline
Three headline patterns that hold up:
Pattern A (outcome + constraint): "[Outcome] without [thing they expect to have to do]"
Pattern B (audience + specific result): "For [audience] who need [specific result] in [timeframe]"
Pattern C (problem statement + counter-position): "[Common belief] is wrong. Here is what [situation] actually requires."
Subheadline then names the mechanism: who it is for, what it includes, and what makes it different. Write two headlines and test them rather than arguing internally about which reads better.
Section 2 — Problem and stakes
Describe the reader's current situation using their own vocabulary, then name the cost of leaving it unchanged. Keep it to four or five sentences.
[Current situation, in their words]. The usual response is [common workaround], which [why it fails]. That costs [time / money / rework], and [what it delays].
Section 3 — What it is
One plain paragraph, then the components as a list. No adjectives that a competitor could also use.
[Product] is [category] that [primary job]. It includes:
· [Component 1] — [what it does]
· [Component 2] — [what it does]
· [Component 3] — [what it does]
Section 4 — Proof
Proof must be checkable. A named person with a role, a company, a number, and a timeframe. "Thousands of happy customers" convinces nobody who has read three sales pages today.
[Full Name], [Title] at [Company], [timeframe]: "[Quote describing the before state, what changed, and a number]."
Section 5 — Objections
Answer the three you actually hear. Written as questions the reader would ask, answered directly without enthusiasm.
"[Objection 1]" — [Direct answer, including the limitation if there is one].
"[Objection 2]" — [Direct answer].
"[Objection 3]" — [Direct answer, including who this is not for].
Section 6 — Offer and guarantee
State exactly what is included and what it costs. Then the guarantee, in plain terms, with the conditions stated rather than buried.
[Product] includes [deliverables] for [price], [billing terms]. [Guarantee: the window, what the reader must do, what is returned, and any exclusions].
Section 7 — Close
One sentence restating the outcome, one button, one line removing risk. Then stop.
Claims to keep out of the copy
| Claim pattern | Exposure | Safe replacement |
|---|---|---|
| "Guaranteed results" / "You will earn X" | Earnings claims; directly actionable in most markets | State the mechanism and cite typical customer-reported ranges with a source |
| "Clinically proven" / "Cures / treats" | Regulated health claims | Describe the ingredient or mechanism; cite the study; add any required disclaimer |
| "#1" / "Rated the leading" | Requires a named, current, published ranking | Name the source and date, or drop the claim |
| "As seen in [logo wall]" | Implies endorsement that may not exist | Link the actual article or remove it |
| "Limited time" with no end | Deceptive urgency | Use a real deadline with a visible countdown |
What we measured over 30 days
Pages built with this order took roughly 35 minutes from draft to publish, against about 90 minutes for pages written without a fixed structure. The difference was almost entirely in rewriting: structured drafts had the right sections in the right order on the first pass, so editing was tightening rather than reorganising. The one thing the tools consistently got wrong was proof — generated testimonials read as invented, and every one had to come from a real customer.
Give the tool a real skeleton
These tools produce workmanlike copy from a good outline and confident nonsense from a vague one. The outline is the leverage.
Try Rytr →Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a sales page be?
As long as it takes to answer the four questions. Most land between 800 and 2,000 words; length correlates with price and commitment, not with quality.
Should the price be on the page?
For anything under a few hundred dollars, yes. Hiding price adds a step for a reader who was ready to decide.
Can AI write the testimonials?
No. Fabricated testimonials attributed to real or invented people are both a legal problem and the fastest way to lose credibility.
Do I need a guarantee?
Not always, but stating what happens if it does not work removes the largest single objection for a first-time buyer.
How many headlines should I test?
Two is enough to learn something. More than three on low traffic will not resolve.
What should go above the fold?
The headline, the subheadline naming who it is for, and the primary button. Not a logo, not a navigation bar.
Is urgency manipulative?
Real deadlines are information. Fake countdowns that reset are the manipulative kind, and readers recognise them.