If you give your copywriters the blog password, they’re gonna turn it into ✨ a thing ✨
This is Line Break, a brand new series from the BBHQ copy crew of two. Here’s where you’ll find our hot takes, hills to die on, and unsolicited advice on what makes (or breaks) great writing.
I figured we’d start light and inspiring — things I read that make me want to slam my laptop shut and chuck it into canyon.
This list is packed with strong opinions and zero chill, but try to see it as more than a rant. The goal is to help other writers (and brands) make their words work harder with some lovingly dramatic suggestions. So I hope you take what’s useful, laugh at what’s not, and maybe catch something you wouldn’t have otherwise.
Copy crimes happen all the time. Some petty, some straight-up reckless. Here are the ones I wish were illegal:
Too much fluff
Redundancy = annoying. More ≠ better. If I’m three clicks into your website and I still don’t know what you do, I’m closing the tab. ✌️
Say less, babe. It’s 2025. Nobody has an attention span. Give me tight, punchy copy that respects my time. Then stop talking.
Me, me, me syndrome
“At [Brand], we believe…” Groan.
Your values and mission are cute. And so are your teammates and their cute little headshots. But why would I care about any of that if I don’t know how your product helps me?
Lead with what your audience needs. Talking about yourself before building that bridge is like walking up to someone at a party and launching into your résumé. No one asked. Next.
Emoji deserts
We’ve been blessed with one of the most expressive tools available to modern language, so I never quite understand why brands treat emojis like they’re only allowed in Instagram captions. Why not bring 'em into your emails, your app copy, your product pages, places beyond social?
They break up blocks of text! They add depth and emotion! They remind your reader that you’re *gasp* human!
Emojis aren't unprofessional... they’re totally underutilized. Embrace them! Let language evolve. 👏
Corporate nonsense
You know this one. It’s stuffy, vague, and meaningless. It’s “driving meaningful outcomes” and “delivering impactful solutions.” It’s giving early 2000s Microsoft PowerPoint.
No one talks like that, so why should your brand? It doesn’t matter if you’re selling socks or software — you’re selling to people. You don’t need to sound like a robot or an NPR narrator to earn credibility. You can be professional and have a personality. 🤯
Buzzword bingo
Similarly, if your copy is full of cross-functional vertical alignments, frictionless operational blueprints, omnichannel optimization capabilities, and synergy-enhanced touchpoints… nahhh.
These words are as empty as they are forgettable. And weirdly, everybody’s using them. Literally all you have to do is say what you mean, and say it clearly. You’ll be ahead of 90% of the rest.
SEOverload
There’s writing for search, and then there’s selling your soul to the Google robots. It's super easy to spot algorithm-chasing content because you find yourself reading the same sentence over and over, just phrased in slightly different ways.
Optimized copy is a necessary evil, I get it. But if you’re gonna serve up a keyword salad, at least try to toss in a little flavor. We're starving for some emotion over here.
Uncomfortably literal CTAs
You’ve written a beautiful landing page. The tone is dialed. The flow is clean. And then… your CTA. It reads “Submit.”
…to what? Where are you taking my responses? Am I doomed forever if I click? This word is cold, impersonal, and off-putting. Please, I beg you! I’m too young to be absorbed into the Matrix! I just want to connect with you!
Your call-to-action should make people want to act. If you have the option, maybe something that doesn’t make them pause and rethink the entire relationship.
Extremely proper English
Some copy just follows the rules waaay too hard.
It’s grammatically pristine and technically flawless. It gets a 💯 on an AP English test, but a goose egg for brand personality.
Please use contractions. Start sentences conjunctions. Hell, throw in “ain’t” here and there if it feels right. These are tools, not mistakes. If you’re afraid to write how people actually speak, you’re going to sound like a manual. Ain’t nobody readin’ that.
