Words That Are Weakening Your Copy (And How to Spot Them)

I almost didn't write this week. I'm exhausted, my brain is running on caffeine and vibes, and I would rather write nothing than write something half-arsed just to tick a box. I bang on about every sentence earning its spot, so it would be pretty hypocritical to show up with words that don't earn theirs.

But then I thought about something I do every single time I edit copy, whether it's my own or a client's, and I realised it's something most beauty brands could do right now, today, in five minutes, and see an immediate difference.

Remove the filler words.

They're the words that sneak into your copy when you're on a roll and writing fast. You don't notice them going in. They feel natural because that's how we talk, but in written copy, they make your brand sound unsure of itself. They're the written equivalent of starting a sentence with "sorry, but..." when you have nothing to apologise for.

Here are the worst offenders I edit out

"Just."  "We just wanted to let you know..." You didn't "just" want to let them know. You're telling them. "Just" is an apology disguised as a word. It minimises everything it touches.

"Really." " We offer a really unique experience." If you need "really" to make something sound impressive, the thing itself isn't pulling its weight. Remove it. See if the sentence stands on its own. It can.

"Very."  The laziest intensifier in the English language. "Very unique." "Very passionate." "Very effective." If you need "very" to make a word stronger, you need a stronger word. "Very tired" is exhausted. "Very happy" is thrilled. "Very good results" is just... good results.

"Perhaps" / "Maybe."  "This could perhaps help with your skin concerns." You're the expert. Does it help or doesn't it? "Perhaps" makes it sound like you're guessing.

"Somewhat" / "A little bit." "A somewhat personalised experience." So... partially? "A little bit more confident in your skin." Why a little bit? Your treatments don't deliver "a little bit" of results, and your copy shouldn't either.

"Hopefully." "Hopefully, providing you with results you'll love." You're a qualified professional, not someone making a wish on a birthday candle. You provide results. Full stop.

"Wanted to."  "I wanted to share something with you." You're sharing it. The "wanted to" adds unnecessary hesitation.

"Rather."  "A rather effective treatment." Are we writing beauty copy or a Jane Austen novel? Either the treatment is effective, or it isn't. Commit.

"Basically."  "Basically, what we do is..." If you need to start with "basically," what follows is either too complicated or perfectly clear without the preamble. It's a throat-clearing word. Your copy doesn't need to clear its throat.

"So."  "So, we created this range because..." Another throat-clearer. Delete it and start with the actual point.

"That" (when it's unnecessary).  "We believe that our treatments deliver results." Remove the "that." "We believe our treatments deliver results." Not every "that" needs to go, but most of them are freeloading.

"In order to."  "In order to achieve the best results..." Just say "to achieve the best results." "In order to" is three words doing the job of one. It's filler wearing a trench coat pretending to be important.

"All."  "All of our treatments are designed to..." Drop the "all." "Our treatments are designed to..." Same meaning, tighter sentence.

"Designed to."  "Our treatments are designed to improve your skin." They don't just sit there with good intentions. They improve your skin. "Designed to" creates distance between the promise and the outcome. "Our treatments improve your skin." Done. Confident. No safety net.

The quick audit of words that are weakening your copy

Pick any page on your website. Copy the text into a document. Search for each of these words that are weakening your copy. Every time you find one, read the sentence without it. If it still makes sense (it almost always does), delete the word.

Read it out loud when you're done. You'll hear the difference immediately.

Before: "We are really passionate about hopefully providing you with a personalised experience that just makes you feel a little bit more confident in your own skin."

After: "We provide a personalised experience that makes you feel confident in your own skin."

Every filler word removed. Nothing of value was lost. The confidence is completely different.

Your audience is making snap judgments about your brand based on how your copy sounds. Copy full of filler sounds hesitant, copy without it sounds like a brand that knows who it is and isn't asking for permission to exist. In an industry where people are handing you their faces, sounding sure of yourself isn't arrogance. It's reassurance.

Go find the filler. Delete it. Your copy will thank you.