Why Most Tech Copy Fails

(And How to Fix It in 5 Simple Steps)

Jun 24, 2025

Most tech copy fails because it starts with the wrong subject: the product.

Founders love to explain what their platform does, how it works, and why it’s cool. But readers don’t care—at least not at first. They care about their problems.

When your copy opens with features instead of pain points, you lose people fast.

Which is why we’re going to talk about what good tech copywriting actually looks like, and how to turn your copy into a conversion engine.

We’re going to walk you through:

Why leading with your offer kills interest
How to start with your reader’s problem
How to frame the benefit (not just the feature)
Why addressing past failures builds trust
How to make the reader the hero, not yourself or your product

If you want more clicks, more signups, and fewer bounces, this is for you.

Let’s get into it.

Stop Leading With Your Product

Talking about your product first is the fastest way to lose attention.

No one wakes up thinking about your app. They’re thinking about their own problems, needs, and goals. So if your copy starts with “Our product does X,” you’ve already made it about you. And that’s the fastest way to get ignored.

Listing features and hoping the benefits shine through is wishful thinking. Features don’t sell. Understanding and addressing your reader’s pain points do.

If you want to grab attention and build real trust, start by zeroing in on what they care about. Speak to their struggles, frustrations, and desires first. Make them feel heard before you even mention your product.

Next up: how to speak their language and connect from day one.

Start With the Reader’s Problem

Want attention? Articulate the reader’s problem better than they do.

People only engage when something feels relevant. If your first line makes them say, “That’s me,” you’ve got them. Start with a sales pitch? They check out.

Emotions drive action. Customers who feel connected are way more likely to buy. Copy that digs into real pain points sparks that connection, and trust is the first step to a conversion.

Most mess up by skipping the pain and jumping straight to the pitch. Try this instead:

“Ever feel like your infra is running you, not the other way around?”

A simple shift that changes everything.

Next, let’s talk about what happens when you show people the benefit of solving their problem.

Focus on the Benefit, Not the Feature

People don’t buy products—they buy better versions of themselves.

Listing product features won’t cut it. Readers want the payoff, what they get out of it. That’s where benefits come in.

Benefit-driven headlines get way more attention because they promise transformation, not just functionality.

The problem? Most confuse features with benefits. “Auto-scaling infrastructure” isn’t a benefit. “No more 2 a.m. fire drills when traffic spikes” is.

Here’s a quick trick: for every feature, ask “So what?” Keep digging until you hit the emotional win.

For example: don’t say “Intelligent resource allocation,” say “Run more experiments—without babysitting your cluster.”

Next, let’s tackle a tough one: how to handle failure.

Acknowledge Why Past Solutions Failed

If they’ve tried before and failed, your copy should explain why it wasn’t their fault.

People are skeptical. They’ve been burned by tools that overpromise and underdeliver. Ignoring that only makes you sound just like another promise.

Instead, show you get their frustration and offer a real alternative. That builds trust fast. Explain why old solutions didn’t work. Then show how yours is different.

Don’t ignore objections—assuming blind trust is a recipe for failure. Try this contrast:

“Most platforms focus on compute. We focus on momentum, so you can ship faster, not just burn cycles.”

When you show you understand their past struggle, they’re more likely to believe in your solution.

Next, let’s flip the spotlight and bring the reader center stage.

Make the Reader the Hero—Not Your Product

Your product isn’t the spotlight—your reader is.

When your product plays the helper, not the hero, you invite the reader into a story where they’re the one winning.

Most brands mess this up by bragging about themselves. Those sales pitches? They’re forgettable and quickly tuned out.

But stories stick. They grab attention, spark emotion, and boost brand recall like nothing else.

So stop talking about yourself. Instead, put the spotlight on them. Try this: “You’re building something great. We’re just here to make it smoother.”

Example:

“You’ve got the model. We’ll help you scale it without losing your weekend to infra.”

When readers see themselves as the hero and your product as the tool that helps them win, they buy in.

Bottom Line

Most tech copy fails because it leads with the wrong thing—your product.

Flip the script. Lead with their problem. Show the payoff.

Call out what didn’t work before. Make the reader the hero.

That’s how you turn skim readers into buyers.

Action Recap

Don’t start by talking about your product: start with the reader’s problem.
Show what life looks like after the problem is solved.
Call out why past solutions failed: make it clear it wasn’t their fault.
Make the reader the hero: your product is just the tool that helps.
For every feature, ask “so what?” until it sounds like a real benefit.

That’s it for now—more soon!

Catch you next time,

Paolo Perrone

Creator of LinkedIn Audience Building for AI/ML Engineers

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