My guide to AI and copywriting

Towards the end of 2023, I started to feel a slight sense of unease. Talk of AI was suddenly all around, but I had yet to explore any platforms. I was on the back foot, and this is not a place I like to linger.

When Sophie Ranson joined my micro business in September, it was the perfect opportunity to delve deeper into the world of AI and create something that could benefit others: I was sure there were lots of other writers, marketers, and small business owners who were similarly aware of AI but unsure how to use it in their business.

Over the following eight months, Sophie and I investigated three key topics, culminating in three documents – all available to download for free. They are:

Who is this research for?

One caveat I'd like to get out of the way: we're a team of two who have to earn our living, so this hasn't been a full-time research project. We've put lots of time and effort into it, with the aim of helping people who feel the same way I did a year ago. If you're already pretty familiar with AI, these documents are probably not for you (although you might find the platform comparison and ‘how to’ documents useful). For those at an earlier phase in their AI journey, I hope these documents remove some of the mystery.

What I’ve learned

I now feel massively more informed. The results of the attitudes survey confirmed what I already sensed: people still value the creativity and human touch that real-life writers provide, and most are willing to pay for that. Nobody hiring a writer would be satisfied with them supplying AI-written copy. However, the use of AI tools is already widespread among marketers and business owners, and where AI can add value - say by saving time or providing a different perspective - it makes sense to use it.

So, do Sophie and I now use AI?

We now regularly use AI to help with hashtag research, suggest a structure for longer pieces of work, and check spelling and grammar. If doing so saves me time, I pass on these savings to clients. So far, I haven't found it does. And I never use it to produce sentences of copy, for any purpose.

Download the documents

These documents are free to download because I'm a firm believer in knowledge sharing leading to better outcomes for everyone. If you do download them, I'd love to hear your thoughts via a quick email or message on LinkedIn.