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Most copywriters dread a blank pageWe can stare at it for hours, drafting and redrafting until something clicks. Even after we get started, it can still take what feels like forever to find a rhythm. In the past I could spend a full week on a single landing page. Now, with AI doing the grunt work, that same landing page takes one or two hours, and the quality often surpasses what I could produce alone. For my agency, Conversion Factory, this shift has let me scale output dramatically. I've managed to deliver more in the last year and a half than in the previous seven years combined — all while maintaining the high-converting copy our SaaS clients rely on. Here’s a workshop I did a while ago with Ben’s Bites, where I explain how I started using AI, and how I use it to accelerate my copywriting workflow across the board (without sacrificing quality):
 AI isn't a cheap shortcut, unless you treat it like a cheap shortcut. When used properly, it's a force multiplier that frees you to focus more on strategy and less on drudgery. But this only works if you use AI with precision, as a tool, not a magic button. By drawing from principles of legends like David Ogilvy, I’ve integrated AI into my workflow using my 5 stages of copywriting (with AI). I'll break down why AI tools matter for SaaS marketing and share the exact steps used so you can replicate my process.
Why Use AI for Copywriting in SaaSFirst, let’s take a step back and look at the big picture. SaaS marketing demands precision: clear value propositions, benefit-driven messaging, and copy that converts visitors into users. Traditional copywriting is time-intensive, often bottlenecking campaigns. AI changes that by accelerating ideation and iteration without diluting the end result. Think of it like a relay race, AI runs the first 80% of every lap, and then passes you the baton. You still have to run with it and cross that finish line.
From my experience:
- AI accelerates timelines.
What once required days of research and drafting now happens in sessions, allowing faster A/B testing and launches.
- AI enhances quality through objectivity.
With proper instruction and context, AI applies consistent rules — like avoiding jargon or passive voice — that humans might overlook in a state of fatigue.
- AI leverages expertise.
By embedding proven frameworks (e.g., Ogilvy's direct-response style), AI helps even junior team members produce professional-grade work.
- AI scales.
My agency now handles more clients with a lean team: me overseeing as our copywriters utilize AI to handle 80-90% of execution.
To boil it down to its core: AI excels at generating drafts and doing busy-work but needs a human hand for guidance, and again to ultimately build everything into a finished product. Without structure, outputs are generic. After providing proper structure, you create copy that resonates, drives sign-ups, and reduces churn by aligning messaging with user needs. (The key is to provide valuable context and some basic prompt engineering.) For SaaS companies, using AI effectively means launching features faster, refining onboarding emails on the fly, and refining campaigns at scale — all while keeping costs down.
How I use AI to write high-converting copyI approach every project in the same order of steps, with these 5 stages of copywriting (with AI). Here’s a brief overview of the process before we dive in.
- Research
Gather raw inputs
- Outlining
Build the structure
- Drafting
Generate initial copy with rules
- Editing
Refine and humanize
- Polishing
Package it up and present it
AI assists at each stage, but I always start with human insight. This workflow is built around ChatGPT, with custom prompts incorporating Ogilvy-inspired rules. Here's the step-by-step process, with a few examples from real projects.
1. ResearchGather raw inputs (10-20 Minutes) Start with facts, not assumptions. AI can and will invent information if you give it nothing, so feed it accurate context first to prevent this.
- Review client briefs
Product features, target audience pain points, competitor analysis.
- Pull customer data
Testimonials, surveys, or analytics from tools like Google Analytics or Hotjar.
- Study benchmarks
Swipe Files from successful campaigns (e.g., my Swipe Files database here).
AI role
Use it to summarize and organize what you give it. Prompt example: "Summarize this product brief, highlighting key benefits for SaaS marketers targeting mid-sized teams." Output
A concise list of value props, like "Reduces email churn by 25% through personalized sequences." Why this works
This ensures copy ties directly to metrics, like improving activation rates.
2. OutlineBuild the structure (15-30 Minutes) Map the structure out before filling it in. For a landing page, this might include headline, subheads, body sections, and CTAs. For a cheat sheet (A very good one I might add, even if I’m biased), check out our CF vanilla template here.
- Define sections: Hero (problem/solution), benefits, social proof, pricing, FAQ.
- Incorporate frameworks: PAS (Problem-Agitate-Solution) or AIDA (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action).
AI role
Generate outline variations. Prompt: "Create a landing page outline for a SaaS email tool using AIDA framework, based on this research summary: [paste summary]." Output
Numbered sections with bullet-point ideas, e.g.:
- Attention: Headline addressing pain of low open rates.
- Interest: Bullet benefits like AI personalization.
Why this works
Structured outlines prevent rambling, ensuring copy guides users toward conversion.
3. DraftingGenerate initial copy with rules (20-40 Minutes) This is where AI shines. I use a custom prompt template embedding "rules of great copywriting," distilled from Ogilvy's books like "Ogilvy on Advertising." These rules force AI to produce direct, active, jargon-free copy. My full rules set (You can borrow this or adapt it for your own rule set):
- You're an expert copywriter with deep SaaS experience. Rewrite using these instructions.
- Avoid jargon, adverbs, and qualifiers. Use simple language. Show, don't tell.
❌ Bad: "Revolutionize digital transformation."
✅ Good: "Replace your paper checklist with a smart mobile app."
- Avoid vague words. Be specific.
❌ Bad: "Streamline processes."
✅ Good: "Reduce back-and-forth to align teams."
- Use active voice only.
❌ Bad: "Reports are generated."
✅ Good: "We generate personalized reports."
- No exclamation points or ellipses.
- No run-on sentences (max 3 conjunctions).
- Use simpler words.
❌ Bad: "Utilize."
✅ Good: "Use."
- Follow best practices: Be direct, use rhetorical questions, make it readable.
- Add analogies, metaphors, puns, humor when fitting.
- No sensational language.
- Don't fabricate. Flag uncertainties.
- Never skip rules.
AI role
Feed the outline and rules into Claude. Prompt: "Using the rules below, write a first draft for this landing page outline: [paste outline]. Context: [paste research]." Output
Raw copy blocks. For example, a hero section: "Tired of emails that get ignored? Our tool crafts sequences that boost opens by 30%." Why this works
These rules yield benefit-focused copy that converts, avoiding hype that erodes trust.
4. EditingRefine and humanize (30-60 Minutes) AI drafts are 70-80% there. Edit for voice, flow, and nuance.
- Generate alternatives for fine-tuning. Prompt: "Rewrite this section in 3 styles: conversational, authoritative, story-driven.”
- Check alignment: Does the work match brand tone? Fix inconsistencies.
- Add specificity: Insert real data or examples.
- Test readability: Read aloud. Shorten sentences.
Lastly, check for any distracting GPT-isms or quirks of your AI, and proper punctuation. These can come in many forms, and you’ll start to recognize them quickly when using AI. Here’s a short list of common ones, written as directions for your AI:
- Don’t overuse em dashes like —
- Avoid using Vibe or Vibes, or similar internet cultural buzzwords or jargon unless specified
- Don’t use emojis or hashtags unless specified
- Don’t use big words for the sake of sounding smart, or make up terms. Prioritize being concise and clear.
AI role
Use for targeted edits. Prompt: "Edit this draft for clarity and conciseness, following the rules: [paste draft]." Output
Polished version, e.g., tightened up benefits list to focus on outcomes. Why this works
Editing ensures copy addresses objections, like pricing transparency, improving trial sign-ups.
5. Polishing and testing(10-20 Minutes) Final pass to perfect your work.
- Proofread: Grammar, typos.
- Read out loud: Test for confusing language.
- A/B test elements: Generate headline options.
- Gather feedback: Share with team or clients.
AI role
Headline generator to offer alternatives for your client. Prompt: "Generate 10 headline variations for this hero copy, emphasizing benefits." Why this works
Quick iterations mean launching campaigns that perform, with data-driven refinements. Real example
Rewriting a SaaS Landing Page For a client’s email automation tool, research showed users struggled with personalization. Outline focused on pain relief. AI drafted: "Stop sending generic emails. Use our AI to tailor messages that land in inboxes." After edits, final: "Generic emails waste time and lose leads. Our tool analyzes behavior to send messages that get opened — and acted on." Results: Client saw 15% uplift in conversions post-launch.
5 AI principles for SaaS marketersTo use this workflow and successfully produce high quality content, ensure you follow these key principles. Here they are in order so you can apply them:
- Embed your rules early
Customize prompts with Ogilvy-style guidelines to avoid bland AI output. This produces copy that's direct and persuasive, ideal for SaaS funnels.
- Human oversight at every step
AI handles volume. You handle judgment. This hybrid, step by step approach improves quality, as seen in my agency's output surge.
- Don’t skip steps
Structure prevents chaos. For campaigns, this means faster go-to-market, letting you test messaging in real time.
- Scale with standardized context
Find and copy, or just build your own rules sets to standardize outputs across systems and teams. Collaborate and share what works with your team, to create consistent branding across emails, ads, and pages.
- Measure what matters
Track the metrics that matter to you, like conversion rates pre- and post-AI, or your own efficiency and job performance. In my case, it enabled handling 3x more projects without hiring more copywriters.
Adopting this saves time while elevating copy — turning your copywriting process from a bottleneck into a highway for deliverables. What's holding you back from leveraging AI? Have you tried integrating AI this way, or does something still feel off? Reply with your experiences — I'd value hearing how AI fits into your SaaS workflow. —Corey
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