With the rise of platforms such as Upwork and LinkedIn, it’s never been easier to find exciting new clients for your freelance copywriting services. But improved accessibility means more competition, and to manage the ever-increasing volume demands and cheaper global rates, freelance copywriters can intelligently utilise everyday AI tools. 

This doesn’t mean simply creating generic, AI-generated content – the idea is to use modern tools efficiently to help maximise outputs and develop content that truly delivers for your clients. 

How can AI help freelance copywriters to stay competitive?

Global platforms bring the potential for diversified and more robust earnings streams, and a potential route into entirely new markets or industries. Through Upwork, I’ve had clients from pretty much every continent – and from industries I’d never even considered working within. It’s almost too easy to find prospective clients from all over the world that really fit your niche as a copywriter. 

But with this improved access to new markets is the simple reality of higher competition. I might be able to work with Marcus from Singapore now; but I’m also competing with a much wider pool of great writers, some maybe even as far-flung as Singapore themselves, not just those here in the UK. Depending on where you live, many of your new competitors may simply be able to work for lower rates – and it can start to feel like you’ve been priced out of the global platforms pretty quickly. 

This is where intelligent use of everyday AI comes into play and gives you the edge. With the right model and well-structured prompts (we’ll get to that later) AI can help copywriters to streamline processes and increase access to knowledge. Instead of sinking hours into research, you can let AI do the groundwork, which leaves you with more time to refine narratives, tweak personality, and shape the final draft into something genuinely engaging. 

AI also makes it easier to write about new or unfamiliar topics. I’ve used ChatGPT 4o to put together convincing, value-focused website hosting comparison landing pages, and blog posts about real estate investment, despite knowing effectively nothing about either of these topics before starting each project. 

Copywriters can speed up the process of creating meaningful content using AI tools – whether through pulling in relevant sources, synthesising key information, or structuring existing notes into something that’s ready to be polished. 

AI workflows for copywriters that actually work 

Before becoming a freelancer, I worked in business operations and project management for an AI-focused tech start-up. I’ve been lucky in how this has played out honestly, and it’s left me pretty well-situated in terms of my experience with large language models (LLMs), having worked with ChatGPT specifically since release. 

Since you’re already here, let’s shed some light on a couple of trade secrets. 

1. AI-powered content planning 

As any copywriter is acutely aware, planning and organising projects can be more time-consuming than the writing itself. Before you’ve even put words on the page, you need to understand the client and their industry, define the target audience, consider SEO requirements, and work out how to structure the content in a way that maximises engagement. 

It’s long and boring, and AI can take on a pretty big chunk of this workload. 

I use ChatGPT to speed up keyword research, pull SEO-friendly terms, and generate optimised meta titles and descriptions for blogs or landing pages. AI is also a game-changer for me personally when it comes to organising and structuring content. For blog posts, I’ll have ChatGPT create an initial outline based on the topic, client insights, and target audience – helping to ensure everything is aligned before I start writing. And when I’ve got a well-structured outline, including SEO subheadings and expert client insights, it’s so much easier to write more productively. 

And no, you’re not letting AI take over – this is about using these tools as an efficient brainstorm and planning partner. Instead of staring at a blank page for ages, with intelligent use of AI tools, copywriters can jump straight into refining and shaping content that truly delivers for their clients. 

The result? Better structured content, optimised for readability, engagement, and efficiency. 

2. AI as your copy editing assistant 

All freelance copywriters get stuck in the inevitable loop of writing and re-writing their own work, trying to perfectly align the chosen words with the client’s brand voice. AI can act as a second set of eyes, offering valuable critique and helping refine content in ways that might not have been obvious – we all know it’s easy to miss the basics when you’ve been working on a particular project all day. 

When editing, I’ll feed each draft version into the AI and ask for feedback on clarity, tone, and alignment with brand voice and mission. It can highlight overly complex phrasing, suggest ways to make copy more engaging, and even analyse how well the tone matches previous content. 

The best freelance copywriters are, of course, able to do this for themselves; but intelligent use of AI tools can streamline the process, and helps to bridge any gaps. This is particularly helpful when working across multiple industries or distinct projects – making it easier to code-switch between your various and varied clients. 

AI helps bridge those gaps by ensuring consistency in voice and message – without having to spend hours cross-referencing old materials. 

3. AI for smarter proposals and stronger profiles 

Your online presence is just as important as the work you deliver. Whether it’s an Upwork profile, a cold email pitch, or a project application or proposal, how you position yourself can make all the difference. 

AI can help refine these elements to make sure they hit the mark. When optimising profiles or proposals, I start by explaining the purpose to the AI model – what I’m trying to achieve, the audience, and any specific requirements. It then helps refine the messaging, ensuring it’s compelling, professional, and tailored to the right opportunities. The AI tool can suggest stronger phrasing, remove fluff, and highlight key selling points that make an application stand out. 

For freelance platforms, like LinkedIn and Upwork, where competition is high, small tweaks in positioning can mean the difference between landing a job and getting overlooked. Using AI for quick, strategic refinements ensures every pitch is as polished and persuasive as possible. 

Which AI writing tool produces the best blog content? 

To be completely transparent – and as I mentioned previously – I’ve worked with ChatGPT since its inception. It’s the tool that I’m most comfortable and familiar with. 

But, I guess that means there’s no time like the present to test and compare ChatGPT’s 4o model with the outputs of other everyday LLMs, such as Gemini and Claude. I’ve used a simple but structured prompt (exactly the same each time for consistency) and asked the three models to provide feedback and recommendations on this blog post – let’s see what we get. 

Gemini 2.0 Flash Test Results

Gemini’s feedback focused on improving the post’s transitions and the depth of examples – aiming to enhance the overall flow and reader engagement. Its emphasis on starting with a relatable anecdote and providing case studies to reinforce arguments also aligns with up-to-date SEO practices, so that's a nice touch and good to know! 

The recommendations from Gemini do excel when it comes to content refinement, but they don't actually address the blog's subsections directly. Its strengths lie in adding depth and narrative quality, though it could honestly have been more thorough. 

Claude Test Results

When tested, Claude offered decent suggestions that particularly emphasised the need for a more detailed, comprehensive analysis in the “AI writing tool” section, and the development of a stronger CTA. While the recommendations are useful, the critique generally lacked a detailed breakdown or specific examples of how to enhance clarity - and it didn't really tell me much that I couldn't have improved myself on a second go through of the blog content. 

In comparison with the other models here, I don’t feel like it stands up. Claude’s approach leaned more towards structural improvements, and less on how to refine tone or depth within the content. 

ChatGPT 4o Test Results

Okay, hear me out… ChatGPT’s 4o model provided a well-rounded critique, balancing structural, stylistic, and practical improvement suggestions. Its focus on transitions, actionable examples, and clarity was complemented by ideas for expanding and refining specific subsections. 

Honestly? I still think that ChatGPT 4.0 delivered the most comprehensive and user-oriented insights, addressing both existing strengths and improvement areas. Its critique was clear, specific, and actionable, making it the most versatile tool for refining the draft. 

What's the secret to getting the best AI copywriting results? 

Crafting prompts that ‘rock’ 

Structured and pointed prompts minimise the guesswork, clarify specific objectives upfront, and give the AI the best possible starting point. 

After years of playing around with one model after another (are there as many versions of ChatGPT as there are iPhone models yet?) I’ve learned that the real trick to working effectively with AI is getting everything you need in one go. 

This is called one-shot prompting, because you’re getting everything out at once. A well-structured prompt isn’t just a quick question or request, it’s a strategic brief that sets AI up to deliver high-quality, relevant responses straight away. A good general rule is that the more precise and detailed the input, the better the output. Keeping a strict structure of the following “rock” acronym can be super helpful for making sure you’ve included everything that’s needed. 

• Role – Define the role you want the AI model to take on (e.g. SEO strategist, technical copywriter, brand consultant). 
• Objective – Clearly outline what you need the AI to actually create, refine, or analyse. Be as specific and concise as possible here. 
• Context – Give relevant background info, such as client details, industry trends, brand voice, expert insights, or key audience considerations. 
• Knowledge – Make sure the AI has any supporting materials and data by attaching documents directly or providing relevant links. 

When you take the time to structure prompts effectively, AI becomes a much more powerful tool – one that enhances your workflow instead of creating more work. It’s the difference between getting a vague, generic response and receiving something that’s 90% ready to go. The best AI-assisted copywriters don’t just accept what they’re given. 

You’re trying to steer the process, refine your inputs, and use AI as a tool to maximise quality and efficiency. With the right one-shot prompts, you can spend less time fixing AI’s mistakes and more time delivering top-tier content for your clients. 

AI can speed things up, but the best writing still has a human touch… 

You need content that speaks to your audience – not just words on a page. Whether that’s volume-heavy projects written with AI assistance, or carefully-crafted, human-written brand copy tailored to your business' unique needs.

Get in touch for content that delivers every time.