The new rules of copywriting: How to write well in the AI era  

It’s never been easier to write copy. Or harder to write great copy. 

With AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot now embedded in marketing workflows, anyone can spin a headline, email or social post in seconds.

But with everyone using the same tools, the market is now flooded with generic, soulless content. Sure, it may be grammatically correct. But is it distinctive? Memorable? Or, more importantly, human? 

The new challenge is crafting clear, compelling copy that looks the part and hits the mark. Here’s how. 

The rise of AI copy 

In just a few short years, generative AI has totally upended the copywriting process. 

ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Jasper… these tools promised crisp, clean copy at high speed and low cost. And they delivered. Now, marketing teams can generate everything from blog posts to product descriptions to entire email campaigns in a matter of minutes.

But with efficiency comes compromise. 

As more teams lean into automation, human creativity, nuance and individuality have dwindled. The result? A surge of uninspiring, homogenised copy that can feel… what’s the word? Ah, yes, robotic. 

And customers are starting to notice. 

In a 2024 study conducted by Bynder, 52% of participants said they’re less engaged when they suspect content is AI-generated. 

That sense of detachment carries through across channels: 26% said website copy that doesn’t feel human-written makes a brand seem impersonal. One in four said the same about social media. Others perceived AI-sounding copy as untrustworthy (20%), lazy (20%) or simply uncreative (19%).

Similarly, a recent Journal of Business Research study found that consumers consistently perceive AI-authored communications as less authentic, particularly when it comes to emotionally driven copy. 

In this landscape, connection must outweigh coherence if you want to cut through.

But how do you write copy that connects? 

7 ways to ensure your copy resonates

If you want to rise above the noise, you need more than neat, well-structured sentences. 

You need an authentic voice, an engaging style and the ability to shape information into a memorable story. 

Grammar and structure are essential, of course (and this is where AI can be used as a force for good). But that’s the easy part. 

Follow these 7 rules to craft compelling copy that earns consumer trust. 

1.    Start with brand voice 

A distinctive brand voice matters now more than ever. 

If you don’t already have clear tone of voice guidelines, now’s the time to create them. Your team (and that includes your AI tools) must be perfectly aligned on how your brand should sound.

Tone, rhythm, energy, word choice – each plays a vital role in giving your brand a personality. Does yours speak with simple clarity? Reassuring authority? Or a more conversational and playful style?

Look to other brands with a strong identity for inspiration. Ethical toilet paper company Who Gives a Crap nails the cheeky, irreverent tone. Nike goes for motivational and inspiring. And Apple’s copy mirrors the sleek minimalism of its design. Each brand has a voice that is unmistakably theirs.

Make sure yours does too. 

2.    Use AI – as a partner, not a crutch

There’s nothing wrong with leaning on AI for brainstorming, polishing sentences or nudging you past a block when you can’t find the right word. 

Have it open in the background as a creative partner – but be sure to put it through its paces. 

Always exercise your own critical judgement and review outputs thoroughly for: 

• Accuracy: AI often ‘hallucinates’, inventing facts and figures that sound plausible but aren’t real. Always double-check stats, sources and claims before you publish.
• Relevance: Outputs can drift into the generic, especially with vague prompts. Check that all AI-produced copy is specific and clear – and speaks directly to your audience.
• Style drift: Left unchecked, AI defaults to long sentences and bland phrasing. It overuses lists of three. And it loves em dashes. Watch out for these telltale signs and make sure to inject your brand’s personality into any AI-generated sentences.
• Context: Algorithms don’t know your brand boundaries, whether it’s a word your boss hates, a view your company doesn’t support or regulatory red flags. That knowledge rests with you, and it’s what keeps your content compliant and trustworthy. 

Never just drop in a prompt, churn out a response and hit publish. If you let AI do all the talking your copy will lose its human spark. And with it, your audience’s trust.

3.    Structure your content for scanability 

You don’t need us to tell you: digital readers are easily distracted. 

Most won't read every carefully crafted word – they’ll skim through and cherry-pick. So make sure your copy is built to be scanned.

Your subheadings should tell a story. Use line breaks, bullets and formatting to guide the eye and highlight key points. And always open a new section with a line that stands alone; don’t assume readers have digested the section before it.

4.    Open with a bang

Whether you’re writing an article, social post, email or landing page, your opening line matters. 

Skip the long-winded intros AI loves to churn out and craft an opener that hooks your reader from the start.

Your first sentence should be sharp, punchy and under 12 words. A question is a great way to draw readers in, but beware: it can lose impact if overdone. 

5.    Pull out the story 

Good copy doesn’t just list facts. It finds the thread that makes those facts meaningful. 

Every product, campaign or idea has a story at its core, and it’s your job to bring it to life. Frame the problem, highlight the solution and show the impact. 

Stories stick in ways stats alone never can.

6.    Avoid clichés and corporate-speak

‘Unlock your potential’. ‘Innovative solutions’. ‘In this fast-paced digital world’.

If you’ve seen the phrase a thousand times, your audience has too. And overused language just doesn’t inspire.

Worse, it dulls the message and makes brands blur together. 

It’s time for a rewrite. Keep your copy fresh and original if you want people to sit up and take notice. 

7.    Edit hard

Trim the fat, sharpen the verbs, strip out the filler. Great copy only emerges after several rewrites. 

When reviewing your work, keep an eye on: 

• Brevity: Resist the urge to overexplain – lean writing is strong writing. Remove unnecessary adjectives and fluff. Every word should earn its place.
• Sentence length: Vary it for rhythm and flow. A mix of short, punchy lines and longer, more descriptive ones keeps readers engaged.
• Active voice: Keep it direct and energetic. ‘We launched the campaign on Friday’ is much stronger than ‘The campaign was launched on Friday’.
• Fluency: Read your copy aloud to catch clunky phrasing, awkward transitions or word repetition. If it doesn’t sound natural, it won’t read well. 

AI may be changing the way we write. But human creativity, craft and care will always set the best work apart.
 

Want to take your writing even further? ADMA’s Copywriting Essentials course will help you elevate your craft and create copy that converts.