Copy AI

https://www.copy.ai/

 

tl;dr

Copy.ai is convenient, easy to use, and driven by the GPT-3 language model. Yet not all AI-content generators are created equal, and this one feels slightly lacking. Learn more.

 

Copy.ai Review: 7 Pros & 4 Cons of Using Copy.ai

 

WRITTEN BY

Timothy Shim

UPDATED

December 02, 2023

 

Copy.ai is the latest addition to an expanding list of artificial intelligence (AI) writing tools. Not just for run-of-the-mill content, though. The service is smart enough to distinguish between content intent such as slogans, marketing copy, or even punchy headlines.

 

Copy.ai can be an excellent way for busy marketers and small business owners to get more out of their time and money when creating content for their businesses or websites. The critical question is, “how effectively?”

 

 

7 Things We Liked About Copy AI

 

1. It has a simple interface that’s easily understood

 

 

Copy.ai’s user-friendly interface makes it simple enough so that most people can pick things up quickly. It follows a widely-accepted web service style, with a navigation menu on the left and workspace on the right.

 

I dare say that even if you don’t read the documentation, you’ll be able to run through the options and get started quickly. For example, once you log in to your account, a “Get Started” bar lets you pick a template and move immediately.

 

Even if you’re freestyling, the quick options on the left navigation bar let you quickly swap between various content types. I found that an excellent way to run through the different capabilities of this AI content generator quickly.

 

 

2. Includes a decent text editor

 

 

Copy.ai doesn’t just churn out content but lets you actively work with whatever comes out of the system. The editor looks and feels like a slightly different version of Google Docs, which is far simpler than Microsoft Word. This online editor will feel like a second home if you’re used to blog-style content management systems.

 

The most important part of this editor is that it allows you to work seamlessly within the Copy.ai ecosystem. No swapping in and out of various windows is necessary at all. Once your final copy is ready, just cut and paste where it needs to go.

 

 

3. Create multiple content types with templates

 

You can use Copy.ai to create multiple content types, including marketing copy, Instagram post captions, social media posts, long-form content, etc. While the average Joe might not realize the difference between these, experienced copywriters will.

 

The point to note here is that you can focus on creating high-quality content for your company or clients. That will make life easier (and cheaper) instead of worrying about the tedious processes of hiring writers, managing freelancers, and constantly revising content work.

 

Here are some of the templates available:

 

 

Each template also allows you to select a specific format for greater precision. For example, Sales Copy offers formats including AIDA, Feature to Benefits, PAS, etc. You don’t have to be an expert marketer to use these tried-and-tested formulas.

 

 

4. You can style content to specific tones

 

 

In addition to gearing the content towards specific use cases, you can also tell Copy.ai to write in a tone of voice that suits your purpose. For example, a knowledge-heavy article can be done in a professional tone, while entertaining social media content might be humorous or persuasive.

 

Although this feature isn’t unique to Copy.ai, I find that the output produced here is recognizably unique. Here’s an example of a paragraph generated in two tones of voice:

 

 

 

5. AIDA and PAS frameworks supported

 

While I mentioned AIDA and PAS briefly above, a special mention is necessary for these choices. Both are highly recognized formulas in the fields of marketing. They’ve proven to be workable tactics and are in wide use.

 

The PAS framework helps create landing pages that increase conversion rates through website optimization methods such as page layout design, form placement, and headlines. That means you can essentially use Copy.ai to build all the content you need for your website.

 

The AIDA model (standing for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action) is a guide for marketers when creating emails, ads, or any form of marketing content to help them understand what the consumer wants from their product so they can give it to them in a way that will be most effective at getting results.

 

Both of these frameworks can be invaluable for business users.

 

 

6. Useful tutorials in the help center

 

 

Copy.ai provides access to a help center that contains tutorials on using its product and information about pricing, plans, and discounts available for new customers. The tutorials are thorough, easy-to-understand guides that explain everything from how the system works to specific content types.

 

They also show you how other people have used Copy.ai for practical purposes, like business presentations or school projects. I especially like the Copy.ai Tips section that helps guide users on improving the system’s potential.

 

If you feel there’s a feature missing that would be helpful, hit the link to their “Feature Requests” and let them know what it might be.

 

 

7. Easy content sharing

 

Once Copy.ai has generated the copy you want, you can use the same unique link to share it with others. You can send this link to your clients, team members, friends, and family members. This feature is handy for those who may need more input on the content.

 

Honestly, this isn’t an earth-shattering, game-changing feature. I like this easy content sharing because Copy.ai keeps everything within its ecosystem. Call it a one-stop content production shop. There’s nothing more annoying than working with a dozen open windows just to get one thing accomplished.

 

 

 

4 Things I Disliked About Copy AI

 

1. May lag while generating content

 

If you have a large project and need to generate many results, Copy.ai will likely not be the best choice for you. Building content may take longer, mainly if you use smaller section generators like “Bullet Point to Blog Section.”

 

While most content generators will have this lag (it takes time to process the input), I noticed timings slightly longer on Copy.ai. There is also a noticeable longer lag when generating content it struggles with, leading to thoughts of “oh-oh” sometimes hovering in my mind.

 

 

2. Highly random content sometimes appears

 

In most instances, the content built by Copy.ai is all right. However, I noticed a tendency for things to sometimes turn awkward. The problem is that this awkward content insertion is highly random, and if you aren’t paying attention might slip past you.

 

I’m a professional writer and reviewing Copy.ai out of my interest in this technology. Because of this, I could easily catch the strange content produced. However, I can easily see a business owner generating a ton of content, then simply copying and pasting it onto a website. That could be disastrous if not caught.

 

 

3. It needs lots of fact-checking

 

Be prepared to do a lot of fact-checking, especially if you’re writing a business article. This area displeases me most about Copy.ai. Even if you provide it with precise guidelines, it can produce incorrect information.

 

Some of the few particular times it occurs are apparently where event dates come into play. For example, attempting to generate content on “Americas Cup Winners 2021” led to many incorrect dates, names, and even prize amounts.

 

 

4. Building long-form copy can be frustrating

 

 

Copy.ai has a “Blog Post Wizard” that supposedly helps you create an entire article. This feature sounds good in theory, but it has a long way to go before being effective. Even Copy.ai considers this a Beta feature, meaning it’s still undergoing testing.

 

It works by you providing a title and some keywords that will help generate an outline. After that, you can ask Copy.ai to rebuild as many major points as necessary. Once you agree on those points, Copy.ai will attempt to generate “Talking Points” for each item.

 

Sadly, this is where things often start to go wrong. More than half the time, the talking points are entirely random. Regenerating talking points for an entire article will take you significant time. Using the bullet point to paragraph generator and slowly building the article from scratch would be far more effective. At the least, that will be less frustrating.

 

 

How We Tested Copy AI

 

Before we jump into the tests below, I want to reinforce the Copy.ai concept. While AI content generators try to be perfect, they are nowhere near. Because of this, you may see some strange things appear in the tests since I’m showing verbatim what the AI produces.

 

Take the content with a pinch of salt and remember, you can simply regenerate any content that you feel isn’t right.

 

1. Social media launch post

 

What I provided to Copy.ai

 

 

Copy.ai’s response:

 

 

 

2. Google descriptions

 

What I provided to Copy.ai

 

 

Copy.ai’s response:

 

 

 

3. Love letter

 

What I provided to Copy.ai

 

 

Copy.ai’s response:

 

 

 

 

4. Sales copy (AIDA)

 

What I provided to Copy.ai

 

 

Copy.ai’s response:

 

 

 

5. Sales copy (PAS)

 

What I provided to Copy.ai

 

 

Copy.ai’s response:

 

 

 

6. Explain like I’m 5

 

What I provided to Copy.ai

 

 

Copy.ai’s response:

 

 

 

Copy AI Plans and Pricing

 

How Much Does Copy AI Cost?

 

 

Copy.ai’s pricing plans are straightforward. Everything starts with a free plan that includes ten credits. You get complete access to all Copy.ai tools, but you aren’t likely to get far with only those ten credits.

 

Their paid plan is titled “Pro” and available for $49/mo. Prices drop to $35/mo if you’re willing to pre-pay for an annual subscription. You get everything in the free plan plus priority support. Pro plan users also get to try all new features first.

 

There is also an enterprise plan available for larger companies. That includes everything in the Pro plan plus some collaboration features. Pricing isn’t publicized but will likely depend on the volume of users you have.

 

 

How Does Copy AI compare to Jasper AI?

 

Jasper.ai and Copy.ai provide almost identical services – at least on the surface. However, after testing both, the subtle differences prompt me to recommend Jasper.ai as the better alternative. These differences are essential if you intend to use either platform for business.

 

 

Jasper.ai feels more professional, and the content produced is simply more accurate in comparison. Copy.ai occasionally has random (and entirely wrong) content, whereas Jasper.ai is mostly reasonably correct.

 

I also feel that Jasper’s templates are more finely-tuned than Copy.ai even as they try to accomplish the same thing. For example, Copy.ai includes a template to “Explain it like I’m 5.” In contrast, the Jasper option lets you select the audience’s age range.

 

There are only two areas that I feel Jasper loses out to Copy.ai – pricing and ease of use. The former is something you can’t work around. Only you can decide if Jasper is worth its heftier price tag.

 

Although Jasper.ai can feel more complex, more comprehensive tutorials make up for this. The inclusion of video guides can be a significant influencing factor here.

 

Check out our full Jasper review for more details.

 

 

Bonus Tips To Use Copy AI More Effectively

 

Lastly – here are some tips that I’ve learnt out of my own experience to help you get the most out of Copy.ai.

 

1. Use longer prompts

 

When you’re using copy.ai to make a copy, you can set the prompt for the copy text. The prompt is the question or idea you want your audience to think about when they read your copy. Try:

 

 

 

2. Don’t use the same template repeatedly

 

You should also avoid using the same template for different problems, customers, projects, and audiences. For example, if you’re trying to build content for a travel website, don’t choose a template designed for another purpose altogether.

 

Each type of audience will have its own needs and wants in terms of tone, voice, and subject matter—which means that each situation requires its own set of wordsmithing skills. Thankfully, Copy.ai caters to this – for example, by selecting a tone of voice. Make sure to use the features at your disposal.

 

 

3. Use Copy AI as a starting point

 

Once you’ve used Copy.ai to create a base copy, you can edit and customize it as necessary. I highly recommend doing this since the platform is far from ideal. Unfortunately, most AI platforms aren’t at the point where you can simply cut and paste without worrying about the quality (and accuracy) of the content.

 

 

4. You can juggle sections around

 

Copy.ai lets you easily drag and drop sections to structure your article. This feature works in real-time, so you can see what your content will look like as you go along. Once the outline is precisely the way you want it, you can move to talking point generation.

 

Even when everything is complete, remember that you don’t have to use the default structure of introduction, body, and conclusion. Instead, you can rearrange the sections by dragging them around.

 

 

5. Expand content with “More Like This”

 

Generated content on Copy.ai can be extended. If you read some generated content you like, click on “More Like This” to let Copy.ai know that’s the train of thought to follow. However, while this feature is useful, it’s another that could use some slight improvements.

 

 

Conclusion: Who Can Benefit From Using Copy AI?

 

Again we encounter another tool meant to make life easier. I agree that AI content could be extremely helpful, especially for small businesses or blogs. Hiring a copywriter can be time-consuming and expensive – two deadly dangers to small businesses.

 

Strangely enough, Copy.ai can serve another unlikely market – content producers themselves. While it can’t replace their skills, using Copy.ai does somewhat help to alleviate writer’s block. It worked for me, as an example.

 

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. What is Copy.ai used for?

 

Copy.ai is an intelligent assistant for creating online content. It helps everyone from small businesses to large enterprises produce more compelling articles, social media posts, blog posts, etc.

 

2. What is an AI copywriter?

 

An AI copywriter is a software program that uses AI to create content for your website or social media pages. The program learns what works and what doesn’t, then uses this information to write better-performing content than humans can do on their own.

 

3. Which is better, Copy.ai or Jasper.ai?

 

Jasper.ai is a much more advanced tool than Copy.ai, but it’s also more expensive. Jasper AI pushes the envelope of AI features to the next level, allowing you to do more than produce content. For example, it can check the weather or local times.

 

4. Will AI replace copywriters?

 

The question of whether AI will replace copywriters is a complex one. There is no doubt that technology exists to create content with increasingly good quality. However, I feel that AI engines are simply not sufficiently advanced – yet.

 

5. How do I delete my Copy.ai account?

 

To delete your Copy.ai account, you need to send an email to a specific email account – [email protected]. No option allows you to cancel your account from within your subscription dashboard.

 

6. Does Copy.ai paraphrase?

 

The core purpose of Copy.ai is to generate unique content. All the data runs through a deep machine learning model to ensure that your article remains unique. However, there is an included paraphrase tool called “Sentence Rewriter.”

 

7. Is Copy.ai free?

 

Copy.ai has a free plan option limited to 10 credits per month. The free plan is sufficient for testing the tool, but any real use would require an upgrade to their paid version that is billable monthly or annually.