How a solo marketer at Copy.ai 10x'd content with AI + freelancers

Let’s get this out of the way first. AI-generated content has a reputation problem. Too much of it feels generic, uninspired, and lifeless. But that doesn’t mean AI isn’t one of the most powerful tools you can use to elevate your content strategy—when you use it right. I sat down with Nathan Thompson, Head of Content Strategy at Copy.ai, to dive deep into this topic.

If you’re tired of "AI slop" (a term coined by the Director of Content Marketing at Ahrefs Ryan Law) and want to 10x your content creation without sacrificing authenticity or quality, let’s dive in. We’ll explore how smart workflows, overlooked content sources, and a balance of human creativity and AI can help you do more with less while creating high-quality content.

1. AI: Your new content creation BFF

AI isn’t here to replace you, it’s here to handle the stuff you don’t want to do. Think of repetitive, time-consuming tasks that bog you down. As Nathan put it:

By automating the grunt work, AI frees up your brain for the high-value, creative tasks that actually move the needle. Want to brainstorm campaign ideas or refine your messaging? AI gives you the time to focus on exactly that.

2. Workflows: Build it once, use it forever

The secret to making AI work for you is to stop winging it with just chat. Building structured workflows is the key to scaling content efficiently. Instead of starting from scratch every time, create a system that works on autopilot.

Nathan breaks down AI chat tools vs. AI workflows here and on his blog.

With a workflow in place, you can tackle recurring projects—blog posts, email campaigns, social media content—with a fraction of the effort.

3. Transcripts and recordings: Untapped goldmine

Here’s a surprising truth: your best content might already exist, buried in meeting recordings or video transcripts.

Turn a 60-minute interview transcript into a concise summary of the top 5-10 insights—in seconds. Skip the slog of reviewing raw material and dive straight into building a cohesive, impactful narrative. This part makes me really excited, as I shared during our chat:

By feeding these sources into AI tools, you can surface unique, insightful content that feels fresh and authentic. That Zoom call you recorded last week? It’s not just a meeting—it’s the start of your next great article.

4. AI meets authenticity: Better than bullet points

One of the biggest concerns with AI content is authenticity. Can it really capture your unique voice? Nathan argues that AI can actually make your content more authentic:

By using AI to extract real insights from expert conversations, you’re not manufacturing a voice—you’re amplifying their own. The result? Thought leadership content that feels human, not robotic. More on how to do this here.

5. Humans matter (so tap into freelance talent)

Here’s the truth: you don’t need to spend all your time creating content for it to be effective. AI handles the heavy lifting, but strategic human input still makes a difference. Nathan explains the case for when he knew he needed to hire experienced freelancers to help him do something that AI could not:

The trick is to combine AI automation with targeted human expertise. Use freelancers or team members to refine, review, and polish what AI generates. You’ll get the best of both worlds, efficiency and quality.

TL;DR — Steps to 10x your content creation

Ready to put this into practice? Here’s how to get started:

1. Identify repetitive tasks that bog down your content process. Automate them with AI workflows (Copy.ai, Zapier, Spiral, etc).

2. Build workflows for recurring projects or multi-step tasks. Set them up once, and let AI handle the rest.

3. Mine transcripts and recordings for hidden insights. Turn meetings and events into thought leadership content.

4. Use AI to enhance authenticity, not replace it. Focus on unearthing real voices and real expertise.

5. Strategically outsource high-value tasks to humans for the perfect balance of efficiency and polish.

Closing Thought

AI isn’t a magic wand, but it’s also not the enemy. The real power lies in how you use it—smart workflows, overlooked content sources, and the human touch all come together to create something greater than the sum of its parts.

Embrace the synergy of AI and human expertise, and you’ll unlock content creation potential you didn’t even know you had.

Catch our full "Marketers Do Coffee" chat that streamed live on LinkedIn. 

PS: Check out our team over at Arc.dev to help you find the world's top 2% freelance marketers and more.