I’d bet that most copywriters prompt AI in a similar way:
- Submit an initial request and background information to your AI tool of choice
- Send over adjustment prompt 1, 2, 3, etc.
- Settle on something you can (hopefully edit) and use
Honestly, that’s how I use it much of the time.*
However, the content team at Iron Horse has recently been experimenting with another prompting framework*—one that is quite a bit more involved. As I was going through each step, I couldn’t help asking myself: Is this worth it?
How much better are the results when I go through a 60-90 minute prompting process compared to a 5-10 minute one?
So I tested it out, using copy written 100% by a copywriter as the control. Here are the results.
About the prompting frameworks.
I used two different prompting frameworks: our own AI Like a Human and an evolution of the Trust Insights PARE AI Framework that I’m calling the PARE AI Plus Framework.
The AI Like a Human process.
This prompting process adds more prep prior to creating your initial content generation request. Instead of just asking for revisions after the first prompt, it suggests:
- Asking the AI tool for feedback on what it needs from the prompter to generate the content
- Refining the content outline for clarity
- Then officially requesting the first draft of the content
For more info on this process, check out the Coffee Break where Alex Jonathan Brown demoed it with real life examples.
The PARE AI Plus Framework.
This framework is far more structured and detailed. And way more time consuming. It includes deeper analysis and evaluation throughout, including specific steps like:
- Analyzing writing styles and best practices
- Creating scoring rubrics
- Generating multiple documents to use as training and reference
- Asking the tool to self-evaluate and optimize with the scoring rubrics
Basically, you begin by getting the tool to think about how to evaluate writing styles and then ask it to evaluate your own writing style—all before even thinking about generating content. It’s a little overwhelming. You end with several layers of self-evaluation by your AI tool on how well the AI met the set criteria, followed by iterative refinement based on scoring rubrics.
Do you see why I was questioning whether that’s all worth it?
But does the time- and resource-heavy framework create better copy?
And are its responses better enough to justify the time put into them? Let’s compare.
For this test, I used ChatGPT 4o and a series of LinkedIn posts we were crafting to promote the Using AI Like a Human webinar mentioned above.
I won’t write down the whole process and every prompt I used before getting to the copy generation part. Here are some basics to help with context:
- Comparison. Obviously the final content generation prompts look very different between these two frameworks. However I did provide the same webinar abstract and basic social media post stipulations for each test, which I’ll include at the beginning of each section.
- Writer style analysis. I used my own writing examples from 15 previous LinkedIn posts to prime this analysis.
- Content priming. I asked the tool to provide best practices for social media posts (which are notoriously Very Bad and Full Of Emojis when ChatGPT writes them.)
The results: LinkedIn Post 1.
The post guidance.
This is a straightforward introduction to the webinar with a link to the registration page. This post does not need to include the title of the webinar, because that will appear in the image that pops up when posting a link. This copy should be short and informational and is published 2 weeks prior to the webinar.
AI Like a Human.
| Version | Drafts & Revisions |
| First draft | Join us for a live webinar where we’ll explore how AI can revolutionize your content creation process. Discover strategies to enhance your workflow, beat writer’s block, and maintain content quality. Don’t miss out! |
| Revision prompts | 1: Focus. It’s not about how to use AI in content creation, but how to use AI like a human and not sacrifice quality 2: Wording. This seems like a lot of words in the post before getting to the main point. 3: Overused words. Avoid overused calls to action like “discover.” 4: What it really means. While this [using AI like a human] is the title, it doesn’t tell me a lot in this context. Expand on what it means to use AI like a human. Why is this important? What’s interesting about it? 5: Personality. Can you give these posts a little more personality? Here are some examples of copy we have published that have more personality. |
| Final draft | AI in content creation: a blessing or a curse? 🤔 We’re diving into how to use AI like a human, so your content doesn’t sound like it was written by a robot. Speed up your workflow, beat writer’s block, and keep it high-quality. Ready to level up? Register now! |
PARE AI Plus Framework.
| Version | Drafts & Revisions |
| First draft | AI can save you time—if you know how to use it. Join us for a hands-on session where Alex Jonathan Brown will show you how to make AI work like a true content creation partner. We’ll cover tips for building effective prompts, cutting down on your editing time, and the types of content you should never, ever leave to AI. It’s about speeding up your workflow while keeping that human touch. Don’t miss it—register now! → [link] |
| Revision prompts | 1: Self review & optimization 2: Vibe adjustment. This webinar takes a much more realistic and sometimes jaded approach to using AI for content creation. The takeaway is that AI can be an asset, but you have to be very careful. We’ll show you the process to follow. |
| Final draft | AI is powerful—but it’s not a magic solution. If you’ve tried it, you know it takes more than just prompts to get the quality content you need. Join Alex Jonathan Brown for a straightforward look at how to make AI actually work for you. We’ll dive into the real process of speeding up your workflow without losing that human touch—and the pitfalls you need to avoid along the way. This isn’t about replacing humans. It’s about making AI a useful tool in the right hands. Want to see how it’s done? Register here → [link] |
Copywriter’s control version.
Verdict.
The PARE Plus final post is great. I would have used that copy as-is. The more basic framework turned out a post that isn’t bad…it’s just not great. Which is what I’m used to from AI. I would have reworked the hook and tweaked the body to make it sound more like me. Of course, the copywriter’s version is the most personal feeling. It’s also the least positive towards AI…go figure.
Which prompting process did best? PARE AI Plus, obviously. Worth the time? I think so.
The results: LinkedIn Post 2.
The post guidance.
This is a short intro into the topic of the webinar with the CTA to register. This post will include an image with basic information about the webinar. This is published 1 week prior to the webinar.
AI Like a Human.
| Version | Drafts & Revisions |
| First draft | Are you leveraging AI tools to their full potential? Join our upcoming live webinar to discover practical strategies for integrating AI into your content creation workflow. Learn from industry expert Alex Jonathan Brown and elevate your content game. Register now! |
| Revision prompts | Same 5 as in the first post |
| Final draft | Tired of AI making your content sound like it’s from a sci-fi movie? Join our webinar to get the scoop on using AI like a human. We’re talking real tips and strategies to keep your content top-notch. Don’t miss out – register now! |
PARE AI Plus Framework.
| Version | Drafts & Revisions |
| First draft | You’ve heard the hype about AI and content creation—but is it really that simple? 🤔 Join Alex Jonathan Brown in this no-nonsense webinar to learn how AI can speed up your process and where it can fall short. We’ll cover how to build prompts that actually work and which tasks you should never leave to a machine. Curious to see how it all plays out? Register now → [link] |
| Revision prompts | 1: Self review & optimization 2: Direction adjustment. It’s not really about getting better results faster. It’s about how it’s useful for efficiency (using AI for tedious tasks) and helps with brainstorming (getting out of your own head or getting unstuck). 3: Catching nonsense. “We all know AI can handle the heavy lifting” I don’t know what that means. Please rewrite. |
| Final draft | Get a realistic look at how AI can free you up from the mundane tasks and help spark new ideas when you’re stuck. Learn what AI can’t do (and shouldn’t do!) in content creation with Alex Jonathan Brown. Curious how it all works? Register now → [link] |
Copywriter’s control version.
Verdict.
The PARE Plus copy ended up feeling a little literal based on my feedback. I felt like it lost a bit of the original webinar abstract—probably due to the long conversation. That being said, it’s not bad copy. I’ve probably published posts like this. The basic prompting system ended up a little cheesy—again predictable with AI-generated social media content. “Get the scoop” and “top-notch?” No thank you.
The copywriter’s post is the only option with a hint of real humor. It also reads the most human, which is unsurprising.
Which prompting process did best? PARE Plus…barely (but both posts were weaker than PARE Plus’s Post 1). Worth the time? Not really.
The results: LinkedIn Post 3.
The post guidance.
This post is published 2-3 days before the webinar and offers up a last chance to register and attend the webinar.
AI Like a Human.
| Version | Drafts & Revisions |
| First draft | Last chance to register for our live webinar on using AI for content creation! Don’t miss out on insights and strategies that can transform your workflow and boost productivity. Sign up now and join us on June 27th at 11 AM PT. |
| Revision prompts | Same 5 as in the first post |
| Final draft | Time’s ticking! ⏰ Last chance to join us and learn how to use AI like a human in your content creation. Keep the quality, speed up the process, and impress your audience. Register now for our June 27th webinar! |
PARE AI Plus Framework.
| Version | Drafts & Revisions |
| First draft | Missed out on AI tools that really work for content creation? This is your last chance to join Alex Jonathan Brown for a realistic, hands-on session on using AI without losing that human touch. Learn the strategies for making AI work for you—and the pitfalls to avoid. Don’t miss it—register now before it’s too late! → [link] |
| Revision prompts | 1: Self review & optimization 2: Same direction adjustment 3: Same nonsense catch 4: Accuracy. “Last chance to rethink…” – it’s not the last chance in reality. People can learn about this anywhere. “This session is all about…” That’s not the only thing this webinar is about. See webinar abstract. |
| Final draft | If you’ve spent any time trying to use AI tools like ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot, you probably know it’s not all smooth sailing. In this session, Alex Jonathan Brown will show you realistic ways to make AI work for you—helping you get rid of the tasks you hate, cut down on editing time, and still create content that feels human. We’ll also dive into the types of content you should never outsource to AI. Want a practical take on using AI without the hype? Join us → [link] |
Copywriter’s control version.
Verdict.
This is probably the weakest PARE Plus result…which is interesting, as it got the most revisions and took the longest. It’s still going to be the winner, as the basic framework turned up a snooze-fest of a post.
What I find interesting about all three copywriter versions is how they are the only posts that don’t feel plucked directly from the abstract. Which, of course, aligns with what we know about GenAI and how it works—and what we know about copywriters and how they work!
Which prompting process did best? Do I even have to say it? It’s PARE AI Plus. Worth the time? Still no?
The Iron Horse insight.
| Category | PARE Plus | AI Like a Human | Copywriter |
| Time | 1-1.5 hours | 20 minutes | 30-45 minutes |
| Number of prompts | 20 | 6 | 0 |
| Copy Quality Analysis | Stronger of the prompting processes | Weaker of the prompting processes | Overall winner |
Was the time and effort put into the hefty framework worth it? Probably not for LinkedIn posts (unless you’re writing those really long, thought leadership ones.)
That being said, I will not deny how impressed I have been generally with the results of the PARE AI Plus Framework. Would it be worth it for blog posts, landing page copy and other long-form, notoriously labor-intensive assets?* Yeah! I think so!
Is it a better framework to use if you don’t have a copywriter you can lean on? It’s by far the best framework I’ve found for generating copy you might not have to edit (so much) afterwards. So yes!
The AI Like a Human process is way more realistic for your average GenAI query. It’s laughable how much faster it is, especially for easier or shorter requests. At the end of the day, the balance of preparation to revision is up to you. Give both frameworks a try…but keep a good copywriter around as no framework will consistently get you all the way there.
*At Iron Horse, we’re never going to use AI to generate final, un-edited copy. We use AI for a variety of use cases, including brainstorming, pushing past writer’s block and getting to a first draft more quickly and efficiently. All final copy is always written according to our expertise and best practices. Any input by AI is thoroughly analyzed and adjusted to produce the best result possible.
