The real AI stack I use as a marketer: writing, research, analytics, automation, and design tools that save time every week.
I do not believe that โAI will replace marketers.โ But I do believe that a marketer with AI will outperform a marketer without AI.
Over the past year I rebuilt my workflow around AI tools. The result: tasks that used to take a full day now take 2-3 hours. That is not magic. It is the right tool stack and a clear understanding of where AI is strong and where it is useless.
In this article I will show my real AI stack: what I use every day, how much it costs, and most importantly, concrete examples of how it saves time.
Why an AI stack, not one tool
One ChatGPT is not enough. Each AI tool is strong in its own niche. ChatGPT writes well, but it is weak at data analysis. Perplexity is great for research, but it does not create content. Claude handles long documents well, but it does not have live search.
An AI stack is a combination of tools where each one solves a specific job. Like a craftsmanโs toolkit: a hammer does not replace a screwdriver.
My stack has 4 categories:
- Content and copywriting – texts, ads, posts
- Research and analytics – data search, competitor analysis
- Process automation – routine work on autopilot
- Visuals and design – images, banners, creatives
Category 1: Content and copywriting
ChatGPT (Plus, $20/month)
What I use it for: ad copy, Google Ads headlines, product descriptions, email newsletters, social media posts.
How I use it: I do not ask โwrite a text.โ I give it context: audience, tone, value proposition, character limits. One prompt gives me 10 headline variations in 30 seconds instead of 2 hours of brainstorming.
Example: for a dental client I generate 15 RSA headlines in 5 minutes. That used to take an hour. Best CTR: +23% after an A/B test with AI-generated variations.
Claude (Pro, $20/month)
What I use it for: long analytical texts, strategy docs, website audits, and large files up to 200 pages.
How I use it: I upload a client PDF report or a GA4 export and ask Claude to analyze it and find insights. Claude processes 100+ pages in a minute, which would take me three hours to read manually.
When I choose Claude over ChatGPT: when I need precision, long context, or work with code and documents.
Grammarly (Premium, $12/month)
What I use it for: proofreading English copy for international clients. Tone, grammar, style.
Why not for Ukrainian: Grammarly only supports Ukrainian at a basic level, which is still not enough for marketing copy. For Ukrainian texts I use LanguageTool plus manual editing.
Category 2: Research and analytics
Perplexity (Pro, $20/month)
What I use it for: market research, finding statistics with sources, competitor analysis, trend research.
How I use it: instead of a Google search I ask Perplexity hard questions like, โWhat is the average CPC for dentistry in Ukraine in 2026?โ and get an answer with 5-10 sources in 30 seconds.
Example: competitor analysis for a client. Before: 4 hours of manual research. Now: 1 hour with Perplexity plus manual verification.
Semrush (Business, from $499/month or smaller plans)
What I use it for: SEO audits, keyword analysis, rank tracking, ad competitor analysis.
AI features: Semrush Copilot automatically finds SEO issues and suggests fixes. ContentShake AI generates SEO-optimized articles.
Looker Studio + GA4 (free)
What I use it for: automatic dashboards for clients. I connect GA4, Google Ads, and Search Console, and get a live report that updates automatically.
How AI helps: I use ChatGPT to write formulas and calculated fields in Looker Studio. Tasks that used to take hours in documentation.
Category 3: Process automation
Zapier (Starter, from $19.99/month)
What I use it for: automating routine work between services. Form on site โ CRM โ email โ Google Sheets โ Telegram notification.
Example: a client fills out a form on the site โ the lead goes automatically into HubSpot, Google Sheets, and my Telegram. No manual steps at all.
Claude Code (for development)
What I use it for: creating and editing code for websites, scripts, and automations.
How I use it: this very site, adastramarketing.website, was built with Claude Code. From the WordPress theme to PDF lead magnets, everything runs through an AI assistant.
Google Ads Scripts (free)
What I use it for: automating routine Google Ads work: pausing inefficient keywords, alerts on overspend, weekly reports.
How AI helps: I ask ChatGPT or Claude to write a script for my task. For example: โWrite a Google Ads Script that pauses keywords with CTR < 1% and spend over UAH 500 without conversions.โ It takes 5 minutes instead of hours of manual coding.
Category 4: Visuals and design
Midjourney (from $10/month)
What I use it for: images for blog posts, social media, and ad creatives.
How I use it: I generate hero images for articles, illustrations for case studies, and backgrounds for banners. One prompt gives 4 options in a minute instead of searching stock sites or hiring a designer.
Canva (Pro, from $12.99/month)
What I use it for: Google Ads Display banners, social media visuals, client presentations.
AI features: Magic Write for text, Magic Eraser for images, automatic resize for different formats.
Figma (free for individual use)
What I use it for: landing page mockups, UI elements, client prototypes.
AI plugins: Magician for generating icons and text, AI Image for photos directly in the layout.
How much it costs
| Tool | Price/month | Category | Time saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT Plus | $20 | Content | ~5 hrs/week |
| Claude Pro | $20 | Content + code | ~3 hrs/week |
| Perplexity Pro | $20 | Research | ~3 hrs/week |
| Zapier | $20 | Automation | ~2 hrs/week |
| Midjourney | $10 | Visuals | ~1 hr/week |
| Canva Pro | $13 | Visuals | ~1 hr/week |
| Grammarly | $12 | Content | ~0.5 hr/week |
| Total | ~$115/month | ~15 hrs/week |
About $115 a month for about 15 extra hours a week. That is roughly 60 hours a month. Even at a modest rate of UAH 200/hour, that is UAH 12,000 of value for about UAH 4,700 in subscriptions.
Note: Semrush, Looker Studio, Google Ads Scripts, and Figma are not included because they are free or already covered by another subscription.
AI tools checklist for marketers
PDF: 15 tools with prices, links, and the tasks they are best for. Print it and keep it handy.
Get it on Telegram →5 rules for working with AI effectively
1. AI is an assistant, not the author
Never publish AI text without editing. AI generates a draft, and you turn it into finished content. Your expertise, tone, and examples are what AI cannot replace.
2. Context changes everything
โWrite a text about dentistryโ gives a bad result. โWrite 3 RSA headlines for a dental clinic in Kyiv, USP: implants from UAH 12,000, 10-year warranty, target audience: women 35-55โ gives a strong result.
3. Verify everything
AI hallucinates. Check every number and every fact, especially in content that clients will see. The way we do it on this blog: every statistic has a SOURCE comment with a reference.
4. Automate routine, not strategy
AI is excellent at generating headline variations, reformatting texts, and creating reports. But strategic decisions are yours: which campaign to launch, which message to use, which audience to target.
5. Calculate ROI
Every tool has to justify its cost. If Midjourney at $10/month saves you 4 hours, that is worth it. If you pay $50/month for a tool you use once a month, cancel it.
Want to build your own AI stack?
I can help you choose tools for your tasks and budget. Message on Telegram ยท My services
Frequently asked questions about AI in marketing
For a start, yes. ChatGPT Plus for $20 covers most marketing needs: copy, ideas, prompts, basic analysis. Add other tools gradually once you understand where ChatGPT falls short.
No. AI will replace marketers who do not use AI. Tools automate routine work, but strategy, creativity, client understanding, and market understanding remain human work. AI amplifies you, it does not replace you.
For different jobs. ChatGPT is faster for short tasks like headlines, posts, and ideas. Claude is better for long documents, analysis, and code. Ideally you should have both: ChatGPT for daily routine and Claude for deeper work.
Do not say โAI wrote this.โ Say โI use AI as an assistant to improve efficiency.โ Show the results: faster turnaround, more A/B test variations, better conversion. The result matters more than the process.
$115 equals 60 extra hours a month. If your hour is worth even $5, that is $300 of additional productivity for $115. ROI is 2.6x. And you can start at $20 with just ChatGPT, then add tools gradually.
Anthropic Economic Index data: how AI is really being used
Update (April 2026): Anthropic published the Economic Index, an analysis of 2 million real AI conversations. The key findings are consistent with an AI stack approach:
- Copywriting and content is the most popular AI use case in business
- Analytics and reporting is second, especially through API integrations
- AI complements, it does not replace – most uses fall into augmentation, not automation
- Specialized workflows matter – in practice, different tools are often better suited to different tasks than one universal setup
Full breakdown and takeaways for Ukrainian businesses: Who actually uses AI: 2026 data
Start with one tool
Do not try to implement everything at once. Here is my plan for you:
- Week 1: Subscribe to ChatGPT Plus ($20). Start generating ad copy and social posts.
- Week 2: Add Perplexity Pro ($20). Speed up research and reporting.
- Week 3: Connect Zapier ($20). Automate one routine task.
- Month 2: Add the rest as needed: Claude, Midjourney, Canva.
In a month you will not understand how you worked without AI.
Read also: GEO optimization for AI search ยท How to set up Google Ads ยท About me ยท Case studies
Comments
Discuss on Telegram