5 Best Practices To Write the MOST Effective AI Prompts
Jul 30, 2023
I have been using AI for almost a year now, and think it's an incredibly useful tool for business. I've learned through trial and error, that one of the best ways to help your AI become a better writer for you, is to give it specific requests and examples.
Structuring your prompts
will generate the best possible results.
Below are 5 best practices when
you're working with AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Claude:
▼. ▼. ▼. ▼. ▼.
1. Be clear and specific
Inputting a vague or ambiguous prompt can lead to a misaligned response.
For example,
“Paint a portrait”
won’t generate as useful a response as this clear and specific instruction:
“A teddy bear painting a self portrait as a gif."
Clearly describe the task that should be completed.
Also specify if the response should be a certain length, or in a specific format (i.e. bullet list, etc.).
2. Ask Open Ended Questions
Asking “yes or no” questions results in the generation of less detailed responses.
It's better to ask open-ended questions.
For example, instead of asking:
“Is caffeine good for you?”
pick a specific question or questions like:
“What are the top benefits and risks of drinking beverages with caffeine?”
3. Check your Spelling & Grammar
If you have any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes in your prompt, it can confuse the AI tool.
Proofread your text to ensure that your spelling is correct and your prompt is easy to understand.
Avoid abbreviations or slang terms unless they are necessary to your response. They can also confuse the AI and you don't want to spend more time explaining what you mean.
4. Include Context
AI tools can NOT understand the context
around your request unless you describe it.
Provide some background and contextual information related to your topic
and the nature of your desired output.
For example:
Who is your AI content writer acting as?
Who is the target audience for the content?
5. Be Clear
In order to generate the best possible content:
- Clarify what you’re creating
- Clarify why you’re creating it
- Clarify who you're creating it for
What goal do you want the audience to achieve?
What should they know after reading your content?
Do you want them to take a certain action, like clicking a link or making a purchase?
Include the purpose, your desired outcome, in your prompt.
THE PROMPT FORMULA
Act like { a type of expert } who is writing copy for { a specific use } to achieve { a specific outcome }.
Make sure your response is formatted as { how many sentences, how many characters, lists, etc. }
BELOW ARE PROMPT EXAMPLES
for a:
- website
- landing page
- SEO
When formulating your own prompt, be sure to specify:
- Relevant contextual and background information
- A specific task or command to be executed
- The goal(s) or purpose of the content
- Your desired length and format for the content
Website
prompt examples
Put [your content] where the brackets are:
Homepage
Act like a highly skilled content writer who specializes in website copy. Write content for the website homepage for [a career coach] with expertise in [coaching clients on making a successful mid-career transition to a different type of job]. Services for [hire include both individual and small group coaching]. Include a compelling value proposition and highlight three to five top benefits of working with [a career coach]. Use an upbeat yet formal tone and a short, elegant sentence structure.
About page
Act like a professional copywriter who writes engaging website content. Write copy for a website About Page introducing [a graphic designer from San Diego, California] with expertise in [logo design]. The [graphic designer] has [10 years] of experience in the [design industry] and multiple [professional certifications]. Personal interests include [knitting, farming, and spending time with family]. Use a fun, snappy tone of voice. Write a total of eight to twelve sentences in paragraph form.
Landing Page
prompt examples
Headline & Subhead
Act like a marketing guru who builds high-converting landing pages for digital products. Write a clear and concise headline and subheadline highlighting the main benefits of [purchasing an online course] about [introductory photography]. The headline should be no more than 10 words. The subheadline should be no more than 20 words and should sit directly below the headline.
Sales Copy
Act like an experienced copywriter who excels at crafting action-provoking sales copy. Write approximately 250 words of copy for a landing page promoting a [paid podcast subscription for $25 per month] for unlimited access to [a podcast on digital entrepreneurship tactics]. Explain several major benefits of [hearing top advice from successful entrepreneurs in a wide range of online businesses]. The copy should also include a powerful hook and a clear call to action to [subscribe to the podcast].
Email
prompt examples
Welcome Email
Act like an email copywriter with a strong mastery of emotionally connecting with readers. Write an email composed of no more than 900 characters of text warmly welcoming new subscribers to an email list they’ve just signed up for. The email list is for [guitar enthusiasts] who have an interest in learning [advanced techniques]. They’ll receive a new email [every week] with tips on [how to play the guitar better].
Sale Announcement
Act like an expert email marketer who creates compelling marketing copy. Write email copy advertising a flash sale for [50% off annual membership] in the [rose gardening community.] The email should be between 75 and 150 words in length and have a warm but expert tone. It should convey a sense of urgency, as the sale ends [in 24 hours]. The regular price of [membership without the discount is $499/year].
SEO Prompt Example:
Act like a search engine optimization expert creating [a course] on [search engine optimization strategy]. Write the content for a [lesson outlining five advanced search engine optimization techniques] that people can use to [increase their website’s search engine ranking]. Write between 750 and 1000 characters total and include an introductory paragraph and a colon after the title of each technique name
Try testing the 5 best practices
on ChatGPT or Claude.
Conclusion:
Learning how to use AI will save you time and make you more money. But effective prompts are critical to getting the right answers from your chatbot the first time, not the 5th or 10th time.
When formulating your own prompt specify:
- Context and background info
- Be specific
- Explain the purpose of the content
- Set a length and format for the content
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