ChatGPT Prompting Guide for Marketers
Disclaimer: For the purpose of this post, I will be using ChatGPT, but the same logic applies if you use Clause, Gemini, Perplexity, etc.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
AI keeps improving, but for most marketers, ChatGPT's outputs will only be as good as the prompts it is given.
This is a common pain point for people just trying their hand with AI chatbots because explaining something to AI the same way as you would a human isn’t always the best approach.
If you're curious about upping your marketing game using ChatGPT but aren't quite sure where to start, these are the best tips and tricks to know.
How to Finesse ChatGPT
What not to do
First, let's go over what not to do when prompting ChatGPT as a marketer.
You shouldn't choose a prompt that's too short or too long, according to the results of my tests in ChatGPT.
Although most ChatGPT prompts include less than nine words (a little scanty if you ask me), prompts that are roughly 21 words long are most effective.
Add detail
Detail is good, and being specific will help you get the best results from ChatGPT.
Many times, people don't use full sentences and natural language while conversing with ChatGPT, thinking the model will just “get it”, but I advise against this.
Instead, talk to ChatGPT like you would another person or colleague: in complete thoughts.
Give context
While you will want to talk to ChatGPT like a normal person, it's not a good idea to assume that ChatGPT has the context and base level of knowledge that a human does.
Tell it what you want to accomplish, and add photos and PDFs or details about your role where possible.
Use at least 21 words in your prompt
In extending the length of your prompt to around 21 words, you can add detail and context to fill in the gaps in your prompts.
On the other hand, you should also be concise, avoid complexity, and try not to use marketing jargon.
As you can see, prompting is a delicate balance — which is why it's an art!
How to make the best prompts in ChatGPT
Before even starting to write a prompt, you need to think about the four components of a great prompt.
These are
Persona
Persona essentially tells ChatGPT what role to play, which gives it some context for how to behave and respond.
Task
Task is the one you're probably used to writing, as it explains what you want ChatGPT to do.
Context
Context is an easy concept to grasp too, because it's just giving ChatGPT more foundation about the task and the result you want.
Format
Format is simply a way to control what kind of output you want ChatGPT to provide — it could be a paragraph, a bulleted list, or something else.
Use these tips to level up your ChatGPT experience
So, how does this look in practice?
Let's see an example for ChatGPT that uses all four prompting components:
You are a marketing manager. Draft an executive summary email to [persona] based on [details about relevant marketing campaign]. Limit to bullet points.
Spotting these components of a good prompt in action is pretty easy.
The first sentence is the persona, and it tells ChatGPT that it's thinking like a marketing manager.
The second sentence includes both the task (drafting a summary email) and the context (based on a marketing campaign).
Finally, the format is bullet points.
You don't have to use every aspect of prompting in every prompt you create, but keeping persona, task, context, and format in mind during prompt ideation is a great way to improve output.
Other ChatGPT Prompting Guidelines
Break it up
Don't try to overload ChatGPT all at once.
Take it step-by-step, limiting individual prompts to one clear and concise request.
This is especially important when creating blogs!
Give constraints
You can tell ChatGPT specifically what you're looking for, and this will help you get a desired response.
For example, include in your prompt how long you want responses to be, or how many options you want to receive.
Assign a role
This is another reminder to consider persona when creating a prompt for ChatGPT.
Ask for feedback
Try asking ChatGPT what additional information it needs to provide the best response.
You can treat it like a two-way conversation, just like a colleague might ask for clarification if they aren't quite sure what you're asking for.
Consider tone
Asking ChatGPT to provide responses in a specific tone can help your responses suit your target audience.
For example, you wouldn't want the same tone for a message to a friend as a message to an important client.
Say it another way
Sometimes, rephrasing your prompts is all it takes to get the output you want from ChatGPT, so think outside the box.
That's it!
With these tips, you should be on your way to getting the best responses from ChatGPT.
Remember: ChatGPT isn't responsible for your mistakes
Don't forget ChatGPT's mistakes are your issue.
ChatGPT is essentially an AI employee that can perform tasks that might be assigned to a human.
With this context in mind, one question has come to the forefront.
If ChatGPT makes a mistake, who is responsible?
This is a valid question to ask today when using ChatGPT in Workspace, but at the end of the day, a human needs to review all AI output.
Review AI Output
Before putting an output from ChatGPT into action, review it to ensure clarity, relevance, and accuracy.
And, of course, the most important thing to keep in mind: Generative AI is meant to help humans, but the final output is yours.
No matter how good your prompt is, ChatGPT (and all AI models) can still make mistakes.
Verifying responses from ChatGPT is an essential component of leveraging it effectively, and giving feedback is a great way to improve the experience overall in the future.
Now that ChatGPT is available on the best phones through an app and on all laptops, it's more accessible than ever.
So! Take these prompt tips and become the best, most efficient marketer ever!
Creating memorable brands one print at a time.
1 个月Useful tips!
Senior Managing Director
1 个月Jameela G. Very Informative. Thank you for sharing.