Creating graphics or tracking down images to use in your marketing and social media can be time consuming for many small business owners. But not anymore!
OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, also created an AI image generator called DALL-E. It’s like ChatGPT, but instead of written words, it produces 4 images per prompt. And if you prompt it right, let me tell you, it can be a GAME CHANGER!
Whether you need a unique image for a social media post, a flier, or a full on mural, DALL-E can create pretty much anything. It also has a feature called “outpainting” where you can add onto and edit already existing images – including images you just created. It’s impressive.
There are tons of tutorials out there on how to use each of these features, and I’m not going to pretend to be the expert. However, I did want to take a second to give you some best practices when it comes to prompts when using DALL-E or other AI image generators.
Similar to ChatGPT, the first rule applies: garbage in, garbage out. You want to be as specific as possible when describing the image you want. The program can only work with what you give it. But just because it’s specific, that doesn’t mean it has to be complex. Simplicity is also the name of the game when it comes to image generation. If you give it too much, it more or less “loses focus”. So keep it simple, but also make it highly specific.
So what should you be specific about?
Input all of that in a simple sentence and voila! 4 images that match your prompt. You can choose one or continue to refine, either by editing your prompt or by using the outpainting feature.
One caveat to DALL-E is that you need to buy credits in order to use it. You use one credit per prompt, which is another reason to learn how to make your prompts as productive as possible. Luckily it’s only $15 for 115 credits, so it’s very affordable for the small business owner. Buying a stock photo can cost much more than the cost of 1 credit, so if you know exactly what you want and can describe it well, this can definitely be the cheaper option.
Have you had any experience with DALL-E? Any other tips you would add? I would love to hear about it!
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With over 15 years of experience, I've worked with countless small businesses just like yours. I can provide you with the tools and resources that will help make marketing less overwhelming.