With the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’ll say it again: as fantastic as ChatGPT can be, it is far from perfect. Efficient does not always mean effective when it comes to content creation, so there’s a lot to keep in mind if you’re going to use AI generated content.
Here are some tips on how to use ChatGPT productively:
ChatGPT can only produce content consistent with the quality of your prompts. If your prompts are specific, you’ll get a more quality output. You should be clear not just about the content you want, but the style and tone you want it written in as well. Any relevant details you can think of, provide it. Be precise and detailed. If you’re vague, your content will be generic and ineffective.
Specificity, you should go at least one layer deeper than you think – maybe 2, even if it seems silly at first. Include context for your question or prompt. Define an intended audience. Give examples of what you want. Tell it what you don’t want. And don’t forget to include your desired output format – do you need a specific word or character count? An outline vs a list vs a paragraph? Whatever structure you need, make sure it is part of your prompt.
Not sure what to write in your prompt? Ask ChatGPT to ask YOU for what it needs! First, let ChatGPT know that you’re going to ask it to write email, blog, and Instagram content for your business. Then ask it to ask you questions that it needs to know in order to complete the task. Once you answer the questions it spits out, type in your prompt. You are much more likely to get content specific to your business and audience when you use this approach.
You can check out the OpenAI best practices for examples of good vs. bad prompts. It’s SUPER helpful as you’re first getting started.
Revising and refining anything that comes out of ChatGPT is a big part of the process. Tweaking can be done personally to generated content, or it can be done within ChatGPT itself. You can rephrase the question or provide feedback on what is or isn’t working. Whatever you do, make sure the content you’re putting out there reflects your brand in the way you want it to. You have a unique voice, so tweak your content until it fits.
As tempting as it seems to accept ChatGPT’s output as fact, DON’T DO IT! ChatGPT has had the input of a TON of data, which makes it both valuable and dangerous. Depending on the topic, it’s possible that wrong information or clear biases were input on top of the raw data. So do your due diligence and always verify that the information is correct before posting it anywhere.
Anything you say in ChatGPT can and will be used against you. That is to say, every input into the bot may become part of its training. So be careful not to input any proprietary or personal information that you wouldn’t want in the public, because your privacy is not guaranteed.
While ChatGPT does not directly copy from original sources, if your prompt is similar to someone else’s, it may produce VERY similar output. This can make it seem like the copy was plagiarized and could put you in a vulnerable position. All the more reason to be incredibly specific with your prompts and use the output as a starting point, not a final product!
These warnings and best practices aren’t meant to scare you, they’re meant to empower you with a realistic vision of what it could look like to integrate ChatGPT into your content creation.
Do you have any more ChatGPT tips or best practices? I’d love to hear from you!
Lorem ipsum dolor amet mumblecore stumptown meggings, poutine quinoa brunch waistcoat fashion axe paleo williamsburg.
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.