We’ve been experimenting with AI generated content for some time and wanted to share a few helpful tips based on our experience and expertise. As an SEO agency, these new technologies are of particular significance to us, especially after Google’s recent clarification on AI-generated content. If you’re thinking about using ChatGPT as part of your content strategy, here’s a step by step guide on how to produce the best outputs with prompt examples.
1. Find your tone of voice
Take a past piece of writing that you’re happy with and ask ChatGPT to define your tone of voice. You can do this in a separate conversation and then save for later.
I’m going to give you a piece of my writing. Analyse my writing style and create a prompt that I can give you in future to produce the same style.
Here is the text:
[insert text]
2. Ask ChatGPT to play a role
Train ChatGPT to play a role that’s relevant to your piece of writing.
You are an expert [insert role] who has worked in [insert industry] industry for 25 years honing your knowledge and skills. You have successfully [relevant actions]. Become this role and give answers to the questions I ask based on your experience and expertise to give well researched, reliable ideas, opinions and content.
3. Ask ChatGPT for content ideas
If you’re not sure what content to write about then ChatGPT can help. There are two prompts below for brainstorming more conventional and less conventional content ideas.
Conventional
[insert topic] – for this topic, brainstorm new angles and approaches. Prioritise ideas that are uncommon or novel
Use these strategies:
– Combine and expand ideas
– Consider all the possibilities
– Use outside perspectives to challenge conventional thinking
– Focus on interesting, thought provoking and unique ideas
– Use markdown to format the response
Less Conventional
[insert topic] – for this topic, brainstorm blog ideas for my website
Use these strategies:
– Combine and expand ideas
– Consider all the possibilities
– Focus on interesting, thought provoking and unique ideas
– Use markdown to format the response
4. Ask ChatGPT to create an outline
Once you have your content title you’ll want to create an outline for the piece of content that you’re happy with.
Write me a blog outline on the topic “[insert topic]“. Focus on points related to [your focus areas, in a list] and avoid points related to [anything you want to avoid, in a list]. Provide clear sections with subsections and expand subsections to make this outline more detailed. Prioritise points that will make the article more useful for [your audience].
Format this outline using markdown for section headings and bullets and sub-bullets for sub-sections.
The outline is quite important so we’d recommend taking the time to review all the points and make edits to ensure you’re going to get the best piece of content possible. You can ask ChatGPT to expand certain sections, add or remove sections. Alternatively, take a manual approach and make some edits yourself.
5. Understanding the outline
We’re going to first give ChatGPT the whole outline we want to use for some extra training but then break it into chunks for the actual content generation.
I am writing a blog on the topic “[your chosen title]“. Here is my outline below. I am going to ask you to help me write each section. Don’t respond with your take on each part of the outline. Instead, give me a short summary of the piece as a whole so I know you’ve understood this outline.
Here is the outline:
[insert outline]
Read the response and make sure this is what you’re looking to achieve with this piece of content. If not, go back to your outline and make some adjustments. Otherwise, carry one with these steps.
6. Content Generation
Now we’re ready to start generating the content. Take each section of your outline and feed it to ChatGPT. Make sure you re-use your writing style/tone of voice information from Step 1 and feel free to include some other writing strategies too. I’ve included some examples in the prompt below.
Help me write this section of the blog in a [insert style] style that sounds [how do you want it to sound eg. formal, informal, natural]. Use a voice that is [tone of voice], and adopt a tone that is [tone of voice]. The text should be helpful and insightful, backing up points with evidence where possible. Expand each part of the outline to create a detailed section.
Use these strategies:
– Avoid unclear antecedents at the start of a sentence
– Back up main points with evidence and examples
– Break down and expand on points to create a richer longer-form piece of content
– Don’t repeat phrases
– Format your output using markdownHere is the outline:
[insert the first part of your outline]
Copy the output over into a separate document. Repeat this again for the next part and make it clear to ChatGPT this is the next section.
Help me write the next section of the blog in a [insert style] style that sounds [how do you want it to sound eg. formal, informal, natural]. Use a voice that is [tone of voice], and adopt a tone that is [tone of voice]. The text should be helpful and insightful, backing up points with evidence where possible. Expand each part of the outline to create a detailed section.
Use these strategies:
– Avoid unclear antecedents at the start of a sentence
– Back up main points with evidence and examples
– Break down and expand on points to create a richer longer-form piece of content
– Don’t repeat phrases
– Format your output using markdownHere is the outline:
[insert the next part of your outline]
7. Proofreading
If you want a great piece of writing then ChatGPT is going to help you to get 50-75% of the way there. It’s essential to take the time to proofread what it has produced and improve/edit where necessary. Be on the lookout for:
- Repetition
- Factual inaccuracies
- Americanisms
- Incorrect tense
- Plagiarism
For more information on producing great copy in general, be sure to check out our content writing guide and get in touch with our team! We have a more in-depth look at AI-generated content and SEO so be sure to check that out too.