How to Write Better AI Prompts: The Key Factors for Success
Writing effective prompts for AI tools like ChatGPT can make the difference between vague, generic outputs and precise, high-quality results. In this post, you'll learn what makes a good prompt and how you can improve your prompts today.
⸻
Why Good Prompts Matter
When your prompts are clear and structured, you: • Get more accurate outputs • Save time by reducing the need for follow-up edits • Ensure the AI understands the goal, context, and tone
Whether you're generating blog posts, coding helpers, ad creatives, or video scripts – mastering prompts is essential.
⸻
The Key Factors of a Good Prompt
- Clarity and Specificity
Be clear and direct. Avoid vague instructions like "Write something about marketing". Instead, specify "Write a LinkedIn post about why AI is changing marketing strategy for small businesses."
Source: OpenAI Prompt Engineering Best Practices
⸻
- Provide Relevant Context
Explain who it's for and why. For example: • Instead of "Write a bedtime story." • Say "Write a 3-minute bedtime story for a 5-year-old who loves dinosaurs and space adventures."
Source: Shopify: Writing Effective ChatGPT Prompts
⸻
- Define a Role or Persona
Framing the AI with a persona shapes the tone and expertise.
✅ "You are a financial advisor explaining mortgages to first-time home buyers."
Source: LearnPrompting: Role Prompting Guide
⸻
- Specify Tone and Style
Tell the AI how you want it to sound: • Formal, casual, humorous, inspirational?
For example:
✅ "Explain the benefits of strength training in a friendly and motivational tone for beginners."
Source: Coursera: How To Write ChatGPT Prompts
⸻
- Give Output Format Instructions
If you want bullet points, lists, JSON, or specific section headings – state it explicitly.
✅ "Provide 3 bullet points summarising the pros and cons, then conclude with a one-line recommendation."
Source: MIT Sloan: Effective Prompts for AI
⸻
- Ask for Missing Inputs
If your prompt has placeholders, rewrite it to include questions that collect all needed inputs before running the task.
✅ "Before you begin, ask me what the target audience is and what tone I want."
Source: Prompting Guide by DAIR.AI
⸻
- Provide Examples
Showing an example of your desired output helps the AI mimic the format and style accurately.
✅ "Here is an example format. Please follow this structure for my topic."
Source: OpenAI Best Practices
⸻
Example: Simple vs Optimized Prompt
Simple Prompt
Create an image for an ad about our new fitness app.
Optimized Prompt
You are a professional ad creative designer.
Before you begin with the task, ask me what the main benefit of the fitness app is.
Before you begin with the task, ask me what target audience the ad is for.
Before you begin with the task, ask me what platform this ad will be used on.
Before you begin with the task, ask me what tone and style I want for the ad image.
Create an ad image concept for the fitness app highlighting its main benefit for the specified audience in the specified tone and style. Suggest colours, typography, and key visual elements to attract attention on the chosen platform.
