With all the buzz surrounding ChatGPT, it seems like everyone is using AI these days. And it can certainly be an effective tool to make your small business life easier. But how do you make it work effectively for social media? It’s a powerful social media content partner! Below are four tips to use your AI tool-of-choice to create social media content as your own prompt engineer.
Tip #1: Avoid Plagiarism & Other Errors With Certain Prompts
According to OpenAI, the folks who developed ChatGPT, you won’t get the same answer twice. The answers may be similar, but not exactly the same. In addition, ChatGPT has been known to make up things – yes, fake news! You can avoid this, though, by using specific requests.
For example, let’s say you want to develop video scripts to use on TikTok and Instagram. Prompt the AI tool using the following:
“Write three video scripts for Instagram and TikTok talking about the best way to engage business coaches who need a copywriter.”
Being specific about the target audience and the type of service being offered provided a detailed response. It gave information on the background that should be used, voiceover verbiage, plus scripts to use for both platforms. In fact, the response was so good that I may give it to my copywriter friend based in North Carolina.
While the output provided is amazing, I also recommend searching copywriter social media profiles to see if these scripts have been used before. While imitation is a sincere form of flattery, an exact duplication would be embarrassing, not to mention unethical.
Make sure the appropriate voice is used, too. That means rewriting some of the output to represent your business and resonate with your target audience.
Tip #2: Talk to AI Like You Talk to a Social Media Manager
In addition to specific requests, write prompts to an AI tool like you are having a conversation with your social media team.
For example, you are hosting an in-person event and one goal is to increase registrations using your various social media platforms. Write out the following prompt:
“Write four compelling social media posts about an upcoming female entrepreneur networking event in January 2024. The ideal attendee is 40 – 55 years of age and uses Instagram mostly. Early bird pricing ends by November 22, 2023. Include a call-to-action in the posts.”
You would share this same information with your social media expert. The key to success in this prompt include:
- Using the word “compelling”
- Information about my target audience
- Asking for CTAs (calls-to-action)
- Type of event and the date
Want to show your sarcastic side? Ask the AI tool to write with a sarcastic tone. Need to be more professional and slightly serious? You can ask for that, too.
Tip #3: Paid AI Accounts Access the Latest Content
As with anything that is free, you get what you pay for. Free AI tools are great, but they are limited in scope in some way. If budget allows, use a paid AI tool for reliability and up-to-date features.
For example, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Plus in February 2023 for $20 per month. Subscribers receive access to the latest version of ChatGPT. This means the content that AI uses is newer, more accurate, and quicker.
According to a recent article by Business Insider, ChatGPT Plus subscribers are guaranteed access to the site even when it is overloaded with requests. In addition, subscribers will have exclusive access to new functionality, like image and voice interaction.
On the other hand, Google’s AI tool, Bard, is completely free for consumers. Anyone who has a Gmail account can access Bard. For business owners, it can be added to Google Workspace, too. Granted, you pay for Google Workspace and enabling Bard in Workspace takes time.
Bard works similarly to ChatGPT. Google emphasizes that Bard is “experimental” and powered by a different technology than its competitor. But the same rules apply for both platforms to prompt engineer social media or any other output you need.
Tip #4: Always Fact Check the AI Output
I mentioned this in Tip #1, but it is so important that it bears repeating. This is especially true if you are using free AI tools. A few months ago, I wrote a blog about using social media to “humanize” your brand. As I was developing the blog title, I turned to ChatGPT for help.
One of the titles that came up was, “Harnessing the Power of Social Media in Your Business”. The word “harnessing” is powerful, but I wondered if anyone else used it recently. Sure enough, I found multiple articles and blogs using this word. Whew – so glad that I checked! It allowed me to develop a blog title that was unique and was a better fit overall for my target audience.
Summary with a Word of Caution
AI tools are powerful forces in the social media world. In fact, you may be wondering why I would offer tips on how to prompt engineer your social media content. The truth is that AI tools are a partner and not a replacement for social media professionals.
Social media success takes time and effort. While an AI tool can make getting started on social media easier, it cannot tell you why a post (or a series of posts) did not perform well. It doesn’t tell you when to post or how the algorithms have changed. You still need an expert to make it happen!
Have you used AI for social media content? Would you consider yourself a “prompt engineer”? If so, I would love to hear how it has worked for you. Comment on this blog and tell me more about it. Better yet, tell me over coffee or tea! Schedule a time to chat with Cindy at VPS Social.
