How to write a good AI prompt: 6 building blocks

A prompt is the instruction you give an AI chatbot. The clearer it is, the better the answer. Here is a simple recipe that works in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Copilot.

The recipe: 6 building blocks

Role: “You are an experienced copywriter for small businesses.”

Task: what you want, for example “Write a newsletter”.

Context: industry, audience and facts.

Tone: friendly, formal or down-to-earth.

Format and length: “three paragraphs”, “max 120 words” or “a table”.

Limits: “Do not invent facts. Write in British English.”

Example

You are a copywriter for a small flower shop. Write an Instagram post about [offer] for [audience]. Tone: warm and playful. Max 60 words. End with an invitation to visit the shop. Do not make up prices.

Replace the fields in [brackets] with your own details.

The same prompt in different tools

ChatGPT: use custom instructions to keep a fixed tone and your business details.

Claude: paste background text first, then the prompt.

Gemini: be explicit about language and length, and check facts and links carefully.

Copilot: keep the prompt short and split big tasks into steps.

Common mistakes

A vague prompt, such as “write something about coffee”. No facts, so the AI fills in the gaps itself. Using the answer without reading it: always check. Pasting in personal data: don't.

Don't want to write it all yourself?

The AI Prompt Library has 200 ready-made prompts across 8 business areas, from customer service and sales to HR and strategy. Start small with Starter (40 prompts) or get everything with Complete.

Written with the help of AI. The prompts are general writing help and do not give legal, medical or financial advice. Always check AI answers before you use them.

This guide was written with the help of AI and is general information, not tax, accounting or legal advice. Check the current rules with the relevant authorities.