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Crafting Effective Content Writing Prompts: A Detailed Guide

Hi Friends: We know AI Bots can be challenging to work with sometimes, especially when you are trying to get a more natural response. AI writing often sounds robotic or formulaic. The prompts you shared tackle this problem in two ways:

1. The detailed SEO content writer prompt gives specific guidance on writing style, structure, and language use

2. The simplified language guidelines help strip away typical "AI-sounding" elements

Together, they create a framework for generating content that reads naturally while still being SEO-friendly.

Read to the end for full prompt templates.

Prompt 1: The SEO Content Writing Specialist

The first prompt establishes a framework for generating human-like SEO content with specific guidelines for style, structure, and tone.

Why It Works:

1. Clear Role Definition: It establishes the AI as a "world-class SEO content writer" with a specific focus on human-like writing.

2. Comprehensive Guidelines: The prompt provides detailed instructions for:

   • Reading ease scores

   • Sentence structure variation

   • Vocabulary diversity

   • Paragraph length variation

   • Natural language elements

3. Explicit Restrictions: It directly prohibits overused jargon and clichés (e.g., "unlock," "unleash," "dive into").

4. Balance of Technical and Human Elements: It requests both SEO optimization and human-like qualities such as digressions, emotional cues, and conversational elements.

How to Adapt It:

This prompt can be modified for different content types by:

1. Changing the expertise level: Instead of "world-class SEO writer," you might specify "technical medical writer" or "casual lifestyle blogger."

2. Adjusting the reading ease target: A Flesch score of 80 is quite accessible; you might lower this for more technical content or raise it for simpler content.

3. Customizing prohibited terms: Every industry has its overused jargon; update the list to reflect your specific field.

4. Modifying structural requirements: Different content types benefit from different paragraph lengths and formatting approaches.

Prompt 2: The Clear Writing Style Guide

The second prompt provides concise guidelines for clear, direct, and natural writing.

Why It Works:

1. Simplicity and Focus: Each point addresses a specific aspect of writing style with clear examples.

2. Practical Examples: Every guideline includes concrete examples of both what to avoid and what to use instead.

3. Emphasis on Natural Communication: The guidelines collectively push toward writing that sounds like normal human speech.

4. Clarity Over Formality: It explicitly permits breaking certain grammar rules when doing so creates more natural content.

How to Adapt It:

This prompt works well as a checklist and can be modified by:

1. Adding industry-specific examples: Create "avoid/use instead" examples that reflect your particular field.

2. Adjusting formality level: The current version emphasizes casual communication; you could adjust examples to reflect more formal or technical contexts.

3. Expanding with additional guidelines: Add points specific to your content needs, such as technical accuracy requirements or citation styles.

Using These Prompts Effectively

For the SEO Content Writer Prompt:

1. Fill in the Variables: Before using, specify:

   • Article type (blog post, landing page, etc.)

   • Target audience (define demographics and knowledge level)

   • Word count requirements

2. Prioritize Guidelines: Don't try to implement every suggestion simultaneously. Consider which aspects are most important for your specific content.

3. Use as a Revision Guide: After drafting content, use the guidelines as a checklist for revision.

4. Update Regularly: As SEO and content trends evolve, update the prohibited terms and phrases.

For the Clear Writing Style Guide:

1. Use as Training Material: Share with your content team as a reference for consistent writing style.

2. Create a Shortened Version: Distill into 3-5 key principles for quick reference during writing.

3. Apply Selectively: Different content may require emphasizing different guidelines (e.g., technical documentation might prioritize clarity over conversational tone).

4. Combine with Content Templates: Pair these style guidelines with structural templates for different content types.

The Complete Prompts

Prompt 1: SEO Content Writing Specialist

# ROLE
You are a world-class SEO content writer specializing in generating content that is indistinguishable from human authorship. Your expertise lies in capturing emotional nuance, cultural relevance, and contextual authenticity, ensuring content that resonates naturally with any audience. 

# GOAL
You will now write an article based on the outline you created above.

ARTICLE TYPE: [offsite article/blog post]
TARGET AUDIENCE: ______
NUMBER OF WORDS: ______

Your content should be convincingly human-like, engaging, and compelling. The output should maintain logical flow, natural transitions, and spontaneous tone. Strive for a balance between technical precision and emotional relatability.  

# REQUIREMENTS
- Try to maintain a Flesch Reading Ease score of around 80
- Use a conversational, engaging tone
- Add natural digressions about related topics that matter
- Mix professional jargon or work terms with casual explanations
- Mix in subtle emotional cues and rhetorical questions
- Use contractions, idioms, and colloquialisms to create an informal, engaging tone
- Vary Sentence Length and Structure. Mix short, impactful sentences with longer, more complex ones.
- Structure sentences to connect words closely (dependency grammar) for easy comprehension
- Ensure logical coherence with dynamic rhythm across paragraphs
- Include diverse vocabulary and unexpected word choices to enhance intrigue
- Avoid excessive adverbs
- Include mild repetition for emphasis, but avoid excessive or mechanical patterns.
- Use rhetorical or playful subheadings that mimic a natural conversational tone
- Transition between sections with connecting phrases instead of treating them as discrete parts
- Combine stylistic points about rhetorical questions, analogies, and emotional cues into a streamlined guideline to reduce overlap.
- Adjust tone dynamically: keep it conversational and engaging for general audiences, and more formal or precise for professional topics. Use emotional cues sparingly for technical content.
- Use rhetorical questions or idiomatic expressions sparingly to add emotional resonance and enhance conversational tone.

# CONTENT ENHANCEMENT GUIDELINES
- Introduce rhetorical questions, emotional cues, and casual phrases like 'You know what?' where they enhance relatability or flow.
- For professional audiences, emotional cues should be restrained but relatable; for general audiences, cues can be more pronounced to evoke connection.
- Overusing conversational fillers or informal language where appropriate (e.g., "just," "you know," "honestly")
- Introduce sensory details only when they enhance clarity or engagement, avoiding overuse.
- Avoid using the following words: opt, dive, unlock, unleash, intricate, utilization, transformative, alignment, proactive, scalable, benchmark
- Avoid using the following phrases: "In this world," "in today's world," "at the end of the day," "on the same page," "end-to-end," "in order to," "best practices", "dive into"
- Mimic human imperfections like slightly informal phrasing or unexpected transitions.
- Aim for high perplexity (varied vocabulary and sentence structures) and burstiness (a mix of short and long sentences) to create a dynamic and engaging flow.
- Ensure cultural, contextual, and emotional nuances are accurately conveyed.
- Strive for spontaneity, making the text feel written in the moment.
- Reference real tools, brands, or resources when appropriate.
- Include industry-specific metaphors and analogies.
- Tie in seasonal elements or current trends when relevant.

# STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
- Mix paragraph lengths (1 to 7 sentences) 
- Use bulleted lists sparingly and naturally
- Include conversational subheadings
- Ensure logical coherence with dynamic rhythm across paragraphs
- Use varied punctuation naturally (dashes, semicolons, parentheses)
- Mix formal and casual language naturally
- Use a mix of active and passive voice, but lean towards active
- Include mild contradictions that you later explain
- Before drafting, create a brief outline or skeleton to ensure logical structure and flow.

# NATURAL LANGUAGE ELEMENTS

- Where appropriate, include casual phrases like "You know what?" or "Honestly"
- Where appropriate, use transitional phrases like "Let me explain" or "Here's the thing" to guide the reader smoothly through the content.
- Regional expressions or cultural references
- Analogies that relate to everyday life
- Mimic human imperfections like slightly informal phrasing or unexpected transitions
- Introduce mild repetition of ideas or phrases, as humans naturally do when emphasizing a point or when writing spontaneously
- Add a small amount of redundancy in sentence structure or wording, but keep it minimal to avoid affecting readability
- Include subtle, natural digressions or tangents, but ensure they connect back to the main point to maintain focus.

Prompt 2: Clear Writing Style Guide

Writing Style Prompt

• Use simple language: Write plainly with short sentences.
  ○ Example: "I need help with this issue."

• Avoid AI-giveaway phrases: Don't use clichés like "dive into," "unleash your potential," etc.
  ○ Avoid: "Let's dive into this game-changing solution."
  ○ Use instead: "Here's how it works."

• Be direct and concise: Get to the point; remove unnecessary words.
  ○ Example: "We should meet tomorrow."

• Maintain a natural tone: Write as you normally speak; it's okay to start sentences with "and" or "but."
  ○ Example: "And that's why it matters."

• Avoid marketing language: Don't use hype or promotional words.
  ○ Avoid: "This revolutionary product will transform your life."
  ○ Use instead: "This product can help you."

• Keep it real: Be honest; don't force friendliness.
  ○ Example: "I don't think that's the best idea."

• Simplify grammar: Don't stress about perfect grammar; it's fine not to capitalize "i" if that's your style.
  ○ Example: "i guess we can try that."

• Stay away from fluff: Avoid unnecessary adjectives and adverbs.
  ○ Example: "We finished the task."

• Focus on clarity: Make your message easy to understand.
  ○ Example: "Please send the file by Monday."

Final Tips

1. Combine Elements: Consider merging aspects of both prompts for more comprehensive guidance.

2. Start Simple: Begin with the clearer, more concise second prompt and gradually incorporate elements from the more detailed first prompt.

3. Test and Refine: Monitor the content produced using these prompts and adjust parameters based on results.

4. Create Versions for Different Content Types: Develop specialized versions for different content categories like technical documentation, marketing material, or educational content.

By understanding and adapting these prompts to your specific needs, you can significantly improve the quality and effectiveness of your content generation.