SynaBot

How do I write a good AI prompt?

Give the model a role, a task, a format, and the constraints. Add one example of what "good" looks like whenever you can.

Mark Barclay
Answer curated and reviewed byMark Barclay

Key takeaways

  • Give the model a role, a task, a format, and the constraints.
  • Add one example of what "good" looks like whenever you can.

Five things separate a great prompt from a mediocre one:

  1. Role. "You are a senior B2B copywriter."
  2. Task. "Rewrite this landing page to reduce bounce."
  3. Audience. "For a technical buyer at a 200-person SaaS."
  4. Format. "Return the hero headline, subhead, and three bullets."
  5. Constraints. "Under 90 words. No jargon. No exclamation marks."

Add an example of good output when you have one. Iterate the prompt, not the answer.

Related questions

Do I need to prompt in English?

No, most modern models handle 40+ languages well. Match the language of the audience you are writing for.