How to use ChatGPT to create content: defining your brand voice

We all know ChatGPT is the way forward. Yet how to go from average to good to great? 

We're all stoked about the features and possibilities; we should prevent producing more content instead of better content. ChatGPT can assist you in the latter if you know how to.

It's the combination between you and ChatGPT that creates the magic. 

With these tips, you can get your AI ducks in a row and speed up production while staying relevant with high quality.

Notice I did use ChatGPT for some research and ideation; however, all the text below is written by me. Playing around with ChatGPT took so much more time and frustration than writing it myself.

Why it matters

In one line with two bullets: content is not about more; it’s about better.

• In your brand voice; let ChatGPT rewrite in your tone of voice
• Distinctive from others; you do you

1. Define your tone of voice

This one is easier than you think and is a lifesaver.

First: collect
Find two or three written content pieces that reflect your brand voice. Leading by example, I copied two of my latest articles on my newsroom thinklikeapublisher.com.

Second: prompt 
Go to ChatGPT and use the prompt ‘Can you define a tone of voice based on the text below? + copy-paste the text of the first content piece, and hit enter.

Read the result.

Then: refine
Use the prompt ‘Can you refine with the copy below? + copy-paste the text of the second content piece, and hit enter.

Read the result.

Get the final description
Use the prompt ‘Can you combine both descriptions of the tone of voice?’

If it doesn't reflect who you are, add a third or even a fourth example. 

If the result reflects who you are, copy-paste the text to Word or text editor. 

Clean up, edit where needed, and save it. 

How ChatGPT defines my tone of voice (edited by me)
‘The tone of voice in this copy is direct, authoritative, and slightly informal. It uses strong language and metaphors. The author is not afraid to be blunt and even a bit confrontational in their language to make their point clear. However, they balance this with a friendly and approachable tone, offering practical advice based on their own experiences. Overall, the tone is confident, knowledgeable, and passionate, with a sense of urgency to get the message across.’

2. Use the tone of voice to rewrite the output

Now you create the real value and distinctiveness. Use and abuse ChatGPT for whatever content you’re looking for. 

Play and fool around with prompts like ‘shorter,’ ‘in a bullet list,’ or ‘in paragraphs with a subheader,’ etcetera. 

Don’t be shy or polite. The more directive you are, the better the results, no need to use ‘please’ with ChatGPT.  

Make her sweat. 

The prompt to use to rewrite in your tone of voice

Once you have the desired result, use the prompt ‘Can you rewrite the answer above in this tone of voice: direct, authoritative, and slightly informal. It uses strong language and metaphors. The author is not afraid to be blunt and even a bit confrontational in their language to make their point clear. However, they balance this with a friendly and approachable tone, offering practical advice based on their own experiences. Overall, the tone is confident, knowledgeable, and passionate, with a sense of urgency to get the message across.’

Notice that I deleted the descriptive part ‘the tone of voice in this copy is…’ and I directly jumped into the details of my tone of voice. 

Giving an authoritative prompt and being blunt helps ChatGPT understand your ask. If you don’t do this, you’ll get stuck in a tone of voice description of the description. 

Additionally, to have some more fun, you can provide specific guidelines or instructions for the desired tone and language in the copy, such as using active voice, avoiding jargon, or incorporating humor.

3. Last steps: refine, visual, and mobile by design

This is indispensable and where the real magic happens. Copy-paste the result to Word and refine.

First: sanity check
As ChatGPT doesn't reveal its sources, it's up to you to do the final check. Check the validity, sanity, and if it's really true. ChatGPT is a bot, has input till 2021, and can make mistakes. Many mistakes.

Think for yourself. Does this make sense? 

Second: fine-tune
Make the ChatGPT output your own. Get nerdy in the details of the copy, play around, have some fun, use Grammarly Pro (or don’t), and lastly, get some flow in your copy. 

Rule of thumb: read your copy out loud. If it flows, it flows. If it doesn't, you stumble on words and sentences; you've got some more work to do. 

ChatGPT is a language model. Not a content creator. That’s you. And that’s where your job comes in. Don't be lazy or cut corners.

Third: visual
Find a visual to match your copy. Think visual; use your dirty mind and imagination to create a visual that gets noticed. As the visual is the bearer of the (social) content. 

Last: mobile by design
Edit for mobile. Mobile by design, not a deviation of the laptop. As 80% of your audience is on mobile, you write, edit, and review on mobile. The most made mistake in content production is reviewing on the laptop

There you go; now you have some great content, from yourself, with help of ChatGPT.

Workshops to use ChatGPT for content production

Do you want to know more about how to use ChatGPT to create content? Fast. On brand. Adding value. 

I'm here to help. To train you or your team. Not only on the execution, also on the strategy part and the downsides, requirements, rules and regulations, privacy, brand safety, compliance, and ethics. Drop me a DM, and we can jump on a quick call to have a chat on details. 

Read more on ChatGPT

Me being me, I've got a vision and a mission for the wonderful world of AI. 

• How to prepare for AI to help you with your content
• The biggest problem in content marketing
• How our content job changes with ChatGPT
• The purpose of content
• Content, it’s still quality over quantity
• The one thing that’s missing in ChatGPT
• Why your (content) job never gets replaced by AI
• Human magic determines the success of AI content