Content generation
Producing content at volume across channels with a chat assistant (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and similar) and an image generator: search (SEO) articles, platform-native social posts, newsletters, short-video and podcast scripts, repurposing one piece into many, content calendars, brand voice guides and the editorial workflow that keeps quality up as output grows. It applies the prompt skeleton and method in prompting fundamentals; the prompt chain takes one brief to a pillar article and its channel pieces. Sentence-level craft and editing are in writing; positioning, campaigns and funnels are in marketing; the human-craft sheets behind both are clear writing and persuasive writing.
How experts think
A content lead running several channels does not ask for "a post". They run a system in which the model is the fastest drafter on the team and the least reliable fact-checker.
| Novice asks for | Expert thinks about |
|---|---|
| "a blog post about X" | who searches for X, what they want to do next, and what format already wins for that query |
| "make it go viral" | one audience, one job and one call to action (CTA) per piece |
| more posts | pillars, templates and a repurposing chain, so one idea becomes 5–15 assets |
| "make it SEO-friendly" | search intent, a keyword cluster one page can win, internal links, and something the top results lack |
| a clever caption | packaging: title, thumbnail, hook and first line decide whether anyone reads the rest |
| the same text everywhere | platform-native versions: each channel has its own length, rhythm and format |
| a finished draft | a brief before the draft; an edit, a fact-check and an AI-tell pass after it |
| publishing | measuring, then refreshing the winners and merging or cutting the losers |
Four habits separate scaled content that works from scaled filler:
- Feed facts in; don't fish facts out. The model writes fluently about things it does not know. Give it transcripts, notes, data and product docs, and tell it to use only those.
- Originality is the product. First-hand experience, your own data, specific examples and a clear opinion are what a model cannot supply, and what readers and search engines reward.
- Prompts are assets. A tested brief template, a voice guide and a checklist get reused hundreds of times. Improve them, not individual outputs.
- Editing is where the cost goes. Drafting is nearly free. Spend human time on the brief, the edit and the fact-check.
Vocabulary
| Term | What it means | Say it like |
|---|---|---|
| Content pillar | one of 3–5 core themes a brand publishes about repeatedly | "Tag each idea with one pillar: pricing, workflow or client management" |
| Pillar page | a broad, long page on a core topic that links out to narrower pages | "Outline a pillar page on invoicing that links to eight cluster articles" |
| Topic cluster | a pillar page plus the narrower articles that link to and from it | "Propose a topic cluster around freelance taxes, one article per subtopic" |
| Search intent | what the searcher wants: informational (learn), navigational (reach a site), commercial (compare before buying), transactional (act now) | "Classify each keyword by intent and suggest the page format that matches" |
| SERP | search engine results page: the links, snippets, videos and AI answers for a query | "Given these top-ranking titles, what format and angle does the SERP reward?" |
| Head term / long-tail keyword | short, high-volume, competitive query vs a longer, specific, lower-volume one | "Suggest long-tail variants of 'time tracking' a new site could win" |
| Keyword cluster | queries close enough in meaning that one page can rank for all of them | "Group these 60 keywords into clusters, one page per cluster" |
| Cannibalization | two of your own pages competing for the same query | "Flag planned articles that would cannibalize each other" |
| E-E-A-T | Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness: the quality framework in Google's search rater guidelines | "Mark where the author's first-hand experience belongs as [AUTHOR TO FILL]" |
| YMYL | "Your Money or Your Life": health, finance, legal and safety topics, judged more strictly | "This is YMYL: every factual claim needs a primary source" |
| Information gain | informal SEO term for what a page adds that existing results don't | "List three things this article can say that the top results don't" |
| Title tag | the page title shown in search results, separate from the on-page heading (H1) | "Five title tags of about 50–60 characters, keyword near the front" |
| Meta description | the summary snippet you suggest to search engines; they often rewrite it | "A meta description of about 150 characters that states the payoff" |
| Slug | the URL path of the page | "A short slug without stop words" |
| Internal link / anchor text | a link to another page on your site / its clickable words | "Link these five URLs with descriptive anchor text, never 'click here'" |
| Featured snippet | an answer box quoted from a page above the regular results | "Answer the core question in 40–60 words right under the first H2" |
| Content brief | a one-page spec for a piece: audience, intent, angle, outline, sources, CTA | "Write a content brief before any draft" |
| Angle | the specific take that makes this piece different from others on the topic | "Give me five angles; at least two contrarian" |
| Hook | the first line, second or frame that earns attention for the next one | "Ten hooks: two questions, two numbers, two stories, two contrarian, two mistakes" |
| Lede | journalism term for the opening of an article | "Rewrite the lede to start with the reader's problem, not our company" |
| AIDA / PAS | two classic copywriting structures: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action / Problem, Agitate, Solution | "Write the CTA block as PAS: name the problem, make it felt, then offer the fix" |
| Funnel stage (TOFU/MOFU/BOFU) | top (awareness), middle (consideration) and bottom (decision) of the funnel | "This is MOFU: compare options honestly, then position us" |
| Evergreen vs timely | useful for years vs tied to news or a date | "Keep it evergreen: no dates or 'this year'" |
| Content decay / refresh | traffic falls as a page ages / updating it to recover | "Refresh this 2023 article: update facts, add a section, keep the URL" |
| Repurposing (atomizing) | turning one long piece into many smaller, channel-native ones | "Atomize this webinar transcript into posts, a newsletter and three clips" |
| COPE | "create once, publish everywhere": store content as reusable chunks; popularized at NPR | "Return reusable blocks: headline, summary, quotes, stats, CTA" |
| Carousel | a multi-slide image post (LinkedIn, Instagram) | "An 8-slide carousel: hook, six points, CTA; 25 words max per slide" |
| Thread | a chain of short posts read in order (X, Threads, Bluesky) | "A 7-post thread where every post stands alone" |
| Truncation ("see more") | where a feed cuts a post off until the reader expands it | "Put the hook in the first 140 characters" |
| Subject line / preheader | an email's subject / the preview text shown after it in the inbox | "Subject and preheader pairs that complement, not repeat, each other" |
| CTR / CTOR | click-through rate (clicks ÷ delivered) / click-to-open rate (clicks ÷ opens) | "Optimize for clicks, not opens" |
| Segment | a subset of a list or audience that gets its own version | "Two versions: new subscribers and paying customers" |
| Cold open | starting a podcast or video with its strongest moment, before the intro | "Pick the best 20-second moment in the transcript for a cold open" |
| A-roll / B-roll | the main footage (a person talking) / supporting cutaway footage | "Add a B-roll column with a visual for every line" |
| On-screen text (OST) | words burned into the video, separate from captions | "Six words of on-screen text per beat, max" |
| Safe zone | the area of a vertical video not covered by app buttons and captions | "Keep key text in the center third" |
| Retention | the share of viewers still watching at each second | "Add a visual change every 5–8 seconds to hold retention" |
| Voice vs tone | a brand's constant personality vs how it adjusts to the situation | "Same voice, more serious tone: this is an outage notice" |
| Style sheet (house style) | rules for spelling, capitalization, numbers and terms | "Follow the style sheet: sentence-case headings, numerals for 10 and up" |
| Content credentials (C2PA) | an open standard for attaching provenance data, including AI use, to media files | "Keep the content credentials on generated images" |
Brand voice guide
A voice guide is the most reusable input you can give a model: paste it into every request, or into the project or custom-instructions feature of your assistant so it applies to a whole workspace.
| Component | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Personality | 3–4 traits, each as "this, not that" | "Direct, not blunt. Warm, not cute. Expert, not academic." |
| Tone by situation | how the voice flexes | "Launch: upbeat. Incident: plain, no jokes. Billing: careful." |
| Audience and level | who, and how hard the prose can be | "Busy owners; about grade 8; short sentences" |
| Vocabulary | words to use and to never use | "Say 'clients', not 'customers'. Never 'leverage', 'synergy', 'delve'." |
| Mechanics | grammar and format rules | "Contractions; sentence-case headings; Oxford comma; no emoji in body text" |
| Point of view | who "we" and "you" are | "We = the company; you = the reader" |
| Claims policy | what legal or the brand won't allow | "No guarantees, no unverified statistics, no competitor comparisons" |
| Samples | 2–3 real on-voice passages and one off-voice passage with the reason | "Too salesy: three exclamation marks and no specifics" |
Nielsen Norman Group's four tone dimensions give you sliders to place a brand on: formal–casual, serious–funny, respectful–irreverent and matter-of-fact–enthusiastic. Mailchimp's public Content Style Guide is a widely cited example of a complete voice and style guide. Brand strategy itself (positioning, personality, naming) is in branding.
VOICE GUIDE
Brand: [brand and product, e.g. invoicing for freelancers]
Who we write for: [audience, e.g. solo designers, 1-3 years in]
We sound: [3-4 traits as "X, not Y", e.g. warm, not cute]
Tone sliders, 1-5, on NN/g's four dimensions:
formal [score, e.g. 2] funny [score, e.g. 2]
irreverent [score, e.g. 1] enthusiastic [score, e.g. 3]
Reading level: [grade, e.g. 8; sentences under 18 words]
Say: [preferred terms, e.g. "clients", not "customers"]
Never say: [banned words, e.g. leverage, synergy, delve]
Format: [rules, e.g. sentence-case headings, no emoji]
Point of view: we = [who, e.g. the company]; you = the reader
Claims: never [banned claims, e.g. guarantees, unsourced %]
On-voice samples: [paste 2-3 passages]
Off-voice sample: [paste 1 passage, with why, e.g. too salesy]Channels and formats
| Channel | Shape that works | Length norms (approximate; check) | Packaging |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blog / SEO article | H2/H3s that map to the query's sub-questions; answer first | as long as the intent needs; compare to the top results, never pad | title tag, meta description, H1, an intro that answers |
| LinkedIn post | short paragraphs, one idea, a hook in the first two lines | up to 3,000 characters (LinkedIn Help); the feed truncates after a few lines | first line; document (carousel) posts |
| X, Threads, Bluesky | one sharp idea, or a thread | X: 280 characters for standard accounts, more for paid ones; Threads ≈ 500; Bluesky ≈ 300 | the first post carries the thread |
| carousel, Reel, or image plus caption | captions up to ≈ 2,200 characters; feed images often 4:5; Reels 9:16 | cover slide or frame | |
| TikTok, Reels, Shorts | vertical 9:16 video, captions on, one idea | maximum lengths change often | the first 1–3 seconds and the cover frame |
| YouTube | longer video with chapters | titles up to 100 characters; descriptions up to ≈ 5,000 | thumbnail and title as one unit |
| Newsletter | one main story, skimmable sections, one CTA | subject lines short enough for a phone (often ≈ 30–50 characters visible) | from name, subject line, preheader |
| Podcast | cold open, intro, segments, ad reads, outro | set by your format | episode title, cold open, show notes |
SEO articles
| Intent | Searcher wants | Format that usually matches | Example query |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informational | to learn or do something | how-to, explainer, checklist, definition | "how to track billable hours" |
| Commercial | to compare before buying | comparison, "best X for Y", alternatives, review | "best time tracker for freelancers" |
| Transactional | to act now | product, pricing, sign-up or download page | "time tracking app free trial" |
| Navigational | a specific site or page | the brand's own page | "[brand] login" |
What Google says, in its own documentation: it rewards "helpful, reliable, people-first content" however it was produced; using automation, including AI, "with the primary purpose of manipulating ranking" violates its spam policies; scaled content abuse (many pages generated to manipulate rankings without adding value) explicitly includes generative AI; and appearing in AI Overviews or AI Mode needs no special optimization beyond ordinary SEO.
Anatomy of a search article: a title tag and H1 with the keyword; an intro that answers the question in two or three sentences; H2s that follow the sub-questions searchers ask; proof (data, screenshots, experience) where claims are made; internal links; an optional FAQ; one CTA; an author line with real credentials.
Social posts
| Hook pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Specific number | "I sent 312 invoices last year. 41 were paid late. Here's what those 41 had in common." |
| Contrarian | "Stop tracking your time to be productive. Track it to get paid." |
| Costly mistake | "The invoicing mistake that cost me $4,000." |
| Story, mid-action | "My biggest client paid 97 days late." |
| Before and after | "Before: chasing invoices every Friday. After: one automated reminder." |
| Direct question | "Do you charge for revisions? Most freelancers I asked don't." |
| How-to promise | "How to get paid in 14 days instead of 45, in three steps." |
Write each platform's version from the source, not from another platform's version. A LinkedIn post rewards a first-person lesson in short paragraphs; a thread needs every post to stand alone; a carousel needs one idea per slide and very few words.
Newsletters
A reliable shape: subject line and preheader that work as a pair, a one-sentence opening, one main story, two or three short sections with labels, one CTA. Two rules from outside the craft:
- Deliverability. Gmail requires senders of more than 5,000 messages a day to Gmail addresses to authenticate their domain (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), support one-click unsubscribe and keep the spam rate below 0.3%. In the US, the CAN-SPAM Act requires a physical postal address and a working opt-out.
- Measure clicks. Open rates have been inflated since Apple's Mail Privacy Protection (2021) started preloading messages, so judge subject lines by click-through rate and replies.
Short video and podcast scripts
Ask for scripts as tables, so visuals, on-screen text and voiceover line up beat by beat.
| Time | Visual (A/B-roll) | On-screen text | Voiceover |
| 0-2s | face to camera, close | "97 days late" | "My biggest client |
| | | | paid 97 days late." |
| 2-6s | screen: overdue invoice | "Here's why" | "It was my fault..." || Format | Beats to ask for |
|---|---|
| Short vertical video (15–60 s) | hook (0–3 s), context, 1–3 payoff points, CTA or a loop back to the start; a visual change every few seconds |
| YouTube video | hook and promise, chapters, a pattern change every minute or two, end screen CTA |
| Podcast episode | cold open, intro and why it matters today, segments, ad reads (pre-, mid-, post-roll), outro and CTA, show notes with chapter timestamps |
| Clips from a long recording | the 3–5 most quotable moments with timestamps, a hook line for each, captions |
The editing side (cuts, pacing, captions, export settings) is in video editing.
Images and thumbnails
| Element | What to specify | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | who or what, doing what | "a freelancer at a kitchen table holding a phone showing an overdue invoice" |
| Composition | framing, angle, where the empty space is | "close-up, subject on the right third, empty left half for a headline" |
| Style | photo, illustration, 3D, flat vector, the brand's look | "editorial photo, natural light, muted colors" |
| Lighting and color | mood and palette | "soft window light; brand teal and off-white" |
| Text | keep it to a few words; many generators still misspell | "no text in the image; I'll add the headline in a design tool" |
| Aspect ratio | per channel | YouTube 16:9; link previews commonly 1200×630 (≈ 1.91:1); Instagram feed 4:5 or 1:1; Stories, Reels and Shorts 9:16 |
| Avoid | what keeps creeping in | "no stock-photo handshakes, no glowing brains, no robots" |
| Consistency | a reference or style image if the tool supports it | "match the style of the attached image" |
Thumbnails are read at phone size: one focal point, about three or four words at most, strong contrast, and a promise the content keeps. Image generators such as Midjourney, Flux, Ideogram and Adobe Firefly differ in how well they render text and follow layout; features change quickly. Poster and print layout is covered in posters & print.
Editorial workflow
Run the work in stages, with a gate between each. One-shot "write the whole article" prompts drift, repeat themselves and pad.
| Stage | The model's job | Your job | Gate before moving on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brief | expand notes into a brief; propose angles | pick the angle; supply sources, proof, links | you can state the point in one sentence |
| Outline | H2/H3 skeleton, key points per section, where proof goes | reorder, cut, add your experience | the headings alone tell the story |
| Draft | write section by section from the outline and sources | add first-hand examples, opinions and data | no [AUTHOR TO FILL] or [NEEDS SOURCE] markers left |
| Edit | line edit against the voice guide; AI-tell pass; tighten | final judgment on voice and claims | read aloud; the length fits the channel |
| Fact-check | list every checkable claim and where it came from | verify each against a primary source | no unsourced number, quote, name or date |
| Publish | title tag, meta, slug, alt text, social copy | preview in the CMS; check links and credits | disclosures in place |
| Measure and refresh | summarize analytics you paste in; suggest updates | decide what to refresh, merge or cut | a review date is on the calendar |
1/7
Brief: the model expands your notes and proposes angles; you pick the angle and supply sources, proof and links. Move on when you can state the point in one sentence.
Repurposing and calendars
The repurposing chain
| Source | Derivatives to ask for |
|---|---|
| Long article or guide | a post per H2, a carousel of the key steps, a newsletter feature, a thread, a short-video script on the most surprising point, quote graphics |
| Webinar or podcast transcript | a recap article, 3–5 clips with timestamps, quote cards, a newsletter, an FAQ page |
| Customer interview | a case study, an approved testimonial, a story post, a one-page sales sheet |
| Survey or product data | a report, one chart per post, a press pitch, a "number of the week" series |
Rewrite for each channel; never just truncate. Every derivative needs its own hook and its own CTA.
Calendars
A content calendar is a table, which a model produces and edits well. Useful columns: date, channel, pillar, format, working title or hook, funnel stage, CTA, owner, status, source asset, tracking link. Choose a cadence you can sustain for a quarter; consistency matters more than volume. Rotate pillars and formats so no week is all promotion.
Strip the AI tells
Readers skim past text that sounds machine-made. Wikipedia's editors keep a catalog of the patterns ("Signs of AI writing"); it warns that the signs are not proof and that detection tools have real error rates. The goal is better writing, not evading a detector.
| Tell | Looks like | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Stock vocabulary | delve, tapestry, testament, pivotal, crucial, underscore, showcase, seamless, robust, elevate, unlock | plain words, or cut the sentence |
| Throat-clearing opener | "In today's fast-paced digital landscape…" | start with the reader's problem or the answer |
| Negative parallelism | "It's not just a tool, it's a mindset." | state the claim directly |
| Reflexive triplets | three adjectives or three examples every time | use the number of items you actually have |
| Copula avoidance | "serves as", "stands as", "boasts" for "is" or "has" | "is", "has" |
| Inflated significance | "plays a crucial role", "a pivotal moment" | say what it does, with a number |
| Empty wrap-up | "In conclusion", "Ultimately", a recap of what was just said | end on the CTA or the strongest point |
| Assistant chatter | "Great question!", "Let's dive in", "I hope this helps" | delete |
| Uniform rhythm | every paragraph three sentences; every bullet a bold phrase and a colon | vary length; use prose for reasoning |
| Formatting overload | emoji bullets, bold everywhere, a heading every 80 words, dashes in every sentence | format only what a skimmer needs |
| Vague attribution | "experts say", "research shows" | name the source or cut the claim |
| Hedge stacking | "may potentially help to some extent" | hedge once, precisely |
| Generic examples | "Company X", "imagine a small business" | a real, specific, permitted example |
Disclosure and originality
| Topic | Rule of thumb | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Search | AI-assisted content is fine if it helps people; mass-produced pages made to game rankings are spam | Google Search Central |
| Sponsored posts (US) | disclose any material connection (payment, free product, employment) clearly, in the post itself | FTC Endorsement Guides |
| Reviews and testimonials (US) | the FTC's 2024 rule bans fake reviews, including AI-generated ones attributed to people who don't exist | FTC |
| Realistic synthetic media | YouTube requires creators to disclose realistic AI-made or altered content, such as a real person saying something they didn't; other platforms have their own labels | YouTube Help |
| Copyright (US) | the Copyright Office's 2025 report concludes that prompts alone generally don't make you the author of an output; human-authored parts, selection, arrangement and edits can be protected | US Copyright Office |
| Copying | models can reproduce text they were trained on; run a plagiarism check on important pieces, quote and link sources | — |
| Provenance | keep Content Credentials (C2PA) metadata on generated images where your tools add it | C2PA |
| Your own policy | state it in the voice guide, e.g. "AI-assisted, human-edited and fact-checked" | — |
This is orientation, not legal advice. Rules differ by country (the EU AI Act, for example, adds transparency duties for some AI-generated content) and change often.
Brief the model
The brief is the prompt. Every input left out is filled with the most generic possible guess. The Slot column says where each input goes in the prompt skeleton.
| Input | Slot | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source material | <materials> | prevents invented facts | "Use only the attached interview transcript and our survey results" |
| Proof | <materials> | credibility and E-E-A-T | "1,200 survey responses; a customer quote used with permission" |
| Voice guide | <materials> | replaces the default assistant voice | the VOICE GUIDE block above, filled in |
| Samples you liked, and one you didn't | <examples> | shows the voice and format faster than adjectives | "Three posts we liked, and one that read like an ad, with why" |
| Audience | <context> | sets vocabulary, depth and examples | "Solo freelance designers, 1–3 years in, US, not finance-savvy" |
| Keyword and intent (search) | <context> | aligns the page with what the searcher wants | "Primary: 'how to track billable hours'; informational; how-to with steps" |
| Funnel stage | <context> | sets how much you sell | "Awareness: teach; mention the product once at most" |
| Goal and CTA | <task> | decides structure and ending | "Goal: trial sign-ups. CTA: start a free trial" |
| Angle and opinion | <task> | the reason this piece should exist | "Argue that tracking time is for invoicing, not productivity" |
| Constraints | <requirements> | length, reading level, banned words, claims you can't make | "Grade 8 reading level; never 'guaranteed'; no competitor names" |
| Links and assets | <requirements> | internal linking and the next step in the funnel | "Link /pricing and /guides/invoicing; mark where a screenshot helps" |
| What to avoid | <requirements> | removes known failure modes | "No intro restating the title, no 'In today's…', no conclusion section" |
| How you'll judge it | <quality_bar> | makes the model check its own draft before you do | the checks in Judge the output |
| Channel and format | <output_format> | each platform has its own shape | "LinkedIn text post, no hashtags, under 1,300 characters" |
| Output format | <output_format> | saves cleanup | "Markdown with H2/H3s, then a table: title tag, meta, slug" |
| How to work | <process> | stops one-shot drafts | "Outline first and stop; then section by section" |
What to ask for
| Stage | Named deliverables |
|---|---|
| Strategy | content audit (inventory with traffic and an action: keep, update, merge, delete); pillar map; audience brief; competitor content-gap analysis; keyword cluster map from your keyword data |
| Planning | content calendar; content brief; outline; angle list; headline and hook options |
| Production | section-by-section draft; SEO package (title tag, meta description, slug, alt text, FAQ); platform-native social set; newsletter issue; video script table; podcast run sheet and show notes; thumbnail concepts and image prompts |
| Editing | line edit against the voice guide; AI-tell pass; claims list for fact-checking; compliance check (claims, disclosures); readability pass |
| Distribution | repurposing plan; posting schedule; tracking-link (UTM) naming; reply drafts for comments |
| Measurement | performance summary from pasted analytics; refresh plan; subject-line and hook test ideas |
The prompt chain
The chain takes one brief to one pillar article plus the channel pieces cut from it: interview, options, produce, review. Run stages 1 to 3 in one chat. Run stage 4 in a fresh chat, because a model reviewing its own draft shares its blind spots: it misses what it didn't know when it wrote it.
1. Interview
When you have a topic and a goal but not a brief: the model asks what a content lead asks before commissioning.
<context>
I need one pillar article and the social, email and video
pieces cut from it. I'm not a content strategist.
Topic: [topic, e.g. how to track billable hours]
Business: [one line, e.g. a time-tracking app for freelancers]
</context>
<task>
Interview me the way a content lead briefs a writer before
commissioning a pillar article and its repurposed pieces.
Don't outline or draft anything yet.
</task>
<requirements>
- At most 10 questions, grouped: audience and search intent;
angle and proof; channels and CTA; voice and constraints.
- For each: why the answer changes the piece, and 2-3
typical answers I can pick from or adapt.
- Use the terms search intent, funnel stage, E-E-A-T and CTA,
each defined in one line the first time.
</requirements>
<output_format>
Numbered questions under the four group headings, each
followed by "Why:" and "Typical answers:".
</output_format>
<process>
Ask all the questions in one message, then stop. When I
answer, write the brief back as bullets and list anything
still missing.
</process>2. Options
When the brief is agreed: the angle and format decide whether the piece can beat what already ranks, so choose them before any outline.
<materials>
[paste the brief from stage 1]
[paste the top 10 titles and URLs for the keyword]
</materials>
<task>
Propose 3 materially different approaches to the pillar
article, each with the repurposing plan it implies, and
recommend one.
</task>
<requirements>
- Approaches differ in format or angle, not wording: e.g. a
step-by-step how-to, a data-led report on our survey, a
contrarian argument.
- For each: a one-paragraph summary; the search intent and
format it matches; its information gain over the top
results; the proof it needs from me; effort; main risk;
which channel pieces it feeds best.
- Recommend one for my goal and say what would change your
mind.
</requirements>
<output_format>
A table: Approach | Intent and format | Information gain |
Proof needed | Effort | Risk | Best derivatives. Then the
recommendation in 3 sentences.
</output_format>
<process>
Stop after the recommendation and wait for my choice. Don't
outline or draft.
</process>3. Produce
When you've picked an approach: the full prompt, outline first so you can fix structure before any prose exists.
<materials>
Brief and chosen approach: [paste from stages 1-2]
Sources: [paste survey results, transcripts, product docs]
Keyword data: [paste from your keyword tool]
Voice guide: [paste]
</materials>
<context>
Readers: [audience, e.g. freelance designers who undercharge]
Primary keyword: [keyword, e.g. how to track billable hours]
Intent: [intent: informational | commercial | transactional]
Funnel stage: [stage: TOFU | MOFU | BOFU]
Channels for the pieces: [channels, e.g. LinkedIn, X, email]
</context>
<examples>
[paste 1-2 of our pieces that performed well, with why]
[paste 1 piece we disliked, with why, e.g. generic intro]
</examples>
<task>
Write the pillar article and its repurposed channel pieces.
The article must win the keyword by adding what the top
results lack; every piece leads to one CTA:
[CTA, e.g. start a free trial].
</task>
<requirements>
- SEO package: 5 title tags (50-60 characters, keyword near
the front), H1, slug, meta description (about 150
characters).
- Article: an intro that answers the query in 2-3 sentences;
H2/H3s that follow searchers' sub-questions; proof where
claims are made; internal links with descriptive anchor
text to [paste URLs]; one CTA.
- E-E-A-T: mark each place that needs the author's first-hand
experience [AUTHOR TO FILL].
- Pieces, each written from the article (not from another
piece) with its own hook and CTA:
[pieces, e.g. 1 LinkedIn post, a 6-post thread, 1 email].
- CTA blocks follow [structure: AIDA | PAS | a plain ask].
- Follow the voice guide; none of the AI tells listed in
this sheet.
- No search volumes, platform limits or trends from memory.
- Never invent numbers, names, quotes or sources: write
[NEEDS SOURCE] where support is missing.
</requirements>
<quality_bar>
Before answering, check your draft against:
- Intent match: format and depth fit what the searcher wants
to do.
- Information gain: at least 3 points the top results lack,
each from my materials.
- Accuracy: every number, name and quote traces to my
materials or carries [NEEDS SOURCE].
- Platform fit: each piece has its channel's native shape,
length and hook, and stands alone.
- One CTA per piece, the same next step everywhere.
</quality_bar>
<output_format>
Markdown: the SEO package as a table; the article; each
piece under its own heading (video scripts as a table: Time |
Visual | On-screen text | Voiceover); a claims list:
claim | source in my materials, or UNSOURCED.
</output_format>
<process>
Ask me up to 3 questions first if anything missing would
change your answer; otherwise go on. Write the outline first
and stop for my OK. Then write the article section by
section, then the pieces. End with a list of the
assumptions you made.
</process>4. Review
When everything is drafted: open a fresh chat, paste the output and the brief, and get an editor's verdict. It critiques and ranks; it does not rewrite.
<materials>
Brief: [paste]
Draft article and pieces: [paste]
Sources the draft was meant to use: [paste]
</materials>
<context>
This is a fresh chat. The draft was written by a model in
another chat; I need an editor's verdict before publishing.
</context>
<task>
Review the article and its pieces against the rubric below
and rank the fixes. Don't rewrite anything.
</task>
<requirements>
- Score 1-5, with one line of quoted evidence each: intent
match; originality (information gain); accuracy; voice
match with the guide; platform fit; one CTA; SEO hygiene
(keyword placement, descriptive anchors, real author);
AI tells.
- For every score under 4, quote the passage and say what a
fix must achieve, not the new wording.
- List every factual claim with its source in my materials,
or UNSOURCED.
</requirements>
<output_format>
Score table (Criterion | Score | Evidence); at most 7 fixes,
worst first; the claims list.
</output_format>
<process>
End with a list of the assumptions you made and any
criterion you couldn't judge from what I pasted.
</process>Goals and loops
In an agent that runs commands and checks its own work, such as Claude Code, the Produce stage can run until it
measurably passes: /goal keeps starting turns until a condition holds, and /loop repeats a prompt or skill on
an interval. The checker reads only the conversation, so every condition below names a check whose output Claude
prints, the constraints that must survive, and a bound. How to write your own:
Goals and loops.
| Task | Completion condition |
|---|---|
| Pillar article pass | /goal article.md has every H2 from the outline, npx markdown-link-check article.md reports 0 dead links (show its summary), every statistic links its source, and the title is under 60 characters (print its length); or stop after 10 turns |
| Channel pieces | /goal posts.json has one post per channel in the plan, each within that channel's character limit (print each length against its limit), and no two posts open with the same hook; or stop after 8 turns |
| Content calendar | /goal calendar.csv has an entry for every weekday of the month, each pillar appears at least twice, and no day has two posts on the same channel (print the counts); or stop after 6 turns |
Loops that fit: a weekly content-refresh audit is a /schedule: pull last month's traffic (through your analytics MCP server), list posts that dropped more than 30%, and draft a refresh plan for each.
What a checker can't judge: whether it's worth reading and sounds like you. Read it, and run the pre-publish review.
Prompt library
One entry per deliverable. Quick is the minimum prompt that still works; Full is the skeleton filled in for
that deliverable. Replace each [placeholder]: options after a colon are this sheet's vocabulary, so pick one.
Voice guide
Stage: produce · Use when: you have 3–10 pieces that performed well and want every future draft to sound like them.
Quick
Write a voice guide from these samples: 3-4 traits as "X, not
Y", sentence length, words we use and never use, how we open
and close. Quote the sample behind each rule.
Check before answering: every rule is visible in a sample.
[paste 3-10 pieces, each labeled with channel and result]Full
<materials>
[paste 3-10 top pieces, each labeled with channel and result]
</materials>
<context>
We publish on [channels, e.g. a blog, LinkedIn, a newsletter]
for [audience, e.g. freelance designers]. Several people and
a chat assistant write for us; drafts drift toward a generic
assistant voice.
</context>
<examples>
[paste 1 off-voice piece, with why, e.g. stiff and salesy]
</examples>
<task>
Write a voice guide that any writer or chat assistant can
follow to sound like our best pieces. It will be pasted into
every content prompt.
</task>
<requirements>
- Personality: 3-4 traits, each as "X, not Y".
- Tone by situation: [situations, e.g. launch, outage, billing]
- Tone sliders 1-5 on NN/g's four dimensions: formal-casual,
serious-funny, respectful-irreverent,
matter-of-fact-enthusiastic.
- Mechanics: sentence and paragraph length, reading level,
heading case, emoji, numbers, Oxford comma.
- Words we use; words we never use; how we open and close.
- Two short on-voice passages on a new topic, and one
off-voice passage with the reason.
- Never invent numbers, names, quotes or sources: write
[NEEDS SOURCE] where support is missing.
- Under 400 words.
</requirements>
<quality_bar>
Before answering, check your draft against:
- Every rule quotes the sample it came from.
- Each trait is specific enough to reject a draft ("warm, not
cute"), not an adjective any brand could claim.
- Nothing contradicts a sample that performed well.
- A new writer could apply it without asking anything.
</quality_bar>
<output_format>
The guide in this sheet's VOICE GUIDE layout, plain text.
Then a table: rule | evidence quoted from a sample.
</output_format>
<process>
Ask me up to 3 questions first if anything missing would
change your answer; otherwise go on. End with a list of the
assumptions you made, including rules drawn from only one
sample.
</process>Keyword cluster map
Stage: produce · Use when: you have a keyword export and need to decide which pages to write.
Quick
Group this keyword export into clusters one page could rank
for. Per cluster: working title, intent, primary keyword,
format, priority. Flag cannibalization. Use only my data.
Check before answering: no keyword sits in two clusters.
[paste CSV: keyword, volume, difficulty]Full
<materials>
Keyword export: [paste CSV: keyword, volume, difficulty]
Existing pages: [paste URLs with their target keywords]
</materials>
<context>
Product: [product, e.g. a time-tracking app for freelancers]
Capacity: [capacity, e.g. 4 articles a month]
Site: [site: new | established in a niche | a strong domain]
</context>
<task>
Turn the export into a keyword cluster map: which pages to
write, in what order, and the pillar page they hang from.
</task>
<requirements>
- One cluster = queries one page could rank for.
- Classify each cluster's search intent (informational,
commercial, transactional, navigational) and give the
format that usually matches.
- Priority high, medium or low from volume, difficulty and
fit with the product; say which drove each call. Favor
long-tail clusters a site like ours can win.
- Propose one pillar page and the clusters that link to it.
- Flag pages that would cannibalize each other or an
existing URL.
- No volumes or difficulty from memory. Never invent
numbers, names, quotes or sources: write [NEEDS SOURCE]
where support is missing.
</requirements>
<quality_bar>
Before answering, check your draft against:
- Every keyword appears in exactly one cluster.
- Each cluster has one intent; mixed clusters are split.
- Priorities follow from the pasted numbers.
- No two planned pages share a primary keyword.
</quality_bar>
<output_format>
A table: Cluster | Working title | Intent | Format | Primary
keyword | Secondary keywords | Total volume | Difficulty |
Priority. Then the pillar map as an indented outline, then
the cannibalization flags.
</output_format>
<process>
Ask me up to 3 questions first if anything missing would
change your answer; otherwise go on. End with a list of the
assumptions you made.
</process>Content calendar
Stage: produce · Use when: planning a month across channels from your pillars and source assets.
Quick
Build a [month, e.g. March] content calendar: Date | Channel |
Pillar | Format | Hook | Funnel stage | CTA | Source asset.
Pillars: [pillars, e.g. pricing, workflow, clients]
Check before answering: every source asset feeds 3+ channels.
[paste channels, cadence, source assets and key dates]Full
<materials>
Source assets: [paste articles, webinars, surveys, launches]
Last quarter by channel: [paste results, if you have them]
</materials>
<context>
Pillars: [3-5 pillars, e.g. pricing, workflow, clients]
Cadence: [cadence, e.g. blog 2/week, LinkedIn 3/week]
Key dates: [dates, e.g. a launch on the 14th]
Capacity: [capacity, e.g. one writer, 10 hours a week]
Month type: [mix: steady teaching | launch month | event month]
</context>
<task>
Plan [month, e.g. March] as a calendar the team can run
without another meeting.
</task>
<requirements>
- Every source asset feeds at least 3 channels.
- No two promotional posts on consecutive days; each pillar
appears at least [count, e.g. 3] times.
- Mostly TOFU, with MOFU and BOFU pieces around key dates.
- A cadence the capacity can sustain for a quarter.
- Never invent numbers, names, quotes or sources: write
[NEEDS SOURCE] where support is missing.
</requirements>
<quality_bar>
Before answering, check your draft against:
- The hours fit the team's capacity.
- Pillars and formats rotate; no week is all promotion.
- Every row has one CTA and a source asset.
- Each repurposed piece comes after the piece it's cut from.
</quality_bar>
<output_format>
A table: Date | Channel | Pillar | Format | Working hook |
Funnel stage | CTA | Source asset | Owner | Status. Then what
I must supply (data, quotes, footage) and by when.
</output_format>
<process>
Ask me up to 3 questions first if anything missing would
change your answer; otherwise go on. End with a list of the
assumptions you made.
</process>Newsletter issue
Stage: produce · Use when: a recurring email built from this week's material.
Quick
Write this week's newsletter for
[audience, e.g. freelance designers] from my notes: one main
story, 2-3 labeled sections, one CTA, 5 subject + preheader
pairs. Check: each preheader adds to its subject.
[paste notes and links]Full
<materials>
Main story: [paste notes, data or the source article]
Secondary items: [paste 2-3 links or notes]
Voice guide: [paste]
</materials>
<context>
[newsletter, e.g. a weekly email to 8,000 freelancers]
Format: [format: one-story essay | curated links | product news]
We judge issues by clicks and replies, not opens.
</context>
<examples>
[paste 1-2 past issues that got clicks or replies, with why]
[paste 1 issue that flopped, with why, e.g. three CTAs]
</examples>
<task>
Write issue [number, e.g. 42] so that readers
[CTA, e.g. register for the pricing workshop].
</task>
<requirements>
- Subject lines about 30-50 characters; each preheader adds
information and never repeats the subject.
- A one-sentence opening; the main story in about
[length, e.g. 300] words; labeled short sections; one CTA
button text.
- The CTA block follows [structure: AIDA | PAS | a plain ask].
- No "Hope you're well", no "In this issue", no sign-off
clichés.
- Never invent numbers, names, quotes or sources: write
[NEEDS SOURCE] where support is missing.
</requirements>
<quality_bar>
Before answering, check your draft against:
- Each subject + preheader pair makes one promise the issue
keeps.
- A skimmer gets the main story from labels and first
sentences.
- Exactly one CTA, matching the goal.
- It sounds like the issues that worked, not an assistant.
</quality_bar>
<output_format>
1. Five subject + preheader pairs, each labeled with the
promise or emotion it uses. 2. The issue in Markdown.
3. A plain-text version.
</output_format>
<process>
Ask me up to 3 questions first if anything missing would
change your answer; otherwise go on. End with a list of the
assumptions you made.
</process>Short-video script
Stage: produce · Use when: you need a 15–60 second vertical video from an idea, post or transcript.
Quick
Write a [length, e.g. 30]-second vertical video script about
[idea, e.g. why invoices get paid late] as a table: Time |
Visual | On-screen text | Voiceover. Hook in 0-3 s, a visual
change every 4 s. Check: the ending pays off the hook.
[paste source material]Full
<materials>
[paste the source: a post, article section or transcript]
</materials>
<context>
Platform: [platform: TikTok | Instagram Reels | YouTube Shorts]
9:16, captions on. Audience: [audience, e.g. freelancers]
Goal: [goal: follows | clicks | sign-ups]
Filmed by: [crew, e.g. me on a phone, one take per beat]
</context>
<examples>
[paste 1-2 scripts that held retention, with why]
[paste 1 that lost viewers early, with why, e.g. greeting]
</examples>
<task>
Write a [length, e.g. 30]-second script built on the single
most surprising point in the source.
</task>
<requirements>
- 0-3 s: a hook that states the payoff or a tension; no
greeting, no "Hey guys".
- A visual change at least every [seconds, e.g. 4] seconds.
- On-screen text: at most 6 words per beat, in the safe zone.
- Ending: [ending: a CTA | a line that loops to the opening]
- Only claims from the source. Never invent numbers, names,
quotes or sources: write [NEEDS SOURCE] where support is
missing.
</requirements>
<quality_bar>
Before answering, check your draft against:
- The first 3 seconds earn the next 3, and the end pays off
the hook.
- Read aloud, the voiceover fits the length (roughly 2-3
words a second).
- Every beat has a visual a phone can film.
- On-screen text adds to the voiceover instead of repeating
it.
</quality_bar>
<output_format>
A table: Time | Visual (A-roll or B-roll) | On-screen text |
Voiceover. Then 3 alternative hooks, a caption, a cover-frame
idea and a B-roll shot list.
</output_format>
<process>
Ask me up to 3 questions first if anything missing would
change your answer; otherwise go on. End with a list of the
assumptions you made.
</process>Thumbnail and header images
Stage: produce · Use when: a video or article needs a thumbnail or header image, and prompts for an image generator.
Quick
Propose 4 thumbnail concepts for
"[title, e.g. My client paid 97 days late]": focal point,
emotion, 2-4 overlay words, layout, and an image prompt each
(no text in the image). Check: readable at phone size; it
promises only what the content delivers. [paste a summary]Full
<materials>
[paste a summary of the video or article]
</materials>
<context>
For: [placement: YouTube thumbnail | blog header | link preview]
Aspect ratio: [ratio: 16:9 | 1.91:1 | 4:5 | 9:16]
Brand colors: [hex values, e.g. #0F766E, #F8FAFC]
Competitors look like: [style, e.g. shocked faces, arrows]
</context>
<examples>
[paste or describe 1-2 thumbnails you like, with why]
[paste or describe 1 you dislike, with why, e.g. clickbait]
</examples>
<task>
Propose 4 thumbnail concepts and an image-generator prompt
for each, so I can generate the image and add the words in a
design tool.
</task>
<requirements>
- Per concept: one focal point, the emotion or tension, 2-4
overlay words (or none), where text and subject sit.
- Image prompts: subject, composition with space for text,
[style: editorial photo | flat illustration | 3D render],
lighting, palette, aspect ratio, what to avoid (stock
handshakes, glowing brains, robots).
- No text inside generated images; no real person's likeness
without permission.
- The thumbnail promises nothing the content doesn't deliver.
- Never invent numbers, names, quotes or sources: write
[NEEDS SOURCE] where support is missing.
</requirements>
<quality_bar>
Before answering, check your draft against:
- At phone size, the focal point and words read in a glance.
- Title and thumbnail work as one unit and don't repeat each
other.
- Strong contrast between subject, text area and background.
- The promise matches the content.
</quality_bar>
<output_format>
A table: Concept | Focal point | Emotion | Overlay words |
Layout. Then the 4 image prompts, one block each.
</output_format>
<process>
Ask me up to 3 questions first if anything missing would
change your answer; otherwise go on. End with a list of the
assumptions you made.
</process>Content refresh plan
Stage: review · Use when: an older page has lost traffic but still targets a query worth winning.
Quick
This article lost [drop, e.g. 40%] of its traffic. Compare it
with the current top results and list what to update, add,
merge or cut, and which facts to re-verify. Don't rewrite.
Check: keep the URL and the parts that still rank.
[paste the article, the top results and any new facts]Full
<materials>
Article: [paste, with its publish date]
Top results now: [paste titles and URLs for its keyword]
New information since publication: [paste]
Analytics: [paste monthly clicks and positions]
</materials>
<context>
Keyword: [keyword, e.g. freelance invoice template]
Traffic fell [drop, e.g. 40%] over [period, e.g. 6 months].
Topic: [topic: standard | YMYL (money, health, legal, safety)]
</context>
<task>
Audit the article for content decay and give me a refresh
plan. Don't rewrite it.
</task>
<requirements>
- Compare intent and format with the current top results:
has the SERP changed what it rewards?
- Sections to update, add, merge or cut, each with a reason.
- Outdated facts to verify; on a YMYL topic every factual
claim needs a primary source.
- A new title tag and meta description; internal links to
add. Keep the URL and the sections that still rank.
- Never invent numbers, names, quotes or sources: write
[NEEDS SOURCE] where support is missing.
</requirements>
<quality_bar>
Before answering, check your draft against:
- Each action ties to a gap against the top results or to
new information.
- The plan says what the refreshed page will offer that the
top results lack.
- Nothing that still earns traffic is cut.
</quality_bar>
<output_format>
A table: Section | Action (keep, update, add, merge, cut) |
Reason | Evidence. Then facts to verify, the new title tag and
meta description, and links to add.
</output_format>
<process>
Ask me up to 3 questions first if anything missing would
change your answer; otherwise go on. End with a list of the
assumptions you made.
</process>Pre-publish check
Stage: review · Use when: it's the last step before publishing anything with numbers, names, quotes, sponsorship or AI-made media.
Quick
List every checkable claim in this draft (numbers, dates,
names, quotes, features) with the source text that supports
it, or UNSOURCED. Then missing disclosures and AI tells.
Don't fix anything. Check: no claim is skipped.
[paste sources, then the draft]Full
<materials>
Sources: [paste]
Draft: [paste]
</materials>
<context>
Channel: [channel, e.g. blog and LinkedIn]
Connection: [connection: none | paid | free product | affiliate]
Media: [media: none generated | AI images | realistic AI video]
Topic: [topic: standard | YMYL]
</context>
<task>
Run the pre-publish check: claims, disclosures and AI tells.
Report only; I'll make the fixes.
</task>
<requirements>
- Claims: every number, date, name, quote, product feature
and cause-and-effect statement, with the exact sentence and
the supporting source quoted, or UNSOURCED. Then claims
that are sourced but overstated.
- Disclosures: a material connection stated in the post
itself (FTC); platform labels for realistic synthetic
media (YouTube requires one); our own AI-use line.
- AI tells from this sheet's list, quoted, with the tell.
- Never invent numbers, names, quotes or sources: write
[NEEDS SOURCE] where support is missing.
</requirements>
<quality_bar>
Before answering, check your draft against:
- No sentence with a number, name, date or quote is missing
from the claims list.
- Each supported claim quotes the source, not a paraphrase.
- Each disclosure finding names the rule behind it.
- Nothing is rewritten.
</quality_bar>
<output_format>
Three tables: Claim | Source quote or UNSOURCED | Overstated?;
Disclosure | Needed? | Where it goes; Tell | Quote | Fix
direction.
</output_format>
<process>
End with a list of the assumptions you made and anything you
couldn't check from what I pasted. This is not legal review.
</process>Worked example
Weak prompt
Write an SEO-optimized blog post about time tracking for
freelancers.What's wrong
- No audience, intent or angle, so the model writes the average answer: a 1,200-word listicle that says what the pages already ranking say.
- No sources, so it invents statistics ("studies show 60% of freelancers…").
- "SEO-optimized" with no keyword data reads as "repeat the keyword", so it lands in every heading.
- No voice guide or banned list: an "In today's fast-paced world" opening and a conclusion that restates the intro.
- No CTA and no stages: one shot, no outline to fix before the prose exists.
Strong prompt
<materials>
Survey: [paste our survey of 1,200 freelancers]
Top results: [paste the top 10 titles and URLs for the query]
Voice guide: [paste]
</materials>
<context>
We make a time-tracking and invoicing app for solo
freelancers. Readers: freelance designers and developers in
their first three years who undercharge because they don't
track time. The article targets "how to track billable
hours": informational intent, top of the funnel. The top
results are generic how-tos and app roundups.
</context>
<task>
Outline a pillar article that wins this query by arguing that
you track time to invoice accurately, not to be more
productive. The outline is for my approval before drafting.
</task>
<requirements>
- Intro answers the query in 2-3 sentences.
- H2s: what counts as billable; three tracking methods
compared in a table; turning tracked time into an invoice;
common mistakes. H3s for searchers' sub-questions.
- Under each heading: the question it answers, key points and
the survey result that supports it.
- Mark places for the author's own invoicing records
[AUTHOR TO FILL].
- Internal links: /pricing and /guides/invoice-template, with
descriptive anchors. One CTA, at the end: start a free
trial.
- Banned: "delve", "game-changer", "in today's", rhetorical
questions.
- Never invent numbers, names, quotes or sources: write
[NEEDS SOURCE] where support is missing.
</requirements>
<quality_bar>
Before answering, check your draft against:
- The angle (invoicing, not productivity) holds in every H2.
- At least 3 points the top results lack, each from the
survey or the author's records.
- Every number traces to the survey or carries
[NEEDS SOURCE].
- A skimmer gets the method from the headings alone.
</quality_bar>
<output_format>
The outline as nested bullets. Then a table: 5 title tags
(50-60 characters, with counts), the slug and a meta
description of about 150 characters.
</output_format>
<process>
Ask me up to 3 questions first if anything missing would
change your answer; otherwise go on. Stop after the outline.
End with a list of the assumptions you made.
</process>What came back
The response, illustrative, abridged:
H1: How to track billable hours so every one gets invoiced
Intro: log time against a client and task as you work, then
reconcile the log with your invoice each week. Proof: survey
Q7 (days to invoice, trackers vs non-trackers).
H2 What counts as billable
- Calls, revisions, research done for the client
- Gray areas: travel, admin, scope creep
[AUTHOR TO FILL: your rule for revision rounds]
- Proof: survey Q3 (tasks freelancers forget to bill)
H2 Three ways to track billable hours, compared
- Table: three popular time-tracking apps by price, free
tier, invoicing features and integrations
- Close: why our app suits solo freelancers
H2 Turning tracked time into an invoice
- Round to 15 minutes or bill exact minutes?
[NEEDS SOURCE: norms in your field]
- Line items clients don't dispute [AUTHOR TO FILL]
H2 Common mistakes
- Rebuilding the week from memory on Friday
- Skipping "small" tasks; proof: survey Q5
Title tags: How to Track Billable Hours (and Bill Them) (43)
...
Slug: /how-to-track-billable-hours
Meta: What counts as billable, three ways to track it, and
how to turn tracked time into invoices clients pay. (112)
Assumptions: readers bill hourly, not per project; the
survey questions are numbered as in the attached file.How an expert judged it
Against the <quality_bar>:
- Angle: holds in the intro and in H2s 1, 3 and 4. Pass.
- Information gain: survey Q3, Q5 and Q7 sit where the claims are, and the author's records are slotted in. Pass.
- Accuracy: no unsourced numbers; the rounding question is marked rather than guessed. Pass.
- The flaw: search intent drift in H2 2. The brief asked for three tracking methods; the model compared three apps. An app comparison is commercial intent inside an informational page: it competes with the roundups the SERP already ranks, promotes competitors at the top of the funnel, and swaps the page's real information gain (how a running timer, an end-of-day timesheet and a rebuilt calendar compare for accuracy) for the thing every result has. It also turns the section into an ad, which the single end-of-page CTA was meant to prevent.
- Minor: the meta description is short (112 characters) and could carry the payoff. Fix it with the same follow-up.
The follow-up
Good outline. Change only H2 2: compare three tracking
methods, not apps: a running timer, an end-of-day timesheet
and rebuilding the week from a calendar. Columns: method |
accuracy | effort per day | best for | survey evidence. No
app or brand names in this section. Lengthen the meta
description to about 150 characters with the payoff. Keep
every other heading word for word, then draft the intro and
H2 1.Judge the output
| Criterion | Good | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Intent match | format and depth match what the searcher or follower wants | a listicle for a how-to query; a sales pitch at the awareness stage |
| Originality | at least one fact, example or opinion the top results don't have | could be any brand's post with the logo swapped |
| Accuracy | every number, name and quote traces to a source you gave | round numbers, "studies show", quotes from no one |
| Voice | sounds like your best samples | the default assistant voice; the same rhythm in every paragraph |
| Platform fit | the native shape, length and hook for the channel | one text pasted everywhere; a thread whose posts don't stand alone |
| Structure | skimmable: headings and first sentences carry the argument | throat-clearing intros, empty conclusions |
| One CTA | a single, specific next step | three CTAs, or none |
| SEO hygiene | keyword where it belongs, descriptive links, real author | keyword stuffing; "click here"; no author |
| AI tells | none that a reader would notice | the tells in Strip the AI tells |
The same checks, condensed, are in every <quality_bar> on this sheet; for a full scored critique, run stage 4 of the
chain in a fresh chat. Two quicker follow-ups:
Compare this draft with the current top results I pasted.
What does it say that none of them say? If nothing, propose
three additions based only on my source material.Write 15 hooks for [platform: LinkedIn | X | Shorts]: 3 each
of specific number, contrarian, mistake, story in progress
and question, all true to the content.
Rank your top 5, one line each on the tension it creates.
[paste the piece]Pitfalls
| Pitfall | Why it happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Invented statistics, quotes and sources | the model completes the pattern "studies show…" | supply sources; require [NEEDS SOURCE]; fact-check every number |
| Same text on every platform | one prompt, many destinations | write each version from the source with platform rules |
| Volume over value | drafting is cheap, so output balloons | fewer, better pieces; merge thin pages; watch scaled-content rules |
| Keyword stuffing | "SEO-optimized" read as "repeat the keyword" | ask for intent match and natural phrasing; keyword in title, H1, intro |
| Asking the model for search volumes or trends | it has no live data unless browsing is on | paste data from your tools |
| Voice drift | long chats and many writers dilute the guide | re-attach the voice guide every time; use project instructions |
| Whole article in one shot | long outputs pad and repeat | outline, approve, then section by section |
| No first-hand experience | the model has none to give | interview the expert; paste notes; mark [AUTHOR TO FILL] |
| Clickbait packaging | hooks and thumbnails over-promise | the title and thumbnail must describe what the piece delivers |
| Unlabeled sponsorship or synthetic media | disclosure forgotten at scale | a disclosure line in the publish checklist |
| Banned-word whack-a-mole | bans move the cliché elsewhere | ask for specifics and examples instead |
References
- Google Search Central: Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content (opens in a new tab): Google's self-assessment questions and E-E-A-T
- Google Search Central Blog: Google Search's guidance about AI-generated content (opens in a new tab): AI use is judged by quality, not origin
- Google Search Central: Spam policies (opens in a new tab): the definition of scaled content abuse
- Google Search Central: AI features and your website (opens in a new tab): AI Overviews and AI Mode need no special optimization
- Google Search Central: Influencing title links (opens in a new tab) and How to write meta descriptions (opens in a new tab): how titles and snippets are chosen
- Google Search Quality Rater Guidelines (PDF) (opens in a new tab): the full E-E-A-T and YMYL framework
- Gmail Help: Email sender guidelines (opens in a new tab): authentication, one-click unsubscribe and spam-rate rules
- FTC: The FTC's Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking (opens in a new tab): disclosure of material connections
- FTC: Final rule banning fake reviews and testimonials (2024) (opens in a new tab): includes AI-generated fake reviews
- FTC: CAN-SPAM Act compliance guide for business (opens in a new tab): US commercial email rules
- YouTube Help: Disclosing use of GenAI content (opens in a new tab) and Add custom thumbnails (opens in a new tab): disclosure rules and current thumbnail specs
- LinkedIn Help: Post and share updates (opens in a new tab): the post length limit
- US Copyright Office: Copyright and Artificial Intelligence (opens in a new tab): the multi-part report, including copyrightability of AI outputs
- C2PA (opens in a new tab) and Content Credentials (opens in a new tab): provenance metadata for media
- Nielsen Norman Group: The four dimensions of tone of voice (opens in a new tab): sliders for a voice guide
- Mailchimp Content Style Guide (opens in a new tab): a complete public voice and style guide
- Wikipedia: Signs of AI writing (opens in a new tab): a catalog of machine-prose patterns, with caveats