AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney may be able to whip up writing and images in seconds, but for people who create content for a living, the output often lacks that human touch. Leveraging AI in content creation is often a tricky process, but if you dedicate the time to learn AI's strengths and hone your skills with some specific techniques, you won't just improve your results — you'll level-up your entire workflow.
Here are five ways AI can make you a better content creator:
1. Have a prompt framework
The term "prompting" or "prompt engineering" should be banned. It makes the act of writing messages to an AI chatbot sound like something reserved for people with advanced degrees. Prompting is simply talking — something everyone can do.
That said, talking is a skill. Usually you have a goal with speaking, and if you think about the specifics of what you want, the precise language to get there and — most important — how the listener thinks, you'll be much more likely to communicate well. When you're talking to an LLM, it's helpful to think about these things in a systemic way. There are literally hundreds of different techniques to speak to chatbots, but almost all of them involve being clear about the persona you want the LLM to take on, and being as specific as possible about what you want it to produce.
2. Use memory
Most general-purpose chatbots have features that will retain certain information across all chats. This is typically called memory, and it can be a setting (as with ChatGPT) or a feature (Claude Projects). Being deliberate about using memory can be both a time-saver as well as an excellent way to improve the default output for any prompt.
3. Compare AI outputs
There are many AI models out there, and some are consistently better than others as general-purpose writing bots or image creators. However, for very specific types of content, alternative models might surprise you. Also, models iterate and improve all the time, so it's a good idea to have some go-to prompts at the ready for testing LLMs and to use a tool that lets you compare outputs at a glance, like Airtrain or ModelBench.
4. Leverage purpose-built tools
Let's face it — chat isn't necessarily the best way to interact with AI in all cases. Lots of enterprising developers have understood that fact and built tools that abstract much of the prompting away and instead leverage AI to let you get quality outputs much faster and cheaper than you would with conventional tools. Whether it's SEO content, cloned voices, or video clips, tools built around AI can now do a lot more of the heavy lifting.
5. Take a class
Using AI to its fullest in your creative process doesn't just involve prompts and toolsets — it requires developing new habits. An online class can help greatly in providing specific ways to adapt your workflow, and The Media Copilot offers AI training that's tailored to professional content creators. Whether you're an author, journalist, PR professional, or marketer, the company's AI Fundamentals class provides everything you need to go from basic prompt frameworks to advanced tools in a single afternoon. You can sign up for the class at the The Media Copilot website, and use the discount code THINKAI to get 50% off at checkout.
And if you’re just at the beginning of your AI journey, The Media Copilot also offers a lightning-fast AI Quick Start class, which goes over all the basics of using AI, but specifically for content creators. Learn about the best LLMs and prompts for writing, images, and more in just 60 minutes! Remember to use the THINKAI discount code to save 50%.
AI isn't here to steal your job—it's here to make you better at it. Just remember: the secret sauce is still your creativity. AI is the Robin to your Batman, the Chewbacca to your Han Solo. So go forth and create, with your new AI assistant in tow.
[Image credit: Midjourney]
