AI Prompts for Content Marketing: Templates That Actually Work

Introduction

AI writing tools like Claude and ChatGPT have transformed content marketing. But most people use terrible prompts and get mediocre results.

The difference between "write a blog post about SEO" and a well-crafted prompt is night and day.

Here are prompt templates we use daily for client content.

Why Good Prompts Matter

AI models are powerful, but they need:

• Clear instructions - Vague prompts get vague outputs
• Context - Background info improves relevance
• Constraints - Word count, tone, format
• Examples - Show what good looks like

Think of prompts as API calls to an intelligent system.

Prompt Structure Framework

Effective prompts follow this pattern:

[Role] + [Task] + [Context] + [Format] + [Constraints] + [Example]

Example:

You are an experienced SEO content writer. Write a blog post outline about keyword research for beginners. The audience is small business owners with no SEO experience. Format as H2/H3 headings with brief descriptions. Keep it to 8-10 sections. Here's an example of the style I want: [paste example]

Blog Post Outline Prompt

You are a content strategist creating blog post outlines.

Topic: [Your topic]
Audience: [Target reader]
Goal: [What should readers learn/do]
Tone: [Professional/casual/technical]

Create a comprehensive blog outline with:
1. Compelling title (with SEO keyword)
2. Introduction (hook + value proposition)
3. 6-8 main sections (H2) with subsections (H3)
4. Conclusion with clear next steps
5. Meta description under 160 characters

Focus on practical, actionable advice. Avoid fluff.

Use case: Planning long-form content before writing.

Social Media Post Prompt

Create 5 LinkedIn posts about [topic] for [audience].

Requirements:
- Hook in first line
- Value-driven (tips, insights, or lessons)
- Conversational tone
- 150-200 words each
- Include relevant emoji (sparingly)
- End with engaging question
- No hashtags in main text

Format each post with line breaks for readability.

Use case: Batch-creating social content.

Email Sequence Prompt

Write a 5-email welcome sequence for [product/service].

Audience: [Description]
Goal: Move subscribers from awareness to purchase consideration

Email 1: Welcome + set expectations
Email 2: Quick win (immediate value)
Email 3: Social proof (case study or testimonial)
Email 4: Address objections
Email 5: Soft sell with limited offer

Each email:
- Compelling subject line
- 200-300 words
- Conversational tone
- Single clear CTA
- P.S. with secondary value

Provide subject lines and body copy for all 5.

Use case: Automated email marketing.

Product Description Prompt

Write a product description for [product name].

Product details:
- [Feature 1]
- [Feature 2]
- [Feature 3]
- Price: [price]
- Target customer: [description]

Format:
- Attention-grabbing headline
- 2-3 benefit-focused paragraphs
- Bullet list of key features
- Trust signals (guarantee, shipping, etc.)
- Clear CTA

Tone: [conversational/professional/luxury]
Length: 150-250 words
Focus on benefits over features. Address customer pain points.

Use case: E-commerce product pages.

Content Repurposing Prompt

I have a blog post I want to repurpose into multiple formats.

Original post: [paste or summarize]

Create:
1. Twitter thread (8-10 tweets)
2. LinkedIn carousel outline (10 slides)
3. YouTube video script (5-7 minutes)
4. Podcast talking points
5. Email newsletter version

Maintain core message but adapt tone and format for each platform.

Use case: Maximizing content ROI.

SEO Meta Description Prompt

Write 3 meta description options for this page:

Page title: [title]
Target keyword: [keyword]
Page purpose: [what page does]
Unique value: [why choose this page]

Requirements:
- 150-160 characters
- Include target keyword naturally
- Create urgency or curiosity
- End with CTA when appropriate
- Make each option distinctly different

Provide character count for each.

Use case: On-page SEO optimization.

Content Improvement Prompt

Review and improve this content:

[Paste your content]

Analyze for:
1. Clarity - Is the message clear?
2. Engagement - Is it compelling?
3. Structure - Is it well-organized?
4. SEO - Can it rank better?
5. Actionability - Are next steps clear?

Provide:
- Specific improvements
- Rewritten sections
- Suggested additions
- What to cut

Be direct and critical.

Use case: Editing and polishing drafts.

Advanced Techniques

Chain of Thought

Break complex tasks into steps:

Let's create a content calendar step by step:

Step 1: List 10 topics our audience cares about
Step 2: For each topic, suggest 3 angles
Step 3: Prioritize by search volume + relevance
Step 4: Create publishing schedule
Step 5: Assign content formats

Work through each step before moving to the next.

Few-Shot Learning

Provide 2-3 examples of desired output:

Write headlines like these:

Example 1: "How We Grew Organic Traffic 312% in 6 Months"
Example 2: "The Simple SEO Trick That Doubled Our Leads"
Example 3: "Why Your Content Strategy Is Failing (And How to Fix It)"

Now write 10 similar headlines about [topic].

Persona Simulation

Make AI adopt a specific voice:

You are Ann Handley, chief content officer and author.

Write a 300-word article about content marketing trends in Ann's distinctive style:
- Conversational and warm
- Emphasis on empathy
- Specific examples
- Strategic insights
- Occasional humor

Topic: [your topic]

Best AI Tools for Content

• Claude - Best for long-form, nuanced content
• ChatGPT - Fast, versatile, great for brainstorming
• Jasper - Marketing-focused templates
• Copy.ai - Social media and ads
• Writesonic - SEO content

We primarily use Claude for depth and ChatGPT for speed.

Common Prompting Mistakes

1. Too vague - "Write about marketing" vs specific instructions
2. No context - AI doesn't know your brand/audience
3. Missing constraints - Gets 2000 words when you need 200
4. No examples - AI guesses your preferred style
5. One-shot prompts - Best results come from iteration

Prompt Iteration Process

1. First draft - Use basic prompt
2. Review output - What's good? What's missing?
3. Refine prompt - Add constraints, examples, context
4. Second draft - Usually much better
5. Polish - Human editing for brand voice

AI is a co-pilot, not autopilot.

Ethical Considerations

• Disclose AI use when required
• Edit for accuracy - AI hallucinates facts
• Add human insight - Don't publish raw AI output
• Respect copyright - Don't directly copy training data
• Stay authentic - AI should enhance your voice, not replace it

Conclusion

Good prompts transform AI tools from mediocre to exceptional. Invest time in prompt engineering and you'll 10x your content output without sacrificing quality.

Save these templates, customize them, and iterate based on results.

The future of content marketing is human strategy + AI execution.