In this post, we’re talking about how to use ChatGPT.
Whether you’re brand new to the revolutionary AI tool or you just want to learn how to use ChatGPT to its full potential, we’ve got you covered.
First, we’ll quickly go over how to create an account (takes less than a minute) and review the basic functionality of how it works.
Then we’ll jump right into 11 tips for how to prompt.
ChatGPT login
If you haven’t already, you’ll need to create an account.
Don’t worry, it’s super easy and free.
Just go to chat.openai.com and sign up with any one of these options:
- Google account
- Microsoft account
- Apple account
- Email address
Once you’ve created your account and logged in, you’ll see a screen that looks like this …
Now you’re ready to start chatting!
But first, let’s do a quick crash course on how ChatGPT works.
How ChatGPT works
We won’t get into all the technical details here. Just the basic functionality.
Here’s how it works:
- You send a message
- ChatGPT responds
That’s it.
Seriously, it’s that simple.
It’s pretty much exactly like having a text message conversation with someone.
Now, even though ChatGPT’s basic functionality is super simple, there’s some skill involved to get the best responses.
That skill comes into play when you’re sending messages (a.k.a., prompts).
Improving your prompts is the most important thing you can do to increase the quality of the responses you’re getting.
In this post, we’re going to give you 11 tips to prompt ChatGPT like a full-time prompt engineer.
Table of contents
- Be specific
- State your goal
- Break it down
- Provide context
- Give ChatGPT a persona
- Apply limitations
- Provides examples
- Ask a different way
- Use the “Regenerate response” button
- Use the “New chat” button
- Review responses for accuracy
1. Be specific
The more specific you are with your prompt, the more likely it is that ChatGPT will provide a response that is relevant to what you want to know.
Less specific:
“Tell me about the Titanic.”
More specific:
“Why did the Titanic sink?”
2. State your goal
Tell ChatGPT exactly what you want it to do.
Especially if you’re trying to do something complex, ChatGPT will give better responses if you first tell it your goal, then proceed to give more specific prompts about the smaller parts of the larger task.
Example:
“I want to write a listicle blog post about 10 different ways to unclog your shower drain.”
3. Break it down
Instead of including every part of a complex set of instructions in one prompt, break it down into multiple prompts.
Start with the first step in the process, make sure ChatGPT is on track, and then proceed with the remaining steps in the process.
This way, you can make sure you’re on the same page with ChatGPT and make corrections as you go.
4. Provide context
ChatGPT has impressive capabilities, but reading your mind isn’t one of them.
You can’t expect it to know anything that you don’t tell it, so make sure you provide as much context as possible.
No context:
“How do I get in shape?”
Lots of context:
“I’m male, 24 years old, and I’ve never lifted weights before. I want to make my arms look bigger. I think I should start going to the gym. Can you create a workout plan for me?”
5. Give ChatGPT a persona
All the credit for this one goes to Fatih Kadir Akın.
In his book, The Art of ChatGPT Prompting, Akın calls this the “act as” hack:
“This technique involves using the phrase “act as” in the prompt to tell the ChatGPT to assume a specific role or persona in the conversation.
For example, you might use the “act as” hack to tell the ChatGPT to “act as a travel agent” and provide recommendations for vacation destinations based on the user’s preferences. Or you might tell the ChatGPT to “act as a detective” and solve a fictional crime.”
— Fatih Kadir Akın, The Art of ChatGPT Prompting
Example:
“Act as if you’re my personal trainer and you specialize in weight training.”
Click here for a huge repository of “act as” prompts.
6. Apply limitations
You can think of it like you’re telling ChatGPT the things you do NOT want it to do, like if you don’t want the response to exceed a certain word limit.
Example:
“Can you please limit your response to less than 200 words?”
7. Provide examples
Examples are a great way to let ChatGPT know the exact type of response you’re looking for.
It can look at your examples and then generate responses that are similar.
Example:
“Can you generate five more blog post titles that are similar to this example? Here is the example: <insert example blog post title>”
8. Ask a different way
If you get a response that isn’t exactly what you wanted, you can copy your prompt, paste it into the “Send a message” box, make a few changes, and then send it again. ChatGPT will give you a slightly different response based on your changes.
You can even explain why you were unsatisfied with the initial response and it can remember to avoid responding that way for the rest of the chat.
9. Use the “Regenerate response” button
If you like the response but just want to see a slightly different version, click on the “Regenerate response” button that is right above the “Send a message” box.
ChatGPT will regenerate a new response to the prompt you sent most recently.
10. Use the “New chat” button
ChatGPT will remember all the previous messages in a chat, which sometimes results in ChatGPT getting confused or the chat just getting too complicated.
If this happens, just start a new chat and provide the instructions that you want it to follow from that point forward.
The button to start a “New chat” is in the top left corner.
11. Review responses for accuracy
OpenAI is very transparent about the fact that ChatGPT sometimes provides inaccurate information.
Below the “Send a message” box in the app, it says, “ChatGPT may produce inaccurate information about people, places, or facts.”
Check other sources to confirm the accuracy of the information provided.
Conclusion
The best way to learn how to use ChatGPT is to keep using it.
If you’re just getting started, don’t overthink it.
Just have fun with it. Talk to ChatGPT like you would talk to a friend.
Over time, you’ll get a sense of what types of prompts generate the best responses.
It’s a lot like having a coworker. You learn each other’s communication styles and then you’re able to work better together.
If you want to learn more, check out other posts on our blog.