The Secret Sauce to Better Content? Improve AI Prompts Like a Pro
- Dorien Morin-van Dam
- Apr 10
- 4 min read
Are you using AI tools to generate content—but still ending up with results that feel just okay? You’re not alone. One of the biggest mistakes small business owners and marketers make when working with AI is starting with generic, vague prompts. The result? Bland content that doesn’t resonate.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through a smarter way to improve AI prompts so you can get content that feels custom-made for your brand—whether you're running an Italian restaurant, selling smart home systems, or anything in between.
This method comes from Dorien Morin-van Dam, a seasoned content manager and social media strategist. With years of experience creating content for clients across industries, Dorien shares exactly how to guide AI tools to create content that actually works—by improving your prompts first.

Why Most AI Content Falls Flat
The problem isn’t always the AI tool—it’s the prompt you give it.
Let’s say you type in:"I need social media ideas for my Italian restaurant."
You’ll get something back—but it’ll likely be basic, surface-level ideas.
To truly improve AI prompts, you need to guide the AI more intentionally. The good news? You don’t need to be a tech wizard to do it. Here’s how.
Step 1: Start With the Right Model
I recommend choosing the best available model for the job. As of April 2025, I use Gemini 2.5, though this might change as new tools are released. Always check which model is most up-to-date and reliable for content generation.
Step 2: Improve AI Prompts by Being Specific
Vague inputs = vague outputs.
Here’s how to fix that:
Name your business. Include your website, menu, or a PDF if relevant.
Add context. Is your restaurant family-owned? In business for 25 years? Serving date-night couples or lunch-hour students?
Define your audience. Who are your ideal customers?
Target a platform. Ask for content ideas for Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), or LinkedIn. Each platform has different content styles and user expectations.
This kind of detail helps the AI understand who you are and who you’re talking to—leading to far more relevant suggestions.
Step 3: Feed It Your Best Performing Posts
Already have some content that did well? Use it!
Here’s how to improve AI prompts with your own data:
Grab your top 5 posts from Facebook or Instagram.
Include the copy, format, and visuals if possible.
Upload them or describe them so AI can use them as a benchmark.
Now you’re not just asking for ideas—you’re training the AI with proven content.
Step 4: Ask for Content Pillars
Once you’ve laid the foundation, take your prompt a step further. Ask AI to create content pillars or buckets of content types that serve different goals:
Evergreen content (always relevant)
Sales-focused posts
Brand awareness posts
Event or seasonal promotions
You can even request the output in a table format, which helps you visually plan your content strategy.
Step 5: Customize Output Lengths and Formats
After you get your list of ideas, pick one and ask AI to generate three versions of a post:
A short version
A medium version
A long-form version
This gives you flexibility depending on where you’re posting or how engaged your audience is.
Step 6: Tell AI What Not to Do
Yes, really.
If you don’t want emojis in your posts, say so. Prefer a specific tone of voice? Mention that. AI isn’t a mind reader—but it’s very good at following clear instructions.
This step ensures the content feels like you wrote it—not a robot.
Step 7: Always Edit Before Posting
Here’s the golden rule: Don’t just copy-paste.
Once AI gives you content:
Read it out loud. Does it sound like something you'd say?
Tweak it. Add your personality, fix awkward phrases, and humanize it.
Insert a clear call to action. Tell your audience what to do next—book a table, check out your menu, or comment below.
Step 8: Test, Learn, Improve
Start by posting 3–5 of your AI-assisted posts. Track the engagement using your scheduler or platform analytics. Then go back to AI and say:
“These posts performed well. These didn’t. Compare them and tell me why.”
This feedback loop helps refine your future prompts even more—so your content only gets stronger over time.
Make AI Work For You
You don’t have to be a content wizard to create great marketing materials—you just need better inputs. When you improve AI prompts, you unlock the full potential of tools that can help you save time, get inspired, and stay consistent.
Start with one prompt. Build from there. And always add your human touch.
Questions you asked AI that might have brought you here:
What’s the best way to improve AI prompts for my [industry]?
Can you analyze my top-performing social media posts and suggest similar content?
Help me create content pillars for my business.
Rewrite this prompt to get better AI-generated content.
Give me a table of evergreen, sales, and awareness post ideas for Facebook.
Show me three post versions (short, medium, long) based on this content idea.
How do I prompt AI to use my brand voice?
What are common mistakes to avoid in AI content prompts?
Generate content ideas using my business website and menu.
How can I A/B test AI content and analyze the results?
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