What are ChatGPT prompts?

A ChatGPT prompt is the input you give ChatGPT to communicate what you want it to do. It can include a question, instruction, or goal, along with text, files, images, data, source material, or examples of the result you want.

A prompt can be as simple as:

Summarize this client’s Q3 performance.

Or it can be more detailed:

Summarize this client’s Q3 performance for their executive team. Compare the results against these Q3 targets: [paste targets]. Use their organic traffic, lead volume, and conversion rate data: [paste data]. Match the structure and length of last quarter’s approved report: [paste example].

The second prompt supplies details specific to this task: the audience, performance targets, source data, and an approved reference format.

Think of ChatGPT as a new coworker who has broad, industry-level knowledge but lacks the context specific to your company. The context and materials you provide shape that knowledge into a response you can use.

The PROMPT framework below shows how to create your own prompts, which you can then adapt to fit your task requirements.