How to tailor ChatGPT to your needs - once and for all
We've all been there: you're trying to get ChatGPT to understand a specific context or give a particular type of response, but it feels like you're speaking a different language. Either you take the time to give more instructions and eventually get a response you can use, or you simply give up. Sound familiar?
Well, with the custom instructions feature in ChatGPT, those days are behind us!
What are custom instructions in ChatGPT?
Custom instructions is a new feature in ChatGPT that allows you to add preferences or requirements that you’d like ChatGPT to consider when generating its responses. When you add custom instructions, ChatGPT will apply these instructions for every conversation going forward.
By providing specific guidelines when it comes to for example tone of voice, the purpose of the task, the intended audience and other important factors, you can tailor ChatGPT's responses and steer it in the right direction right from the start.
After you’ve set up custom instructions, the days of constantly re-introducing yourself and your projects to ChatGPT are over. You’ll both save time AND get better responses.
Let’s take a closer look at this feature and how you can get started!
Getting Started with custom Instructions - step by step guide
Accessing custom instructions
The custom instructions feature is now available to all ChatGPT users, and accessing the feature is super easy. When logged into ChatGPT, just click on your name in the bottom left corner and then select “Custom instructions” to get started.
Setting up custom instructions
Now this step will require some upfront work on your part - but it will all be worth it in the end, promise.
To set up custom instructions, GhatGPT lets you input answers to the following two questions:
1. What would you like ChatGPT to know about you to provide better responses? 2. How would you like ChatGPT to respond?
These are two very big questions - and although ChatGPT gives you some examples of questions - it really is up to you to think through what information is relevant for ChatGPT to know.
Sounds like a lot of work, right? Well don’t worry, I’ve found the ultimate custom instruction template, that I’ve personally used and adapted for my own custom instructions. Kudos to the AI advantage for putting this template together and sharing it with us all.
Custom instructions template - questions to answer
By providing more information about your role, your project, and your preferences, you can help ChatGPT provide better responses. Here are some examples of questions to answer:
What would you like ChatGPT to know about you to provide better responses?Profession/Role: Current Projects/Challenges: Specific Interests: Values and Principles: Learning Style: Personal Background: Goals: Preferences: Specialized Knowledge: Educational Background: Communication Style: How would you like ChatGPT to respond? Response Format: Tone: Detail Level: Types of Suggestions: Types of Questions: Checks and Balances: Resource References: Critical Thinking Level: Creativity Level: Problem-Solving Approach: Bias Awareness: Language Preferences:
Example: Custom instructions for a digital marketer persona
Let’s take a closer look at an example to clarify what type of information could be helpful to put in your custom instructions. Using the example of a digital marketer persona, provided by the AI advantage:
What would you like ChatGPT to know about you to provide better responses?Profession/Role: I'm a Digital Marketer, managing online marketing strategies for a mid-size tech company. Current Projects/Challenges: Currently, I'm working on a campaign to boost our product's online presence and conversion rate. Specific Interests: I'm passionate about social media marketing and data analysis Values and Principles: I value transparency and believe in making data-driven decisions. Learning Style: I learn best by doing and thrive on real-world applications of marketing theory. Personal Background: I'm located in Toronto and work with a globally dispersed team. Goals: My immediate goal is to achieve our quarterly lead generation targets. Long-term, I aim to step into a strategic leadership role. Preferences: I prefer using Google Analytics, Hootsuite, and HubSpot for my projects. Language Proficiency: English is my primary language, and I am comfortable using it in a professional context. Specialized Knowledge: I specialize in search engine marketing and optimization. Educational Background: I have an MBA with a concentration in Marketing. Communication Style: I am friendly yet professional, and I appreciate clear, concise communication. How would you like ChatGPT to respond? Response Format: Please provide responses in a clear, structured manner, with important points summarized at the beginning. Tone: Maintain a professional tone that balances friendliness and formality. Detail Level: I appreciate thorough yet succinct explanations. Types of Suggestions: Offer suggestions for improving digital marketing strategies, providing relevant resources, and highlighting industry trends. Types of Questions: Ask questions that stimulate strategic thinking and creativity. Checks and Balances: Please verify any marketing statistics or trends you share against reliable sources. Resource References: Cite sources when referencing industry trends or data. Critical Thinking Level: Offer thoughtful insights and perspectives, showing a nuanced understanding of digital marketing. Creativity Level: I welcome innovative ideas that challenge conventional digital marketing approaches. Problem-Solving Approach: Take a strategic problem-solving approach, considering both short-term and long-term implications. Bias Awareness: Please avoid favoring one marketing platform or strategy over another without valid reasons. Language Preferences: I prefer standard English with industry-specific terminology as required.
When you have formulated your answers to these questions, just copy and paste them into ChatGPT as custom instructions and start chatting away as usual. Hopefully, this will make a world of difference in the responses you’ll get. But don’t be afraid to tweak and experiment with your custom instructions. It might take a few iterations before you get exactly what you are looking for.
Learn more about ChatGPT custom instructions
If you want to dive deeper into how the custom instructions feature works and see the effects of the feature demonstrated - I highly recommend watching “The Ultimate Guide to ChatGPT Custom Instructions” by the AI Advantage.
TL;DR
The custom Instructions feature in ChatGPT is a game-changer. Whether you're drafting content, brainstorming ideas, or sifting through research, this feature is set to make your life a whole lot easier.
Got any cool tips or tricks with ChatGPTs custom instructions? Share them in the comments. Let's learn and grow together!
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