Most weeks start in the same way for me.

I’m sitting, looking at my Buffer queue, scratching my head at what I should schedule across my social media profiles.

Inspiration can be hard to come by. But recently, I’ve discovered a solution.

Buffer’s AI Assistant. It is designed to simplify the process of social media scheduling, making it easier for me to come up with posts, refine my own ideas and help me create content that resonates with my audience.

Here’s the catch though.

To get the most out of AI, you need to provide the right inputs. This means taking the time to understand what information the AI system needs and how it processes that information.

The quality and accuracy of your inputs will directly impact the quality and accuracy of the output.

What makes a good AI prompt?

In one word: context.

A good AI prompt should provide enough context to allow the AI to make an informed decision. Additionally, the prompt should be tailored to the specific AI model being used and should provide all relevant information needed to make an accurate prediction.

For example, if you are using Buffer’s AI Assistant, you need to feed it relevant information such as your target audience, desired tone, and content topics. Providing clear and concise inputs will help the AI system understand your goals and provide more effective suggestions.

So, for example, you ask Buffer’s AI Assistant:

• “Write me a tweet about black Friday.”

It’ll give you a result like this: "Get ready for the biggest shopping day of the year! #BlackFriday is just around the corner.”
That’s, okay. But not something you’d probably be happy to share on social.
Instead, providing Buffer’s AI Assistant with more information about your brand, your product, your tone of voice, and your target audience will help the AI create something much better. For example, if you ask Buffer’s AI Assistant:

• I run a small sustainable coffee shop that uses an organic, fair-trade roast from Peru. Our coffee is smooth yet flavorsome. Could you write a tweet promoting our 50% Black Friday deal? Our target audience is busy millennials, so make the tone of the tweet friendly, yet to the point.

It’ll give you a result like this: “Fuel your day with purpose! Get 50% off our smooth & flavorful organic, fair trade coffee from Peru this #BlackFriday 🌎👩‍💼 Perfect for busy millennials looking for a guilt-free coffee fix 💪 #SustainableCoffee"

This is much, much better. It’s not perfect. But it’s a step in the right direction.
And that’s the point, get the input right, and you’ll get a much better result.

So, without further ado, here are 38 inputs you can steal, tweak and test out for yourself:

38 prompts to get you started with Buffer’s AI Assistant

Prompts for generating ideas

1. Share [number] ideas for a/an [social media name] post (use)
2. I run the [social media name] for a [type of account] Share [number] ideas to help increase engagement on my account (use)
3. Generate [number] [post type] announcing the launch of our new [product/service name & description] (use)
4. Create a social media post that showcases the benefits of [product/service] for [target audience] (use)
5. Generate a motivational quote for [target audience] related to [topic] (use)
6. Write a how-to post on [topic] for [target audience] (use)
7. Create a post that highlights the latest trends in [industry/field] (use)
8. Generate a list of [number] tips for [target audience] on [topic] (use)
9. Write a post that explains the science behind [topic] like you would to a 5-year old (use)
10. Create a post that debunks common myths about [topic] (use)
11. Generate a post that discusses the impact of [topic/event/trend] on [industry/field] (use)
12. Write a post that features [number] success stories related to [topic] (use)
13. Create a post that compares and contrasts [topic A] and [topic B] for [target audience] (use)

Prompts for drafting content

1. Write a [social media name] post about [topic] that includes a call to action for [target audience] (use)
2. Draft a post that showcases [number] ways to [achieve a specific goal related to the topic] (use)
3. Create a post that breaks down [complex topic] into simple steps for [target audience] (use)
4. Write a post that shares the latest news and developments in [industry/field] (use)
5. Draft a post that offers [number] expert tips for [topic] for [target audience] (use)
6. Create a post that explains the benefits of [product/service] for [target audience] (use)
7. Write a post that features [number] inspiring stories related to [topic] (use)
8. Draft a post that shares [number] interesting facts about [topic] (use)
9. Create a post that lists [number] common misconceptions about [topic] and provides accurate information (use)
10. Write a post that compares [product/service A] and [product/service B] in terms of [specific aspect or feature] (use)

Prompts for when you’re ready to publish and promote

1. Create a social media post that announces [content piece] and highlights its key takeaways for [target audience] (use)
2. Draft a post that features a quote from [content piece] and provides a link to read more (use)
3. Write a post that showcases [number] reasons why [target audience] should check out [content piece] (use)
4. Create a post that highlights the unique features of [content piece] and its benefits for [target audience] (use)
5. Draft a post that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of [content piece] (use)
6. Write a post that features [number] testimonials from satisfied readers of [content piece] (use)
7. Create a post that asks [target audience] to share their thoughts on [content piece] and provides a link to read more (use)
8. Draft a post that offers [number] exclusive tips or insights from [content piece] not found anywhere else (use)
9. Write a post that showcases the positive impact [content piece] has had on [specific industry or field] (use)
10. Create a post that presents [content piece] as a solution to [specific problem or challenge faced by target audience] (use)

Prompts for when you’re repurposing old content

1. Rewrite this social post in a more engaging style: [add the social media post] (use)
2. Turn this LinkedIn post into a Twitter Thread: [add the LinkedIn post] (use)
3. Take this Facebook post and transform it into a caption for Instagram: [add the Facebook post] (use)
4. Take this YouTube description and create a TikTok caption for the video: [add the YouTube description] (use)
5. Read my 5 best performing social posts and come up with a new post in a similar style: [add 5 best performing social posts] (use)

If you're feeling stuck on what to post on social media, Buffer's AI Assistant is here to help.

It's designed to make your life easier by suggesting content that resonates with your audience. But to get the best results, you need to give the AI the right information.

A great AI prompt should provide enough context for the AI to make a well-informed decision. The more information you give, the better the AI will understand your goals and the more effective its suggestions will be.

Got any suggested prompts you’d add to this list? Send us a Tweet to let us know and we’ll get it updated! And for more advice on creating great AI prompts, check out this thread:

Want to try out Buffer’s AI Assistant for yourself? Get started today for free!

P.S. Would you like to 2x your growth in 2 weeks? Join our free AI Accelerator, an 8-part video course to help you 2x your growth with AI.