As business owners become more and more adapted to using AI to assist in writing marketing copy, there’s a few simple tricks that can supercharge your social media content. However, the most potent thing LLMs — or large language models — like ChatGPT and Gemini can do for you is likely not what you think.
While many businesses are experimenting with AI to write captions or generate images, they’re overlooking the real capability that can move the needle: helping you come up with better ideas and stronger hooks. That matters more than ever.
Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Facebook no longer reward you for posting consistently. They reward you for creating content that people actually want to see. If your post doesn’t earn interest quickly, it doesn’t get shown.
This means the what and the how behind your post matter more than the when. Great ideas and strong hooks are the most valuable assets in your social media toolbox. And ChatGPT can help you generate both if you use it right.
This isn’t about outsourcing your brand or company’s voice. It’s about making your content better by collaborating with a smart assistant.
In this article, I’ll show you how to use ChatGPT to guide your ideation process and develop better post openers. Plus, I’ll give you prompts you can use to try it yourself. I call these “prompt primers.” They’re not one-shot shortcuts. Instead, they’re starting points you can build on by layering in your own knowledge and using ChatGPT as a creative partner.
Here’s how I coach my clients to use ChatGPT as a smart partner in that process.
STEP 1: ASSIGN CHATGPT A ROLE.
Start by giving it context. You’ll get better results if it knows its job.
Prompt primer: “Act as my social media success consultant. Your job is to help make this post perform well on Instagram and TikTok.”
STEP 2: TEACH IT ABOUT THE PRODUCT.
Don’t just ask for post ideas out of nowhere. Ask ChatGPT to help surface insights about the product first.
Prompt primer: “I want to post about the [enter product name]. Start by researching this product and suggesting six key insights or talking points that would matter to a potential buyer.”
Once you get those results, apply your own expertise. This is critical. Refine the direction by telling it: “I like #2 and #5. Expand on those.” Or, correct it if it’s off course by saying: “The real selling point is actually [XYZ]. Focus on this instead.” This is where your human knowledge makes the machine smarter.
STEP 3: DEFINE THE AUDIENCE.
Now explain who the post is for. Audience context completely changes the quality of suggestions.
Prompt primer: “This product will mostly appeal to adult beginners or people picking up the instrument as a hobby. Can you offer copy that appeals to this audience?”
STEP 4: GENERATE POST IDEAS.
Now, you’re ready to ask ChatGPT for some creative suggestions. You’ll often get a list of useful formats, such as tip posts, demos, comparisons or historic context by using the following prompt.
Prompt primer: “Give me 10 post ideas for this product that would appeal to this audience. Each one should either teach something useful, offer a fun perspective or highlight something surprising.”
BONUS: LET CHATGPT HELP YOU HOOK THE VIEWER.
Once you’ve selected a post idea or two, you can use ChatGPT again to write stronger openings.
Prompt primer: “Write five opening lines for [your selected idea]. Each one should grab attention within the first three seconds.” These hook options are especially useful for Reels, Shorts and TikToks, where the opening few seconds often determine whether or not someone continues to take in your content.
THINK OF CHATGPT AS YOUR CREATIVE PARTNER.
For most businesses, the journey to a social media post starts with the desire to highlight a specific product or program. That often leads to a generic post that lists features, uses a basic product image or features a flat play-through video, and it goes largely unseen.
But with ChatGPT in the mix, you evolve that idea into something that resonates. Instead of posting the obvious, you collaborate to create something sharper and more audience-focused. Think of ChatGPT like a creative partner. If used well, ChatGPT won’t replace your content, it will improve it.
LLMs help you think sharper, write faster and explore new angles you may not have considered. But, the power of using AI to write social content comes from combining what you, as a human, already know about your products and customers with what it can offer through speed and idea generation.
Together, you surface new angles: a surprising comparison, a customer-first insight, a smarter hook. Maybe one idea clicks right away. Maybe you give feedback, redirect and unlock something better. Either way, you have a creative partner that’s helping you get a better result, faster.
ChatGPT isn’t a prompt slot machine. It’s a partner in shaping better content. It moves faster than you, but it needs your context, instincts and direction to get real results.
Bring that into the AI mix, and what you’ll get isn’t just more content. It will be sharper, more useful and more aligned content that your audience will actually care about.
Happy prompting, and enjoy your new creativity supercharger. MI
Tracy Hoeft is the president of Amplify 11, a marketing firm specializing in the musical instrument industry.
