Stop Saying “Make It Better”: How to Use ChatGPT to Improve Your Writing and Get Better Results
f you’ve ever typed “make this better” into ChatGPT and felt disappointed with the response, you’re not alone. The truth is, vague prompts lead to vague results. As a Charlotte-based social media marketing agency, we use ChatGPT to boost content efficiency for ourselves and our clients, but only when we guide it the right way.
Whether you're writing captions, blog posts, ad copy, or emails, getting the most out of ChatGPT starts with giving better instructions.
In this post, we’ll break down:
Why “make it better” doesn’t work
Examples of specific prompts that do work
What details to include in your prompt
A reusable prompt template for social media managers, marketers, and small business owners
Why “Make It Better” Doesn’t Work
“Make it better” is one of the most common prompts people give to AI writing tools like ChatGPT. It also happens to be one of the least effective.
Why? Because “better” is subjective.
What you think is better could mean:
Shorter and more concise
More formal or more casual
Optimized for SEO
Written in a funnier or more persuasive tone
Easier to read or written at a lower reading level
Without telling ChatGPT what kind of “better” you want, it has to guess; and those guesses often fall flat.
What to Say Instead: Prompt Examples That Actually Work
Here are real examples of the kinds of prompts that lead to high-quality, on-brand content:
“Can you rewrite this caption to sound fun, friendly, and less formal?”
“Make this LinkedIn post sound more professional and suitable for a B2B audience.”
“Turn this blog intro into something punchier, under 100 words.”
“Write this email as if you're talking to a busy mom looking for easy dinner ideas.”
“Add a stronger call to action for people thinking about selling their home.”
The more direction you give, the better your output will be, especially when you're managing content for multiple clients or industries.
4 Key Elements of a Great ChatGPT Prompt
When you're writing prompts, whether for yourself, your social media team, or a tool like ChatGPT, think about these four things:
1. Tone
How should it sound?
Friendly, funny, or formal?
Professional, inspirational, or casual?
2. Format
What are you writing?
A caption?
An email subject line?
A blog post?
A list of bullet points?
3. Audience
Who are you talking to?
Gen Z college students?
Charlotte first-time homebuyers?
Business owners in the hospitality industry?
4. Length
How long should the content be?
Under 50 words?
A single paragraph?
A 500-word blog post?
Being clear about all four gives you a huge advantage when using AI for content creation.
Still Not Getting What You Want? Add More Clarity
If your first result isn’t quite right, refine your prompt. Try these follow-ups:
“Make this more concise, but keep the friendly tone.”
“Add stronger verbs and remove fluff.”
“Explain this at a 6th-grade reading level.”
“Reword this to sound more like an Instagram caption.”
You’re not stuck with the first draft. Treat ChatGPT like your brainstorming partner.
Your Reusable Prompt Template
Want to build a habit of giving better prompts? Use this fill-in-the-blank formula:
“Rewrite this [type of content] to sound [tone] for a [audience]. Keep it [length or format].”
Example:
“Rewrite this Instagram caption to sound more confident and direct for local business owners. Keep it under 40 words.”
Copy. Paste. Customize. Done.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a small business owner trying to save time on marketing or a content creator managing multiple brands, tools like ChatGPT can be incredibly useful, if you know how to talk to them.
At 7th Peak Digital Marketing, our Charlotte-based team helps businesses create strong, strategic content with the help of tools like AI. But never without the human touch.
Need help writing content that connects with your audience and saves you time?
Let’s talk about how we can help you scale your content without sacrificing your brand voice.
Ready to Stop Guessing and Start Growing?
If you're tired of spending hours tweaking captions, writing blog posts, or trying to make ChatGPT “just get it,” let us take it off your plate.
At 7th Peak Digital Marketing, we help businesses in the Charlotte metro area show up consistently and professionally with strategy-backed content, whether it’s written by us or optimized with AI.
From social media and email marketing to copywriting and content planning, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s talk about how we can handle your marketing, so you can get back to running your business. Email us to get started.