To describe ChatGPT as simply a large language model (LLM) chatbot would be an understatement of its immense value as a marketing, communications, and PR tool. While its generative AI model is not a cure-all that will replace human creatives on your team, ChatGPT functions as a powerful instrument that can enhance personal and team productivity, and aid in creative brainstorming.
7 things you can do with ChatGPT
ChatGPT has the potential to elevate your business or support you in your journey as a budding solopreneur. It acts as a companion and personal assistant that is always available to help. Here are some ways ChatGPT can assist you:
- Answering questions: Utilize ChatGPT as a search engine with instant, natural language responses.
- Assisting with professional documents: Generate ideas and draft resumes, cover letters, and other professional documents.
- Editing and spell-checking: Let ChatGPT review your text for errors.
- Generating content: Develop outlines or drafts of articles, blogs, essays, social media posts, and other content marketing materials.
- Summarizing text: Summarize lengthy texts to your desired length.
- Translating: Translate text into various languages like Spanish, Turkish, Japanese, and more to cater to a diverse audience.
- Optimizing SEO: Identify popular digital keywords and phrases related to any topic through a simple query.
Additionally, ChatGPT can aid in image creation, coding, and music composition!
How to use ChatGPT
Getting started with ChatGPT is easier than setting up a social media account and simpler than using a search engine. The key is to approach it less as a technical skill and more as meeting a whimsical yet highly intelligent new friend.
Just like any relationship, there are some tips to optimize your experience.
1. Sign up for an OpenAI account
Begin by visiting ChatGPT at chat.openai.com and clicking on the “Sign up” button under “Get started.” You’ll only need an email and password, or you can sign up using your existing Google, Microsoft, or Apple accounts. If you opt for an email, a verification email will be sent promptly to kick start your journey. From there, it’s just you and ChatGPT in the chat room. The interface is straightforward with a prompt to “Message ChatGPT.”
Another consideration is whether to choose a paid account or stick with the free version. I recommend trying the free version for a day or two to familiarize yourself with the tool and determine if it meets your needs. Many users find the paid account beneficial after testing as it offers advantages like:
- An updated model of 4.0, providing a better understanding of prompts and responses with enhanced natural language processing
- Enhanced access to fresh data from Bing rather than relying solely on previous training up to April 2023
- Access to DALL-E for image generation, adding a fun creative element
- Priority access to ChatGPT during peak server times when others may need to wait
2. Enter a prompt
Type your prompt as you would in a standard search engine. This could be a query like “Who was the 16th president of the United States?” or an instruction such as “Craft a four-line poem about spring.” Take your time and don’t hesitate to experiment by asking quirky, trivial, or profound questions.
Tips for creating effective ChatGPT prompts
Think of ChatGPT as a 7-year-old with vast knowledge. It possesses a wealth of information but lacks wisdom or complete understanding of human nuances. To maximize this tool’s potential, consider the following tips:
- Be precise and detailed. Clearly articulate your requests with as much detail as possible to guide ChatGPT towards the desired outcome.
- Break down complex requests. Divide intricate tasks into simpler steps for more focused outputs.
- Experiment with open-ended questions. Broader inquiries can spark new ideas and help you explore uncharted territories.
3. Interact with the AI to refine your answer
ChatGPT’s initial responses may not always align with your expectations. Feel free to ask for refinements, such as requesting a shorter answer or adjusting its tone to be more professional.
Similarly, you can prompt it to include missing details or, in the paid version, provide online references for verification. Unlike humans, ChatGPT won’t get weary or annoyed by your efforts to obtain the desired response. Moreover, you can reference previous responses to amalgamate the best elements from each iteration.
Using ChatGPT to create images
One of the perks of the paid ChatGPT model is access to DALL-E, an AI model for generating graphic images. While it may not produce precise designs for major campaigns, it offers design teams elements like backgrounds for print or digital projects and quick solutions for platforms like social media.
The guidelines for utilizing DALL-E mirror those for the chatbot. Provide specific details in your requests and iterate to achieve the desired outcome. The AI’s capabilities are rapidly evolving in understanding inputs and generating graphic content.
ChatGPT is still learning
The technology behind ChatGPT is progressing swiftly, but it is an ongoing learning process. As an illustration, requesting “Create a photorealistic image of a snail riding the back of a tortoise” from DALL-E a month ago would result in peculiar snail-tortoise hybrids. Now, the generative AI comprehends them as distinct entities.
Similarly, ChatGPT’s text processing continuously improves. While there may be occasional lapses in human-level reasoning and contextual comprehension, these models can introduce biases that may not align with your intentions or audience. Nonetheless, as you both learn and adapt, the chatbot will save time and offer fresh perspectives to explore new ideas.
