Are You Prompting AI Wrong? The Difference Between Bad and Good Prompts

Most people open Claude, ChatGPT, or any AI tool and type the first thing that comes to mind.

“Write me a YouTube video idea.”

“Fix my code.”

“Help me save money.”

And then they wonder why the output feels generic, useless, or like something a stranger wrote about someone else’s life.

Here’s the truth: the AI didn’t fail you. Your prompt did.

Why Your Prompts Are Getting You Mediocre Results

AI models like Claude are extraordinarily capable, but they are not mind readers. When you give them vague input, they fill the gaps with assumptions. And those assumptions are almost never right for your specific situation, your audience, your tone, or your goal.

Think of it like briefing a freelancer. If you email a designer and say “make me a logo,” you’ll get something back. But it will be generic, probably wrong, and you’ll spend more time revising than if you had written a proper brief in the first place.

The same principle applies to AI prompts. Context is everything.

The Formula That Changes Everything

A good prompt has five ingredients:

1. Context - Who are you? What’s the situation?

2. Audience - Who is this for?

3. Format - What do you want back? A list? A script? An email?

4. Tone - Professional? Casual? Witty? Warm?

5. Constraint - What should it avoid? How long should it be?

You don’t always need all five. But the more you include, the better the output.

10 Real Examples: Bad Prompt vs Good Prompt

1. YouTube Content

Bad: “Write me a YouTube video idea.”

Good: “I make finance videos for 20-somethings. Give me 5 video ideas around budgeting, catchy hooks, no jargon. Ask me questions first if needed.”

What changed: Niche + audience + format + tone.

2. Cover Letter

Bad: “Write me a cover letter.”

Good: “Here’s my CV [paste] and the job description [paste]. Don’t write yet, ask me what angle I want, then draft something that sounds human, not corporate.”

What changed: Full context + process control + tone direction.

3. Study Help

Bad: “Explain photosynthesis.”

Good: “I’m a 16-year-old prepping for my biology exam. I understand the basics but I’m confused about light-dependent reactions. Explain simply, then quiz me with 3 questions.”

What changed: Age + prior knowledge + specific gap + desired output.

4. Coding Help

Bad: “Fix my code.”

Good: “Here’s my Python function [paste]. It’s throwing a KeyError on line 12 when input is empty. Don’t rewrite everything, just fix that bug and explain why it happened.”

What changed: Language + error + constraint + explanation requested.

5. Social Media Caption

Bad: “Write me an Instagram caption.”

Good: “I’m posting a photo of my handmade candles. Brand is cosy and minimal. Write 3 caption options, one witty, one warm, one aspirational. Under 150 chars, include a CTA.”

What changed: Product + brand voice + quantity + tone + length + CTA.

6. Travel Planning

Bad: “Plan me a trip to Japan.”

Good: “I’m visiting Japan for 10 days in April, budget £2,500. I love food, temples, and avoiding crowds. Build me a day-by-day itinerary and flag what to book in advance.”

What changed: Duration + season + budget + interests + specific output format.

7. Learning a New Skill

Bad: “Teach me graphic design.”

Good: “I’m a complete beginner wanting to design my own social media posts using Canva. Give me a 4-week learning plan, 30 mins a day, with free resources only.”

What changed: Level + goal + tool + timeline + constraint.

8. Business Idea Feedback

Bad: “Is my business idea good?”

Good: “My idea: a subscription box for solo travellers aged 25–40. I’m pre-revenue. Be brutally honest, tell me the top 3 risks, who my real competitors are, and one thing I haven’t thought of.”

What changed: Idea + stage + target + tone + specific questions.

9. Email Writing

Bad: “Write me a follow-up email.”

Good: “I met a potential client at a conference 3 days ago. We talked about their rebranding project. Write a short follow-up, warm but professional, under 100 words, with a soft CTA to book a call.”

What changed: Context + relationship + tone + length + goal.

10. Personal Finance Advice

Bad: “Help me save money.”

Good: “I earn £2,800/month, spend ~£2,200. I want to save £5,000 in 12 months for a house deposit. Analyse my gap, suggest a realistic monthly savings plan, and flag the easiest wins first.”

What changed: Income + expenses + goal + timeline + priority framing.

The One Rule to Remember

Before you hit send on any AI prompt, ask yourself one question:

“If I handed this brief to a smart human freelancer, would they have enough information to do a great job, without asking me a single question?”

If the answer is no, add more context. It takes 10 extra seconds. It saves you 10 minutes of back-and-forth.

Final Thought

AI is not magic. It is a mirror; it reflects exactly what you give it. Give it vague, get vague back. Give it rich context, get rich output back.

The people getting remarkable results from AI are not smarter than you. They just learned how to brief it properly.

Now you know how to.

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#BeingOvee is where I break down AI tools, prompts, technopreneurship and digital strategies, so you can work smarter, create better, and stay ahead of the curve. No fluff. Just practical stuff that actually works.

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