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Best Practices

Learn how to design, organize, and maintain effective prompts that deliver consistent results.

Crafting Effective Prompts​

Be Specific​

Vague instructions produce inconsistent results. Provide clear, detailed guidance.

Avoid:

Write an article.

Better:

Write a 1000-word technical article about {{topic}} for {{audience}}.

Use Structure​

Organize instructions into clear sections that guide the AI step-by-step.

Avoid:

Write a product description highlighting the benefits and features with a call to action.

Better:

Write a product description:

## Key Benefit
Start with the primary value proposition: {{main_benefit}}

## Features
List 3-5 features:
- {{feature_1}}
- {{feature_2}}
- {{feature_3}}

## Technical Specs
{{specifications}}

## Call to Action
End with: {{cta_text}}

Include Examples​

Show the AI what you want by providing examples within your prompt.

Write a social media post about {{topic}}.

**Format:**
Hook: [attention-grabbing opening]
Body: [key message in 1-2 sentences]
CTA: [clear action to take]
Hashtags: [3-5 relevant tags]

**Example:**
Hook: "Did you know 80% of teams waste time on repetitive tasks?"
Body: "Our automation tool saves 10 hours per week by streamlining your workflow."
CTA: "Try it free for 14 days!"
Hashtags: #productivity #automation #workflow #saas #efficiency

Define Tone and Style​

Specify the voice and style to ensure output matches your brand.

Write a {{content_type}} about {{topic}}.

**Tone:** {{tone}}
(Options: professional, casual, friendly, authoritative, conversational)

**Style Guidelines:**
- Use active voice
- Keep sentences under 20 words
- Write for {{reading_level}} reading level
- Avoid jargon unless explaining technical concepts

Set Constraints​

Define boundaries for length, format, and content.

Create a project summary:

**Length:** 300-500 words
**Format:** Plain text, no markdown
**Required sections:** Overview, Goals, Timeline, Budget
**Exclude:** Team member names, internal codes

Variable Strategy​

Provide Context in Names​

Variable names should be self-documenting.

Avoid:

{{var1}}, {{var2}}, {{var3}}
{{x}}, {{y}}, {{z}}

Better:

{{target_audience}}, {{content_tone}}, {{word_count}}
{{product_name}}, {{key_benefit}}, {{price_point}}

Organize variables by theme or function.

Write a blog post about {{topic}}.

## SEO Settings
- Title: {{seo_title}}
- Description: {{seo_description}}
- Keywords: {{seo_keywords}}

## Content Settings
- Word count: {{word_count}}
- Tone: {{tone}}
- Audience: {{target_audience}}

## Structure
- Sections: {{section_count}}
- Include examples: {{include_examples}} (yes/no)

Document Expected Input​

Help users understand what values variables expect.

Create a support response:

Issue type: {{issue_type}}
(Options: technical, billing, feature-request, general)

Priority: {{priority}}
(Options: low, medium, high, urgent)

Customer segment: {{customer_segment}}
(Options: free-tier, pro, enterprise)

Prompt Organization​

Use Descriptive Titles​

Titles should clearly indicate what the prompt does.

Good titles:

  • "Blog Post Outline - SaaS Product Marketing"
  • "Code Review Checklist - Security Focus"
  • "Customer Support Response - Technical Issues"

Poor titles:

  • "Writing Prompt"
  • "Template 1"
  • "New Prompt"

Leverage Labels Strategically​

Create a consistent labeling taxonomy across your library.

By function:

  • content-creation, code-review, data-analysis, communication

By department:

  • marketing, engineering, support, sales, product

By output type:

  • email, blog, report, documentation, social-media

By audience:

  • external, internal, customer-facing, team-only

Example: A customer onboarding email template might have:

  • email
  • customer-facing
  • onboarding
  • support

Create Base Prompts for Common Patterns​

Identify instructions you repeat across prompts and extract them into reusable base prompts.

Company Voice Base Prompt (slug: company-voice)

Write in [Company Name]'s voice:
- Friendly but professional
- Use "we" when referring to the company
- Use "you" when addressing readers
- Keep sentences concise
- Avoid corporate jargon

Technical Writing Base Prompt (slug: tech-writing-standards)

Follow these technical writing standards:
- Define acronyms on first use
- Use code blocks for commands and code
- Include examples for complex concepts
- Structure with clear headings
- Write for developers with 2-5 years experience

Now reference these in specific prompts:

@company-voice
@tech-writing-standards

Write a tutorial about {{topic}}.

Testing and Iteration​

Test with Diverse Inputs​

Before publishing, test your prompt with various variable values to ensure it handles different scenarios.

Test cases for a blog post prompt:

  • Short topics (3-4 words) and long topics (10+ words)
  • Technical and non-technical audiences
  • Different word counts (500, 1000, 2000 words)
  • Various tones (formal, casual, authoritative)

Verify Formatting​

Use the Preview tab to check that markdown renders correctly and the structure is clear.

Refine Based on Output​

If results are inconsistent:

  • Add more specific constraints
  • Include examples
  • Break complex instructions into steps
  • Clarify ambiguous terms

Get Feedback​

Share prompts with colleagues and ask:

  • Is the purpose clear?
  • Are variables self-explanatory?
  • Does it produce expected results?
  • What edge cases might break it?

Draft vs Published Workflow​

Use Drafts for Development​

Keep prompts as drafts while:

  • Testing different phrasings
  • Gathering feedback
  • Experimenting with structure
  • Verifying output quality

Publish When Stable​

Promote to published when:

  • Testing shows consistent results
  • Documentation is complete
  • Variables are clearly named
  • All referenced prompts exist and are stable
  • Team members have reviewed (if applicable)

Version Control Strategy​

When updating published prompts:

For minor edits (typos, small clarifications):

  • Edit the published prompt directly
  • Note changes in the description

For major changes (new structure, different approach):

  • Create a new draft version
  • Test thoroughly
  • Update the original only when the new version is proven
  • Or publish the new version as a separate prompt with a version suffix (e.g., "Blog Post Template v2")

Common Use Case Patterns​

Content Marketing​

Blog Post Structure:

@company-voice

Write a blog post about {{topic}}.

**Audience:** {{target_audience}}
**Goal:** {{content_goal}}
**Length:** {{word_count}} words

## Structure
1. Compelling headline
2. Introduction with hook
3. {{section_count}} main sections with examples
4. Practical takeaways
5. Conclusion with CTA

**SEO:** Focus on {{primary_keyword}}
**Tone:** {{tone}}

Software Development​

Pull Request Template:

Create a pull request description:

## Feature
{{feature_name}}

## Changes
{{changes_summary}}

## Why This Change?
{{problem_statement}}

## How It Works
{{solution_approach}}

## Testing
{{testing_approach}}

## Breaking Changes
{{breaking_changes}} (none if not applicable)

## Deployment Notes
{{deployment_notes}} (none if not applicable)

Checklist:
- [ ] Tests added/updated
- [ ] Documentation updated
- [ ] Backward compatible (or breaking changes documented)

Business Communication​

Meeting Summary:

Summarize this meeting:

**Meeting:** {{meeting_title}}
**Date:** {{date}}
**Attendees:** {{attendees}}

**Raw Notes:**
{{meeting_notes}}

**Format:**

# {{meeting_title}} - Summary

## Key Decisions
- [Decision 1]
- [Decision 2]

## Action Items
- [Action] - Owner: [Name] - Due: [Date]

## Next Steps
[What happens next]

## Parking Lot
[Items tabled for future discussion]

**Tone:** Professional and concise

Customer Support​

Support Response:

@support-tone-guidelines

Write a support response:

**Issue:** {{issue_description}}
**Customer:** {{customer_name}}
**Priority:** {{priority_level}}

**Include:**
1. Acknowledge the issue with empathy
2. Provide clear solution steps
3. Offer additional help if needed
4. Set expectations for next steps

**Tone:** {{tone}}
(Options: empathetic, professional, friendly)

Maintenance Best Practices​

Regular Review Schedule​

Monthly:

  • Review prompts used in the last 30 days
  • Update any that produced inconsistent results
  • Remove unused test prompts

Quarterly:

  • Audit entire library for outdated instructions
  • Consolidate similar prompts
  • Update base prompts based on learnings
  • Review and update labeling system

Documentation Updates​

When updating prompts, also update:

  • Description field with change summary
  • Labels if purpose has shifted
  • Slug if name has changed significantly
  • References in other prompts

Breaking Changes​

When making breaking changes to a referenced prompt:

  1. Search for all prompts that reference it (@slug-name)
  2. Create a new version of the base prompt instead
  3. Or update all dependent prompts to handle the change
  4. Document the breaking change in the description

Security and Privacy​

Avoid Hardcoding Sensitive Data​

Never include in prompts:

  • API keys or credentials
  • Customer names or personal information
  • Internal system names or infrastructure details
  • Proprietary algorithms or trade secrets

Use variables instead:

✅ Connect to {{database_name}} using credentials in {{config_file}}
❌ Connect to prod-db-2.internal.company.com using apikey_12345

Review Shared Prompts​

Before sharing prompts with team members:

  • Check for embedded sensitive information
  • Verify examples don't contain real customer data
  • Ensure internal project names are replaced with variables

Next Steps​