The Marketer's Prompt Engineering Playbook: 20 Templates for Campaigns, Copy, and Strategy

You are a content strategist for [company type, e.g., "a B2B SaaS company selling project management software"].

Goal: Develop 5 content pillars that support our positioning as [desired market position, e.g., "the easiest tool for remote teams"].

Target audience: [specific persona, e.g., "marketing directors at agencies with 10-50 employees who struggle with client visibility and internal coordination"].

For each pillar:

1. Name the pillar theme

2. Explain why it resonates with our audience's pain points

3. List 5 content topic ideas (blog posts, guides, videos)

4. Suggest 3 keywords to target within this pillar

Our key differentiators vs competitors: [e.g., "automated status updates, no-code setup, Slack-native interface"]

Output format: Table with columns for Pillar Name, Audience Pain Point, 5 Topics, 3 Keywords.

Analyze content gaps between our content library and our top 3 competitors.

Our company: [brief description + primary audience]

Our existing content: [list 5-10 recent blog titles or topic areas]

Competitor 1: [name + URL]

Competitor 2: [name + URL]

Competitor 3: [name + URL]

Task:

1. Identify 5 topics our competitors cover extensively that we're missing

2. For each gap, explain why it matters to our target audience ([specific persona])

3. Rate each gap's priority (High/Medium/Low) based on search volume potential and audience relevance

4. Suggest 2 angles we could use to differentiate our coverage on each topic

Output format: Table with Topic Gap, Why It Matters, Priority, Differentiation Angles.

Create a detailed content brief for a blog post.

Topic: [specific topic, e.g., "How to build a content calendar for B2B SaaS"]

Target keyword: [primary keyword]

Secondary keywords: [2-3 related keywords]

Target audience: [specific persona with pain points]

Goals:

- [e.g., "Rank for target keyword within 60 days"]

- [e.g., "Drive 500+ visits/month"]

- [e.g., "Generate 20 email signups"]

Competitor content to outperform:

- [URL 1 + brief note on weakness, e.g., "lacks templates"]

- [URL 2 + brief note on weakness, e.g., "too generic, no B2B examples"]

Output should include:

1. Recommended headline (3 options)

2. Meta description (under 160 chars, include target keyword)

3. Outline with H2 and H3 section headers

4. Suggested word count

5. Internal linking opportunities (topics we should link to)

6. Key points to cover that competitors miss

7. CTA recommendation

Tone: [e.g., "Practical and encouraging, like a senior colleague sharing tips"]

Design a topic cluster strategy around the pillar topic "[core topic, e.g., prompt engineering]".

Target audience: [specific persona]

Business goal: [e.g., "Position our AI tool as the solution for marketers who want better AI outputs"]

For this cluster, provide:

1. Pillar page topic and proposed title

2. 10 cluster content pieces (subtopics that link back to pillar)

- Mix of informational, how-to, and comparison content

- Each should target a specific long-tail keyword variation

3. Internal linking strategy: which pieces link to which

4. Suggested content formats (blog, video, template, checklist)

5. Keyword difficulty assessment (low/medium/high) for each piece

Avoid: Generic topics our competitors already dominate; focus on angles where we can differentiate.

Output format: Visual outline showing pillar page + cluster content with linking structure.

Analyze our existing blog content and prioritize which posts to refresh for maximum ROI.

Provide access to: [Google Analytics data, Search Console data, or paste list of blog posts with current traffic/rankings]

Criteria for prioritization:

1. Currently ranks positions 11-20 (high opportunity to reach page 1)

2. Receives >100 visits/month (existing traffic to amplify)

3. Topic remains relevant (not outdated)

4. High-value keyword (commercial intent or strategic importance)

For the top 10 posts to refresh:

- Current ranking + keyword

- Current monthly traffic

- Recommended updates (add sections, update stats, improve structure)

- Estimated traffic gain potential (conservative estimate)

Output format: Ranked list with refresh recommendations.

Create 5 ad copy variations for a Facebook/Instagram campaign.

Product/offer: [e.g., "Free 14-day trial of our invoicing software for freelancers"]

Target audience: [specific persona]

Primary pain point: [e.g., "Chasing late payments wastes 5+ hours per month"]

Key benefit: [e.g., "Automated payment reminders increase on-time payments by 40%"]

Ad specs:

- Primary text: 125 characters max

- Headline: 40 characters max

- Description: 30 characters max

Variation strategies:

1. Pain-focused (lead with frustration)

2. Benefit-focused (lead with outcome)

3. Social proof (customer stat or testimonial)

4. Curiosity (ask a question)

5. Urgency (limited-time angle, if applicable)

Tone: [e.g., "Conversational and empathetic, peer-to-peer"]

Avoid: Hype words ("revolutionary," "game-changing"), vague claims, sales-y language.

Output format: Table with Variation Type, Primary Text, Headline, Description.

Write Google Search ad copy for the keyword "[exact keyword]".

Product: [brief description]

Target audience: [specific persona + search intent]

Unique selling proposition: [what makes you different]

Ad requirements:

- 3 headlines (30 characters each, include keyword in headline 1)

- 2 descriptions (90 characters each)

- All must pass Google's policy (no superlatives without proof)

Competitor context: [common competitor claims]

Include:

- Specific benefit or stat in at least one headline

- CTA in description

- Reason to choose us over competitors

Output format: Headline 1, Headline 2, Headline 3, Description 1, Description 2.

Write a landing page hero section for [product/offer].

Target audience: [specific persona arriving from specific traffic source]

Hero section must include:

1. Headline (under 60 characters): Lead with primary benefit, include keyword "[keyword]"

2. Subheadline (under 150 characters): Expand on benefit, address main objection

3. CTA button text (3-5 words): Action-oriented, specific

4. Supporting bullet points (3 bullets): Each highlights a key benefit or feature

Tone: [e.g., "Clear, confident, benefit-focused"]

Context to address:

- Main objection: [e.g., "Switching email platforms is risky and time-consuming"]

- Key differentiator: [e.g., "One-click migration with zero list loss"]

- Urgency element, if any: [e.g., "25% off first 3 months"]

Avoid: Generic claims, jargon, vague benefits ("work smarter").

Output format: Headline, Subheadline, CTA, 3 Bullets.

Generate 10 email subject lines for [email purpose].

Target audience: [specific segment]

Email goal: [specific action]

Key message: [main message]

Subject line requirements:

- Under 50 characters (mobile-friendly)

- No spam trigger words ("free," "act now," "limited time")

- Mix of strategies: curiosity, benefit, question, urgency, personalization

Include at least:

- 3 benefit-driven subject lines

- 3 curiosity/question-based subject lines

- 2 personalized/human-touch subject lines

- 2 urgency-based (genuine, not manufactured)

Tone: [e.g., "Helpful and conversational, not pushy"]

Output format: Numbered list with strategy type noted in parentheses.

Write a testimonial section for a PPC landing page targeting [specific keyword/audience].

Product: [brief description]

Testimonial goals:

- Overcome objection: [e.g., "This won't work for my specific industry"]

- Prove benefit: [e.g., "Actually saves time vs. adding another tool"]

Provide 3 customer testimonial templates that include:

- Customer name, role, company size/industry (create realistic personas if using hypothetical examples)

- Specific outcome with numbers (e.g., "cut reporting time from 4 hours to 30 minutes")

- Quote highlighting emotional benefit (e.g., "I actually look forward to Monday reports now")

Each testimonial should address a different persona or use case within our target audience.

Tone: Authentic, conversational, specific—avoid corporate-speak.

Output format: 3 testimonials with Name, Title, Company, Quote, Outcome Stat.

Write a LinkedIn post positioning me as a thought leader on [topic].

My credentials: [your experience/expertise]

Audience: [target audience]

Post structure:

- Hook (first 2 lines): Contrarian or surprising take on [topic]

- Story or example: Personal experience or client case study (1-2 paragraphs)

- Insight: Lesson learned or framework developed (1 paragraph)

- CTA: Question or discussion prompt

Length: 150-200 words

Tone: [e.g., "Confident but not arrogant, like sharing a hard-won lesson with peers"]

Avoid: Humble-bragging, vague advice ("just work harder"), listicles.

Include 3 relevant hashtags at the end.

Create an engaging hook and thread outline for Twitter/X on [topic].

Goal: [e.g., "Drive profile visits and newsletter signups"]

Target audience: [specific persona]

Thread structure:

- Tweet 1 (hook): Bold claim or surprising stat that stops the scroll

- Tweets 2-7: Break down the insight with specific examples or steps

- Tweet 8: Summary + CTA (link to [landing page/newsletter/resource])

Hook requirements:

- Under 280 characters

- Include numbers or specific outcome

- Create curiosity gap ("Here's what most people miss...")

Tone: [e.g., "Direct, slightly contrarian, confident"]

Provide: Full hook tweet + outline for tweets 2-8 (key point for each).

Output format: Hook tweet, then numbered outline.

Write an Instagram caption for [content type].

Brand: [brief description]

Post goal: [specific goal]

Target audience: [specific persona]

Caption structure:

- Hook line: Ask a relatable question or state a common frustration

- Body (3-4 sentences): Explain the insight or transformation shown in the post

- Value add: Quick tip they can use immediately

- CTA: Specific action

- Hashtags: 5-7 relevant, mix of broad and niche

Length: 150-200 words

Tone: [e.g., "Friendly, encouraging, like talking to a colleague"]

Avoid: Generic inspirational quotes, emoji overload, vague CTAs.

Create a 2-week social media content calendar for [platform(s)].

Brand: [brief description]

Content pillars: [3-5 themes]

Posting frequency: [frequency per platform]

For each post, provide:

- Date

- Platform

- Content pillar

- Post format (e.g., single image, carousel, text-only, video)

- Topic/angle

- Brief content description (2 sentences)

- Goal (engagement, traffic, awareness)

Balance:

- 60% educational/value-add

- 20% promotional

- 20% engagement/community-building

Output format: Table with Date, Platform, Pillar, Format, Topic, Description, Goal.

Generate 5 viral hook variations for a [content type].

Target audience: [specific persona]

Core message: [main message]

Hook strategies:

1. Shocking stat or claim

2. Common mistake (pattern interrupt)

3. Contrarian take

4. Relatable frustration

5. "What nobody tells you about..." format

Each hook must:

- Be under 10 words

- Create curiosity or pattern interrupt

- Be specific, not vague

Tone: [e.g., "Punchy, slightly provocative, confident"]

Output format: 5 numbered hooks with strategy type noted.

Analyze the performance of [campaign name/type] and provide actionable insights.

Campaign data:

- Platform: [e.g., "Google Ads"]

- Budget: [total spend]

- Duration: [date range]

- KPIs: [e.g., "CPA, CTR, conversion rate, ROAS"]

Performance metrics: [paste actual data]

Benchmark context:

- Industry average [metric]: [benchmark]

- Our historical average: [past performance]

- Goal: [target metric]

Analysis should include:

1. Overall performance vs. benchmarks and goals (exceeding/meeting/underperforming)

2. Top 3 insights (what's working, what's not)

3. Root cause hypotheses for underperformance

4. 3 specific, actionable recommendations to improve performance

5. Predicted impact of each recommendation (low/medium/high)

Output format: Executive summary, then sections for Insights, Hypotheses, Recommendations.

Interpret A/B test results and recommend next steps.

Test details:

- What we tested: [description]

- Variant A: [description + performance]

- Variant B: [description + performance]

- Sample size: [number per variant]

- Primary metric: [metric]

- Results: [A: X%, B: Y%]

Statistical significance: [if known, or ask AI to assess]

Context:

- Audience segment: [who received the test]

- Prior belief/hypothesis: [expectation]

Provide:

1. Winner declaration (if significant) or "inconclusive" (if not)

2. Confidence level and explanation

3. Insights: Why might this variant have won?

4. Recommended next test: What should we test next based on this result?

5. Deployment recommendation: Roll out winner, run another test, or pivot?

Output format: Summary decision, then detailed interpretation.

Create an SEO performance summary report for [time period].

Metrics:

- Organic traffic: [current vs. previous period]

- Keyword rankings: [number in top 10, top 20, top 50]

- Top 5 performing pages by traffic: [URLs + traffic]

- Top 5 keywords driving traffic: [keywords + traffic/rankings]

- Backlinks acquired: [number, if available]

Goals:

- Traffic goal: [e.g., "10% MoM growth"]

- Ranking goal: [e.g., "5 keywords to first page"]

Report should include:

1. Executive summary: Are we on track to hit goals?

2. Key wins: What improved and why?

3. Opportunities: What's underperforming and could be fixed?

4. Competitive context: Where are competitors gaining ground?

5. Recommendations: 3 priorities for next month

Tone: Data-driven but accessible to non-SEO stakeholders.

Output format: Executive summary, Wins, Opportunities, Recommendations.

Analyze our customer journey funnel and identify drop-off points.

Funnel stages and data:

1. [Stage 1]: [number]

2. [Stage 2]: [number] ([X]% conversion from stage 1)

3. [Stage 3]: [number] ([X]% conversion from stage 2)

... [continue for all stages]

Industry benchmark drop-off rates: [if available]

Our goal: [specific improvement target]

Analysis should include:

1. Biggest drop-off point (% and absolute numbers)

2. Hypotheses: Why are users dropping off here?

3. Recommended tests or interventions for top 2 drop-off points

4. Estimated impact on overall funnel conversion if fixed

Output format: Visual funnel summary, drop-off analysis, recommendations.

Create a competitive benchmarking report comparing our [metric/channel] performance to top competitors.

Our company: [name]

Competitors: [list 3-5 competitors]

Metric to compare: [specific metric]

Data: [provide available data or suggest sources]

Benchmark report should include:

1. Performance ranking (where we stand vs. competitors)

2. Gap analysis: How far behind/ahead are we on each metric?

3. Strengths: What are we doing better than competitors?

4. Weaknesses: Where are competitors significantly outperforming us?

5. Insight: What tactics or strategies might explain competitor success?

6. Recommendations: 3 priorities to close the gap

Output format: Table comparing metrics, then narrative analysis and recommendations.