By Jodie Cook
You know you should be posting online every day, so you do. But your focus on quantity is leaving quality behind. Most content sucks, and some of yours probably does. It’s safe, predictable, and instantly forgettable. You’re doing it to hit a quota, not to make a real difference. Hitting publish is no use if the words don’t hit home. You’re simply training your audience to ignore your work.
The difference between viral and invisible is the courage to say what you really mean. The courage to share what people are really thinking. ChatGPT can help. Copy, paste and edit the square brackets in ChatGPT, and keep the same chat window open so the context carries through.
Transform boring content ideas into viral hits with ChatGPT
Say what your industry gets wrong
Boring content happens when you’re scared to have a real opinion. Everyone nods along to the same tired advice. Nobody challenges the status quo. Your industry has sacred cows that need slaughtering, and you know what they are. Call them out with proof and confidence. Say what others won’t, and people pay attention.
“Based on what you know about my industry expertise and opinions, identify the top 5 things I believe my industry gets completely wrong. For each one, help me craft a bold statement that challenges conventional wisdom, backed by specific evidence or examples. Make each statement direct and provocative enough to stop scrollers in their tracks. Focus on beliefs that are widely accepted but actually harmful or outdated.”
Transform a bland draft into a controversial opener
You’ve written something safe and sensible. Great. Now make it dangerous. Take that boring post sitting in your drafts and give it the edge it needs to grab attention. Your first draft is never your best work especially when you’re playing it safe. Find the controversy hiding in your careful words.
“Take this draft post I’ve written: [paste your boring content]. Rewrite the opening to be controversial and attention-grabbing. Challenge a common assumption, make a bold claim, or start with a counterintuitive statement. Keep my core message but make it impossible to scroll past. Give me 3 different controversial angles I could take with this same content.”
Turn client wins into standalone hooks
Long case studies put people to sleep. But when you turn a client transformation into one punchy line, it hits them right in the feels. Your clients’ success stories contain viral gold. You just need to extract the message. These become your best hooks, opening lines, and standalone posts that stop the scroll.
“Based on what you know about my business and the transformations I create for clients, help me turn a recent client success into 5 different viral content hooks. Each should be under 15 words and work as a standalone post opener or complete tweet. Focus on the surprising insight or counterintuitive result that makes people stop and think. Make them screenshot-worthy.”
Hijack trending content with your take
That viral post everyone’s sharing? It’s probably wrong. Or at least incomplete. When everyone zigs, you should zag. Take what’s already working and add your controversial spin. Ride the wave while making your own splash. The best viral content builds on what’s already capturing attention, then flips the narrative.
“Here’s a post getting traction on social media: [paste the content]. Based on what you know about my expertise, help me craft the opposite take that adds value while standing out. Create a response that acknowledges why people love the original but offers a better, more nuanced perspective. Structure it to get attention from people already engaging with the trending topic.”
Write what scares you to publish
You know that post sitting in your drafts? The one that feels too real, too raw, too risky? That’s the one to publish. Fear is your guide, and it’s pointing toward viral content. If a post doesn’t make your heart race before hitting publish, it’s probably too safe. The content that scares you is what people remember.
“Based on what you know about my experiences and challenges, help me identify the story or insight I’m most afraid to share publicly. Then help me structure it into a post that’s vulnerable but valuable. Balance the personal revelation with actionable insights others can use. Make it real enough to connect but professional enough to position me as an expert. Ask for more information if required.”
Stop playing safe and start creating content that explodes your reach
Going viral with your content happens when you have the guts to say what you really think. Challenge industry norms with the first prompt. Turn boring drafts controversial with the second. Extract viral hooks from client wins. Hijack trending topics with your unique angle. Share the stories that scare you. Each prompt pushes ChatGPT to help you create content that actually goes viral, not just exists. You don’t need more time to create better content. You need more courage.
Feature image credit: Getty
By Jodie Cook
Find Jodie Cook on LinkedIn. Visit Jodie’s website.