Whether you are asking for an image, a video or a piece of writing, a strong prompt
answers the same six questions. You do not need headings or perfect grammar. You just
need to cover the six.
The six parts
Goal. The output type and the campaign. An offer banner, a launch reel, an SEO blog, a winback message.
Starting point. A new build, or an edit of something attached. If you attach more than one file, name the one you mean. "The reference" is ambiguous the moment there are two.
Subject. What the thing is, in one mechanical line, and then what it is not. This single line prevents more wrong output than anything else you can write.
Format. Channel, pixel size and language. Use pixels or percentages, never inches, which are undefined on a pixel canvas.
Message. One headline idea, the offer, the call to action. One message per creative.
Guardrails. What must be included, what must be preserved untouched, and an explicit list of what not to do.
Why the "what it is not" line matters
Generation works from meaning, not keywords. If you name a product without saying what
it is not, the model reaches for the most common association with the word. A line like
"this is credit against an asset the customer already owns, not a shop selling that
asset" costs you five seconds and saves a whole round.
The one-line version
When you are moving fast, this order works as a single sentence.
[format] for [subject - what it is, and what it is not],
aimed at [audience], on [channel + ratio + language],
saying [one message + call to action],
preserving [logo, product, palette, legal line],
avoiding [the trap].Attach, do not describe
Attach product shots and logos rather than describing them. A described logo gets
redrawn. An attached one gets reproduced.