Productivity

5 AI Prompts I Use for Blog Research and Outlining

October 14, 2026

Writing consistently needs a repeatable process, not just waiting for ideas to strike. Here are a few AI prompts I use during research and outlining — before writing the final draft myself.

1. Research Angles That Are Underexplored

“Topic [X] has already been written about a lot. List 5 angles or questions about it that aren’t deeply covered yet, but are still relevant to beginner-to-intermediate readers.”

This helps avoid writing an article that just repeats what’s already on Google’s first page.

2. Build an Outline Based on Search Intent

“Create an outline for an article targeting the keyword ‘[keyword]’. Assume the reader wants a practical answer, not a long theory section. Include a section answering the follow-up questions that typically show up in ‘People Also Ask’.”

3. Simplify a Technical Explanation

“Rewrite the following paragraph as if for a reader hearing this term for the first time, without losing the important technical detail: [paste paragraph].”

Useful for technical topics (like Core Web Vitals or RPM/CPC) that easily turn too jargon-heavy.

4. Pre-Publish Audit

“Read this draft as a strict editor. Flag any claims that sound overstated, ambiguous sentences, and sections lacking concrete examples: [paste draft].”

5. Generate Alternative Titles for A/B Testing

“Give me 8 alternative titles for an article about [topic], varying between a ‘how-to’ style, a number/listicle style, and a question style. Target reader: [reader description].”

An Important Note

AI here acts as a research assistant and editor, not a replacement for the writer’s own voice and experience. Readers (and Google) are getting better at spotting content that feels generic — make sure the final draft still goes through a human editing pass before publishing.