What is ChatGPT and how to use it effectively

[Sandhya Chaudhari]

Hello,

I keep hearing about ChatGPT almost everywhere now. Like seriously, on YouTube, in reels, in random posts — it’s just everywhere. People are talking about how they’re doing 2-3 hours of work in just a few minutes with it. At first, I didn’t care, but now it’s getting me curious.

For example, someone showed how they made a full YouTube thumbnail idea with title, design suggestions, everything in just 1 or 2 minutes using prompts. That honestly surprised me because I personally take so long just to think of what the text should say or what color will look nice. It’s not easy for me. So I thought, okay, maybe I should give ChatGPT a try too.

I tried using it to write some content. Nothing big, just basic stuff. But honestly, I didn’t get anything useful. The replies were okay but didn’t feel very creative or helpful. Definitely not what people on YouTube were showing.

And then I heard that it depends a lot on how you give the prompt. If your prompt is clear and detailed, then ChatGPT gives really good results. But the problem is, I don’t even know what kind of prompt I’m supposed to give. That part confuses me.

I’ll be honest, I don’t fully understand what ChatGPT is or how it actually works. Like I know it’s an AI thing, but how does it know what to reply? And how do people get such fast results? Are they using some specific tricks? Do they write in a special way? Or is there a method to ask properly?

Right now I feel like I’m missing something. I want to learn how to use it properly because I’ve seen people doing some crazy stuff with it.

From writing blogs to writing captions to business ideas, even coding — and I can barely get it to reply the way I want.

If someone can explain everything in a really simple and clear way — like from zero — that would actually help. No technical words or anything. Just explain what it is, how to use it properly, and maybe how to write a good prompt.

Thanks for reading this. I’d really appreciate some help.

[Shaun David]

Hi,

I just want to say this straight — when I first heard of ChatGPT, I honestly had no idea what people were raving about. Everyone online made it sound like this superpower AI thing that could do anything — write content, solve problems, give ideas, answer like a human, even write code.

At first, I thought it was all hype. But then I saw videos where people literally typed in one or two lines and got full YouTube titles, captions, thumbnail texts — even full articles. It was wild. I saw one video where a guy used ChatGPT to write a complete blog post, with intro, body, and conclusion — and he did it in like 3 minutes. That’s when I got curious.

So I went to try it out myself.

Typed something like “write a caption for a fitness video” or “give me a good blog idea” — and the results? Meh. Generic. Boring. Didn’t feel useful. Not what I expected at all. It made me think, “Why is everyone so hyped about this? Am I missing something?”
Turns out, yeah — I was missing something big.

It’s Not About the Tool. It’s About How You Use It.

After a bit more digging (okay, binging YouTube videos and trying stuff), I realized something very basic that no one really explained at first:

ChatGPT is only as smart as the prompt you give it.

I was just typing lazy, short things like “write a post” or “make a thumbnail title.” And of course, the answers came out dull. It’s like walking into a shop and saying, “Give me food.” What kind of food? Hot or cold? For breakfast or dinner? Sweet or spicy? You’ve gotta be specific.

Once I started giving better instructions, the replies got way better.
Instead of saying “write a caption,” I said:

“Write a short, funny caption for an Instagram post of a guy working out with a donut in his hand. Make it witty and keep it under 20 words.”

Boom — now that’s when it started to shine. It actually made me laugh. I could see the difference immediately.

Okay But… What Is ChatGPT?

Let me try to explain this in a way that actually made sense to me when I was confused.
Forget the technical stuff. Don’t think about “AI model,” “machine learning,” or all that. Here’s what it really is:

ChatGPT is like a super-smart assistant that knows how to talk. It doesn’t “think” like a human. It just knows how to respond based on what you write.

It’s basically been trained on tons of stuff — books, articles, forums, conversations — so it’s seen millions of patterns. Now, when you give it something, it tries to continue it based on what it “thinks” makes sense.

It’s not conscious. It’s not magical. But if you ask it well, it gives scary good results.

Real Ways I Started Using It (And Got Actual Value)

Let me break down some actual ways I now use ChatGPT — and how I ask it.

1. YouTube Titles & Thumbnail Ideas

I run a small channel and coming up with good titles was always a pain. So now I just write:

“Give me 10 YouTube video titles for a tech tutorial about how to edit videos on mobile. Keep them short, exciting, and made to get clicks.”

Then I follow up with:

“Now give me thumbnail text — just 3-4 words — for the best 3 titles.”

Just like that, I have ideas. I don’t always use them directly, but they help me brainstorm way faster.

2. Writing Instagram Bios or Captions

Instead of wasting 20 minutes trying to sound clever, I now do this:

“Write 5 cool bios for a girl’s Instagram profile who loves travel, books, and coffee. Mix it with a little humor.”

Then I’ll say:

“Make one of them sound more poetic.”

“Add emojis to version 3.”

Boom. Time saved, quality improved.

3. Planning Posts or Blogs
I write content sometimes. Earlier, I’d stare at the screen with no clue how to start. Now

I just tell ChatGPT:
“Give me an outline for a blog post about the benefits of digital detox. Make it suitable for beginners.”

It gives me headings, and I just expand them myself — or even ask it to expand each point with examples. It’s not perfect writing, but it gives me a start. That’s what I need most.

So… What Makes a Good Prompt?

Here’s the simple formula that works for me:

Be clear about what you want

→ Don’t say “write something.” Say “write a 100-word email to a client apologizing for late delivery.”

Mention tone or style
→ Formal? Friendly? Funny? Sarcastic? Say it.

Add examples if needed
→ You can say “Write something like this: [insert your own version]”

Always follow up
→ If the first response is off, just say “Try again, but make it more casual.” ChatGPT listens better than most people.

Stuff You Shouldn’t Expect from It

Now, real talk — it’s not perfect. And you shouldn’t rely on it blindly.
It can sound smart but still give wrong info.

It doesn’t know what’s happening right now (unless you’re using the latest version with web browsing).

It doesn’t replace your voice or creativity — unless you guide it properly.

It’s not good at deep emotion or super original thought. That part still needs a human brain (yours).

So I always treat ChatGPT like my assistant. Not my boss. Not my final writer. Just someone who gives me the first draft, or sparks the idea. Then I refine it.

Final Thoughts (From Someone Who Was Totally Lost Too)

If you’ve tried ChatGPT and didn’t get what you wanted — that’s okay. It’s not your fault. Most of us start that way.

You just need to talk to it better. Literally, like giving directions to someone who’s smart but knows nothing about what you want unless you spell it out.

Once you figure that out, ChatGPT becomes super useful. It saves time. It gives you ideas. It helps when you’re stuck. It won’t do all the work for you, but it gives you a shortcut

— especially when your brain’s tired or blank.

Start small. Ask it things like:

“Help me write a reply to a customer asking for refund.”

“Give me 10 blog title ideas on mental health.”

“Explain SEO like I’m 10 years old.”

Then improve your prompt each time. Play with it. Talk to it like a human. You’ll get better and better results.

And trust me — once you “get it,” you’ll wonder how you worked without it.

[Author]

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