> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tryprofound.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Consumer packaged goods

> How to build a prompt set for a consumer packaged goods brand, with best practices and examples

Shoppers ask AI to plan meals, parties, and shopping trips, so the set needs prompts about occasions as well as products. Build prompts for each brand line, then add prompts that check ingredients, product claims, and where the products are sold.

## Create your prompt set

### Topics to cover

Replace `[brand]` in the example prompts with one of your brands.

| Topic | Example prompt |
| - | - |
| Each brand line | What are the best granola bars for a busy morning? |
| New product launches | Is the new `[brand]` sparkling water any good? |
| Usage occasions | Easy weeknight dinners my kids will actually eat |
| Store brand vs name brand | Is `[brand]` cereal worth it over the store brand? |
| Ingredients and dietary needs | Best nut-free snacks for school lunches |
| Sustainability and packaging | Which laundry detergents come in recyclable packaging? |
| Where to buy | Where can I buy `[brand]` oat milk near me? |
| Seasonal moments | Best snacks for a summer cookout or a holiday party |

> [!TIP]
>
> **Make prompts more specific.** Instead of *"What are the best snacks for kids' lunchboxes?"*, try *"I pack lunches for two kids, one with a nut allergy. What are the best nut-free snacks for kids' lunchboxes under \$5 a box that I can find at Target?"*

### Best practices

* **Leave your brand name out of [discovery prompts](https://docs.tryprofound.com/getting-started/glossary.md#discovery-prompt).** Putting your name in the question inflates your [Visibility Score](https://docs.tryprofound.com/getting-started/glossary.md#visibility-score). Use it only in [validation](https://docs.tryprofound.com/getting-started/glossary.md#validation-prompt) and [FactCheck](https://docs.tryprofound.com/answer-engine-insights/factcheck/about.md) prompts.
* **One prompt = one topic.** Topics shouldn't overlap. Put funnel stage, campaign, and season in tags instead.
* **Ask it like a person would.** Write the full question someone would type or say.
* **Track only prompts that matter to the business.** Thousands of small variations of the same question make trends harder to read.
* **Keep coverage and depth apart.** [Coverage topics](https://docs.tryprofound.com/getting-started/glossary.md#coverage-topic) include broad prompts for each business line. Add two to five [depth topics](https://docs.tryprofound.com/getting-started/glossary.md#depth-topic) for your priorities, and keep new prompts out of the coverage topics.
* **Retire seasonal prompts.** Disable seasonal and news-driven prompts once they go stale. If you reword a prompt, you're measuring something new, so don't compare trends across the change.

## Refine your prompt set

The first prompt set you build gives you a baseline. Here's how you can expand it:

1. Tag every prompt with a brand line and an occasion.
2. Add ingredient, allergen, and dietary prompts for each product.
3. Put claims like nut-free, non-GMO, and recyclable under [FactCheck](https://docs.tryprofound.com/answer-engine-insights/factcheck/about.md).

### Ask AI Marketer

Use [AI Marketer (Aim)](https://docs.tryprofound.com/aim/about.md) to make your prompts better. Paste one of these questions to an Aim chat to see which prompts to add, cut, or tag. Swap the `[values in brackets]` for your own.

| Ask | What you get |
| - | - |
| Which brand lines and occasions have the fewest prompts in my set? | Where coverage is thin |
| What are shoppers asking AI about `[product category]` that none of my prompts cover? | New questions to track |
| Which ingredient, allergen, or sustainability claims about us are wrong in AI answers? | FactCheck prompts to add |
| Which retailers and review sites get cited for `[category]`, and are we on them? | Which sources shape visibility in the category |
| Draft 10 back-to-school lunch prompts, tagged by brand line and occasion, and skip anything I already track. | A tagged starter set |

### Add tags to your prompts

[Tags](https://docs.tryprofound.com/getting-started/glossary.md#tag) can span topics, and one prompt can have several. Use these tag examples and rename them to match how you work.

| Tag group | Examples |
| - | - |
| Funnel stage | Informational TOFU, Commercial TOFU, Informational BOFU, Commercial BOFU |
| Brand line | Snacks, Beverages, Household, Personal care |
| Occasion | Weeknight dinner, Lunchbox, Party, On the go |
| Dietary need | Nut-free, Gluten-free, Vegan, Low sugar |
| Season | Back to school, Summer grilling, Holiday baking |
| FactCheck | Ingredients, Allergens, Packaging |

> [!TIP]
>
> **IF YOU'RE STUCK**
>
> 1. **Pick the five topics that matter most to the business.**
> 2. **Write one prompt per funnel stage.** Four stages (Informational and Commercial, each for top and bottom of funnel) give you four base prompts per topic.
> 3. **Add about 10 variations.** Change the [persona](https://docs.tryprofound.com/answer-engine-insights/personas.md), use case, company size, or wording.

### Advanced tips

* **Use words like "brands" or "stores" in your prompts.** For example, *"What should I look for in a running shoe?"* returns a checklist of features, and *"Which brands make the best running shoes for flat feet?"* returns a list of brands, which is the answer you can measure your brand against.
* **Give every comparison a use case.** A *"`[brand]` vs `[competitor]`"* prompt alone returns an "it depends" answer. Add who is asking and why: *"`[brand]` vs `[competitor]` for a 50-person team that already uses Salesforce"* gives the AI enough context to pick one.
* **Spell out any unclear term the first time.** An acronym or internal product name can derail the answer. Write *"generative engine optimization tools"* rather than *"GEO tools"*, and name the product category rather than using a code word only your team uses for it.
* **Say what you want without pushing toward your own brand.** The question *"Which project management tools, like `[brand]`, are best for marketing teams?"* nudges the AI toward your brand and tells you nothing about whether it would have named you on its own.
* **Test your prompts.** Run each prompt once in an [answer engine](https://docs.tryprofound.com/getting-started/glossary.md#answer-engine) and read what it returns. A [discovery prompt](https://docs.tryprofound.com/getting-started/glossary.md#discovery-prompt) should list brands, a [comparison](https://docs.tryprofound.com/getting-started/glossary.md#competitor-prompt) should pick one, and a [validation](https://docs.tryprofound.com/getting-started/glossary.md#validation-prompt) should say yes or no. Learn more about different types of prompts in [Profound's AEO guide](https://www.tryprofound.com/aeo-guide/chapter-3#six-types-of-prompts).
* **Tag every prompt you add**. Learn more in [Categorize Your Prompts With Tags](https://docs.tryprofound.com/answer-engine-insights/how-tos/create-topics-and-prompts.md#categorize-your-prompts-with-tags).

## Next steps

* Read the [Promptologie](https://www.tryprofound.com/aeo-guide/chapter-3) chapter in Profound's AEO guide.
* Learn how to [create, manage, and tag prompts](https://docs.tryprofound.com/answer-engine-insights/prompt-designer.md) in Profound.
* Review the guide on [how to create effective prompts](https://docs.tryprofound.com/answer-engine-insights/how-tos/create-effective-prompts.md) using Prompt Volumes and intent data.