🧠 AI Prompts That Actually Worked (And a Few That Took a Detour)

Building thisisonlyatest.com with AI as my copilot was an experiment — one that paid off. But like any road trip, the quality of the journey depends on the directions you feed into the GPS.

Here are some of the actual AI prompts I used — the ones that got results, kept me moving, and occasionally made me laugh. These aren’t just examples — they’re a working log of how to think with, and through, AI.

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📓 Setting the Stage: A Project With Purpose

Before I typed a single prompt, I created a project specifically for this site. In it, I documented things like:

• My goals for the site (personal, minimalist, photo-forward)
• The tone I wanted to strike (curious, road-worn, reflective)
• A few recurring themes (moto-camping, writing, unfinished projects, etc.)

That context became the lens through which AI interpreted my requests — and it made a difference. Responses weren’t just accurate, they were aligned. The prompts hit closer to my intent because I’d taken the time to set the direction.

Even more interesting: this wasn’t my first project using AI. There’s continuity behind the scenes — a working history of conversations and creative work that gives the responses texture. I didn’t have to reintroduce myself each time. That continuity helped maintain a consistent voice and vibe, even when the topics shifted.

Because of that, I could keep my prompts short and focused — no long-winded explanations required. The results still hit the mark, because the system already understood the kind of outcomes I was aiming for.

🏕️ Website Setup & Design

Prompt:

“How do I add margins to the page layout? For example, https://thisisonlyatest.com/about/ goes edge to edge on the screen and is difficult to read.”

Result:
Pointed me to the Astra theme’s “padded layout” setting in Customize > Global > Container. Problem solved in seconds.

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Prompt:

“Create a favicon that matches the road-and-sunset logo I’ve designed.”

Result:
Generated a clean 512×512 favicon image that felt consistent with the brand. I used it immediately.

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🔒 User Experience & Functionality

Prompt:

“How do I add a ‘Welcome, {FirstName}’ message in the header for logged-in users?”

Result:
Delivered a shortcode and the exact function to drop into functions.php, along with Astra-compatible styling tips. Worked flawlessly — even with my transparent header.

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Prompt:

“Can I prefill the email address in a Noptin form for logged-in users?”

Result:
Yes — and it gave me a tidy PHP filter to hook into noptin_form_html and insert the current user’s email. Now subscribers don’t have to type what I already know.

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✍️ Content & Copywriting

Prompt:

“Rewrite this confirmation message with a warmer, more personal tone.”

Original:

“Thank you for creating an account!”

Revised by AI:

“Thanks for signing up, [Name]! We’ve sent you a couple of emails to get you started. You’re just a click away from your first ride.”

Spot on.

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Prompt:

“Suggest better wording for: ‘Subscribe now and get notified every time we publish a new blog post’”

Result:
Options like:

“Hop on the ride — we’ll send word when there’s a new story from the road.”
“Join the journey. Get updates when new posts roll out.”

Yes. That’s more me.

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📦 Bonus Prompts I Didn’t Expect to Need (But Did)

Prompt:

“How do I redirect users to a custom page after logout in WordPress?”

Result:
One-line hook using wp_logout and wp_safe_redirect. No plugin needed. Straight into functions.php.

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Prompt:

“Can a LiFePO₄ battery that was allowed to completely discharge be recovered?”

A brief detour resulting from the troubleshooting of an outdoor solar-powered battery solution that apparently didn’t survive the winter.

Result:
A nuanced, technically accurate discussion of BMS behavior, bench power supply recovery protocols, and a gentle nudge toward buying a new one. (RIP.) No magic smoke nor workshop fires were involved.

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🧭 Final Thoughts

The magic of working with AI isn’t that it knows everything — it’s that it gets you close enough to keep momentum, and does it fast. It reduces friction, eliminates decision fatigue, and leaves you with more space for the creative stuff.

That said, the examples I’ve shared here only tell part of the story.

What they don’t capture is the back and forth that often happened behind the scenes — the moments where I had follow-up questions, clarified my intent, or pushed back on a suggestion that didn’t quite hit. Some of the best results came not from the first prompt, but from the third or fourth iteration.

And that’s kind of the point: AI didn’t replace the process. It just made it faster, more focused, and more collaborative.

In fact — and I didn’t quite expect this — it actually made the work more fun. Having something to bounce ideas off of, to riff with, to problem-solve in real time… it turned what could’ve been a tedious solo project into something that felt more like a creative partnership.

These prompts helped me build quicker, write better, and avoid rabbit holes. If you’re building your own thing — a site, a blog, a side project — don’t be afraid to treat AI like a creative partner. Not a search engine. Not a magic box. Just a copilot that’s ready when you are.

It doesn’t just give you answers.
It gives you options — and that’s where the real power lies.