Custom Instructions

Custom instructions allow you to add your own specific requirements to FreshRank's prompts, giving you precise control over how content is analyzed and rewritten. This guide explains what custom instructions are, when to use them, and how to set them up.

What Are Custom Instructions?

Custom instructions are freeform text that you add to FreshRank's prompts. They let you tell the AI exactly what you want it to focus on or how you want it to behave.

Two Types of Custom Instructions

FreshRank supports two separate custom instruction fields:

1. Custom Analysis Instructions

• Added to the AI prompt during content analysis
• Affects what issues the AI identifies
• Controls how thoroughly certain areas are examined

2. Custom Rewrite Instructions

• Added to the AI prompt during draft creation
• Affects how the AI updates your content
• Controls writing style, tone, and approach

How to Add Custom Instructions

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Open FreshRank Settings
   • In your WordPress admin panel, go to FreshRank AI → Settings
   • You'll land on the Settings tab by default
2. Scroll to Custom Instructions Section
   • In the AI Configuration card, scroll to the bottom
   • Look for the Custom Instructions section
3. Enable Custom Instructions
   • Check the box labeled "Enable Custom Instructions"
   • Two text areas will appear
4. Add Analysis Instructions (Optional)
   • In the first textarea labeled "Custom Analysis Instructions"
   • Enter your specific requirements for content analysis
   • Example: "Focus heavily on E-E-A-T signals and medical accuracy"
5. Add Rewrite Instructions (Optional)
   • In the second textarea labeled "Custom Rewrite Instructions"
   • Enter your specific requirements for draft creation
   • Example: "Maintain a casual, friendly tone throughout"

1. Save Your Settings
   • Click the "Save Changes" button at the bottom of the page
   • You'll see a confirmation message when settings are saved

How Custom Instructions Work

Standard Analysis (Without Custom Instructions)

• FreshRank sends: "Analyze this content for SEO, factual accuracy, UX, and AI visibility..."
• AI responds: Standard analysis based on FreshRank's built-in prompts

Analysis With Custom Instructions

• FreshRank sends: "Analyze this content for SEO, factual accuracy, UX, and AI visibility...
• [YOUR CUSTOM INSTRUCTION]: Focus heavily on E-E-A-T signals and medical accuracy"
• AI responds: Standard analysis + extra attention to your specific requirements  

Standard Draft Creation (Without Custom Instructions)

• FreshRank sends: "Update this content to fix these issues..."
• AI responds: Standard rewrite based on FreshRank's built-in prompts  

Draft Creation With Custom Instructions

• FreshRank sends: "Update this content to fix these issues...
• [YOUR CUSTOM INSTRUCTION]: Maintain a casual, friendly tone throughout"
• AI responds: Fixed content + follows your style requirements  

When to Use Custom Instructions

✅ Use Custom Analysis Instructions For:

Industry-Specific Requirements

• Medical or health content requiring accuracy emphasis
• Legal content needing precise language
• Financial content requiring regulatory compliance awareness
• Technical content needing terminology consistency

Content Quality Focus

• Emphasizing E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
• Prioritizing mobile usability issues
• Focusing on accessibility compliance
• Highlighting specific SEO factors

Niche-Specific Needs

• Academic content requiring citation standards
• B2B content needing professional tone assessment
• E-commerce content focusing on product descriptions
• News content emphasizing timeliness

✅ Use Custom Rewrite Instructions For:

Brand Voice & Tone

• Maintaining specific brand personality
• Keeping casual vs. formal tone
• Preserving humor or serious approach
• Matching existing content style

Technical Requirements

• Keeping or removing technical jargon
• Maintaining specific terminology
• Preserving code examples unchanged
• Keeping specific formatting styles

Content Constraints

• Avoiding certain topics or perspectives
• Maintaining specific word count ranges
• Preserving certain sections unchanged
• Following style guide requirements

Audience Considerations

• Writing for specific expertise levels
• Adapting for different age groups
• Targeting specific industries
• Matching regional language preferences

When NOT to Use Custom Instructions

❌ Skip Custom Instructions For:

Standard Blog Content

• General topics with no special requirements
• Content that fits FreshRank's default approach
• When you're happy with standard results

Micromanaging the AI

• Overly detailed formatting instructions
• Extremely specific phrase requirements
• Instructions that contradict FreshRank's core functionality

Temporary Needs

• One-off requirements for a single post
• Instructions that change frequently
• Post-specific requests

Custom Instructions Best Practices

Good Custom Instructions

Clear and Specific:

❌ Bad: "Make it better"

✅ Good: "Prioritize mobile usability issues and page speed recommendations"  

Focused on Outcomes:

❌ Bad: "Use lots of keywords"

✅ Good: "Ensure keyword usage feels natural and not forced"  

Brand-Specific:

❌ Bad: "Write well"

✅ Good: "Maintain our conversational, approachable brand voice with occasional humor"  

Industry-Appropriate:

❌ Bad: "Be careful"

✅ Good: "For medical content, prioritize factual accuracy and cite credible sources"  

Problematic Custom Instructions

Too Vague:

❌ "Make it good"

❌ "Improve quality"

❌ "Do better"  

Contradictory:

❌ "Keep it short but add more details"

❌ "Be formal and casual at the same time"

❌ "Simplify but use technical jargon"  

Overly Restrictive:

❌ "Never change any existing sentences"

❌ "Only fix grammar, nothing else"

❌ "Keep every single word intact"  

Too Long or Complex:

❌ Multi-paragraph instructions with dozens of rules

❌ Extremely detailed formatting specifications

❌ Comprehensive style guides  

Example Custom Instructions by Use Case

Medical/Health Blog

Analysis Instructions:

Focus on medical accuracy and E-E-A-T signals. Flag any health claims that lack credible sources. Prioritize fact-checking of medical statistics and treatment information.  

Rewrite Instructions:

Maintain professional yet accessible tone. Keep medical terminology accurate but add explanations for complex terms. Ensure all health advice includes appropriate disclaimers.  

Technology Review Site

Analysis Instructions:

Pay special attention to version numbers, pricing accuracy, and product availability. Flag outdated technical specifications and discontinued products.  

Rewrite Instructions:

Maintain technical accuracy while keeping explanations beginner-friendly. Preserve all code examples and technical specifications unchanged. Use consistent terminology throughout.  

Personal Finance Blog

Analysis Instructions:

Prioritize accuracy of financial data, tax information, and regulatory changes. Flag outdated rates, limits, or financial advice that may have changed.  

Rewrite Instructions:

Keep disclaimers about financial advice intact. Maintain clear, actionable language. Update specific numbers and rates but preserve the educational approach and examples.  

Creative Writing/Storytelling Blog

Analysis Instructions:

Focus on storytelling flow and engagement rather than SEO technicalities. Prioritize readability and emotional impact over keyword optimization.  

Rewrite Instructions:

Preserve the author's unique voice and creative style. Maintain narrative flow and emotional beats. Only update factual information or clarity issues, never change creative choices.  

B2B SaaS Company Blog

Analysis Instructions:

Emphasize thought leadership and industry authority. Flag outdated industry statistics, market trends, and competitive information.  

Rewrite Instructions:

Maintain professional, authoritative tone. Use industry-standard terminology without over-explaining. Preserve case studies and specific examples. Keep CTAs and product references current.  

E-commerce/Product Content

Analysis Instructions:

Prioritize product information accuracy, pricing, and availability. Check for outdated features, specifications, and customer benefits.  

Rewrite Instructions:

Maintain persuasive, benefit-focused language. Keep product names and specifications accurate. Preserve SEO-optimized product descriptions while updating facts. Maintain consistent brand voice.  

Understanding the Impact

How Custom Instructions Affect Results

Without Custom Instructions:

• Standard analysis covering all 5 categories equally
• Balanced draft updates following general best practices
• Good for most content types

With Custom Instructions:

• Analysis emphasizes your specific priorities
• Drafts follow your style and brand requirements
• Better alignment with your unique needs
• Slightly higher token usage (minimal impact)

Token Usage Impact

Custom instructions are appended to every AI prompt, which means:

• Minor increase in input tokens (typically 50-200 tokens per instruction)
• Negligible cost impact (fractions of a cent per operation)
• Worth it for consistency across all your content

Monitoring Custom Instructions

Testing Your Instructions

After adding custom instructions, test them:

1. Run an analysis on a sample post
2. Review the results - Do they reflect your priorities?
3. Create a draft - Does it follow your style requirements?
4. Evaluate quality - Is it better than without instructions?
5. Refine if needed - Adjust instructions based on results

Signs Your Instructions Are Working

✅ Good Signs:

• Analysis emphasizes areas you specified
• Drafts consistently maintain your requested tone
• Content better matches your brand voice
• Fewer manual edits needed after approval

❌ Problem Signs:

• AI seems to ignore your instructions
• Results are inconsistent
• Instructions might be too vague or contradictory
• May need to rephrase or simplify

Troubleshooting Custom Instructions

Instructions Don't Seem to Work

Problem: You added custom instructions but don't see any difference in results.

Possible causes:

1. Instructions too vague - AI doesn't know what you want
2. Instructions contradictory - AI can't follow conflicting directions
3. Instructions too complex - AI prioritizes core prompts over confusing additions

Solutions:

1. Make instructions more specific and actionable
2. Test with clear, simple instructions first
3. Review examples in this guide for proper phrasing
4. Try one instruction at a time to test effectiveness

Results Seem Worse With Instructions

Problem: Content quality decreased after adding custom instructions.

Possible causes:

1. Overly restrictive instructions - Limiting AI's ability to improve content
2. Contradictory requirements - Fighting against FreshRank's core functionality
3. Instructions misunderstood - AI interpreting differently than intended

Solutions:

1. Remove instructions temporarily and compare results
2. Simplify instructions - be less restrictive
3. Rephrase using clearer language
4. Test with one field at a time (analysis OR rewrite, not both)

Inconsistent Results

Problem: Sometimes instructions work, sometimes they don't.

Explanation: AI models have some natural variation in outputs. Very specific instructions may not be followed exactly every time.

Solutions:

1. Make instructions more general/flexible
2. Focus on principles rather than exact requirements
3. Review and edit drafts before approval
4. Remember: AI assists, doesn't replace human judgment

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use different instructions for different posts?

No, custom instructions apply site-wide to all analyses and drafts. For post-specific needs, manually edit the draft after it's created.

Q: Should I include my entire style guide?

No, keep instructions concise (under 500 characters each). Focus on the most important 2-3 priorities. Long instructions consume tokens and may be less effective.

Q: Can I change instructions frequently?

Yes, you can update them anytime in Settings. Changes apply to all future operations immediately but don't affect existing analyses or drafts.

Q: Do custom instructions work with both OpenAI and OpenRouter?

Yes, custom instructions work with all supported AI providers and models.

Q: Will custom instructions significantly increase my costs?

No, the impact is minimal - typically adding only 50-200 tokens per operation, which is a fraction of a cent.

Q: Can custom instructions override FreshRank's core functionality?

No, custom instructions supplement FreshRank's prompts but don't replace them. They work best when aligned with FreshRank's goals, not fighting against them.

Q: What happens if I leave custom instructions blank?

FreshRank works normally with its standard, well-tested prompts. Blank fields are fine and recommended if you don't have specific requirements.