Prompting guide

What to ask your agent, how to ask it, and example prompts for every RiffAds use case.

Talk to your agent like you would brief a video editor. Every prompt on this page is ready to copy.

The basics

Ask in plain words for the result you want.
The agent picks the right tool and tells you the price. Asking the price is free.
You say yes, and only then does it spend.
You get a download link. It lasts 10 minutes, and the agent can make a new one (download links).

Where you talk to it

You use	Set it up
Claude Code with the RiffAds Agent Skills	Agent Skills setup
Any MCP client: Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code	MCP setup
An agent that runs the RiffAds CLI	CLI setup
Your own agent code	REST API setup

Every surface runs the same jobs (same job, every surface).

Write a good prompt

This is the most common first prompt:

Weak

make an ad for my coffee

And this is the same ask, written so the agent has nothing to guess:

Strong

Make a talking actor ad for Tidely, a cold brew concentrate.

Script, word for word: "I used to spend six dollars a day on iced coffee. Now one bottle of Tidely makes sixteen at home."

Actor: a man in his early 30s who works from home, relaxed and dry. Use MiniMax H3 Max Lip Sync, then add captions. Quote the whole plan first and wait for my yes.

The strong one says what to make, the exact words, who speaks, which model, and when to spend. The weak one leaves all five to the agent.

What to put in a prompt

Part	What to say	Example
The result	What you want to end up with	"A talking actor ad for my cold brew"
The exact words	The script in quotes, word for word	`Script: "Your coffee, minus the crash."`
Who speaks	An actor name, or a type: gender, age, mood	"A man in his 30s, relaxed and dry"
Your files	A file on your computer, or a direct link to the file	`./packshot.png`, `https://cdn.example.com/ad.mp4`
Shape and length	Aspect ratio and seconds	"9:16, 8 seconds"
How many takes	1 to 4. Each take is charged	"Two takes so I can pick"
A budget	Ask for the price first	"Quote the whole plan and wait for my yes"

Tips

Put the script in quotes. The voice reads it word for word, so check the spelling before you send.
Fit the script to the actor. Speech runs about 14 characters a second, so a 140 character line is about 10 seconds. MiniMax H3 Max Lip Sync needs 5 to 14.8 seconds, Seedance 2.5 Actor takes up to 30, OmniHuman 1.5 under 60.
Spell the brand exactly. If words on screen must be perfect, ask for a text overlay on top.
Give the file, not the page. Attach it, or paste a direct link to the file itself, like one that ends in .mp4 or .png. A product page or an ad library link will not work.
Give real claims, prices and offers. The agent never invents them.
Ask for the price of the whole plan first. If the price changes, the agent asks you again.
Chain steps in one ask. "Make it, then add captions" works. Each step is priced on its own.
Name a model only if you care. Otherwise the agent picks one for the job (which talking actor to pick).

Talking actor ads

From a script

A library actor reads your script to camera, with lip sync.

You give

The script in quotes, an actor name or type, and a voice if you care.

Try asking

Make a talking actor ad for my serum. Script: "I tried every serum. This is the one I actually finished." A calm, warm woman in her 30s.

Show me three actors who could pass for a gym coach. I'll pick one, then have them say: "Stop skipping leg day. Here is why."

Make a short hook with MiniMax H3 Max Lip Sync, I want the lips to match perfectly: "Your coffee, minus the crash. One bottle of Tidely makes sixteen iced coffees, right in your kitchen."

Best with

MiniMax H3 Max Lip Sync for a short hook, OmniHuman 1.5 for a longer script, Seedance 2.5 Actor when the actor should make its own voice (compare them).

With your own face

Your own photo becomes the face that speaks.

You give

A clear photo of you (or of someone who said yes), the script and a voice.

Try asking

Here's a photo of me (./me.jpg). Use it as the actor and have it say: "Three things I wish I knew before I launched." A calm male voice.

Upload ./founder.png and make it the face for this script: "We built this because our own team needed it."

Best with

MiniMax H3 Max Lip Sync for a short hook, OmniHuman 1.5 for a longer script.

One script, several actors

The same script, read by two or three different faces. Each one is priced on its own and made one after another.

You give

The script, and the actors or types you want to try.

Try asking

Same script, three different actors: "Sleep came back the first night." Tell me the price of each one before you make it.

Which actor reads this best? Try two women and one man, 25 to 35: "Your skin, but rested."

Best with

MiniMax H3 Max Lip Sync for a short hook, OmniHuman 1.5 for a longer script.

In another language

The same ad, spoken in another language.

You give

The script (or ask for a translation), the language and the accent.

Try asking

Make the same ad in Spanish with the same actor. Use a Mexican Spanish voice.

Translate this script to German and make it with the same actor: "Your coffee, minus the crash."

Find me a French female voice first, then make the ad with it.

Best with

Text to Speech with a voice in that language, then MiniMax H3 Max Lip Sync or OmniHuman 1.5.

Write the script first

Hooks and scripts written for you, before anything is made. Writing is priced too, so the agent quotes it first.

You give

The product, who it is for, and how long the ad should be.

Try asking

Write five 8 second hooks for my collagen gummies. Then quote the best one as a talking actor ad.

Here's my product photo (./gummies.png). Write a 20 second UGC script. Don't make any video yet.

Best with

AI Writer, which can also read your product photos.

Product videos

Photo to video

Your product photo becomes a short clip.

You give

A product photo, what should happen, the length, and whether you want sound.

Try asking

Turn ./bottle.png into a 6 second clip: a hand picks up the bottle, slow turn, soft kitchen light.

Animate ./jar.jpg with a slow push in. The jar turns toward the camera. 5 seconds, with sound.

Give me two takes of that shot so I can pick.

Best with

Kling 3 Pro when your photo should be the first frame, Seedance 2.5 when it is a reference for the scene.

B-roll from text

A shot from words only, no photo needed.

You give

The scene, the action, the camera, the shape, the length and sound.

Try asking

8 second b-roll of iced coffee poured over ice, vertical 9:16, with sound. Use Seedance 2.5.

A quick 6 second clip with sound: rain on a cafe window at night, 16:9.

Best with

Kling 3 Pro for good quality at a lower cost, Seedance 2.5 for the best quality and longer clips, Omni Flash for fast video that always has sound.

Static image ads

Product shot or static ad

A product photo in a new scene, or a finished static ad.

You give

A packshot, the scene, the shape (1:1, 4:5, 9:16) and any exact words.

Try asking

Put my product on a beach at golden hour, 4:5. Here's the packshot: ./packshot.png

A clean static ad: my bottle in the middle of a cream background, headline "Sleep deeper tonight", square 1:1.

Put my app screen (./home.png) on a phone lying on a desk. The small text on the screen has to stay sharp.

Best with

Nano Banana Pro for product shots and static ads, GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst for small text and app screens, Seedream 5 Pro for a real photo look.

Variants for A/B tests

Several takes of one idea, so you can pick or test. Every take is charged (variants).

You give

One idea and how many takes, up to 4.

Try asking

Give me four versions of this image.

A few options for this product shot, three takes.

Make this clip two ways so I can choose.

Best with

Image models such as Nano Banana Pro, and video models such as Kling 3 Pro. A talking actor makes one take at a time.

Exact text on an image or video

Your exact words on top of a picture or a clip, spelled right. One line of text per run.

You give

The words, where they go (top, middle, bottom), and for a video, when.

Try asking

Put "SALE 30% OFF" at the top of this image on a dark band.

Add "Built for night shifts" at the bottom of my video, only for the first 3 seconds.

Best with

Text Overlay (editing tools).

Learn from winning ads

Analyze a competitor ad

Why an ad works: the hook, the beats, the cast, the script word for word, and shot prompts to remake it.

You give

One video (up to 3 minutes) or one image, as a file or a direct file link, and what to focus on.

Try asking

Break down this competitor video: ./competitor.mp4. I mostly care about the first 3 seconds.

Why does this ad work? https://cdn.example.com/ad.mp4

Take this static ad apart for me: ./banner.png

Best with

Analyze Media.

Clone a video hook

The opening of a winning ad, rebuilt for your product, with captions. Each paid step is quoted first.

You give

The reference video, your product and what it does, a real file for each branded shot, and the tone.

Try asking

Clone the hook of this ad for my brand, Lumo sleep spray. The ad is ./ref.mp4 and my product photo is ./lumo.png.

Remake the first few seconds of this video ad for my product, with a RiffAds actor.

Give me two takes of this hook for my brand.

Best with

Analyze Media to read the ad, then a talking actor or two Seedance 2.5 takes, then Add Captions and Text Overlay.

Clone a static ad

A proven static ad, remade with your product, logo and copy. You approve the new copy before anything is made.

You give

The reference image, at least one real product photo, a one line description, the brand name spelled exactly, and a logo file if the ad shows one.

Try asking

Clone this static ad for my brand. Reference: ./winner.png. Product: ./packshot.png. We sell FRESHLY, a 12 hour deodorant.

Copy this ad layout with my packshot, 4:5.

Rebuild this competitor's image ad with my logo (./logo.png) and this line: "Fresh till midnight."

Best with

Analyze Media to read the ad, three Nano Banana Pro takes, then Text Overlay if the words came out wrong.

Presets and workflows

Show your app

Your app screenshot on a real person's phone, then it moves. Always 5 seconds.

You give

One app screenshot and a template pick.

Try asking

Make a Show Your App video with this screenshot (./home.png). Use the bedroom selfie template.

Show me the Show Your App templates, then put my app screen on the one that fits a fitness app.

Best with

The Show Your App preset (presets). There is nothing to describe: the template sets the scene and the motion.

Fashion try on

A template model wears your garment, then it moves. 5 or 10 seconds.

You give

A garment photo and a template pick.

Try asking

Show me the Fashion Try On templates, then put this dress (./dress.png) on one. 10 seconds.

Make a try on video of this jacket (./jacket.jpg), two takes.

Best with

The Fashion Try On preset (presets).

Run a workflow template

Several steps (script, actor, captions) in one run.

You give

The template name and what it asks for. Paste brand facts as text: the writing steps cannot open a link.

Try asking

What RiffAds workflows can I run? Tell me what each one needs from me.

Run the Creator to camera workflow. Brand: Tidely cold brew. Offer: 20 percent off the first bottle. Proof: one bottle makes 16 iced coffees. Creator: a woman in her late twenties. Use a warm female voice.

Make the whole ad in one go: script, actor and captions.

Best with

Creator to camera, which needs words only. Any other template needs its files added in the app first (templates that need files).

Edit, voice and music

Captions and quick edits

Captions, cuts, new shapes and clean-ups on a file you have or one you just made. Each result can feed the next step (chain tools).

You give

The file and the edit.

Try asking

Add captions to this video in the Boxed style, near the bottom.

Cut this to the first 15 seconds and make it 9:16.

Remove the background from ./bottle.png, then upscale it.

Best with

Add Captions, Trim Video, Resize, Stitch Videos, Remove Background, Upscale and more (editing tools).

Voice and music

A voice-over, a new speaker on an old video, or a music track.

You give

The script or the file, and the voice or the mood.

Try asking

Make a voice-over for this script in a warm British male voice: "Real ingredients. Nothing to hide."

Swap the speaker in this video for a younger female voice. Keep every word.

Make a 20 second upbeat lo-fi track for this ad, no vocals.

Best with

Text to Speech for a voice-over, Change Voice for a new speaker, Create Music for a track, Transcribe to get the words out of a clip.

Find and reuse

Past work found again, with a fresh link that lasts 10 minutes (download links). Looking is free.

You give

Roughly when, or what it looked like.

Try asking

Find the ad I made yesterday and send me the link again.

Find the product photo I uploaded last week and make a 9:16 version.

What did my workflow runs do this week?

Cost and limits

Your balance, a price, or what RiffAds can make, without spending anything.

You give

Nothing. Just ask.

Try asking

How many RiffAds credits do I have, and what's the most you can spend on one job?

What would a 20 second talking actor ad cost? Don't make it yet.

Which workspace are you spending from? Show me what RiffAds can make, and don't spend anything.

Your workspace limits cap what an agent can spend, whatever the prompt says. If a limit stops a job, the agent tells you which one (spend limits).

Follow-up prompts

Once something is made, keep going in the same chat.

Follow-ups

Make the hook shorter, under 8 seconds, and tell me the new price.

Try the same script with another actor, a man in his 40s.

Give me a 9:16 version of that.

Send me the link again.

Add captions to the one I picked.

Two more takes like the second one.

Is the video from earlier done yet?

What did that cost in the end?

What agents will not do

Post or publish anywhere. You get files and links.
Build or change a workflow. They can only run one.
Add files to a workflow run. Add them in the app.
Browse web pages or scrape ad libraries. Give them the file.
Copy a real person's face from someone else's ad.
Make more than 4 takes at once, or more than one take of a talking actor.
Run two jobs at the same time (one job at a time).
Spend past your workspace limits, or spend at all on a read-only connection.
Clone a voice or save a new actor. Do that in the app.

The full list: what RiffAds does not do.

Prompting guide

On this page