The short version
- AI sounds fake for 2 reasons: it has no real details about your business, and nobody told it how you talk.
- Give it facts first (what, where, when, who), then 3 posts you wrote yourself as a voice sample.
- Keep a short never-say list and paste it into every request.
- Read every draft out loud. If you wouldn't say it across the counter, cut it.
- Add one true detail only you would know. That one line does more than any rewrite.
You tried AI once. You asked for a post about your fall special and got back something about "embracing the season" with 6 emojis and a rocket. It sounded like a robot wrote it, because one did, and it knew nothing about you.
The fix isn't a fancier tool. If you want to know how to make AI posts sound human, the answer is mostly about what you hand it before it starts writing. This takes about 15 minutes to set up and a minute per post after that.
Why AI posts sound like AI
A blank request gets you the average of everything ever written online. That average is a marketing brochure. Your customers can spot it from across the room, the same way you can spot a form letter.
- No real details. No town, no name, no price, no day of the week. Nothing that could only be true of your shop.
- Brochure phrases. "We're thrilled to announce." "Look no further." "Your one-stop shop." "Don't miss out."
- Too long. 4 sentences of warm-up before the point shows up.
- Too excited. An exclamation point on every line and a row of emojis at the end.
- 3 of everything. "Fast, friendly and affordable." Real people rarely talk in lists of 3.
What the difference looks like
Same business, same news, 2 ways. The second column isn't better written. It's more specific, and it's shorter.
| The news | Sounds like a robot | Sounds like the owner |
|---|---|---|
| A bakery has pumpkin bread again | Fall is here and we're thrilled to bring back a beloved seasonal favorite. Stop by today and treat yourself. | Pumpkin bread is back. We made 40 loaves this morning and there are 11 left. Just saying. |
| An auto shop has openings | Is your vehicle ready for winter? Our expert team is here to help with all your automotive needs. | First frost is Thursday. We have 3 openings tomorrow for a battery and tire check. Takes 20 minutes. |
| A cleaner hired someone | We are excited to welcome a new member to our amazing team of cleaning professionals. | Say hi to Tasha. She started Monday, and she already found the spot behind the fridge we all pretend isn't there. |
6 steps to make AI posts sound human
Tell it who you are, once
Your business name, town, what you sell, who your customers are and how long you've been at it. Save this as a note on your phone so you can paste it every time.
Show it how you talk
Paste 3 posts or texts you wrote yourself, typos and all. Say "match this voice." A sample beats any description like "friendly but professional."
Give it the facts for this post
What's happening, which day, what it costs, who's involved, how to reach you. AI can't know these, and when it doesn't know, it fills the gap with fluff or makes something up.
Set limits
Ask for 2 to 4 sentences, no emojis and at most one exclamation point. Shorter drafts have less room to wander. Our guide to Facebook post length explains why short usually wins.
Paste your never-say list
Keep a running list of words and phrases you'd never use. Add to it every time a draft makes you wince.
Add one true detail yourself
The number of loaves left. The name of the dog. The thing the customer said. One line only you could write makes the whole post yours.
Prompts you can copy
These work in ChatGPT or any similar assistant. Fill in the brackets once and keep them in your notes. There are more in our list of ChatGPT prompts for Facebook posts.
The voice setup (use once per chat)
I own [business name], a [type of business] in [town]. Our customers are mostly [who]. We've been open [number] years. Here are 3 posts I wrote myself: 1. [paste] 2. [paste] 3. [paste] Match this voice in everything you write for me. Short sentences. Plain words. Sound like a person talking to a neighbor, not a company.
The post request
Write a Facebook post for my business. What's happening: [the news] When: [day or date] Details: [price, hours, names, how many left] What I want people to do: [call, message, stop in] Rules: 2 to 4 sentences. No emojis. No hashtags unless I ask. At most one exclamation point. Don't add any detail I didn't give you. Don't use these phrases: [your never-say list].
A starter never-say list
thrilled, excited to announce, look no further, one-stop shop, don't miss out, treat yourself, take it to the next level, we've got you covered, your trusted partner, all your [anything] needs, amazing, passionate
The 20-second read-aloud test
Before anything goes on your page, read it out loud, the way you'd say it to a customer at the counter. Your ear catches what your eye skips.
- Did you stumble on a word you'd never say? Swap it for the one you would.
- Could another business in another town post this exact thing? Add your town, a name or a number.
- Is the point in the first sentence? If not, delete the first sentence.
- Is there one clear thing to do next? Keep one and cut the rest.
- Would your best regular believe you wrote it? That's the whole test.
Sounds like a person
- "We're closed Monday. Back Tuesday at 7."
- First names, days of the week, real numbers.
- A little dry humor about the work.
- Ending when you've said the thing.
Sounds like a brochure
- "We will be closed in observance of the holiday."
- "Our team" with no names, "soon" with no day.
- A motivational quote over a sunset.
- A closing line that asks 3 questions in a row.
How to keep your voice steady week after week
The hard part isn't one good post. It's the 40th, on a week when you're slammed and tempted to post whatever the first draft says. A few habits help. To write them yourself, see how to write a Facebook post for your business.
- Keep your setup note, voice samples and never-say list in one place on your phone.
- When you post something that sounds right, add it to your voice samples.
- Write a few weeks at once while your ear is tuned. Here's how to batch social media posts.
- Rotate the kind of post, so the voice has something new to say. The 8 kinds are in what to post on your business Facebook Page.