Prompt clustering
Prompt clustering is grouping prompts that ask the same thing in different words, so you can measure a subject as a whole.
Prompt clustering is grouping prompts that ask about the same thing, so you can measure the subject as a whole instead of one wording at a time. Someone might ask "What's the best coffee subscription?" Someone else asks "Which coffee subscription is worth it?" A third asks "Where can I get good coffee delivered monthly?" These are three prompts with one need behind them.
People ask AI platforms the same question in many ways. If you read every prompt on its own, you'll see lots of small ups and downs that don't mean much. Group them and you get a steadier number for the thing you actually care about.
Why one prompt isn't enough
AI answers vary from day to day, and from one wording to the next. A single prompt can swing because of a word choice, while the subject as a whole hasn't moved.
For example, say Fernhill Coffee tracks five prompts about coffee subscriptions. This week it was named in more answers for three of them and fewer for two. Each prompt on its own looks like noise. Together, Fernhill went from 14 of 35 answers to 19 of 35, which is a clearer story.
How to cluster prompts
Group by the need behind the question, the way a customer would put it. Good clusters are things like coffee subscriptions, office coffee or gifts for coffee lovers.
A few things help:
- Keep each cluster to one need. If a cluster mixes office coffee with coffee gifts, its number tells you nothing about either.
- Keep branded prompts apart, since they name you almost every time and would push your numbers up.
- Watch for duplicates. Two prompts that are nearly word for word the same add answers without adding anything new.
Prompt clusters in AnswerOrbit
In AnswerOrbit, clusters are topics. Every prompt belongs to a topic, and you see your visibility for each one, over time and by platform. Tags let you slice your prompts another way, across topics, such as price or comparison. The Coverage tab checks your prompts as a whole and flags duplicates. See Topics and prompts.