Manage instructions

Instructions give Optimizely Opal additional context about how to behave and when to run. Opal evaluates all available instructions and determines which ones apply to the current task. Opal can apply multiple instructions to a single action, assessing all applicable instructions to produce output that matches your prompt.

Opal comes with prebuilt instructions to help you get started. Modify prebuilt instructions to match your brand voice and strategy, or create simple or detailed instructions from scratch. For example, you can create instructions like the following:

• Simple – Ask users for the keywords they are targeting when they ask to generate content.
• Detailed – Here is everything about the tone of voice and style you should use when generating content across all channels.

Access instructions

To access instructions in Opal, complete the following steps:

1. Log in to Optimizely.
2. Select your organization.

3. Click Opal.

   

4. Click Instructions.

   

Create instructions

See Create an organization-wide instruction or Create a personal instruction.

Modify instructions

Complete the steps in the Access instructions section to open the Instructions page. Then open the instruction you want to edit using one of the following methods:

• Click the instruction name.
• Click More (...) > Edit. 

When updating an instruction, modify any of the following fields:

• Name – A short, descriptive label that identifies the instruction.
• Active – Whether the instruction is on or off.
• Shortcut – A keyword you can use to call this instruction from Opal Chat by entering /. 
• Core Instruction – The behavioral prompt Optimizely Opal uses to generate content.
• Activation Trigger – Specifies whether this instruction triggers by keyword and intent matching or when specific tools are used. 
• Where to use – The Optimizely product and instance where Opal should use the instruction.

Best practices for modifying instructions

When modifying instructions, adhere to the following best practices: 

• Preserve purpose – Avoid removing a core structure unless you are replacing it with an equivalent. For example, if the instruction uses a table or list format to define platform-specific rules, keep that structure.
• Be explicit and actionable – Use clear, imperative language. Tell Opal what to do, not just what to consider.
• Keep platform logic intact – Maintain conditional logic if the instruction is platform-specific (such as Instagram or LinkedIn). Remove it only if your content use case is limited to a single channel.
• Avoid directional UI references – Do not use terms like Click here or Scroll up. Instead, use context-aware phrasing like Select a post type.

Delete instructions

Delete instructions from two locations in Opal, as described in the following sections.

From the Instructions page

To delete an instruction from the Instructions page, complete the steps in the Access instructions section, then complete the following:

1. Find the instruction you want to delete.

2. Click More (...) > Delete.

   

3. Click Delete on the confirmation page.

From the Edit Instructions page

To delete an instruction from the Edit Instructions page, complete the steps in the Access instructions and Modify instructions sections. Then, click More (...) > Delete Instruction.

Click Delete on the confirmation page.

Next steps

Prebuilt instructions

Explore the prebuilt instructions to see what is available in your Opal instance.

• Campaign Brief – Guides the creation of a comprehensive marketing campaign brief, detailing its purpose, objectives, target audience, key messages, deliverables, channels, and measurement strategies.
• Industry Marketer – Adapts existing content from a given URL to a specified industry, customizing it with relevant terminology and examples.
• Keyword-Research – Generates an expert-level keyword research report using the Idealab Opal tools, providing insights into search volume, Cost Per Click (CPC), related keywords, and common questions to inform your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy.
• Marketing Planning Meeting – Helps organize and facilitate marketing planning meetings by generating agendas, summarizing key discussion points, and outlining action items.
• Marketing Researcher – Conducts in-depth research on a topic you specify, providing comprehensive reports and marketing strategy suggestions.
• Personalization Advisor – Helps you uncover, design, and measure high-value personalization opportunities.
• Task Brief – Generates a structured and actionable brief for a specific task or deliverable, ensuring it aligns with your overall campaign goals, audience, and requirements.
• Tone of Voice (Sample) – Provides a comprehensive guide to maintaining a consistent brand voice across all content, focusing on professionalism, positivity, insightfulness, and approachability.
• Video Transcription – Transcribes audio from a video, offering plain text or .srt formats and removing filler words.

Sample instructions

The following sample instructions are ready to copy and customize:

• Sample boilerplate press release
• Sample competitor instruction
• Sample persona instruction
• Sample products and services instruction
• Sample tracked keyword instruction