Introduction
As AI goes mainstream, manually trawling through data wastes precious hours. OpenAI’s new Agent Mode lets you outsource repetitive research tasks to a virtual assistant so you can focus on strategy. This guide shows how to use ready‑made templates to uncover trends, audit websites/products and compile comprehensive research in minutes.
⬇️ FREE DOWNLOAD — All Prompts as a PDF
Get every template in one file: Trend Mining, Website/Product Audit, Ebook Market Research & the Universal Framework.
Link: Download the PDF
Why this guide
A couple of weeks after GPT-5 arrived, OpenAI rolled out Agent Mode—an autonomous, multi-step workflow that lets AI browse the web, analyze data, and return structured outputs while you do other work. I put it to work on four practical jobs:
- Content research (trend mining)
- Website/blog & product conversion audit
- Ebook market gap research
- A Universal Prompt Framework that covers all three
Below you’ll find what each template is, how to use it (including Agent Mode tips), and copy-paste prompts you can run today.
⚠️ Note on privacy/safety
Agent Mode can access any connection you enable (e.g., web, Gmail, Drive). Use it for general research and audits, not for sensitive data. Review outputs—agents are powerful but not perfect.
What is OpenAI Agent Mode (in plain English)?
Agent Mode is an advanced ChatGPT capability that creates a virtual computer with its own browser, terminal and python execution. It can autonomously run complex workflows, fetch data and produce reports without human intervention. By combining browser automation and natural language processing, Agent Mode dramatically reduces research time.
Step‑By‑Step Templates
- Trend Mining Template – Provide your industry and desired time frame. The template mines Google Trends, Reddit threads and trade publications, summarising emerging opportunities.
- Website/Product Audit Template – Insert a URL and Agent Mode reviews on‑page SEO, user experience, speed and accessibility, then outputs an improvement checklist.
- E‑Book Research Template – Supply a topic and the template gathers outlines, competitor titles and cites credible sources for each chapter.
- Universal Prompt Framework – A modular framework where you define role, context, tasks, format and tone. This structure ensures clear instructions, reduces hallucinations and boosts output quality
Best Practices
- Assign the agent a role (e.g., “SEO analyst”) and context (project goals).
- Specify the ask (e.g., “Find the top 3 competitors”) and deliverable format.
- Set rules such as citing sources or summarising data.
- Include examples for clarity.
Internal & External Links
For more prompt‑engineering techniques see our article on fixing AI hallucinations (link to new slug /ai-prompt-hacks-improve-output). For deeper technical details on Agent Mode, explore OpenAI’s official documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Agent Mode safe for sensitive data?
A: The virtual environment is isolated; however, avoid sharing confidential credentials.
Q: Do I need coding skills?
A: Basic instructions suffice; the templates handle the heavy lifting.
Q: Can I build my own workflows?
A: Yes. Use the universal framework to chain tasks like summarising reports, generating spreadsheets or emailing results.
How to run prompts with Agent Mode
- Open a new chat → toggle Agent Mode on.
- Check Connections → keep Web on for research/audits.
- Paste one of the templates below.
- Hit Send → watch crawl/logs; you can pause or take over the browser.
- Review results → ask the agent to refine, expand, or fix gaps.
Pro tip: Add constraints like “return a table,” “limit to last 90 days,” or “cite sources” to improve reliability.
Template 1 — General-Purpose Trend Mining (a.k.a. Content Research)
What it is
A repeatable system to spot early ideas, hooks, and themes across Reddit, blogs/newsletters, YouTube/TikTok, and Google Trends—so you publish what audiences already want.
Best for
Content calendars, campaign angles, product positioning, SEO topic discovery.
Agent Mode tips
- Keep Web on.
- Ask for dates & links.
- Set a timeframe (e.g., “last 30–90 days”) for freshness.
Copy-paste prompt
You are a Trend Miner.
My focus area is: [insert domain].
My audience is: [insert audience].
My platform(s): [blog / YouTube / podcast / TikTok / newsletter / product strategy].
Phase 1 — Signal Scan
- Reddit: Pull 5–10 rising threads from the last 30–90 days (title, subreddit, date, upvotes, comments, why it resonated).
- Blogs/Newsletters: Capture recent (<30 days) posts (title, author, date, key takeaway, notable metaphors/phrasing).
- YouTube/TikTok/Podcasts: Identify trending content; include title, description, transcript snippet, visible engagement.
- Google Trends: Highlight breakout searches around [core keywords].
- Optional: X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Quora.
Phase 2 — Pattern Recognition
- Which topics/phrases repeat across platforms?
- New hooks/metaphors/reframes?
- Pain → payoff patterns by audience segment.
Phase 3 — Trend Forecasting
Deliver 5–10 opportunities with:
- Trend Name
- Insight (pain → payoff)
- Platforms spotted on
- Supporting keywords
Output:
- Table: Trend Name | Insight (Pain → Payoff) | Platforms | Keywords
- Winning Topic: highest potential
- Unique Angle: how to frame it for my brand
- 3–5 SEO keywords
Return dates & source links.
Template 2 — Website/Blog & Product Conversion Audit
What it is
A diagnostic prompt that audits visual clarity, message focus, CTA strength, and trust across your homepage, category, blog posts, and product cards/pages.
Best for
CTR lifts, bounce-rate reduction, product page polish, brand consistency.
Agent Mode tips
- Keep Web on.
- Set scope (homepage + categories + top 20 posts/products).
- Require a table and specific suggestions (“rewrite headline with a number/power word,” etc.).
Copy-paste prompt
You are a website conversion audit assistant.
Analyze: [site URL].
For each [post/product] on the homepage and category/product pages:
Step 1 — Capture
- Featured image/thumbnail
- Title/headline
- Visible description/excerpt
- Price & CTA (for product pages)
Step 2 — Evaluate
- Visual clarity (readability, contrast, spacing, scan-ability)
- CTA strength (visibility, urgency, benefit-driven)
- Image–content match (does the image fit the topic/product?)
- Trust signals (reviews, guarantees, badges, brand consistency)
Step 3 — Best Practices Check
- Clear, benefit-driven titles
- High-quality, consistent images
- Minimal clutter and distractions
- Strong brand tone & style
Step 4 — Identify Issues
Flag items likely to depress CTR/conversions (weak headlines, generic CTAs, mismatched images, missing trust).
Step 5 — Suggested Fixes
Give specific, actionable improvements (headline rewrite, add benefit phrase, zoom on relevant detail, add trust badges/reviews).
Output table:
Post/Product Title | Issue | Impact on Clicks/Conversions | Suggested Fix
Also return page URLs.
Template 3 — Ebook Market Research (Pain-Point Finder)
What it is
A pre-writing research loop that mines reviews to find what readers hate/want, so you design a book they’ll actually buy.
Best for
Picking a profitable topic, structuring chapters, positioning.
Agent Mode tips
- Keep Web on.
- Ask for 20–30 reviews from 2–3 top sellers (or Goodreads/Scribd/blogs if Amazon is limited).
- Require a table + pie chart (Agent Mode can summarize counts even if it can’t render charts; you can chart later).
Copy-paste prompt
You are an expert market research assistant.
I want to create a short ebook on [topic/category].
Steps:
1) Find 2–3 top-selling ebooks on [Amazon Kindle or Google Books].
2) Collect 20–30 recent reviews in total (last 12–18 months). If not available, use Goodreads/Scribd/blog reviews.
3) Extract reader pain points & requests; group into themes (e.g., too short, lack of examples, poor structure, too technical, not engaging).
4) Recommend a concrete improvement for each theme.
Output:
- Table: Complaint Theme | Example Review Quote | Recommended Improvement
- Frequency summary by theme (counts/percentages)
- Short summary: top 3–5 improvements to implement
Return titles, links, and dates of the books/reviews.
Template 4 — Universal Prompt Framework (covers research, audits, & trends)
What it is
One master template you can adapt to market research, site/product audits, or trend mining without rewriting from scratch.
Best for
Teams, SOPs, repeatable workflows, multi-channel planning.
Agent Mode tips
- Tell the agent which mode you’re in (research vs. audit vs. trends).
- Always require structured output (tables + summaries).
- If the crawl is slow, narrow scope or add date ranges.
Copy-paste prompt
You are an expert assistant for [market research / website audits / trend mining].
Domain: [insert domain/topic]
Audience: [insert audience]
Platforms: [ebook / blog / YouTube / TikTok / newsletter / SaaS / e-commerce]
Step 1 — Capture
For each [product/post/review/trend signal], record:
- Visuals (images/thumbnails)
- Titles/headlines/product names
- Descriptions/excerpts/reviews
- CTAs/prices (if applicable)
- Source link and date
Step 2 — Evaluate
Score for:
- Clarity (readability, focus)
- Engagement (hook/story/CTA)
- Relevance (image/message match)
- Trust (reviews, guarantees, consistency)
Step 3 — Benchmark
- Benefit-driven messaging
- High-quality, consistent visuals
- Minimal clutter
- Brand tone/voice alignment
- For research: recurring complaints/requests
- For trends: hooks, metaphors, breakout terms
Step 4 — Issues/Opportunities
Flag:
- Weak headlines/titles
- Poor or mismatched visuals
- Weak/missing CTAs
- Missing trust signals/proof
- Repeated user complaints
- Underexposed rising trends
Step 5 — Fixes/Next Moves
- Concrete copy/image/CTA changes
- Trust elements to add
- Pain points to address in product/content
- Trend-backed topics/angles
Output:
- Table: Item/Trend Title | Issue/Insight | Impact (CTR, conversions, relevance) | Suggested Fix/Opportunity | Source
- Summary (3–5 bullets): biggest wins & next steps
- Optional: frequency counts for quick charting
What worked, what didn’t (from real runs)
Where Agent Mode shines
- Multi-source scanning (Reddit/YouTube/blogs/Trends)
- Turning messy pages into clean tables
- Fast first-pass audits & content calendars
Limitations to expect
- Some blogs are harder to parse → occasional incomplete rows
- Runs can be slow on heavy pages or broad scopes
- Agents can lose context—restate constraints (“return a table with these columns”)
Safety first
- Only enable the connections you need.
- Avoid connecting sensitive data sources unless absolutely necessary.
- Sanity-check outputs before publishing.
Quick start checklist (copy this into your notes)
- Pick a template (Trend Mining / Audit / Ebook / Universal)
- Narrow scope (date range, # of pages, # of items)
- Require tables, links, dates, and clear next actions
- Run in Agent Mode with Web on
- Ask for a refinement pass (fill gaps, fix columns, add sources)
- Implement top 3 fixes or publish the top 3 opportunities
FAQs
Is Agent Mode free?
Agent Mode typically requires a paid plan. Pricing/limits can change—check current details in your account before running large jobs.
Can it generate charts?
It can summarize counts/percentages. For visuals, paste the table into Sheets/Excel/Notion to chart in seconds.
How long do runs take?
Depends on scope and site speed. Tighten the timeframe and number of pages to speed things up.
Final takeaway
Plug these prompts into Agent Mode and you’ll turn days of manual research and auditing into minutes of structured insight. Start with one: run the Trend Mining template for 90-day ideas, the Audit template for quick CTR lifts, or the Ebook Research loop to choose a topic readers will pay for. When in doubt, fire up the Universal Framework—it’s your all-terrain vehicle.
If you found this useful, save the post and share it with a teammate who needs faster research. 🚀
⬇️ FREE DOWNLOAD — All Prompts as a PDF
Get every template in one file: Trend Mining, Website/Product Audit, Ebook Market Research & the Universal Framework.
Link: Download the PDF
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