Step 3 of setting up a Project shows the Personas Gumshoe built for your brand and the Prompts each one would ask an AI model. Personas are the buyer types AI models think are looking for a brand like yours, and Prompts are the questions those buyers ask. Review them, edit anything you want, and select Continue.
What am I looking at on this page?
Your Personas are listed on the left, each with its number of Prompts. Select a Persona to see:
- Persona bio: a short description of who this buyer is
- Defining characteristics: what sets this buyer apart
- What they will ask: this Persona's Prompts
These come from AI models, not from your customer data. That is the point: this page shows you who AI models believe your audience is, before your first Visibility Audit even runs.
Should I edit my Personas and Prompts now or after my first run?
It depends on what you want from your first Visibility Audit. Personas and Prompts are what Gumshoe sends to the AI models, so a change shows up in the next run. Edit now and your first run includes your changes. Edit later and you see them in your next scheduled Visibility Audit, which runs monthly.
- New to Gumshoe? Leave them as they are. Your first run shows how AI models see your audience on their own, which gives you a baseline to tune from.
- Agencies: consider running the first Visibility Audit out of the box. Showing a client who AI models think their buyers are is a strong way to start the conversation, and you can tune together afterward.
- Brands that know their buyers well: edit now. If a Persona is from the wrong industry or a buyer you sell to every day is missing, fixing it now means your first run measures the audience you care about.
How do I edit, add, or delete a Persona?
- Edit: select Edit persona to change the Persona's name and bio. You'll be asked what to do with its Prompts: regenerate them but keep any you wrote yourself, regenerate all of them, or leave them as they are.
- Delete: select the arrow beside Edit persona.
- Add: select Add persona at the bottom of the list.
- Import: if you have created a Project before, select Add persona, then Import from existing. Choose Mine for Personas you created or Workspace for Personas anyone in your Workspace created, then select Import.
How do I add, edit, or delete Prompts?
- Add: select Add prompt and write a question this Persona might ask an AI model. Prompts you write are tagged Custom.
- Edit or delete: hover over a Prompt and select the pencil or trash icon.
- Regenerate: use the Actions menu at the top right.
Write Prompts the way your buyers talk, not the way your marketing describes you. For ideas, see What prompts should I use?
Where are my Topics?
Topics are not part of setup. Gumshoe groups your Prompts into Topics behind the scenes, and you can view and edit them on the Topics & prompts page once your Project is created. See What are Topics in Gumshoe?
Is there a limit on how many Personas and Prompts I can add?
No. Starter and Pro both include a set number of conversations and charge overage beyond that, so you can build a Project as large as you need on either plan. Every Prompt is sent to every AI model you choose, so more Personas and Prompts mean more conversations.
The last step of setup shows your total conversations and monthly price, overage included, before you start. Nothing is charged until you confirm. For overage pricing, see the Gumshoe pricing page.
Can I change my Personas and Prompts after my Project starts?
Yes. Use the Personas and Topics & prompts pages in your Project. Changes apply at your next Visibility Audit run. See How can I view, edit, and use the Personas page to understand my AI search audience? and How can I view, edit, and use prompts to understand my AI search standings?
What should I do next?
Select Continue to go to Step 4, where you choose your AI models and start your Project. Your first Visibility Audit begins as soon as you start, so if you added Personas or Prompts, check the conversation total and price on that screen. See How do I start a Gumshoe project?