- How deep research differs between ChatGPT and Gemini
- Market and industry research prompts
- Prompts for decisions at work
- Prompts for learning a new topic
- Prompts that control the sources
- Prompts to shape the final report
- How to get better reports from deep research
- My advice on writing deep research prompts
- Frequently asked questions
Good deep research prompts state the question, who the report is for, which sources to trust or avoid, and the format you want back. Both ChatGPT and Gemini show you a research plan before they start, so the most useful habit is editing that plan rather than accepting it. Save deep research for multi-source questions; quick facts are faster in normal chat.
Deep research is the closest thing I've found to handing a question to a researcher and getting a referenced report back. It's also easy to waste. A one-line prompt gets you a long, generic report, and on plans with a monthly allowance that's a run you don't get back. These prompts work in ChatGPT's deep research and in Gemini Deep Research, and each one tells the tool exactly what a useful report looks like.
How deep research differs between ChatGPT and Gemini
From the two companies' own help pages, these are the details that change how you prompt:
| ChatGPT deep research | Gemini Deep Research | |
|---|---|---|
| The plan | Proposes a plan you can review and modify before it starts | Creates a plan you can change with Edit plan, then Start research |
| Sources | Public web and your uploaded files by default; you can restrict it to sites you list | Google Search by default; you can add Gmail or Drive, or deselect Search |
| While it runs | You can interrupt it to refine the focus | You can leave the chat and get notified when it's ready |
| Output | A report with citations or source links, downloadable as Markdown, Word or PDF | A report you can open, export or turn into a visual in Canvas |
| Time | Longer than normal chat | Usually about 5-10 minutes, longer for complex reports |
The detail most people miss: OpenAI says that on plans with a fixed monthly allowance, the deep research counter resets every 30 days from the date you first used it, not on the first of the month. Plan your big questions around that.
Market and industry research prompts
For understanding a market before you commit time to it.
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Research the [industry] market in [country]. I'm a [your role] deciding whether to [decision]. Cover the main types of customer, the leading companies, recent changes and open questions. Cite every claim and flag anything older than two years.
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Map the competitors for [product or service] aimed at [audience]. For each, give what they offer, who they target, how they describe themselves and one weakness customers mention. Present it as a table, then a short summary.
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What are customers in [niche] complaining about most? Use forums, reviews and community discussions. Group the complaints into themes and quote short examples with links.
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Find the trends shaping [industry] that a small business owner should know about. For each trend, explain the evidence, how strong that evidence looks, and what it might mean for a business like mine: [one-line description].
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Research how [type of business] usually finds new customers in [country]. Separate what's backed by data from what's just common advice.
Prompts for decisions at work
When you need a balanced view, not a sales pitch.
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I need to choose between [option A] and [option B] for [purpose]. Research both, compare them on [criteria], and include what independent reviewers and real users say. End with the questions I should ask before deciding.
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Research the main ways businesses handle [process, for example customer onboarding]. Describe each approach, where it works best and the common mistakes. Keep it practical for a team of [team size].
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What do the most credible sources say about [workplace question, for example four-day weeks]? Separate studies from opinion pieces and tell me how strong the evidence is.
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Prepare a briefing on [company or organisation] for a meeting next week: what they do, recent news, their priorities and anything I should avoid raising. Use only sources from the last two years.
Prompts for learning a new topic
For getting up to speed fast without drowning in tabs.
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Explain [topic] to me as a smart beginner. Start with the basics, then the main debates, then the key terms I'll hear. Finish with five sources worth reading in full.
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Research the history of [topic] in a short timeline, then explain what's changed recently and why it matters now.
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I'm starting to learn [skill]. Find the most recommended learning paths, what experts say beginners get wrong, and how long people say it takes to become competent. Note where sources disagree.
Work with meWant AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
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Build me a reading list on [topic] with a mix of introductory and in-depth sources. For each, write one sentence on why it's worth my time.
Prompts that control the sources
Tell the tool where to look, and where not to.
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Only use official sources such as government sites, regulators and the companies' own help pages for this question: [question]. If an answer isn't available from those, say so.
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Prioritise these sites but allow a wider search if needed: [list of sites]. Research [question] and show which source each point came from.
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Use my uploaded files as the main source and the web only to fill gaps: [question]. Mark clearly which points came from my files.
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Avoid content written by companies selling [product type]. Focus on independent reviews, academic work and user discussions for: [question].
Prompts to shape the final report
Add one of these to the end of any research prompt.
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Start the report with a five-line summary I can read in a minute, then the detail.
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Format the findings as a table first, then a short explanation of anything the table can't show.
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End with a section called What we don't know yet, listing gaps in the evidence.
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Write the report for [audience]. Avoid jargon, define any technical terms, and keep each section short.
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Give a confidence level for each main finding and explain what it's based on.
How to get better reports from deep research
- Read and edit the research plan. Both tools show one before they start, and it's where you catch a misunderstanding early.
- Say who the report is for and what decision it supports. That one line changes the whole structure.
- Restrict or prioritise sources when quality matters. ChatGPT lets you list specific sites; Gemini lets you add Gmail or Drive or drop Google Search.
- Use normal chat for quick facts. OpenAI recommends search for quick lookups and deep research for depth.
- Open the cited sources for anything you'll repeat to a client or your boss.
If you're unsure how ChatGPT decides what to trust, my explainer on where ChatGPT gets its information is worth a read first. For competitor work, my competitor teardown prompt pack pairs well with the market prompts above, and a short context document pasted into the prompt gives the tool your business background in one go.
My advice on writing deep research prompts
Spend two minutes on the prompt and one minute on the plan, every time. A precise question with a named audience, a source rule and a report format beats a clever one-liner by a mile. And don't let a long, confident report fool you: it's a starting point with references, not a verdict. Check the sources behind the claims you'll act on, and you'll get the best of it.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good deep research prompt?
One that states the question, who the report is for, the decision it supports, which sources to use or avoid, and the format you want back.
Can I change the plan before deep research starts?
Yes. OpenAI says ChatGPT proposes a plan you can review and modify, and Google says you can click Edit plan in Gemini before you start the research.
Can I limit deep research to certain websites?
In ChatGPT, yes: OpenAI says you can restrict research to sites you enter or prioritise them. In Gemini you can add Gmail or Drive and deselect Google Search.
How long does Gemini Deep Research take?
Google says a report usually takes about 5-10 minutes, and complex reports can take longer. You can leave the chat and get notified.
When should I use normal chat instead of deep research?
For quick facts. OpenAI says search is for quick lookups and deep research is for depth and thoroughness across many sources.
