How to make AI social media posts sound human

AI writes generic social media posts when you give it generic input. To get posts that sound like you, give it your real facts (prices, names, what happened this week), a short set of voice rules, your own photos to describe, and a list of words it must never use. Then do a two-minute edit pass: cut the first sentence, add one detail only you would know, and read it out loud. That's the difference between "Indulge in our delicious treats!" and "Rye loaves come out at 7. We usually sell out by 10."

Here's the full process, with prompts you can copy, a list of words to ban, and before-and-after examples.

Why AI posts sound like AI

AI tools predict the most likely words for a request. Ask for "an Instagram post for my bakery" and you get the average of every bakery post ever written: "Indulge", "elevate your", "nestled in the heart of", three exclamation marks and a row of emoji. Customers have seen thousands of these. They scroll past.

The fix isn't a better tool. It's better input and a quick human edit. AI is great at turning your facts into tidy sentences fast. It can't know that your sourdough starter is 11 years old, that Mrs. Patel orders the same cake every March, or that the oven broke on Tuesday. You have to tell it.

Step 1: Give it facts, not topics

Weak input: "Write a post about our new fall menu."

Strong input: "Write a post about our fall menu. New this week: pumpkin cardamom loaf ($6 a slice), apple cider donuts on weekends only, and a maple oat latte. The donuts are fried at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, usually gone by noon. We use apples from Hill Farm, 20 minutes away."

Facts that make posts sound human:

• Specific numbers: prices, times, quantities, how long something takes
• Names: staff, suppliers, the street, the neighborhood
• What actually happened: this week's busy morning, a regular's order, a mistake you fixed
• Sensory details: what it smells like, the sound of the grinder, the crunch
• Constraints: "weekends only", "12 spots", "until we run out"

Keep a running note on your phone during the week. Five quick facts on Monday is all a week of posts needs.

Step 2: Write voice rules once and reuse them

Create a short "voice card" and paste it into every request. Keep it under 10 lines.

Voice rules for Crumb & Co. (a fictional neighborhood bakery):

- Write like Maria talks at the counter: warm, direct, a little dry.

- Short sentences. No more than 3 sentences in a caption unless it's a story.

- Plain words. We say "bread", not "artisanal creations".

- At most one emoji per post. Never more than one exclamation mark.

- Always include one concrete fact: time, price, or quantity.

- Never use: indulge, elevate, delight, nestled, journey, unleash, game-changer, look no further.

- End with a plain next step (come by, order by Thursday, link in bio), not a hype line.

Write it by looking at three of your best past posts or how you'd explain your business to a friend. Our guide on how to write Instagram captions has more on finding your voice.

Step 3: Ban the words that give AI away

Add a "never use" list to every prompt. These are the usual offenders:

Also ban the structures: rhetorical-question openers ("Craving something sweet?"), three-adjective lists ("fresh, flavorful and unforgettable"), and closing lines like "Your taste buds will thank you."

Step 4: Use your own photos, and describe them

Real photos do more for "human" than any wording. Stock images and AI-generated food look generic, and people notice.

• Shoot on your phone during normal work: the bake, the pour, the cut, the before-and-after. Our phone photography tips cover light and framing.
• Tell the AI what's in the photo, or upload it if your tool can read images: "Photo: Maria's hands shaping rye loaves on a floury bench, early morning light." The caption then matches the picture instead of floating above it.
• Never use AI to invent products, dishes or results you don't actually offer. If it's in the post, a customer should be able to buy it.
• Be careful with AI-edited images. Light touch-ups and cropping are fine. Don't misrepresent food portions, results or people. Platforms like Meta may label content they detect as AI-generated.

Step 5: The two-minute human edit

Every AI draft gets this pass before it goes out:

1. Delete the first sentence. AI warms up. The second sentence is usually the real start.
2. Add one detail only you know. A name, the time, what a regular said, what went wrong.
3. Cut a third of the words. Especially adjectives.
4. Check every fact. Prices, dates, hours, spelling of names. AI will confidently invent details.
5. Read it out loud. If you wouldn't say it at the counter, rewrite it.
6. Check the ending. One clear next step. No "Your taste buds will thank you."

Before and after: three examples

Bakery

AI default:

Indulge in the cozy flavors of fall! Our delectable pumpkin cardamom loaf is here to elevate your autumn mornings. Nestled in the heart of East Austin, Crumb & Co. is your go-to spot for artisanal treats. Don't miss out! 🎃🍂✨

After facts, voice rules and the edit:

Pumpkin cardamom loaf is back. $6 a slice, warm from 7 a.m. Maria swears the cardamom is the whole point. Grab one with a coffee before the 9 o'clock rush.

Gym

AI default:

Ready to unleash your full potential? Our game-changing new HIIT class will take your fitness journey to the next level! Whether you're a beginner or a pro, look no further! 💪🔥

After:

New Thursday class: 30-minute HIIT at 6:15 a.m., coached by Dev. Twelve spots, no experience needed, and you're out the door by 6:50. Book through the link in bio.

Salon

AI default:

Elevate your look with our stunning balayage services! Our talented stylists are thrilled to help you embark on your hair transformation journey. ✨💇‍♀️

After:

Three hours, two toners and one very happy Jenna. Soft balayage by Priya, who has openings next Wednesday and Friday. Book through the link in bio.

A prompt template you can copy

Write 3 short Instagram captions for [business], a [type of business] in [neighborhood, city].

Facts for this week:

- [fact 1 with a number]

- [fact 2 with a name]

- [fact 3 with a time or limit]

Photo: [what's in the photo]

Voice rules: [paste your voice card]

Never use: [paste your banned words]

Each caption under 40 words, one concrete fact, one plain call to action, at most one emoji.

Ask for three versions and pick the best, then do the edit pass. Over a few weeks, save your favorite finished posts and paste two of them into the prompt as examples. That's the single biggest upgrade to quality.

How much AI is too much?

• Fine: first drafts, caption variations, planning a week of ideas, fixing grammar, turning a voice note into text.
• Needs care: anything with prices, health claims, before-and-afters or promotions. Check every word.
• Don't: fake reviews or testimonials, invented customer stories, photos of products you don't sell, or replies to customers you haven't read.

AI should save you time on the writing, not replace knowing your business. For a wider look at where AI helps, see AI marketing for small business and our comparison of the best AI tools for small business social media.

Scala is built around this approach: it reads your website for real facts, designs posts in your own look from your photos (never invented products), and plans a week of posts for Instagram, Facebook and X. You approve every post before it goes out. You can see example posts.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make AI-written social media posts sound human?

Give the AI specific facts (prices, names, times), a short set of voice rules and a list of banned words, describe your real photo, then edit: cut the first sentence, add one detail only you know, and read it out loud.

What words make a post sound like AI wrote it?

Common giveaways include "indulge", "elevate", "nestled in the heart of", "unleash", "embark on a journey", "game-changer" and "look no further", plus rhetorical-question openers and piles of emoji. Ban them in your prompt.

Is it OK for a small business to use AI for social media?

Yes, for drafts, ideas and saving time, as long as a person checks every fact and the post reflects what you actually sell. Don't use AI to invent reviews, customer stories or products.

Should I use AI-generated images for my business posts?

Use your own photos whenever you can, since real images build more trust. Light edits are fine, but don't show products, portions or results that don't exist, and know that platforms may label AI-generated images.