How to Use Special Instructions

Sometimes the brain does what you taught it to do — but you want it to do something slightly different. Maybe it keeps adding a CTA to your blog posts when you do not want one there. Maybe it puts your logo on every image when you only want it on some. Special Instructions are how you tell the brain those custom rules without rebuilding anything. This article walks you through what Special Instructions are, where to find them, and how to write rules that override the brain's default behavior. Quick note: Everything below happens inside My Vision Assistant. My Vision Agency is the white label brand of the platform, so whether you use your own account or an MVA-branded one through us, the steps work the exact same way.

What Special Instructions Do

The brain already knows a lot. It knows your voice, your audience, your offers, your CTAs, your brand colors, and your fonts. When you ask MVA to generate an email or a blog post, it uses all of that to write something on brand.

But sometimes you want it to behave a specific way. Always do this. Never do that. Use this style for emails but a different one for blogs.

That is what Special Instructions are for. They override the brain's default behavior for specific types of content. You write the rule once. From then on, MVA follows it every time it generates that type of content.

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Where to Find Special Instructions

1. Open your Brand Guide inside MVA.
2. Click the Special Instructions tab at the top.

You will see a list of categories you can write instructions for. Each one applies to a different type of content.

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Global vs. Category-Specific Instructions

There are two kinds of Special Instructions, and they behave differently:

Global Instructions (applies to all content)

This is the top section. Anything you write here applies to every piece of content MVA generates, no matter what type. Use this for rules that should be true across the board — your overall content philosophy, big do-this-or-don't rules, things that should never change.

Example Global Instructions:

• Always use a 5th grade reading level
• Never use buzzwords like "leverage" or "synergy"
• Implement a structured service plan offering including Free, DIY, Done-With-You, and Done-For-You plans tailored specifically for the user's niche within the ecosystem

Category-Specific Instructions

Below the Global section, there is a separate box for each content type. Rules you write inside a category only apply to that type of content. Email Instructions only affect emails. Blog Instructions only affect blog posts. And so on.

Use category-specific instructions when a rule only makes sense for one kind of content — like adding a P.S. to emails or using timestamps in YouTube descriptions.

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The Categories You Can Customize

The categories available are:

• Global Instructions — applies to all content
• Email Instructions — rules for emails only
• Blog Instructions — rules for blog posts only
• YouTube Instructions — rules for YouTube content (descriptions, titles, scripts)
• Social Media Instructions — rules for social posts (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.)
• Image Generation Instructions — rules for AI-generated images

More categories may appear as MVA grows. The same rules apply to all of them.

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How to Write Special Instructions That Work

The brain reads your instructions literally. The clearer you are, the better the output. Some tips:

• Write one rule per line. Do not stack multiple rules into a single sentence. Break them out so each one stands on its own.
• Use direct language. "Always do X." "Never do Y." "Use only Z." Vague instructions get vague results.
• Be specific. Instead of "make emails feel personal," write "open every email with the recipient's first name." The more specific, the better the output.
• Tell the brain what NOT to do. If the brain keeps doing something annoying, write the negative rule. "Never include a CTA in a blog post." "Do not add a logo to product mockup images."
• Update over time. If MVA generates something you do not like, that is a clue to add a Special Instruction so it never happens again.

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Examples for Each Category

Global Instructions

• Always use a 5th grade reading level
• Always reference our paid offer at the end of every piece of content unless I say otherwise
• Never use phrases like "in today's fast-paced world" or "in this article we will explore"
• Always speak directly to the reader using "you" not "users" or "people"

Email Instructions

• Always add a P.S. section at the end
• Keep subject lines under 40 characters
• Always end with a clear single CTA button — never multiple links in the same email
• Never start an email with "I hope this email finds you well"

Blog Instructions

• Always include a "Key Takeaways" section at the top
• Use H2 headings every 300 words to break up the content
• Do not ever put a CTA inside a blog post — readers will find the CTA on the page itself
• Always include a "What to Do Next" section at the bottom

YouTube Instructions

• Always include timestamps in descriptions
• Use emojis sparingly in titles — no more than one
• Keep titles under 60 characters for full mobile display
• Always include 3 related video links at the bottom of every description

Social Media Instructions

• Always use 3 to 5 hashtags per post
• Include a question to drive engagement
• Never use more than 2 emojis per post
• Always include the brand hashtag at the end

Image Generation Instructions

• Do not include info about plans in images unless I tell you to
• Always add the logo in the bottom right hand corner, and only use the logos provided. Never create your own version
• Always use the link MyVisionAssistant.com when adding text to images
• Do not add a logo to product mockup images or screenshots

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When to Use Special Instructions vs. Updating the Brain Itself

Not every problem with MVA's output is a Special Instructions problem. Here is how to know which fix is right:

• If the content sounds wrong (off voice, generic, not your tone) → that is a Brand Voice problem. Update your Brand Voice in the Voice Analysis tab.
• If the content points to the wrong CTA → that is a Saved CTAs problem. Fix your default CTAs in the Saved CTAs tab.
• If the content has a quirk you want changed (always adds a P.S., never adds a P.S., uses too many hashtags, includes a CTA you do not want, adds a logo when you do not want one) → that is a Special Instructions problem. Add the rule here.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are Special Instructions required?

No. The brain works fine without them. Special Instructions are for fine-tuning. Start using MVA, see what it produces, and add instructions for anything you want to change.

How many instructions can I add to each category?

As many as you want. Each box is open text — write rules one per line until you have covered everything you care about.

Do Special Instructions override the Brand Guide?

Yes. Special Instructions are the highest priority rule. The brain will follow them even if they contradict something elsewhere in your Brand Guide.

Will Global Instructions override category-specific ones?

If a Global Instruction and a category-specific instruction conflict, the more specific rule usually wins. For example, if your Global Instructions say "always add a CTA" but your Blog Instructions say "never add a CTA to a blog post," the blog post will follow the Blog Instruction.

Can I edit Special Instructions later?

Yes. Open the Special Instructions tab any time, edit any box, and click Save. Every future piece of content uses your updated rules.

Do my Special Instructions apply to existing content I already generated?

No. Special Instructions only affect content generated after you save them. Any existing content stays exactly as it was when MVA created it.

What is a good way to discover what instructions to add?

Use MVA for a week without Special Instructions. Every time MVA generates something you have to edit, ask yourself why you edited it. That edit is usually the clue to a Special Instruction you should add so MVA never makes that same mistake again.

Can I leave categories blank?

Yes. If you do not have any rules for, say, YouTube content, leave the YouTube Instructions box empty. The brain just uses its default behavior for that category.

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