The GenAI “Reverse Engineering” trick that will change how you create content

Have you ever seen a LinkedIn post go stratospheric and wonder "What kind of black magic is this?" Well, one of the ways you can use GenAI is as your personal content detective.

The "Reverse Engineering" technique

Instead of just admiring content from afar – and I am talking about ANY kind of content (webpages, social media posts, sales presentations, etc) - we can ask AI to dissect exactly why it works. Think of it like having a master chef explain precisely why that amazing dish tastes so good - then using those insights to level up your own cooking.

Here's a real example

Let's take this LinkedIn post of mine that did pretty well (700+ likes, 100K+ views).

Here's a summary of what happened when I asked AI to break it down:

• Timely topic (emotional regulation and mental health)

• Personal storytelling that doesn't feel preachy

• Actionable advice that's easy to implement

• Professional insights delivered in an accessible way

• Authentic vulnerability that creates trust

You can then ask it to break it down even more, focusing on any element you like. This is what the AI came back with when I asked it about structure:

• Clear narrative arc: Problem → Relatable situation → Scientific explanation → Practical solution

• Strategic use of white space and short paragraphs for easy scanning

• Each paragraph builds on the previous one, creating a natural flow

• Ends with an empathetic call to action/well-wish

The blueprint:

I can now use these elements to ask AI to improve my future LinkedIn posts by applying the same structure.

Try it yourself today

Here's the prompt to decode any piece of content:

"Analyse this [content type]. Break down:

1. Hook effectiveness (if applicable)

2. Structure and flow

3. Psychological triggers used

4. Language patterns

5. Why it resonates with the audience

6. Elements that make it shareable (if that’s relevant to the content being analysed)

Then, create a template I could use to replicate this success pattern while keeping my content original."

Note: This technique is addictive. You might find yourself reverse engineering everything from sales pages to soup can labels. (Or is that just me?)