Instructions tell a Studio Agent what job to do. Jasper IQ supplies the reusable context that shapes how the Agent does it. Keeping those two responsibilities separate makes Agents easier to maintain, test, and reuse.
Decide where each rule belongs
| What you need to define | Where it belongs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| How content sounds | Brand Voice | Confident, plain, no hype |
| Who the content is for | Audience | Marketing leaders or IT buyers |
| Words, naming, and formatting | Style Guide | Preferred terms and words to avoid |
| Approved facts, claims, disclaimers, and glossaries | Knowledge | Approved disclaimer or product glossary |
| Product names and details | Products | Product capabilities and descriptions |
| Details that change with each run | Inputs | Campaign, region, or offer |
| The work the Agent performs | Instructions | Steps, structure, and channel requirements |
Use Jasper IQ for shared brand and business context. Use instructions for the task itself.
Set Jasper IQ on an Agent
- Open the Agent in Studio and go to Agent context.
- Under Content settings, set the Brand Voice, Audiences, and Style Guide.
- Under Context, add the relevant Knowledge Base items and Products.
- Save the version.
These settings become the Agent’s defaults. People running the Agent can adjust Brand Voice, Audience, Style Guide, and Language for an individual run.
Set reusable context in Jasper IQ before writing task-specific instructions.
Brand Voice, Audience, and Style Guide are not available from the @ menu. When an instruction depends on one, refer to it in plain language, such as “for the selected Audience.”
Write instructions like a brief
- Start with the goal. State what the Agent should produce in one sentence.
- List steps in order. Give one action per step.
- Keep task rules with the task. Include length limits, channel requirements, and claims that must use a source.
- Define the output. Specify headings, sections, document count, and titles.
Leave voice, audience details, preferred language, product facts, and approved disclaimers in Jasper IQ whenever possible.
Before: too much reusable context in the instructions
Write a four-email nurture sequence for marketing leaders.
Use a confident, friendly tone. Keep sentences short.
Avoid certain phrases. Include product details and a fixed disclaimer.
Output four emails, each with a subject line, body, and call to action.
After: instructions focus on the job
Write a four-email nurture sequence for the @Campaign launch of @Product, for the selected Audience.
1. Email 1 names the problem @Product solves. Email 2 shows a first win. Email 3 uses one proof point from Knowledge. Email 4 asks for @Offer.
2. Adapt examples, dates, and spelling to @Region.
3. Close every email with the disclaimer from @Approved disclaimers, word for word.
Rules: subject line under 60 characters, body under 150 words, and one call to action per email.
Output: four separate documents titled “Email [number] · [purpose].”
Use instructions to describe the work, and references to bring in run-specific context.
Keep task rules in instructions
Some rules are about the task, not the brand. Put them in a clear Rules line or section.
- Channel specifications: for example, subject-line length or the required opening for a social post.
- Required steps: for example, use a disclaimer from attached Knowledge word for word.
- Output structure: for example, document count, required sections, and titles.
Put persona guidance in the Audience and do-not-say lists in the Style Guide. Repeat a must-have requirement in the output section when it is essential. If a subagent writes an asset, include that requirement in the subagent’s instructions too.
Reference inputs and context with @
Type @ in Instructions to reference:
- Inputs that people complete at run time.
- Context Items, including Knowledge attached to the Agent.
- Agents and Connectors the Agent can call.
- Tool outputs from an earlier step.
If you remove an input or Knowledge item, update the instructions that reference it. Studio flags invalid references before you save.
Design inputs people can answer
- Ask only for details that change from one run to another, such as a campaign, product, region, or offer.
- Use Audience and Brand Voice for persona and tone instead of creating separate inputs.
- Use fixed-choice controls for fixed options and paragraphs for longer briefs.
- Mark essential inputs as required and use saved defaults for the rest.
Show the expected result
A short, representative example output can be more useful than a long formatting description. Keep the example aligned with the structure and length you want the Agent to produce.
Instructions for orchestrators
- State when to call each subagent and what to pass to it.
- Keep specialist rules in the subagent rather than the orchestrator.
- Set Jasper IQ on the orchestrator so its run context is available to subagents.
- Explain how to combine results and how many documents to return.
Test before you share
- Use Test in Studio with several sets of inputs, including an incomplete or messy brief.
- Try a different Audience for at least one run.
- Change one thing at a time, then test again.
- Check every required disclaimer or source-dependent claim.
- For significant changes, create a new version and make it active only after it improves on the current version.
Clear instructions give the Agent a specific job. Jasper IQ keeps the context that should stay consistent across Agents and runs.