Claude AI Tutorial for Beginners (Step-by-Step)

0:00 In this video, I'll show you exactly how to use Claude.ai step by step.

0:05 Claude is an AI assistant that helps you write,

0:09 analyze information, and create things you can actually use.

0:13 I'm Kevin, and we'll start with the basics,

0:16 like writing, summarizing information, and working with files.

0:19 Then we'll move on to more powerful features like artifacts,

0:24 projects, connectors, and skills.

0:26 By the end, you'll know how to use Claude to actually get work done,

0:30 not just chat with it.

0:32 Let's get started.

0:33 First, head to the Claude website.

0:34 You'll find a link right here at the bottom of the screen, and then sign in.

0:39 It's completely free to get started.

0:41 Once you're in, this is the main screen where all your conversations happen.

0:45 Here in the middle, you'll see the prompt box.

0:48 This is where you type what you want Claude to do.

0:51 Over on the left-hand side, you have what's called the sidebar.

0:54 From here, you can start a new chat.

0:57 You can also access more advanced features.

0:59 Down here at the bottom,

1:01 you can also view your recent chats so you can always come back to your work.

1:04 Let's start with something simple.

1:06 I'll ask Claude to write a professional email.

1:08 Then, right over here, let's run that.

1:10 Here, you can see Claude created a full professional email with structure.

1:15 We even have some bullet points and all the details

1:17 we would need to send this to a supplier.

1:19 Now, in most cases, this is already pretty good.

1:23 But I didn't actually specify the type of cookie.

1:26 Here it looks like it assumes it's chocolate chip

1:28 since that is the most popular type of cookie,

1:31 although I had oatmeal raisin in mind.

1:33 I don't have to start over if it's not perfect.

1:36 Instead, I can refine it.

1:38 Down below, I'll type in a prompt to modify this email

1:40 so it's for oatmeal raisin cookies instead and then let's run that.

1:43 Right up on top, we can now see the updated email message, and down below,

1:47 we can see a summary of all the different changes that it made.

1:50 And, of course, I could keep going from here.

1:53 I could ask it to make the email shorter, maybe make it more friendly,

1:57 or just give it more context,

1:58 like let's say who the email is for or maybe what tone I want.

2:03 This back and forth is really how you get the best results.

2:06 Now, once I'm happy with this message,

2:08 right up on top, I could fill in these various placeholders.

2:11 For example, here, I could type in the supplier name.

2:13 Down below, I could copy the message, or over here, one of my favorite features,

2:18 you could also open the email directly within your email client.

2:22 Now, let's look at another really common use case, summarizing information.

2:25 I'll start a new chat right here in the top left-hand corner.

2:30 You'll notice when I hover, there's a shortcut key.

2:32 I have a dense sales report I need to read.

2:35 Instead of going through the entire document,

2:37 I can upload it to Claude to get a quick summary or ask questions about it.

2:40 Right over here, I could click on the plus icon,

2:43 and here, I could upload a file or a photo.

2:46 Or my favorite method,

2:47 I could simply take my file and then drag and drop it into the chat.

2:51 There, I see my file.

2:53 Down below, I can now enter in a prompt.

2:56 So, let's say to summarize this and give me the key takeaways.

2:59 Then over here, let's run that.

3:00 Claude pulls out all the most important points and presents them in a clean,

3:05 easy to read format.

3:06 And look at that.

3:08 Revenue hits $482,000.

3:09 Like Mama always said, there's money in the cookie business.

3:13 Now, this works with all kinds of files,

3:16 like documents, PDFs, or even spreadsheets.

3:18 So far, we've been using Claude like a chat bot,

3:21 writing and summarizing, but this is where it really starts to stand out.

3:26 Over on the left-hand side, let's hover over the more dropdown,

3:30 and here, you'll see an option for artifacts.

3:32 Let's click on that.

3:33 Instead of just giving you text in the chat,

3:35 Claude can actually create things you can work on.

3:38 So right over here, let's click on create artifact.

3:40 Over here, we could choose the type of artifact.

3:42 You have apps and websites, documents and templates, games, and more.

3:46 For this, I'll select documents and templates.

3:48 Down below, I get a question back asking me what

3:51 kind of document or template do I have in mind?

3:54 Well, I would like to create a product launch

3:56 plan for the Kevin Cookie Company's new oatmeal raisin cookie.

3:59 Then I'll send that.

4:01 Before it builds the artifact,

4:02 it gives me a quick high-level outline of what it wants to build.

4:06 Now, I think all of this looks great.

4:07 So down below, I'll type that in, and then let's send that.

4:10 Now, you'll notice this opens up in a separate workspace.

4:13 This is what's called an artifact.

4:15 It's something Claude creates that you can actually work

4:18 on and edit instead of just viewing everything here in the chat.

4:21 Now, overall, I think this is really solid,

4:24 but it is a little bit more verbose than I would like.

4:27 So over here in the chat,

4:28 let's ask it to make it more concise, and then let's send that.

4:32 You can see that it tightens everything up while keeping all the key points.

4:35 In fact, it looks like it's about half the length of the original.

4:39 Now, let's see if maybe we could also add a sales forecast to this.

4:42 So down below, I'll type that in, and let's send it.

4:45 And there we go.

4:46 It added a new section with the sales forecast.

4:48 Now, all I have to do is fill in all the specific details.

4:52 I can also update specific parts of this artifact.

4:55 Here, if I scroll all the way to the top, I have my executive summary.

4:59 Let's see if maybe we can make this a little bit more persuasive.

5:02 I'll highlight all this text.

5:04 And when I do that, I get this overlay

5:06 that allows me to improve it or explain it.

5:09 Let's click on improve, and let's see if it can make it more persuasive.

5:13 Then let's click on update.

5:14 And now it improves just that section without changing everything else.

5:18 So, I can update the entire document, or I can just refine specific pieces.

5:23 Now, once you start creating multiple documents

5:26 like this, things can get messy pretty quickly.

5:30 To keep everything organized, we can use something called projects.

5:34 Let's now rename this document or the artifact.

5:37 To do that, let's click on this dropdown up on top,

5:39 and here we have the option to rename.

5:41 I'll click on that and let's call it the product launch plan,

5:44 oatmeal raisin cookie.

5:45 Then I'll click on save.

5:47 Right up on top, let's click on that same dropdown

5:50 and we can now add this artifact to a project.

5:53 Right over here, I'll click on add to project.

5:55 This opens up a prompt where I can see all of my existing projects or up on top,

5:59 I can also create a new project.

6:01 I'll make a new one called oatmeal raisin cookie launch.

6:04 And right here, I'll click on create.

6:06 Over on the left-hand side,

6:07 let's now click on this icon to open up all the different projects.

6:11 And there I see the project that we

6:13 just created called the oatmeal raisin cookie launch.

6:16 Let's click into this one.

6:17 With projects, I can keep my launch plan,

6:19 my chats and any other files all here in one place.

6:23 As an example, I also have a PDF with research on oatmeal raisin cookies.

6:28 Here I could drag that in and add it to the project knowledge.

6:31 Here I have my PDF with all the research and over here

6:34 we also have that artifact that we just created a moment ago,

6:37 all here in one place.

6:39 Now that I have some files in my project, I can also add instructions.

6:43 So that way instead of repeating myself every time,

6:45 I can tell Claude how I want it to respond.

6:48 Right over here, I'll click on this plus icon, and I can now add instructions.

6:52 As an example, let's say always respond in bullet points.

6:56 Now I’ll click save and anything I

6:58 ask inside this project will follow that automatically.

7:01 Now here's where this gets really powerful.

7:04 Inside a project, Claude can use everything I've added.

7:07 So, it can reference my launch plan

7:09 artifact and also the research document I uploaded.

7:11 Right here, I'll type in a prompt.

7:13 What should I prioritize for a successful launch?

7:15 And then let's run that.

7:17 Now you'll notice it responds in bullet points and it's

7:19 also pulling from both the plan and the research.

7:22 Instead of jumping between chats, everything here stays nice and organized.

7:25 So far, we've looked at how to do work in Claude,

7:29 but you can also connect it to your other tools.

7:32 Back in the main chat view, let's click on the plus icon and right here,

7:36 you see the option to add connectors.

7:38 Now here you could connect it to things like your files, your email,

7:42 your calendar, and you have all sorts of other services as well.

7:46 Now with email, you could have to review

7:48 your emails and highlight what's most urgent.

7:50 For most people getting started though, you don't need this right away,

7:53 but it really becomes powerful as you go deeper.

7:55 In the top right-hand corner, let's close out of this.

7:58 You can also customize how Claude works with something called skills.

8:01 Right here, I'll click on the plus icon and here you

8:04 can manage your skills or you could add a new skill.

8:07 This lets you save reusable instructions or workflows,

8:10 so you don't have to repeat them every time.

8:12 For example, you could create a skill for writing

8:14 emails or analyzing data in a very specific way.

8:17 If you want to go deeper,

8:19 check the description for a full video on how to use skills.

8:22 That's how to use Claude to actually get work done day to day.

8:26 If you want to go deeper,

8:27 I put together a full playlist covering everything Claude.

8:30 You'll find that linked right down below.

8:32 Thanks for watching and I'll see you in the next video.