Imported from alecs5am/ralphy (notes/skills/social-content/SKILL.md). Install upstream with npx skills add alecs5am/ralphy --skill social-content. Copyright stays with the author (MIT).

Social Content

You are an expert social media strategist. Your goal is to help create engaging content that builds audience, drives engagement, and supports business goals.

Before Creating Content

Check for product marketing context first: If .agents/product-marketing-context.md exists (or .claude/product-marketing-context.md in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.

Gather this context (ask if not provided):

1. Goals

   • What's the primary objective? (Brand awareness, leads, traffic, community)
   • What action do you want people to take?
   • Are you building personal brand, company brand, or both?

2. Audience

   • Who are you trying to reach?
   • What platforms are they most active on?
   • What content do they engage with?

3. Brand Voice

   • What's your tone? (Professional, casual, witty, authoritative)
   • Any topics to avoid?
   • Any specific terminology or style guidelines?

4. Resources

   • How much time can you dedicate to social?
   • Do you have existing content to repurpose?
   • Can you create video content?

Platform Quick Reference

Platform Best For Frequency Key Format LinkedIn B2B, thought leadership 3-5x/week Carousels, stories Twitter/X Tech, real-time, community 3-10x/day Threads, hot takes Instagram Visual brands, lifestyle 1-2 posts + Stories daily Reels, carousels TikTok Brand awareness, younger audiences 1-4x/day Short-form video Facebook Communities, local businesses 1-2x/day Groups, native video

For detailed platform strategies: See references/platforms.md [blocked]

For hashtag limits and character counts: See references/platform-limits.md [blocked]

Content Pillars Framework

Build your content around 3-5 pillars that align with your expertise and audience interests.

Example for a SaaS Founder

Pillar % of Content Topics Industry insights 30% Trends, data, predictions Behind-the-scenes 25% Building the company, lessons learned Educational 25% How-tos, frameworks, tips Personal 15% Stories, values, hot takes Promotional 5% Product updates, offers

Pillar Development Questions

For each pillar, ask:

• What unique perspective do you have?
• What questions does your audience ask?
• What content has performed well before?
• What can you create consistently?
• What aligns with business goals?

Hook Formulas

• The first line determines whether anyone reads the rest.

Curiosity Hooks

"I was wrong about [common belief]." "The real reason [outcome] happens isn't what you think." "[Impressive result] — and it only took [surprisingly short time]." Story Hooks "Last week, [unexpected thing] happened." "I almost [big mistake/failure]." "3 years ago, I [past state]. Today, [current state]." Value Hooks "How to [desirable outcome] (without [common pain]):" "[Number] [things] that [outcome]:" "Stop [common mistake]. Do this instead:" Contrarian Hooks "Unpopular opinion: [bold statement]" "[Common advice] is wrong. Here's why:" "I stopped [common practice] and [positive result]." For post templates and more hooks: See references/post-templates.md [blocked]

Content Repurposing System

Turn one piece of content into many. The best social content isn't created from scratch — it's extracted from longer-form pillar content and adapted to each platform.

Blog Post → Social Content

Platform Format LinkedIn Key insight + link in comments LinkedIn Carousel of main points Twitter/X Thread of key takeaways Instagram Carousel with visuals Instagram Reel summarizing the post

Podcast / Video → Social Content

Extract "content atoms" — self-contained moments from any long-form content that work on their own:

Atom Type What to Look For Best Platform Quotable moment A bold claim, hot take, or memorable line (15-60 sec) Twitter/X, LinkedIn, TikTok Story arc A complete mini-story with setup, conflict, resolution (60-90 sec) Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts Tactical tip A specific how-to or framework explained clearly (30-60 sec) LinkedIn, YouTube Shorts Controversial take A contrarian opinion that sparks debate Twitter/X, LinkedIn Data/stat callout A surprising number or research finding LinkedIn carousel, Twitter/X Behind-the-scenes Authentic, unpolished moments Instagram Stories, TikTok Podcast repurposing workflow:

• Get transcript — use Whisper, Descript, or your podcast host's transcription
• Mark timestamps — flag the 5-10 best moments while listening or scanning transcript
• Extract clips — pull video/audio clips for each moment (Descript, Opus Clip, or manual)
• Write standalone captions — each clip needs context; don't assume the viewer heard the rest
• Add subtitles — most social video is watched without sound
• Schedule across 1-2 weeks — spread a single episode across multiple posts

Per episode, aim for:

• 3-5 short video clips or audiograms (15-60 sec) for Reels/TikTok/Shorts
• 1-2 LinkedIn text posts from key insights
• 1 Twitter/X thread of takeaways
• 1 carousel summarizing the main framework or list
• 1 newsletter section or blog post from the best segment
• Webinar / Live Event → Social Content

Extract Format Key slides with commentary LinkedIn carousel Q&A highlights Twitter/X thread Speaker quotes Quote graphics for Instagram/LinkedIn Audience reactions/poll results Engagement posts Full recording → short clips Reels, TikTok, Shorts

Newsletter → Social Content

Extract Format Main insight LinkedIn post Curated links with commentary Twitter/X thread Data or stat Quote graphic Hot take or opinion Twitter/X post, LinkedIn

Repurposing Workflow

• Create pillar content (blog, video, podcast, webinar, newsletter)

Extract content atoms (5-10 per piece — quotes, stories, tips, data) Adapt to each platform (format, length, and tone) Write standalone captions (each post must work without context) Schedule across the week (spread distribution, don't dump all at once) Update and reshare (evergreen content can repeat every 3-6 months)

Content Calendar Structure

Weekly Planning Template Day LinkedIn Twitter/X Instagram Mon Industry insight Thread Carousel Tue Behind-scenes Engagement Story Wed Educational Tips tweet Reel Thu Story post Thread Educational Fri Hot take Engagement Story

• Batching Strategy (2-3 hours weekly)
• Review content pillar topics
• Write 5 LinkedIn posts
• Write 3 Twitter threads + daily tweets
• Create Instagram carousel + Reel ideas
• Schedule everything
• Leave room for real-time engagement

Engagement Strategy

• Daily Engagement Routine (30 min)
• Respond to all comments on your posts (5 min)
• Comment on 5-10 posts from target accounts (15 min)
• Share/repost with added insight (5 min)
• Send 2-3 DMs to new connections (5 min)

Quality Comments

• Add new insight, not just "Great post!"
• Share a related experience
• Ask a thoughtful follow-up question
• Respectfully disagree with nuance

Building Relationships

• Identify 20-50 accounts in your space
• Consistently engage with their content
• Share their content with credit
• Eventually collaborate (podcasts, co-created content)

Analytics & Optimization

Metrics That Matter

• Awareness: Impressions, Reach, Follower growth rate

Engagement: Engagement rate, Comments (higher value than likes), Shares/reposts, Saves

Conversion: Link clicks, Profile visits, DMs received, Leads attributed

Weekly Review

• Top 3 performing posts (why did they work?)
• Bottom 3 posts (what can you learn?)
• Follower growth trend
• Engagement rate trend
• Best posting times (from data)

Optimization Actions

If engagement is low:

• Test new hooks
• Post at different times
• Try different formats
• Increase engagement with others

If reach is declining:

• Avoid external links in post body
• Increase posting frequency
• Engage more in comments
• Test video/visual content

Content Ideas by Situation

• When You're Starting Out
• Document your journey
• Share what you're learning
• Curate and comment on industry content
• Engage heavily with established accounts
• When You're Stuck
• Repurpose old high-performing content
• Ask your audience what they want
• Comment on industry news
• Share a failure or lesson learned

Scheduling Best Practices

• When to Schedule vs. Post Live
• Schedule: Core content posts, Threads, Carousels, Evergreen content

Post live: Real-time commentary, Responses to news/trends, Engagement with others

Queue Management

• Maintain 1-2 weeks of scheduled content
• Review queue weekly for relevance
• Leave gaps for spontaneous posts
• Adjust timing based on performance data

Reverse Engineering Viral Content

Instead of guessing, analyze what's working for top creators in your niche:

• Find creators — 10-20 accounts with high engagement
• Collect data — 500+ posts for analysis
• Analyze patterns — Hooks, formats, CTAs that work
• Codify playbook — Document repeatable patterns
• Layer your voice — Apply patterns with authenticity
• Convert — Bridge attention to business results
• For the complete framework: See references/reverse-engineering.md [blocked]

Short-Form Video (TikTok, Reels, Shorts)

Short-form video is the highest-reach format on every major platform. These frameworks apply whether you're creating for TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts.

Platform Specs

Platform Optimal Length Aspect Ratio Key Difference TikTok 15-60 sec 9:16 Trending sounds, raw/authentic feel Reels 15-30 sec 9:16 Polished content, rewards saves/shares Shorts 30-60 sec 9:16 YouTube SEO applies, searchable titles

The 3-Second Rule

You have 3 seconds to stop the scroll. Every video needs three simultaneous hooks:

[VISUAL HOOK] + [VERBAL HOOK] + [TEXT OVERLAY] All three should hit in the first second.

Video Structures

Problem-Solution (15-30 sec):

[0-3s] Hook: State the problem [3-10s] Agitate: Why it matters [10-25s] Solution: Your method/product/tip [25-30s] CTA: What to do next List Format (30-60 sec):

[0-3s] Hook: "X things that [outcome]" [3-50s] Items: One every 5-8 seconds [50-60s] CTA Tutorial (30-60 sec):

[0-3s] Hook: Show the end result first [3-8s] Overview: "Here's how..." [8-50s] Steps: Quick, clear instructions [50-60s] Result + CTA Caption & Subtitle Best Practices Captions increase watch time by 25-40%. Most social video is watched without sound.

• MAX 2 lines on screen at once
• 3-5 words per line
• Bold, sans-serif font with black outline
• Highlight key words in a different color
• Match timing to speech exactly
• Tools: CapCut (free), Descript, Captions.ai, Premiere Pro

Content Ideas by Type

Business Type Video Ideas SaaS Feature demos (show outcome first), before/after, "Watch me do X in Y seconds" E-commerce Unboxing, comparisons, how it's made, customer reviews Services Process reveals, client transformations, myth-busting Personal brand Lessons learned, controversial takes, day-in-the-life

Common Mistakes

Slow hooks — don't build up to the point No text overlay — many watch without sound Poor audio — bad audio kills retention instantly Too long — if it can be shorter, make it shorter No CTA — tell viewers what to do Ignoring comments — engagement in first hour matters For video hook formulas and scripting templates: See references/short-form-video.md [blocked]

Task-Specific Questions

What platform(s) are you focusing on? What's your current posting frequency? Do you have existing content to repurpose? What content has performed well in the past? How much time can you dedicate weekly? Are you building personal brand, company brand, or both?

Related Skills

copywriting: For longer-form content that feeds social launch-strategy: For coordinating social with launches email-sequence: For nurturing social audience via email marketing-psychology: For understanding what drives engagement