What it does. When the user wants help creating, scheduling, or optimizing social media content for LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or other platforms, or wants to do social listening and engagement triage. Also use when the user mentions 'LinkedIn post,' 'Twitter thread,' 'social media,' 'content calendar,' 'social scheduling,' 'engagement,' 'viral content,' 'what should I post,' 'repurpose this content,' 'tweet ideas,' 'LinkedIn carousel,' 'social media strategy,' 'grow my following,' 'TikTok video,' 'Reels,' 'Shorts,' 'video script,' 'video hook,' 'short-form video,' 'create a reel,' 'social listening,' 'brand mentions,' 'competitor monitoring,' 'top posts to comment on,' 'find people asking for,' 'carousel,' 'slide-by-slide,' or 'document post.' Use this for social media content creation, repurposing, scheduling, short-form video scripting, and social listening. For broader content strategy, see content-strategy. For paid ads, see ad-creative. For earned media, see public-relations. Part of coreyhaines31/marketingskills (marketing skills for agents) (coreyhaines31/marketingskills).

Upstream	coreyhaines31/marketingskills
Skill file	skills/social/SKILL.md
License	MIT
Author	Corey Haines
Fetched	2026-09-10

Install

• npx skills add coreyhaines31/marketingskills --skill social, or copy the skill folder into ~/.claude/skills/social/.
• Raw file: curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/HEAD/skills/social/SKILL.md

SKILL.md (verbatim)

name: social
description: "When the user wants help creating, scheduling, or optimizing social media content for LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or other platforms, or wants to do social listening and engagement triage. Also use when the user mentions 'LinkedIn post,' 'Twitter thread,' 'social media,' 'content calendar,' 'social scheduling,' 'engagement,' 'viral content,' 'what should I post,' 'repurpose this content,' 'tweet ideas,' 'LinkedIn carousel,' 'social media strategy,' 'grow my following,' 'TikTok video,' 'Reels,' 'Shorts,' 'video script,' 'video hook,' 'short-form video,' 'create a reel,' 'social listening,' 'brand mentions,' 'competitor monitoring,' 'top posts to comment on,' 'find people asking for,' 'carousel,' 'slide-by-slide,' or 'document post.' Use this for social media content creation, repurposing, scheduling, short-form video scripting, and social listening. For broader content strategy, see content-strategy. For paid ads, see ad-creative. For earned media, see public-relations."
metadata:
  version: 2.2.0

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.md exists (or .claude/product-marketing.md, or the legacy product-marketing-context.md filename, 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

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

---

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:

1. What unique perspective do you have?
2. What questions does your audience ask?
3. What content has performed well before?
4. What can you create consistently?
5. 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

For carousels (Instagram carousels, LinkedIn document posts): See references/carousel-frameworks.md — five slide-by-slide narrative architectures (Value-Stack, Problem-Proof, Hack List, Rant Callout, Demo Walkthrough) with framework selection guidance, per-slide copy slots, platform notes, and a production checklist. Pick the framework before writing slides.

---

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:

1. Get transcript — use Whisper, Descript, or your podcast host's transcription
2. Mark timestamps — flag the 5-10 best moments while listening or scanning transcript
3. Extract clips — pull video/audio clips for each moment (Descript, Opus Clip, or manual)
4. Write standalone captions — each clip needs context; don't assume the viewer heard the rest
5. Add subtitles — most social video is watched without sound
6. 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

1. Create pillar content (blog, video, podcast, webinar, newsletter)
2. Extract content atoms (5-10 per piece — quotes, stories, tips, data)
3. Adapt to each platform (format, length, and tone)
4. Write standalone captions (each post must work without context)
5. Schedule across the week (spread distribution, don't dump all at once)
6. 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)

1. Review content pillar topics
2. Write 5 LinkedIn posts
3. Write 3 Twitter threads + daily tweets
4. Create Instagram carousel + Reel ideas
5. Schedule everything
6. Leave room for real-time engagement

---

Engagement Strategy

Daily Engagement Routine (30 min)

1. Respond to all comments on your posts (5 min)
2. Comment on 5-10 posts from target accounts (15 min)
3. Share/repost with added insight (5 min)
4. Send 2-3 DMs to new connections (5 min)

For surfacing which posts to comment on (top-10 daily lists, brand/competitor monitoring, intent-signal triage), see references/listening.md. Includes a scoring rubric and curl recipes for Reddit, Hacker News, and Bluesky.

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:

1. Find creators — 10-20 accounts with high engagement
2. Collect data — 500+ posts for analysis
3. Analyze patterns — Hooks, formats, CTAs that work
4. Codify playbook — Document repeatable patterns
5. Layer your voice — Apply patterns with authenticity
6. Convert — Bridge attention to business results

For the complete framework: See references/reverse-engineering.md

---

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

1. Slow hooks — don't build up to the point
2. No text overlay — many watch without sound
3. Poor audio — bad audio kills retention instantly
4. Too long — if it can be shorter, make it shorter
5. No CTA — tell viewers what to do
6. Ignoring comments — engagement in first hour matters

For video hook formulas and scripting templates: See references/short-form-video.md

---

Task-Specific Questions

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

---

Related Skills

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

Other files in this skill

• evals/evals.json
• references/carousel-frameworks.md
• references/listening-sources-template.md
• references/listening.md
• references/platform-limits.md
• references/platforms.md
• references/post-templates.md
• references/reverse-engineering.md
• references/short-form-video.md

references/carousel-frameworks.md (verbatim)

Carousel Frameworks

Five slide-by-slide narrative architectures for carousels — Instagram carousels and LinkedIn document posts. Each framework is a different reason to keep swiping; picking the right one for the content matters more than polishing individual slides.

A carousel is not a blog post chopped into squares. It's a swipe-through with two jobs per slide: deliver one idea, and make the next swipe irresistible. These frameworks encode structures that show up repeatedly in high-performing carousels; treat them as starting structures to adapt, not rigid formulas — and expect to validate against your own analytics.

Picking a Framework

Your content is...	Use	Why
A list of resources, tools, or tips	A: Value-Stack	Completeness is the promise; the count is the hook
A personal result with a system behind it	B: Problem-Proof	Proof opens and closes the loop; the system is the meat
Several named techniques on one theme	C: Hack List	Each hack re-earns the swipe independently
A strong opinion about a common practice	D: Rant Callout	Conviction is the content; structure keeps it fair
A product or workflow you can show	E: Demo Walkthrough	Seeing the steps is more persuasive than describing them

Two cross-framework rules before the specifics:

• Slide 1 is the thumbnail. It competes in the feed alone, before anyone knows a carousel follows. Design and write it as a standalone scroll-stopper.
• One visual template per carousel. Same layout, type scale, and palette on every interior slide. Variety between slides reads as clutter; consistency lets the content change while the frame stays still.

---

Framework A: Value-Stack (4–14 slides)

The "everything you need" carousel. Works because the cover makes a completeness claim — an exact count and an exact deliverable — and every swipe pays it down.

Slide	Job	Pattern
1 — Cover	State the exact count + exact deliverable. Specificity proves scale upfront.	"[N] [resource type] for [role/outcome]"
2 to N−1 — Value delivery	One item or category per slide, 3–6 concrete sub-items each. Same visual template, zero filler slides.	"[Category/item] — [sub-items]"
N — Close	Convert the swipe-through into an action.	"[Action] for [the payoff]" — comment a keyword, follow, link in bio

Why the exact count matters: "27 free tools" outperforms "the best free tools" because a number is a checkable promise — the reader can verify you delivered. Rounding up with padding breaks the trust the count created.

SaaS example: "12 ChatGPT prompts for SaaS onboarding emails" → one prompt per slide with the use case → "Comment PROMPTS and I'll send the full doc."

Failure mode: filler slides to hit a bigger number. Cut to the real count; a tight 8 beats a padded 14.

---

Framework B: Problem-Proof (6–10 slides)

The "I did X, here's the system" carousel. The hook is a result stated as fact, not advice — and the final slide shows the receipt, closing the loop slide 1 opened.

Slide	Job	Pattern
1 — Hook	A specific personal claim with a number. A result, not a tip.	"[I/we did X]. [Specific result, with number]."
2 — Reframe the problem	Name what's actually going wrong so the reader recognizes themselves.	"The real problem — [named issue]"
3–4 — The mechanism	Show the real system: named tools, named steps. Concrete beats vague.	"The system — [named tools/steps]"
5 to N−1 — The detail	The literal prompt text, template, or step-by-step. This is the save-worthy part.	"[The literal prompt or process detail]"
N — Proof	The actual output artifact. A screenshot, not a description.	"[Screenshot of output] — the receipt"

The open loop is the engine: slide 1 makes a claim, the last slide proves it, and everything between explains how. Readers swipe to see whether the receipt is real.

SaaS example: "We cut churn 22% with one onboarding email." → the real problem (activation, not price) → the sequence structure → the literal email copy → the retention chart.

Failure mode: vague mechanism slides ("optimize your workflow") — if the middle slides don't name tools and steps, the proof slide reads as luck, not system.

---

Framework C: Hack List (6–10 slides)

The "numbered techniques" carousel. A contrarian cover creates status anxiety — most people are doing this wrong — and each numbered hack independently re-earns the swipe.

Slide	Job	Pattern
1 — Contrarian hook	A stat or claim implying most people fail at this.	"[Stat implying most people fail at X]"
2 — The problem	Why the common approach fails, ideally with an analogy.	"The problem — [why it fails]"
3 to N−1 — Numbered hacks	One named technique per slide. Bad-vs-good contrast makes each hack land instantly.	"Hack #[n] — [named technique]"
N — Synthesis + close	A one-line thesis tying the hacks together, then a save/share/follow CTA.	"[Thesis tying hacks together]" + [CTA]

Name every technique. "The 3-second rule" is shareable and memorable; "keep it short" is neither. Named techniques travel — people repeat them and credit the source.

SaaS example: "90% of trial emails never get opened." → why (they read like receipts, not messages) → Hack #1: The founder-from line, Hack #2: The one-question subject, ... → "Trial emails are conversations, not confirmations. Save this for your next sequence."

Failure mode: hacks that are restatements of each other. Each slide must survive alone — if two hacks collapse into one idea, merge them and go shorter.

---

Framework D: Rant Callout (4–8 slides)

The "someone had to say it" carousel. Personality-led and polarizing by design — the structure exists to keep the heat fair so it reads as conviction, not bitterness.

Slide	Job	Pattern
1 — Provocative claim	An unpopular opinion or direct accusation about a common practice.	"Unpopular opinion — [common practice]"
2 to N−2 — Escalate the argument	Sensory, specific detail. Show the offense; don't gesture at it abstractly. Each slide raises the stakes.	"[Escalating, specific complaint]"
N−1 — Fairness pivot	"Don't get me wrong…" — clarify what you're not attacking. Anti-laziness, not anti-tool; anti-practice, not anti-person.	"The problem isn't [X], it's [Y]"
N — Close	Firm, personality-forward sign-off. Signed rants read as owned opinions; anonymous ones read as potshots.	"[Firm sign-off] — signed [name/persona]"

The fairness pivot is what makes it work. Without it you're yelling; with it you're drawing a precise line, and precise lines get quoted. It also pre-empts the top hostile comment.

SaaS example: "Your AI-generated LinkedIn posts are costing you customers." → the specifics (same em-dash cadence, same 'game-changer' vocabulary, zero lived detail) → "Don't get me wrong — I use AI daily. The problem isn't the tool, it's publishing the first draft." → "Write like you talk. — [Name]"

Failure modes: skipping the pivot (reads unhinged, invites pile-ons), or ranting about something your own product/content visibly does (the comments will find it).

---

Framework E: Demo Walkthrough (5–11 slides)

The "watch it work" carousel for product or workflow content. Show the finished result first, then the steps — the outcome earns attention for the process.

Slide	Job	Pattern
1 — Product + outcome	Brand/product plus the finished result. Lead with what they get.	"[Product] + [outcome], finished result"
2 — Problem it solves	The specific frustration this replaces.	"[The specific pain this replaces]"
3 — Process overview	The numbered step list, shown before the detail. Seeing the whole path lowers mid-swipe drop-off — readers commit when they know how long the road is.	"[N] steps to [outcome] in [timeframe]"
4 to N−1 — Step-by-step	One real UI screenshot per step with a short caption. Real screenshots; mockups read as vaporware.	"Step [n] — [screenshot] — [caption]"
N — Result + positioning	The full-size output plus one brand-philosophy line.	"[Final output] + [positioning line]"

Overview-before-detail is the key move (same reason recipe sites list ingredients before instructions): a reader who's seen "4 steps, 10 minutes" on slide 3 will finish; a reader dropped straight into step 1 with no map bails at step 2.

SaaS example: "From CSV to live dashboard in 4 steps" → the pain (weekly manual reporting) → the 4-step overview → one screenshot per step → the finished dashboard + "Built for marketers, not analysts."

Failure mode: screenshots with too much UI. Crop to the action, zoom the relevant control, annotate with one arrow — each screenshot should make sense at thumbnail size.

---

Platform Notes

Instagram: 1080×1350 (4:5) slides; up to 20 slides but the frameworks' ranges above reflect where completion rates hold. The caption carries the searchable text — restate the hook and add context, don't just repeat slide 1. First slide doubles as the grid thumbnail.

LinkedIn (document posts): Upload as PDF. Square or 4:5. LinkedIn shows a "N pages" badge — Value-Stack's exact-count cover plays especially well here. B2B tolerates denser text per slide than Instagram, but the one-idea-per-slide rule still holds. The post text above the document is a second hook — write it as its own post, not a throwaway "see attached."

TikTok photo mode: Same frameworks work; pacing skews faster — trim each framework toward its minimum slide count.

Production Checklist

• Slide 1 works as a standalone feed post (test: would it stop the scroll with no carousel behind it?)
• One idea per slide — if a slide needs two sentences of setup, split it
• Same visual template on every interior slide
• Any count promised on the cover is exactly delivered (no filler, no rounding)
• Claims and numbers are real and yours — no invented stats or borrowed screenshots
• Text is legible at thumbnail size (minimum ~28pt at 1080px wide)
• Final slide has one CTA, not three
• Caption/post text written as its own hook, not a repeat of slide 1

Measuring What Worked

Judge carousels on saves and completion, not likes — saves signal reference value (the algorithmic win for carousels), and where per-slide analytics exist (Instagram professional insights, LinkedIn document analytics, or third-party tools), drop-off position tells you which slide broke the swipe chain. When a carousel underperforms, the fix is usually slide 1 (didn't stop the scroll) or the framework choice (list content forced into a rant structure), not the middle slides. Track per-framework performance and double down on the two that fit your audience — see reverse-engineering.md for the analysis workflow.

references/listening-sources-template.md (verbatim)

Listening Sources — Template

Copy this file to .agents/listening-sources.md in your project (or .claude/listening-sources.md) and fill in the brackets. Claude reads it when running the listening workflow.

Delete sections you don't use. Keep this short and current — stale sources are worse than no sources.

---

What We're Listening For

Brand / product: [Your product name] Category: [e.g., "AI writing assistant", "Postgres GUI"] Goal: [e.g., "find people switching from Notion", "engage with B2B SaaS founders 50-200 employees"]

ICP (for scoring)

Used by the scoring rubric to judge ICP fit.

• Role: [e.g., "founder, head of marketing, marketing ops lead"]
• Company stage: [e.g., "seed to Series B SaaS, 10-200 employees"]
• Industry: [e.g., "B2B SaaS, infra, devtools"]
• Signals they're a fit: [e.g., "writes about GTM, runs paid ads, recently raised"]

---

Target Accounts

Engage with every post from these accounts when relevant. Keep this list to 20-50 max.

LinkedIn (browser-driven — use dev-browser to view feed)

• [Name] — linkedin.com/in/handle
• [Name] — linkedin.com/in/handle

X / Twitter (browser-driven)

• [@handle]
• [@handle]

Reddit

• u/[username]
• u/[username]

Bluesky

• [handle.bsky.social]

Blogs / Newsletters (RSS)

• [Name] — https://example.com/feed/
• [Name] — https://example.substack.com/feed

YouTube channels (RSS)

• [Name] — channel ID UCxxxxxxxx

---

Keywords (intent signals)

Search across all platforms. Claude runs these through Reddit, HN, Bluesky on the daily loop.

High-intent (someone shopping or switching)

• "alternative to [competitor]"
• "looking for a [category] tool"
• "recommend a [category]"
• "switching from [competitor]"
• "frustrated with [competitor]"

Problem signals (someone in pain)

• "[category] is so [bad/hard/expensive]"
• "why is [category] [problem]"
• "hate [pain point]"

Brand mentions

• "[your brand]"
• "[your brand misspelling]"
• "[your domain]"

Competitor mentions (monitor for switching language)

• "[competitor 1]"
• "[competitor 2]"

---

Subreddits

Pulled via Reddit JSON API on the daily loop.

• r/SaaS
• r/Entrepreneur
• r/[your niche, e.g., "marketing", "devtools"]
• r/[adjacent community]

---

Saved Searches (manual / browser-driven)

URLs Claude opens via dev-browser to scan.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

• [Search name] — https://linkedin.com/sales/search/people?...

LinkedIn (regular)

• Posts hashtag — https://linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/yourtopic/

X advanced search

• [Search name] — https://x.com/search?q=...&f=live

---

Do Not Engage

Save yourself the regret.

• Accounts known for bad-faith dunking: [@handle], [@handle]
• Blocked brands / competitors who'll screenshot: [list]
• Topics to avoid: [politics, [your founder's hot takes], etc.]

---

Notes for Claude

• When asked for "today's top 10," output in the format defined in listening.md
• For LinkedIn and X, use dev-browser with the persistent session (user is logged in)
• For everything else, use the curl recipes in listening.md
• Default lookback: 24h. User can override.
• Always ask before posting — output drafts, user approves and posts manually

references/listening.md (verbatim)

Social Listening & Engagement Triage

How to surface the right posts to engage with each day — instead of randomly scrolling. The goal is a short, scorable list ("here are your top 10 posts to comment on") rather than an open feed.

Contents

• When to use this
• The daily triage loop
• Scoring rubric
• Comment quality tiers
• Sources & light tooling (curl recipes)
• Per-platform notes
• Common workflows

---

When to Use This

Use listening when the goal is commenting and relationships, not posting. Typical asks:

• "Give me the top 10 posts I should comment on today"
• "Who's complaining about [competitor] right now?"
• "Find people asking for a tool like mine"
• "Surface posts from my 20 target accounts in the last 24h"
• "What's the conversation around [topic] this week?"

If the user wants to create content, use the rest of the social skill. Listening feeds creation (it surfaces angles, language, objections), but the output is different.

---

The Daily Triage Loop

A repeatable 20-minute loop the user (or you, on their behalf) can run each morning.

1. Pull — fetch new posts from defined sources (target accounts, keywords, subreddits, hashtags). See tooling.
2. Filter — drop anything older than 24h, low signal, or off-topic.
3. Score — apply the rubric. Keep top 10.
4. Draft — for each, draft a comment matched to the post's tier.
5. Post — user reviews, edits, posts. Mark which actually went live.
6. Log — track what you commented on and what got replies. This is your engagement loop dataset.

Output format Claude should produce:

TOP 10 POSTS — 2026-06-05

1. [Score 9/10] @author — LinkedIn — 2h ago
   "We just rolled out X and the team is loving it…"
   Why: ICP fit (B2B SaaS, 50–200 employees), buying-intent signal
   Suggested comment: [draft]
   Link: https://…

---

Scoring Rubric

Score each post 1–10 across five dimensions, then sum and rank.

Dimension	What it measures	Weight
ICP fit	Is the author your target customer / influencer?	2x
Intent signal	Are they expressing a problem, asking, or shopping?	2x
Reach potential	Is the post getting traction (likes/comments rising)?	1x
Comment opportunity	Can you say something genuinely useful, not generic?	2x
Recency	Posted in last 1–4h (early comments win, especially on LinkedIn)	1x

Intent signal examples (high-value):

• "Looking for a tool that does X"
• "Why is [category] so painful?"
• "We just switched from [competitor] because…"
• "Anyone use [competitor] — is it worth it?"
• A complaint about a known competitor

Drop if any of these are true:

• Author isn't ICP and isn't an influencer
• Post is >24h old and already has 50+ comments (your comment buries)
• Generic motivational/AI-slop post
• Self-promotion thread where comments don't get reach
• You can't add anything beyond "Great post!"

---

Comment Quality Tiers

Match the comment to the post. Don't waste a tier-1 draft on a tier-3 opportunity.

Tier 1 — Relationship builder (target accounts, ICP, high intent)

• Add a specific insight or counter-example
• Reference your own experience with specifics (numbers, names, outcomes)
• Ask a thoughtful follow-up that invites a reply
• Length: 2–4 sentences, no link

Tier 2 — Visibility play (high-reach post, adjacent topic)

• Add one sharp insight in one sentence
• Pattern: "Agreed — and the part most miss is [X]"
• Length: 1–2 sentences

Tier 3 — Light touch (relationship maintenance)

• Specific reaction, not "Love this"
• Quote a specific line and react to it
• Length: 1 sentence

Never: "Great post!", emoji-only, "+1", LinkedIn-isms like "This is gold 🔥"

---

Sources & Light Tooling (curl recipes)

These are public JSON endpoints — no auth needed. Run them from bash, pipe to jq, and Claude can parse the output to score and draft comments.

Requires: jq (most recipes) and xmllint (RSS only). Install once:

# macOS
brew install jq
# xmllint ships with macOS; on Linux: apt install libxml2-utils

Reddit (free, scriptable)

New posts in a subreddit:

curl -s -A "listening/1.0" \
  "https://www.reddit.com/r/SaaS/new.json?limit=25" \
  | jq '.data.children[].data | {title, author, url: ("https://reddit.com"+.permalink), score, num_comments, created_utc, selftext: (.selftext | .[0:300])}'

Search across Reddit by keyword (last day, sorted new):

curl -s -A "listening/1.0" \
  "https://www.reddit.com/search.json?q=KEYWORD&sort=new&t=day&limit=25" \
  | jq '.data.children[].data | {subreddit, title, url: ("https://reddit.com"+.permalink), author, score, created_utc}'

Swap KEYWORD for things like "alternative to notion", "recommend a crm", your competitor names, or your own brand for mentions. Use quotes around multi-word phrases.

Hacker News (Algolia search)

Recent stories mentioning a keyword (last 24h):

SINCE=$(($(date +%s) - 86400))
curl -s "https://hn.algolia.com/api/v1/search_by_date?query=KEYWORD&tags=story&numericFilters=created_at_i>${SINCE}" \
  | jq '.hits[] | {title, url, author, points, num_comments, created_at, story_id: .objectID, hn_url: ("https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id="+.objectID)}'

Recent comments mentioning a keyword:

curl -s "https://hn.algolia.com/api/v1/search_by_date?query=KEYWORD&tags=comment&numericFilters=created_at_i>${SINCE}" \
  | jq '.hits[] | {author, comment_text, story_title, hn_url: ("https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id="+.objectID)}'

Bluesky (free, public API)

Search posts by keyword:

curl -s "https://public.api.bsky.app/xrpc/app.bsky.feed.searchPosts?q=KEYWORD&limit=25&sort=latest" \
  | jq '.posts[] | {author: .author.handle, text: .record.text, likes: .likeCount, replies: .replyCount, url: ("https://bsky.app/profile/"+.author.handle+"/post/"+(.uri | split("/") | last))}'

RSS for blogs, podcasts, YouTube channels

For target accounts that publish to RSS (most blogs, all YouTube channels):

# YouTube channel feed (replace CHANNEL_ID)
curl -s "https://www.youtube.com/feeds/videos.xml?channel_id=CHANNEL_ID"

# Generic blog feed
curl -s "https://example.com/feed/" | xmllint --xpath "//item[position()<6]" - 2>/dev/null

LinkedIn & X — use the browser

LinkedIn and X don't expose useful public APIs, but you can drive a real browser session. dev-browser (MCP, already in the global setup) and Playwright both maintain persistent state — log in once, the session stays alive, Claude can navigate the authenticated feed.

dev-browser workflow (preferred — already wired up):

1. User logs into LinkedIn / X once in the dev-browser session
2. Claude navigates to a target URL (feed, profile, saved search, hashtag)
3. Claude reads the accessibility tree / page text, extracts posts
4. Claude scores using the rubric and drafts comments
5. User reviews and posts manually (don't auto-post — high-stakes, bot detection risk)

Useful URLs to feed dev-browser:

URL pattern	What it shows
linkedin.com/in/HANDLE/recent-activity/all/	A target account's recent posts
linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/TOPIC/	Hashtag feed
linkedin.com/feed/	Your main feed (algorithmic — less useful for triage)
x.com/HANDLE	A target account's profile
x.com/search?q=QUERY&f=live	Real-time search (use f=live for chronological)
x.com/i/lists/LIST_ID	A curated list — best for target accounts

Tips:

• On X, build a private list of target accounts and use the list URL. Far cleaner than the algorithmic feed.
• LinkedIn's /recent-activity/all/ URL is the cleanest way to see one person's posts without the algorithm.
• For both platforms, scroll programmatically (dev-browser supports it) to load more posts before extracting.

Paid alternatives if you don't want to drive a browser:

Platform	Tools
LinkedIn	Sales Navigator (saved searches), Taplio (engagement)
X	TweetDeck/X Pro (saved columns), Typefully, Taplio, Tweet Hunter

Still closed (no good path):

• Instagram & TikTok — closed APIs, browser automation is detectable and risky. Use native saved searches / hashtag follows.

---

Per-Platform Notes

LinkedIn

• Browser-driven (dev-browser with persistent session) — see LinkedIn & X — use the browser
• First-hour comments matter most — algorithm weights early engagement heavily. Prioritize posts <2h old from target accounts.
• Comments with 5+ words get more reach than reactions
• Replying to other commenters can put you in front of their network
• Tag the author in your reply only if it adds context

Twitter/X

• Browser-driven (dev-browser) — build a private list of target accounts and point dev-browser at the list URL
• Reply within first 30 min for max reach on big accounts
• Quote-tweet > reply when adding substantial value
• Threading your reply (multi-tweet) signals effort
• Don't pile on dunks — relationships > clout

Reddit

• Read the subreddit rules before commenting (some ban self-promotion outright)
• Earn karma in the sub before linking to anything you own
• Long, specific answers win. AMAs and "help me decide" threads are gold
• Never lead with your product — answer the question first

Hacker News

• Comment quality bar is high; low-effort gets downvoted fast
• Founders commenting on threads about their product is welcomed if you're transparent
• Search for past discussions of your category — they're often dormant gold mines

Bluesky

• Smaller volume but high engagement-to-follower ratio
• Tech and indie-hacker communities are active
• Custom feeds (like Bluesky's "Following" + topic feeds) replace algorithmic search

---

Common Workflows

"Give me my top 10 posts to comment on today"

1. Pull from: target account RSS/saved searches + Reddit (relevant subs) + HN (last 24h)
2. Score with the rubric
3. Output top 10 with suggested comments

"Find people complaining about [competitor]"

1. Reddit search: "competitor name" -site:competitor.com sorted by new
2. HN comment search for competitor name
3. Bluesky search for competitor handle/name
4. Score by intent signal (high if switching language: "moving from", "alternatives to", "frustrated with")

"Surface brand mentions from the last week"

1. Reddit search for brand name
2. HN search (stories + comments) for brand name
3. Bluesky search for brand name + handle
4. Output as: reply needed (yes/no), tone (positive/negative/neutral), suggested response

"Find target-account posts I missed"

1. Maintain a list of target accounts with their RSS / Reddit usernames / Bluesky handles
2. Fetch each source's recent posts
3. Filter to last 24h, output sorted by score

---

Setting Up the Source List

The user should maintain a list of sources somewhere persistent at .agents/listening-sources.md (or .claude/listening-sources.md). Claude reads it when running the daily loop.

A ready-to-fill template lives at listening-sources-template.md. Copy it into the project and edit. The source path depends on how the skill was installed:

# Plugin / marketplace install (most common):
cp .agents/skills/social/references/listening-sources-template.md .agents/listening-sources.md
# .claude/ install:
cp .claude/skills/social/references/listening-sources-template.md .agents/listening-sources.md
# Working inside the marketingskills repo:
cp skills/social/references/listening-sources-template.md .agents/listening-sources.md

The template covers: brand/category, ICP (for scoring), target accounts per platform, intent keywords, subreddits, saved-search URLs, and a do-not-engage list.

references/platform-limits.md (verbatim)

Platform Limits Reference

Quick reference for hashtag limits, character counts, and visible text thresholds on each major social platform.

---

Instagram

Element	Limit
Max hashtags	5 (official limit)
Recommended hashtags	3 – 5
Max caption chars	2,200
Visible before "more"	~125 chars

---

Facebook

Element	Limit
Max hashtags	No official limit
Recommended hashtags	1 – 2
Max post chars	63,206
Ideal for engagement	40 – 80 chars

---

TikTok

Element	Limit
Max hashtags	5 (since August 2025)
Recommended hashtags	3 – 5
Max caption chars	4,000
Visible before "more"	~150 chars

---

LinkedIn

Element	Limit
Max hashtags	No official limit
Recommended hashtags	3 – 5
Max post chars	3,000
Visible before "more"	~210 chars

---

Twitter/X

Element	Limit
Max hashtags	No official limit
Recommended hashtags	1 – 2
Max tweet chars	280 (standard) / 25,000 (Premium+)
Visible before "more"	Full tweet (280 standard)

---

YouTube

Element	Limit
Max hashtags	15 (exceeding this causes YouTube to ignore ALL hashtags)
Recommended hashtags	3 – 5
Max title chars	100 (visible before truncation: ~70)
Max description chars	5,000
Visible before "Show more"	~100 chars

The first 3 hashtags in the description automatically appear above the title as clickable links. For Shorts, use 1 – 5 hashtags.

---

Pinterest

Element	Limit
Max hashtags	20 per pin
Recommended hashtags	2 – 5
Max pin title chars	100
Max description chars	500
Visible before "More"	~50 chars (desktop)

Pinterest has deprioritized hashtags. Focus on keywords as natural sentences within the description for better SEO instead of relying on hashtags.

---

Threads (Meta)

Element	Limit
Max hashtags	1 per post (topic tag)
Recommended hashtags	1
Max post chars	500
Max with text attachment	10,500 (500 + 10,000 expandable)
Visible without expanding	First ~1 – 2 lines

Threads limits topic tags to one per post. The platform is not hashtag-driven — the algorithm prioritizes content from followed accounts mixed with recommendations.

---

Usage Tips

• Hashtags count against character limits on all platforms
• Front-load your message before the "more" truncation point
• On Instagram and TikTok, fewer hashtags now outperform hashtag-stuffing
• On LinkedIn, hashtags at the end of the post perform better than inline
• On Facebook, hashtags have minimal impact on reach — use sparingly

references/platforms.md (verbatim)

Platform-Specific Strategy Guide

Detailed strategies for each major social platform.

Contents

• LinkedIn
• Twitter/X
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Facebook

LinkedIn

Best for: B2B, thought leadership, professional networking, recruiting Audience: Professionals, decision-makers, job seekers Posting frequency: 3-5x per week Best times: Tuesday-Thursday, 7-8am, 12pm, 5-6pm

What works:

• Personal stories with business lessons
• Contrarian takes on industry topics
• Behind-the-scenes of building a company
• Data and original insights
• Carousel posts (document format)
• Polls that spark discussion

What doesn't:

• Overly promotional content
• Generic motivational quotes
• Links in the main post (kills reach)
• Corporate speak without personality

Format tips:

• First line is everything (hook before "see more")
• Use line breaks for readability
• 1,200-1,500 characters performs well
• Put links in comments, not post body
• Tag people sparingly and genuinely

Algorithm tips:

• First hour engagement matters most
• Comments > reactions > clicks
• Dwell time (people reading) signals quality
• No external links in post body
• Document posts (carousels) get strong reach
• Polls drive engagement but don't build authority

---

Twitter/X

Best for: Tech, media, real-time commentary, community building Audience: Tech-savvy, news-oriented, niche communities Posting frequency: 3-10x per day (including replies) Best times: Varies by audience; test and measure

What works:

• Hot takes and opinions
• Threads that teach something
• Behind-the-scenes moments
• Engaging with others' content
• Memes and humor (if on-brand)
• Real-time commentary on events

What doesn't:

• Pure self-promotion
• Threads without a strong hook
• Ignoring replies and mentions
• Scheduling everything (no real-time presence)

Format tips:

• Tweets under 100 characters get more engagement
• Threads: Hook in tweet 1, promise value, deliver
• Quote tweets with added insight beat plain retweets
• Use visuals to stop the scroll

Algorithm tips:

• Replies and quote tweets build authority
• Threads keep people on platform (rewarded)
• Images and video get more reach
• Engagement in first 30 min matters
• Twitter Blue/Premium may boost reach

---

Instagram

Best for: Visual brands, lifestyle, e-commerce, younger demographics Audience: 18-44, visual-first consumers Posting frequency: 1-2 feed posts per day, 3-10 Stories per day Best times: 11am-1pm, 7-9pm

What works:

• High-quality visuals
• Behind-the-scenes Stories
• Reels (short-form video)
• Carousels with value
• User-generated content
• Interactive Stories (polls, questions)

What doesn't:

• Low-quality images
• Too much text in images
• Ignoring Stories and Reels
• Only promotional content

Format tips:

• Reels get 2x reach of static posts
• First frame of Reels must hook
• Carousels: 10 slides with educational content
• Use all Story features (polls, links, etc.)

Algorithm tips:

• Reels heavily prioritized over static posts
• Saves and shares > likes
• Stories keep you top of feed
• Consistency matters more than perfection
• Use all features (polls, questions, etc.)

---

TikTok

Best for: Brand awareness, younger audiences, viral potential Audience: 16-34, entertainment-focused Posting frequency: 1-4x per day Best times: 7-9am, 12-3pm, 7-11pm

What works:

• Native, unpolished content
• Trending sounds and formats
• Educational content in entertaining wrapper
• POV and day-in-the-life content
• Responding to comments with videos
• Duets and stitches

What doesn't:

• Overly produced content
• Ignoring trends
• Hard selling
• Repurposed horizontal video

Format tips:

• Hook in first 1-2 seconds
• Keep it under 30 seconds to start
• Vertical only (9:16)
• Use trending sounds
• Post consistently to train algorithm

---

Facebook

Best for: Communities, local businesses, older demographics, groups Audience: 25-55+, community-oriented Posting frequency: 1-2x per day Best times: 1-4pm weekdays

What works:

• Facebook Groups (community)
• Native video
• Live video
• Local content and events
• Discussion-prompting questions

What doesn't:

• Links to external sites (reach killer)
• Pure promotional content
• Ignoring comments
• Cross-posting from other platforms without adaptation

references/post-templates.md (verbatim)

Post Format Templates

Ready-to-use templates for different platforms and content types.

Contents

• LinkedIn Post Templates (The Story Post, The Contrarian Take, The List Post, The How-To)
• Twitter/X Thread Templates (The Tutorial Thread, The Story Thread, The Breakdown Thread)
• Instagram Templates (The Carousel Hook, The Reel Script)
• Hook Formulas (Curiosity Hooks, Story Hooks, Value Hooks, Contrarian Hooks, Social Proof Hooks)

LinkedIn Post Templates

The Story Post

[Hook: Unexpected outcome or lesson]

[Set the scene: When/where this happened]

[The challenge you faced]

[What you tried / what happened]

[The turning point]

[The result]

[The lesson for readers]

[Question to prompt engagement]

The Contrarian Take

[Unpopular opinion stated boldly]

Here's why:

[Reason 1]
[Reason 2]
[Reason 3]

[What you recommend instead]

[Invite discussion: "Am I wrong?"]

The List Post

[X things I learned about [topic] after [credibility builder]:

1. [Point] — [Brief explanation]

2. [Point] — [Brief explanation]

3. [Point] — [Brief explanation]

[Wrap-up insight]

Which resonates most with you?

The How-To

How to [achieve outcome] in [timeframe]:

Step 1: [Action]
↳ [Why this matters]

Step 2: [Action]
↳ [Key detail]

Step 3: [Action]
↳ [Common mistake to avoid]

[Result you can expect]

[CTA or question]

---

Twitter/X Thread Templates

The Tutorial Thread

Tweet 1: [Hook + promise of value]

"Here's exactly how to [outcome] (step-by-step):"

Tweet 2-7: [One step per tweet with details]

Final tweet: [Summary + CTA]

"If this was helpful, follow me for more on [topic]"

The Story Thread

Tweet 1: [Intriguing hook]

"[Time] ago, [unexpected thing happened]. Here's the full story:"

Tweet 2-6: [Story beats, building tension]

Tweet 7: [Resolution and lesson]

Final tweet: [Takeaway + engagement ask]

The Breakdown Thread

Tweet 1: [Company/person] just [did thing].

Here's why it's genius (and what you can learn):

Tweet 2-6: [Analysis points]

Tweet 7: [Your key takeaway]

"[Related insight + follow CTA]"

---

Instagram Templates

The Carousel Hook

[Slide 1: Bold statement or question]
[Slides 2-9: One point per slide, visual + text]
[Slide 10: Summary + CTA]

Caption: [Expand on the topic, add context, include CTA]

This is the generic shape. For five full slide-by-slide narrative architectures (Value-Stack, Problem-Proof, Hack List, Rant Callout, Demo Walkthrough) with selection guidance and per-slide copy slots, see carousel-frameworks.md.

The Reel Script

Hook (0-2 sec): [Pattern interrupt or bold claim]
Setup (2-5 sec): [Context for the tip]
Value (5-25 sec): [The actual advice/content]
CTA (25-30 sec): [Follow, comment, share, link]

---

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]."
• "Nobody talks about [insider knowledge]."

Story Hooks

• "Last week, [unexpected thing] happened."
• "I almost [big mistake/failure]."
• "3 years ago, I [past state]. Today, [current state]."
• "[Person] told me something I'll never forget."

Value Hooks

• "How to [desirable outcome] (without [common pain]):"
• "[Number] [things] that [outcome]:"
• "The simplest way to [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]."
• "Everyone says [X]. The truth is [Y]."

Social Proof Hooks

• "We [achieved result] in [timeframe]. Here's the full story:"
• "[Number] people asked me about [topic]. Here's my answer:"
• "[Authority figure] taught me [lesson]."

Back to coreyhaines31/marketingskills (marketing skills for agents) or Agent skills.