Create engaging social content that builds audience, drives engagement, and supports business goals.
Step 0: Context Check
Read .agents/product-marketing-context.md (or .claude/product-marketing-context.md
on older setups) first. Only ask for what isn't there.
Pull this context:
1. Goals
- Primary objective (brand awareness, leads, traffic, community)
- Action you want people to take
- Building personal brand, company brand, or both
2. Audience
- Who you're trying to reach
- Platforms they're most active on
- Content they engage with
3. Brand Voice
- Tone (professional, casual, witty, authoritative)
- Topics to avoid
- Specific terminology or style guidelines
4. Resources
- Time available for social
- Existing content to repurpose
- Can you create video content?
Platform Quick Reference
| Platform | Best For | Frequency | Key Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| B2B, thought leadership | 3-5x/week | Carousels, stories | |
| Twitter/X | Tech, real-time, community | 3-10x/day | Threads, hot takes |
| Visual brands, lifestyle | 1-2 posts + Stories daily | Reels, carousels | |
| TikTok | Brand awareness, younger audiences | 1-4x/day | Short-form video |
| Communities, local businesses | 1-2x/day | Groups, native video |
Detailed platform strategies: references/platforms.md.
Hashtag limits and character counts: references/platform-limits.md.
Content Pillars Framework
Build around 3-5 pillars aligned 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
Per pillar:
- 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]."
Post templates and more hooks: references/post-templates.md.
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 per platform.
Blog Post → Social Content
| Platform | Format |
|---|---|
| Key insight + link in comments | |
| Carousel of main points | |
| Twitter/X | Thread of key takeaways |
| Carousel with visuals | |
| Reel summarizing the post |
Podcast / Video → Social Content
Extract "content atoms" — self-contained moments from any long-form content that stand alone:
| 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 — 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 one 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, tone)
- Write standalone captions (each post works 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 | Twitter/X | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 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?)
- 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
Don't guess. 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
Complete framework: 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 across TikTok, Instagram Reels, and 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 the first hour matters
Video hook formulas and scripting templates: references/short-form-video.md.
Task-Specific Questions
- Platform(s) you're focusing on?
- Current posting frequency?
- Existing content to repurpose?
- What content has performed well in the past?
- Hours per week available?
- Personal brand, company brand, or both?
Related Skills
- iblai-marketing-copywriting: Longer-form content that feeds social
- iblai-marketing-launch-strategy: Coordinating social with launches
- iblai-marketing-email-sequence: Nurturing social audience via email
- iblai-marketing-psychology: What drives engagement