social-content

name	social-content
description	When the user wants help creating, scheduling, or optimizing social media content for LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or other platforms. 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,' or 'create a reel.' Use this for social media content creation, repurposing, scheduling, and short-form video scripting. For broader content strategy, see content-strategy. For paid video ads, see ad-creative.
tags	["nontechnical","corey-marketingskills","social-content","strategy","writing","marketing"]
metadata	{"version":"1.3.0"}

-------|----------|-----------|------------| | 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

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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?

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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

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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)

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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

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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)

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)

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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?

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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