social-media-pro-max

# Social Media Pro Max — Viral Content & Design Intelligence A complete operating system for producing top-1% social content. Covers **copywriting** (X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Substack) and **visual design** (carousels, LinkedIn covers, YouTube thumbnails). Built on what consistently goes viral in 2025–2026, not generic advice. ## When to Apply Use this skill whenever the task touches **how a post reads, performs, or looks** on social media. ### Must Use - Writing or rewriting any post, thread, caption, headline, hook, or CTA for X, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Substack - Designing or specifying a carousel, LinkedIn banner/cover, post cover, or YouTube thumbnail - Planning a content calendar, content pillars, or a repurposing pipeline - Auditing/critiquing a post or design for engagement, retention, or virality - Building a personal brand voice or ghostwriting for a founder/creator ### Skip - Long-form technical docs, internal memos, product code - Paid-ad copy governed by a specific ad platform's spec (use that platform's rules) ## How To Use This Skill 1. **Identify platform + format + goal** (reach, saves, followers, clicks, replies). Each platform optimizes for different things — never copy-paste across them. 2. **Open the matching reference file** for deep playbooks (see table below). 3. **Always lead with the hook.** 80% of performance is the first line / first slide / thumbnail. Draft 5–10 hook options before committing. 4. **Match the algorithm's reward.** Optimize for the metric that platform actually ranks on (see Platform Cheat Sheet). 5. **Apply the universal quality bar** (below) before shipping. 6. For visuals, **output a precise design spec** (dimensions, layout, hierarchy, color, type, copy) the user can hand to a designer or generate in Canva/Figma/AI. ## Reference Files | Need | File | |------|------| | X / Twitter posts & threads | `references/writing-x.md` | | LinkedIn posts & articles | `references/writing-linkedin.md` | | Instagram captions, Reels, carousels copy | `references/writing-instagram.md` | | Substack essays & newsletter growth | `references/writing-substack.md` | | Hooks, headlines & copy frameworks (cross-platform) | `references/hooks-and-frameworks.md` | | Viral carousel design (IG + LinkedIn) | `references/design-carousel.md` | | LinkedIn post cover & article banner design | `references/design-linkedin-covers.md` | | YouTube thumbnail design | `references/design-youtube-thumbnails.md` | ## Platform Cheat Sheet (2025–2026) | Platform | Algorithm rewards | Ideal length | Top metric to chase | Posting cadence | |----------|-------------------|--------------|---------------------|-----------------| | **X/Twitter** | Replies, reposts, dwell time, "see more" expands | 1 punchy idea; threads 5–9 posts | Replies + reposts | 1–4×/day | | **LinkedIn** | Dwell time, comments (esp. >5 words), "see more" clicks, early velocity (first 60–90 min) | 900–1,500 chars; carousels 6–12 slides | Comments + saves | 3–5×/week | | **Instagram** | Sends/shares (#1), saves, watch time, replies | Reels 7–30s; carousels 6–10 slides | Sends + saves | Reels daily, carousels 3×/wk | | **Substack** | Open rate, read-through, forwards, "recommend" network | Email 800–2,500 words | Subscribers + opens | 1×/week (consistency > volume) | | **YouTube** | CTR × avg view duration (thumbnail + title gate it all) | n/a (thumbnail) | CTR (aim 4–10%+) | per upload | ## Universal Quality Bar (check before shipping) **Copy** - [ ] Hook earns the second line in <3 seconds; no warm-up sentence - [ ] One core idea per post; ruthless cut of filler ("I think", "just", "very", "in order to") - [ ] Concrete > abstract: numbers, names, specifics, sensory detail - [ ] Short lines, white space, scannable; reads on mobile in one breath per line - [ ] Open loop / curiosity gap that only resolves by reading on - [ ] Clear single CTA or discussion prompt; never two competing asks - [ ] Voice sounds human — contractions, opinion, a point of view. No corporate filler, no emoji-vomit - [ ] Banned AI tells removed: "delve", "in today's fast-paced world", "unlock/unleash", "game-changer", "it's not just X, it's Y", "🚀✨", em-dash overuse, "Let's dive in" **Design** - [ ] Passes the 3-ft / thumbnail-size squint test — readable at small scale - [ ] One focal point; clear visual hierarchy (cover/slide 1 does 80% of work) - [ ] Max 2 fonts, 6 words on a thumbnail, ~1 idea per slide - [ ] High contrast text; legible on the platform's default background (light + dark mode) - [ ] Consistent brand system (color, type, layout) across the set - [ ] Correct export dimensions & safe zones for the platform ## Core Principles (apply everywhere) 1. **The hook is the product.** No one reads/watches what they don't open. Spend disproportionate effort here. 2. **Specificity is virality.** "I grew to 50k in 6 months" beats "I grew my audience fast." 3. **One post = one idea.** Complexity kills shares. 4. **Write for the share, not the like.** People share what makes *them* look smart, useful, or seen. 5. **Pattern interrupt.** Beat the scroll with contrast — visually and verbally. 6. **Emotion drives spread.** Awe, anger, validation, surprise, and "finally someone said it" travel furthest. 7. **Native > cross-posted.** Reformat for each platform's culture and algorithm. 8. **Consistency compounds.** Show up on a fixed cadence; the algorithm rewards reliability.