ig

name	ig
description	Full-lifecycle Instagram content engine with 13 sub-skills, 6 specialized agents, and 5-category 100-point scoring. Optimized for the 2026 Instagram algorithm (watch time, DM-sends, saves). Creates Reels, Stories, Carousels, hooks, captions, affiliate posts, and editorial calendars. Analyzes post performance via Instagram Graph API, audits content quality, researches competitors, and repurposes content cross-platform. Niche detection for fitness, beauty, food, business, education, lifestyle, and creator accounts. Use when user says "Reel", "Hook", "Caption", "Story", "Carousel", "Instagram", "IG", "Post planen", "Content-Plan", "Affiliate Post", "Performance", "Competitor", "Reels analysieren", "posting schedule", "ig audit", "content score", "hook schreiben", "reel skript", "instagram strategy", "content calendar", "engagement analysis".
license	MIT
compatibility	Requires Claude Code. Python 3.12+ optional for analysis scripts.
metadata	{"author":"NicoJunk","version":"2.0.0"}
user-invocable	true
argument-hint	[reel|hook|caption|story|carousel|analyze|audit|competitor|calendar|strategy|affiliate|comment|repurpose] [topic-or-file]
allowed-tools	["Read","Write","Edit","Bash","Grep","Glob","WebFetch","WebSearch","Agent"]

IG: Instagram Content Engine

Full-lifecycle Instagram management: hooks, Reels, Stories, Carousels, captions, affiliate content, performance analysis, competitor research, editorial planning, and content repurposing. Optimized for the 2026 Instagram algorithm with watch time, DM-sends, and saves as primary distribution signals.

Works for any Instagram account and niche. Detects account context from API data and adapts content strategy, hook patterns, and scoring calibration accordingly.

Quick Reference

Command	What it does
/ig reel <topic>	Write a complete Reel (hook, script, caption, thumbnail)
/ig hook <topic>	Generate and score hooks for any format
/ig caption <topic>	Write an optimized caption (500+ chars, save CTA)
/ig story <topic>	Plan a Story sequence (slides, stickers, polls)
/ig carousel <topic>	Plan a Carousel (cover hook, slides, CTA)
/ig analyze [post-url]	Analyze post performance via Instagram API
/ig audit	Full content audit with parallel subagent delegation
/ig competitor <accounts>	Research competitor content
/ig calendar [weekly|monthly]	Generate an editorial content calendar
/ig strategy	Content strategy and positioning analysis
/ig affiliate <partner>	Create compliant affiliate content
/ig comment	Comment response strategy and automation
/ig repurpose <post>	Repurpose IG content for other platforms

Orchestration Logic

Command Routing

1. Parse the user's command to determine the sub-skill
2. If no sub-command given, ask which action they need
3. Route to the appropriate sub-skill:
   • reel / skript / video -> ig-reel (full Reel production)
   • hook / opening -> ig-hook (hook generation and scoring)
   • caption / beschreibung / text -> ig-caption (caption writing)
   • story / stories -> ig-story (Story sequence planning)
   • carousel / karussell / slides -> ig-carousel (Carousel planning)
   • analyze / analyse / performance / insights -> ig-analyze (API-driven analysis)
   • audit / check / health -> ig-audit (full content audit with subagents)
   • competitor / konkurrenz / research / spy -> ig-competitor (competitor research)
   • calendar / plan / kalender / schedule -> ig-calendar (editorial calendar)
   • strategy / strategie / positioning -> ig-strategy (positioning and content mix)
   • affiliate / werbung / kooperation / sponsored -> ig-affiliate (compliant partner content)
   • comment / kommentar / replies -> ig-comment (comment response)
   • repurpose / redistribute / cross-post -> ig-repurpose (cross-platform repurposing)

Niche Detection

Detect account niche from bio, content patterns, and hashtag analysis:

Signal	Niche	Adaptation
Workout demos, exercise names, body part focus	Fitness	Correction hooks, body-part targeting, safe exercise form
Recipe posts, nutrition tips, meal prep	Food / Nutrition	Recipe format templates, ingredient lists, macro data
Product reviews, tutorials, before/after	Beauty / Skincare	Transformation hooks, product comparison carousels
Tips, frameworks, income proof	Business / Coaching	Authority hooks, case study carousels, lead magnet CTAs
Lessons, how-to, step-by-step	Education	Curiosity gap hooks, carousel-heavy strategy
Day-in-life, travel, personal stories	Lifestyle	Identity trigger hooks, story-heavy strategy
Mixed / unclear	Creator	Analyze top 10 posts to determine primary content type

Adapt hook library selection, caption voice, CTA strategy, and content mix recommendations based on detected niche. If the user has configured references/account-baseline.md, use that data instead of detecting.

Algorithm Priority (2026)

Every piece of content is optimized in this priority order:

Priority	Signal	Weight	Why
1	Watch Time	Highest	First 3 seconds determine distribution. Completion rate is king.
2	DM-Sends per Reach	3-5x likes	Primary signal for reaching new audiences via Explore
3	Saves	~3x likes	Signal for lasting value, drives Explore and Suggested placement
4	Likes/Comments	Lowest	Weakest signals; comments without saves = algorithm ignores
5	Originality Score	Gate	Recycled formats tank reach; always adapt through creator's unique lens

Quality Gates

Hard rules. Content that violates any gate is blocked from delivery:

#	Gate	Threshold
G1	Score before delivery	NEVER deliver content without a Content Quality Score
G2	Em dashes	NEVER use em dashes (U+2014) in any output
G3	Affiliate disclosure	NEVER create affiliate content without proper disclosure at caption TOP
G4	Controversial opinions	NEVER recommend controversial opinion posts (high comments, zero saves)
G5	Affiliate spacing	NEVER place 2 affiliate posts on consecutive days
G6	Metrics guessing	NEVER guess account metrics; use API data or state data is unavailable
G7	Safe zones	NEVER place text in format-specific unsafe zones (check format-specs.md)

Scoring Methodology

Content Quality Score (0-100)

5-category weighted scoring from references/scoring-system.md:

Category	Weight	What it measures
Hook Strength	25 pts	Curiosity gap, pattern interrupt, identity trigger, first 3s clarity
Content Quality	25 pts	Value density, structure, problem-solution flow, voice authenticity
Caption & CTA	20 pts	Length (500+ chars), save/DM CTA, hook variation opener, hashtag quality
Format Compliance	15 pts	Correct specs, safe zones, thumbnail, duration targets
Algorithm Signals	15 pts	Save/DM optimization, originality, non-controversial, watch time design

Scoring Bands

Score	Grade	Rating	Action
90-100	A	Publish	Ready to post, flagship content
80-89	B	Strong	Minor polish, ready for publication
60-79	C	OK	Targeted improvements needed (must include fix instructions)
40-59	D	Below Standard	Significant rework required
< 40	F	Reject	Fundamental issues, start over

Content scoring below 80 MUST include specific revision instructions per deficient category. Do not just deliver the score.

Priority Levels (for audit findings)

• Critical: Content violates a Quality Gate (fix immediately)
• High: Score < 60, significant performance drag (fix before posting)
• Medium: Score 60-79, optimization opportunity (improve within week)
• Low: Minor polish, best practice (backlog)

Reference Files

Load on-demand as needed. NEVER load all references at startup.

Path resolution: All references at ~/.claude/skills/ig/references/. Sub-skills referencing references/*.md resolve to this path.

Reference	Content	Used by
references/algorithm-2026.md	Algorithm signals, ranking factors, distribution mechanics	All sub-skills
references/format-specs.md	Technical specs per format (Reel, Story, Carousel, Feed) with safe zones	ig-reel, ig-story, ig-carousel
references/scoring-system.md	Full 5-category scoring rubric with sub-criteria and severity multipliers	All content sub-skills, ig-audit
references/hook-library.md	50+ hook templates in 5 categories with scoring and adaptation rules	ig-hook, ig-reel, ig-carousel
references/content-rules.md	Caption structure, CTA hierarchy, hashtag strategy, voice guidelines	ig-caption, ig-reel, ig-story
references/account-baseline.md	Account metrics template, API integration, KPI tracking methodology	ig-analyze, ig-strategy, ig-calendar
references/affiliate-compliance.md	Disclosure requirements, partner management, scheduling rules	ig-affiliate
references/conversion-pipeline.md	DM automation, link tracking, funnel architecture	ig-caption, ig-strategy
references/competitor-framework.md	Competitor monitoring methodology, benchmarks, trend detection	ig-competitor
references/story-strategy.md	Story types, slide sequences, interactive elements, retention rules	ig-story
references/comment-responder.md	Comment strategy, response categories, automation patterns	ig-comment
references/repurpose-playbook.md	Cross-platform adaptation rules per channel	ig-repurpose

Sub-Skills

This skill orchestrates 13 specialized sub-skills:

#	Sub-Skill	Purpose
1	ig-reel	Full Reel production (hook, script, caption, thumbnail)
2	ig-hook	Hook generation, scoring, and A/B variants
3	ig-caption	Caption writing with save CTA, hashtags, 500+ chars
4	ig-story	Story sequence planning (slides, stickers, polls)
5	ig-carousel	Carousel planning (cover, slides, CTA structure)
6	ig-analyze	Post/account performance analysis via Instagram API
7	ig-audit	Full content audit with parallel subagent delegation
8	ig-competitor	Competitor research and benchmarking
9	ig-calendar	Editorial calendar with content mix validation
10	ig-strategy	Content positioning, niche analysis, growth strategy
11	ig-affiliate	Compliant affiliate/sponsored content
12	ig-comment	Comment response strategy and automation
13	ig-repurpose	Cross-platform content repurposing

Agents

For parallel analysis during /ig audit:

Agent	Role	Tools
ig-content	Content quality assessment across recent posts	Read, Grep, Glob
ig-engagement	Engagement pattern analysis (saves, shares, DMs)	Read, Bash
ig-creative	Visual and format compliance check	Read, Grep
ig-growth	Follower growth, reach trends, posting frequency	Read, Bash
ig-competitor	Competitor benchmarking and gap analysis	Read, WebSearch, WebFetch
ig-compliance	Affiliate disclosure, safe zones, Quality Gate checks	Read, Grep, Glob

Agent Details

ig-content: Spawned as subagent during /ig audit. Reads recent posts, scores each against the 5-category rubric, identifies patterns in top/bottom performers. Outputs: per-post scores, category averages, content mix analysis.

ig-engagement: Analyzes engagement metrics from API data. Calculates save rates, DM-send rates, completion rates. Identifies which hook categories and content types drive the highest engagement. Outputs: engagement heatmap, best/worst performers by signal type.

ig-creative: Checks format compliance across recent posts. Validates safe zones, duration targets, thumbnail quality. Flags posts violating format-specs.md. Outputs: compliance checklist, violation list, format distribution.

ig-growth: Tracks follower growth rate, reach trends, posting frequency impact. Correlates posting schedule with performance. Outputs: growth metrics, optimal posting frequency and timing.

ig-competitor: Compares account metrics against niche benchmarks. Identifies content gaps (topics competitors cover that account doesn't). Spots trending formats and hook patterns. Outputs: competitive positioning, actionable gaps.

ig-compliance: Checks affiliate posts for proper disclosure, validates Quality Gate adherence across all recent content. Outputs: compliance report, violation flags with post references.

Execution Flow

Standard execution order for /ig reel:

1. Parse: Identify topic, detect content type and niche context
2. Load References: format-specs.md + hook-library.md + content-rules.md
3. Hook: Generate 3 hook variants from different categories, score each, select best
4. Script: Structure body (problem -> solution -> insight) with segment timing
5. Caption: Write 500+ char caption with save CTA and niche hashtags
6. Thumbnail: Describe thumbnail concept with text overlay
7. Score: Apply full 5-category Content Quality Score
8. Deliver: Output complete package with score and revision notes

For /ig analyze, steps 1-2 run, then API calls replace steps 3-7 with data analysis. For /ig audit, all 6 agents spawn in parallel, results aggregate into unified report.

Instagram API Integration

Graph API Authentication

Instagram data is accessed via the Facebook Graph API at https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0. Do NOT use graph.instagram.com (that endpoint rejects Page Tokens).

Two-Token System:

• User Token (INSTAGRAM_ACCESS_TOKEN): For ads, user-level queries
• Page Token (META_PAGE_TOKEN): Required for all Instagram content endpoints (media, insights, stories)

If META_PAGE_TOKEN is stale or missing, derive a fresh one:

source ~/Desktop/.env
PT=$(curl -s "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/$META_PAGE_ID?fields=access_token&access_token=$INSTAGRAM_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  | python3 -c "import sys,json; print(json.load(sys.stdin)['access_token'])")

Environment variables (load with source ~/Desktop/.env):

• INSTAGRAM_ACCESS_TOKEN: Long-Lived User Token
• META_PAGE_TOKEN: Page Token (required for content endpoints)
• INSTAGRAM_BUSINESS_ACCOUNT_ID: IG Business Account ID
• META_PAGE_ID: Facebook Page ID (for token derivation)
• META_AD_ACCOUNT_ID: Ad Account ID (for ads endpoints)

Endpoints

Base URL: https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0
Auth: Page Token for content, User Token for ads
Rate Limit: 200 calls/hour per token

Content endpoints (Page Token):
  GET /{ig-id}?fields=id,username,media_count,followers_count,follows_count,biography,website,profile_picture_url
  GET /{ig-id}/media?fields=id,caption,media_type,thumbnail_url,timestamp,like_count,comments_count,permalink&limit=50
  GET /{media-id}/insights?metric=reach,saved,shares,likes,comments,total_interactions
  GET /{ig-id}/insights?metric=reach,follower_count,profile_views&period=day&since={unix}&until={unix}
  GET /{ig-id}/insights?metric=accounts_engaged,total_interactions&metric_type=total_value&period=day&since={unix}&until={unix}
  GET /{ig-id}/stories?fields=id,media_type,timestamp

IMPORTANT: Do NOT request impressions or plays (deprecated for Reels in v22+). accounts_engaged requires metric_type=total_value and cannot be mixed with time-series metrics.

Script Usage

The scripts/analyze_post.py script handles token management automatically:

source ~/Desktop/.env
python3 scripts/analyze_post.py --user-id $INSTAGRAM_BUSINESS_ACCOUNT_ID --token $INSTAGRAM_ACCESS_TOKEN --page-token $META_PAGE_TOKEN --page-id $META_PAGE_ID

If --page-token is omitted, the script derives one from --token + --page-id.

Graceful Degradation

If API access is not configured or token is expired:

1. Inform the user that live data is unavailable
2. Fall back to data in references/account-baseline.md (if populated)
3. Clearly mark any analysis as "based on cached data, not live"
4. Never fabricate metrics

Setup: Account Configuration

After installation, configure for your account:

1. Populate account-baseline.md with your account metrics:
   • Run /ig analyze to pull live data via API
   • Or manually enter: followers, avg engagement, top posts, posting schedule
2. Set API credentials in your .env file
3. Customize hook-library.md with hooks that work in your niche
4. Run /ig audit to establish your baseline scores

The skill works without configuration (using general best practices), but performs significantly better with account-specific data.

Anti-Patterns (Never Do These)

Anti-Pattern	Why
Deliver without score	Incomplete deliverable; score is mandatory
Use em dashes	#1 signal of AI-generated text
Generic hashtags (#fitness, #motivation)	Zero distribution value, signals low effort
Controversial opinion posts	High comments, zero saves = algorithm ignores
Copy competitor hooks verbatim	Originality Score (2026) penalizes recycled formats
Guess metrics	Stale data leads to wrong decisions; use API or state uncertainty
Skip format-specs.md	Wrong specs = reduced reach (safe zones, duration, ratio)
Affiliate without disclosure	Legal violation in most jurisdictions
Optimize for likes over saves	Likes are the weakest algorithm signal
Wall-of-text captions	Line breaks mandatory for readability and retention
Post at the same time every day	Algorithm rewards variation within optimal windows