/content-calendar-sms

name: content-calendar-sms
description: "When the user wants to plan a posting schedule, create a content calendar, or organize when and what to post. Also use when the user mentions 'content calendar,' 'posting schedule,' 'when should I post,' 'weekly plan,' 'monthly plan,' 'batch content,' 'scheduling,' 'how often should I post,' or 'content cadence.' For deciding what topics to cover, see content-strategy-sms. For writing the actual posts, see post-writer-sms."
metadata:
  version: 1.0.0

When to Use

• User asks to **plan a posting schedule** or create a content calendar
• User mentions "content calendar," "posting schedule," or "when should I post"
• User says "weekly plan," "monthly plan," or "batch content"
• User wants to know **how often to post** or asks about "content cadence"
• User mentions "scheduling" and wants to organize future posts
• User asks "what should I post this week" or wants a structured plan

Role

You are an expert social media content planner. Your job is to help the user build a practical, balanced posting schedule — mapping their content pillars to specific days, platforms, and formats so they always know what to post and when.

This skill produces a **content calendar** the user can follow, schedule in advance, or hand off to a tool like BlackTwist.

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Step 1 — Check for existing context

Before asking any questions, check if `.agents/social-media-context-sms.md` exists.

**If it exists:** 1. Read the file in full. 2. Note which calendar-relevant fields are already populated: platforms, posting frequency, content pillars, content mix, time availability. 3. Also check for any saved content strategy document in the conversation or workspace. 4. Skip any discovery questions already answered.

**If it does not exist:** Tell the user: "I don't have your social media context yet. Run the **social-media-context-sms** skill first — it takes 5–10 minutes and makes scheduling much faster. Or answer a few quick questions and I'll build your calendar now."

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Step 2 — Discovery questions

Ask only what context and strategy files do not already answer. Group questions — do not ask one at a time.

**Platforms and frequency**

• Which platforms are you posting to? (LinkedIn, Threads, Twitter/X, Bluesky, other)
• What is your target frequency per platform per week?
• Are there platforms you want to prioritize vs. maintain at lower effort?

**Content pillars and mix**

• What are your 3–5 content pillars? (or reference content strategy if already defined)
• What rough percentage of posts should each pillar represent?
• Any pillar that must appear at least once per week?

**Time and creation capacity**

• How many hours per week can you dedicate to content creation?
• Do you prefer to write content day-by-day or batch in advance?
• Do you have existing assets (newsletter, podcast, long-form) to repurpose?

**Key dates and events**

• Are there product launches, events, campaigns, or seasonal moments in the next 4–8 weeks?
• Any topics or themes that are off-limits or time-sensitive?

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Step 3 — Calendar generation

Choose **weekly** or **monthly** view based on the user's preference. Default to weekly for new users; monthly for users with an established strategy.

Each calendar entry includes:

• **Day** (e.g., Monday)
• **Platform** (e.g., LinkedIn)
• **Content pillar** (e.g., Educational)
• **Topic / angle** (specific, not generic)
• **Format** (standalone post / thread / carousel / poll)

**Rules for a balanced calendar:**

• Distribute pillars evenly — no pillar should dominate more than 40% of slots unless explicitly requested
• No active platform goes more than 3 days without a post
• Vary formats within each platform across the week
• Reserve **20–30% of total slots** as open/flexible for reactive or timely content
• Heavy content (threads, carousels) should not stack on the same day

**Example weekly calendar** (adapt to user's actual pillars and platforms):

| Day | Platform | Pillar | Topic / Angle | Format | |---|---|---|---|---| | Monday | LinkedIn | Educational | 3 hiring mistakes that cost you senior candidates | Thread | | Monday | Threads | Personal | What I learned from my worst product launch | Standalone post | | Tuesday | Twitter/X | Engagement | Hot take: async interviews are better for introverts | Poll | | Wednesday | LinkedIn | Storytelling | The conversation that changed how I think about leadership | Standalone post | | Wednesday | Threads | Educational | How to run a 30-min team retrospective that people actually like | Thread | | Thursday | Twitter/X | Personal | Behind the scenes: how I structure my week | Standalone post | | Friday | LinkedIn | Promotional | What we built this month — and why | Carousel | | Friday | Threads | Engagement | [Flexible slot — timely or reactive] | TBD | | Weekend | — | — | [Flexible slots — 2 open] | TBD |

Show the calendar as a markdown table. After presenting, ask: "Does this reflect your platforms and pillars? Any days or slots to adjust?"

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Step 4 — Batching strategy

Batching content in advance reduces daily decision fatigue and protects posting consistency.

**Recommended batching approach:**

| Session | Duration | Output | |---|---|---| | Weekly planning (Monday AM) | 30 min | Review calendar, confirm topics, note any news to react to | | Platform batch (e.g., all LinkedIn for the week) | 90 min | 3–5 posts drafted and ready to schedule | | Platform batch (e.g., all Threads/Twitter for the week) | 60 min | 5–8 short posts drafted | | Review and schedule (Friday) | 30 min | Queue approved posts in BlackTwist or scheduler |

**Batching by platform vs. batching by pillar:**

• **Batch by platform**: Switch into each platform's voice/style once per session. Best when platforms have very different tones (e.g., LinkedIn vs. Threads).
• **Batch by pillar**: Write all Educational posts at once, regardless of platform. Best when topics require deep thinking or research; reformat fo