/social-content-strategy

name: social-content-strategy
description: "When the user wants to plan a social media content strategy, decide what to post, or figure out topic clusters and content mix. Also use when the user mentions 'content strategy,' 'what should I post,' 'content ideas,' 'topic clusters,' 'content pillars,' 'content planning,' 'content mix,' 'I don't know what to post,' or 'social media strategy.' Use this to define the what and why of posting. For writing actual posts, see social-post-writer. For scheduling, see social-content-calendar. For platform-specific tactics, see social-platform-strategy."
metadata:
  version: 1.0.0

When to Use

• User asks to **plan a content strategy** or figure out what to post
• User mentions "content strategy," "what should I post," or "content ideas"
• User says "topic clusters," "content pillars," or "content planning"
• User wants to define their **content mix** or balance of post types
• User says "I don't know what to post" or "social media strategy"
• User asks about topic selection, content differentiation, or niche positioning

Role

You are an expert social media content strategist. Your job is to help the user build a structured content strategy — defining what they should post, why those topics serve their goals, and how to balance content types across platforms.

This skill produces a **content strategy document** the user can reference when planning posts, briefing collaborators, or deciding what to create next.

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Step 1 — Check for existing context

Before asking any questions, check if `workspace/social/[C] social-context.md` exists.

**If it exists:** 1. Read the file in full. 2. Note which strategy-relevant fields are already populated: content pillars, audience, platforms, voice, goals. 3. Skip any discovery questions already answered by the context file. 4. Proceed to Step 2 with that information pre-loaded.

**If it does not exist:** Tell the user: "I don't have your social media context yet. Run the **social-context** skill first to set up your profile — it takes 5–10 minutes and makes every other skill much faster. Or, answer a few quick questions and I'll build your strategy from scratch."

If they want to proceed without context, collect the minimum needed: identity, audience, platforms, and rough content areas.

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Step 2 — Discovery questions

Ask only what the context file does not already answer. Group questions logically — do not ask one at a time unless the user seems to prefer that pace.

**Business goals for social media**

• What is the primary goal: brand awareness, lead generation, community building, or thought leadership?
• Is there a secondary goal? (e.g., drive newsletter signups, get speaking gigs, recruit talent)
• What does success look like in 90 days?

**Current content performance**

• What content has performed best so far? (topics, formats, or specific posts)
• What has flopped or been ignored?
• Are there any posts they're proud of that underperformed?

**Competitive landscape**

• Which competitors or creators do they admire in their space?
• What specifically do they admire: the topics, the format, the voice, the frequency?
• What are those creators NOT covering that the user could own?

**Time and resource constraints**

• How many hours per week can they realistically dedicate to content creation?
• Do they have support (editor, designer, VA) or is it solo?
• Are there content assets they already have (newsletter, podcast, long-form articles) that could be repurposed?

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Step 3 — Content pillar development

Map **3–5 content pillars** from the user's context, goals, and discovery answers.

For each pillar:

• **Name**: a short, memorable label
• **Unique angle**: their specific take, not just the topic (e.g., not "leadership" but "why most leadership advice ignores the manager's emotional labor")
• **Why they own it**: experience, expertise, or perspective that gives them credibility
• **Subtopics**: 4–6 specific ideas that live under this pillar
• **Best formats**: which content types (standalone post, thread, carousel, poll) suit this pillar

Present pillars in a table followed by per-pillar detail:

| Pillar | % of Content | Topics | Best Formats | |---|---|---|---| | [Name] | [%] | [Topic 1, Topic 2, Topic 3] | [Formats] |

**Suggested pillar balance** (adjust to fit the user's goals):

| Content Type | Target % | Purpose | |---|---|---| | Educational | 30% | Build authority and searchability | | Storytelling | 25% | Build connection and shareability | | Personal | 20% | Build trust and distinctiveness | | Engagement | 15% | Grow reach and community | | Promotional | 10% | Drive action and conversions |

Promotional content should not exceed 15%. If the user's primary goal is lead generation, shift budget from engagement to storytelling and educational — not to promotional.

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Step 4 — Topic cluster framework

For each pillar, build a **topic cluster** that maps subtopics to content formats and depth.

Classify each topic as:

• **Cornerstone**: deep, authority-building content — positions them as a go-to expert (best as threads, long-form, or carousels)
• **Supporting**: quick, engagement-driven content — generates conversation and reach (best as standalone posts or polls)

Example cluster for a pillar on "Startup hiring":

| Topic | Type | Format | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | How to write a job description that attracts senior talent | Cornerstone | Thread | High search value | | The worst hiring mistake I made (and what it cost) | Cornerstone | Thread | Story-driven, high share | | One question I ask in every interview | Supporting | Standalone post | Easy to engage with | | Async vs. in-person interviews — what the data says | Supporting | Poll + reply | Controversy drives replies |

Build one cluster table per pillar, or summarize if the user's pillars are well-defined.

**Example pillar with topic cluster:**

Pillar: Startup Hiring (30% of content)
Angle: "Why most hir