Social Media Posts skill for Claude Code

A good post earns attention in its first line, delivers one idea completely inside the post (not behind a link), sounds like a person who knows the subject, and fits the platform’s format. Cross-posting the same text everywhere is the default failure.

Ground rules

• One post, one idea. If it needs three ideas, it is a thread or a carousel.
• The hook is the first ~1–2 lines. On LinkedIn roughly the first 200 characters show before “see more”; on X the first line decides whether anyone reads the second.
• Give the value in the post. Links are optional add-ons; many creators observe that posts with external links get less reach on X and LinkedIn, so put the substance in the post and add the link at the end or in a reply when the platform’s current behavior warrants it.
• Specific beats inspirational: numbers, code, screenshots, before/after, named tools, real mistakes. No engagement bait (“Agree?”), no fake stories, no invented metrics.
• Write in the author’s voice. Ask for 2–3 past posts they like, or match the brand voice doc. Never sound like a press release.
• Disclose sponsorships and affiliate links. Do not post on someone’s behalf without their approval of the final text.

Platform cheat sheet

Platform	Length	What performs	Hashtags	Links
X	280 chars (longer posts for Premium accounts)	Sharp claim, thread of insights, screenshots, short video	0–1	In the last post or a reply
LinkedIn	Up to 3,000 chars; 150–300 words typical	Story → lesson, frameworks, document carousels (PDF), honest numbers	0–3, at the end	End of post or first comment
Threads	500 chars per post	Conversational, opinion, questions	Topic tag (1)	Allowed, less stigma
Bluesky	300 chars	Technical/dev community, links are normal, alt text expected	Optional	Fine, link cards render
Mastodon	500 chars default (instance-dependent)	Plain, informative, CamelCase hashtags for discoverability and screen readers	1–3 CamelCase	Fine

Always add alt text to images. Use native video with captions (most viewers watch muted).

Workflow

- [ ] 1. Identify the source material and the single takeaway
- [ ] 2. Choose platform(s) and format (single, thread, carousel, video)
- [ ] 3. Write 3 hook options
- [ ] 4. Draft the body in the platform's structure
- [ ] 5. Add the visual and the CTA
- [ ] 6. Edit: cut 20%, check voice and limits
- [ ] 7. Plan timing and replies

1. Takeaway

State in one sentence what the reader will know or be able to do after reading. If the source is long (blog post, talk, changelog), list 5–10 standalone insights first; each can become a post.

2. Format

Material	Best format
One sharp insight or opinion	Single post
Step-by-step, list of lessons, story with beats	X thread (5–10 posts) or LinkedIn text post
Framework, comparison, checklist	LinkedIn document carousel (6–10 slides) or image
Product feature	Short screen-recorded video (15–45 s) or GIF + 2-line explanation
Data / benchmark	Chart image with the headline number in the first line
Launch	See product-launch for sequencing; post copy from this skill

3. Hooks

Write three, pick one. Patterns that work without bait:

• Specific result: “We cut our AWS bill from $41k to $12k/month. Here’s every change.”
• Contrarian with evidence: “Most Postgres indexes we audit are never used. Here’s how to check yours in 30 seconds.”
• Mistake/lesson: “I shipped a migration that locked our orders table for 11 minutes.”
• Useful promise: “A 6-line GitHub Actions cache config that halved our CI time:”
• Question the reader is already asking: “How do you know when to split a monolith?”

Avoid: “Let that sink in”, “Nobody is talking about”, “Here’s the thing:”, “I’m humbled”, “Big news!”, thread emojis as bullet decoration, clickbait that the body does not pay off.

4. Body structure

X thread:

1. Hook post that stands alone and promises the payoff (no “a thread:” filler).
2. One insight per post, each readable on its own (posts get quoted individually).
3. Include the evidence: code block screenshot, chart, number.
4. Final post: summary or the single best tip, plus link/CTA and a soft invite to follow for more on the topic.

LinkedIn post:

<Hook: 1–2 lines, the result or tension>

<Context: 2–3 short lines — the situation>

<The insight: 3–5 short lines or a tight list>

<What it means for the reader / how to apply it>

<Optional question that invites real experience, not "Agree?">

Short paragraphs (1–2 sentences), white space between them, plain text lists with simple hyphens or numbers. No walls of text and no one-word-per-line broetry.

Carousel: slide 1 = hook + promise; one idea per slide, ≤ 25 words; last slide = summary + CTA. Export as PDF, 1080×1350 (4:5) portrait.

5. Visuals and CTA

• Screenshots cropped to the relevant part, readable on a phone (≥ 24 px text equivalent).
• Code as an image with syntax highlighting for X/LinkedIn; as text on Mastodon/Bluesky where monospace and copying matter.
• One CTA per post: reply, read, try, follow, sign up. Match it to the takeaway.

6. Edit

• Cut 20%. Remove throat-clearing first lines; the second sentence is usually the real hook.
• Check character counts per platform; count URLs (X counts any link as 23 characters).
• Read aloud: does it sound like the author talking to a peer?
• Ban list: “game-changer”, “revolutionize”, “excited to announce”, “synergy”, “supercharge”, “deep dive” (unless it literally is one), hashtag stuffing.
• Technical accuracy: commands, numbers, and version names verified against the source.

7. Timing and replies

• Post when the audience is online (check the account’s analytics; B2B often weekday mornings in the audience’s main timezone). Consistency beats perfect timing.
• The author should reply to comments in the first hour; replies extend reach and are where conversations convert.
• Space repurposed posts: one per day or every other day per platform, not all at once.

Repurposing long content

From one blog post or talk, produce:

Output	Content
X thread	The step-by-step or the list of lessons
LinkedIn post	The story behind it + the main lesson
LinkedIn carousel	The framework or checklist
3–5 single posts	Individual stats, quotes, mistakes, tips — scheduled over 2 weeks
Short video	30-second screen recording of the key demo

Each piece must stand alone without the original. Link back once, not in every post.

Gotchas

• Tagging many people who were not involved reads as spam and can hurt reach.
• Editing a post right after publishing can reset or hurt distribution on some platforms; proofread before posting.
• Auto-cross-posting tools strip formatting and post X-style text to LinkedIn; adapt manually.
• Company pages get far less organic reach than personal profiles on LinkedIn; write launch posts for the founders’ and team’s profiles, and reshare from the page.
• Engagement pods, follow-for-follow, and automated replies violate platform rules and attract low-quality audiences.

Output template

## Posts — <source/topic> (<date>)
Takeaway: <one sentence>

### X (thread, 6 posts)
1/ <hook>
2/ ...
6/ <summary + link>
Visual: <screenshot of X, alt text: "...">

### LinkedIn (text post, ~220 words)
<post>
Hook options considered: A) ... B) ... C) ...

### Bluesky (single, 290 chars)
<post>

Schedule: X Tue 9:00 ET, LinkedIn Wed 8:30 ET, Bluesky Tue 9:30 ET