criptogus 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
- Identify platform + format + goal (reach, saves, followers, clicks, replies). Each platform optimizes for different things — never copy-paste across them.
- Open the matching reference file for deep playbooks (see table below).
- Always lead with the hook. 80% of performance is the first line / first slide / thumbnail. Draft 5–10 hook options before committing.
- Match the algorithm's reward. Optimize for the metric that platform actually ranks on (see Platform Cheat Sheet).
- Apply the universal quality bar (below) before shipping.
- 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 |
| 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 | |
| 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)
- The hook is the product. No one reads/watches what they don't open. Spend disproportionate effort here.
- Specificity is virality. "I grew to 50k in 6 months" beats "I grew my audience fast."
- One post = one idea. Complexity kills shares.
- Write for the share, not the like. People share what makes them look smart, useful, or seen.
- Pattern interrupt. Beat the scroll with contrast — visually and verbally.
- Emotion drives spread. Awe, anger, validation, surprise, and "finally someone said it" travel furthest.
- Native > cross-posted. Reformat for each platform's culture and algorithm.
- Consistency compounds. Show up on a fixed cadence; the algorithm rewards reliability.