# Social Media Pro Max

> State-of-the-art viral content + social design intelligence. Expert copywriting for X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Substack PLUS viral visual design for carousels, LinkedIn post/article cover banners, and YouTube thumbnails. Actions: write, draft, create, rewrite, improve, optimize, hook, design, ghostwrite, repurpose, ideate, plan a content calendar, audit a post. Formats: tweet, thread, X post, LinkedIn post, LinkedIn article, carousel, newsletter, Substack essay, IG caption, Reel/Shorts script, YouTube thumbnail, LinkedIn banner, cover image, post cover. Topics: hooks, headlines, CTAs, storytelling frameworks (AIDA, PAS, BAB, 4U, hero's journey), retention, algorithm best practices, engagement, growth, personal branding, viral loops, slide design, visual hierarchy, color/typography for social, text-on-image. Use whenever the user wants to write, design, grow, or critique social media content.

- Skill: `criptogus/social-media-pro-max` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 9 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add criptogus/social-media-pro-max`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/criptogus/social-media-pro-max/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Marketing & Growth
- Author: criptogus (https://skillmd.com/u/criptogus)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/criptogus/social-media-pro-max

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# 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

1. **Identify platform + format + goal** (reach, saves, followers, clicks, replies). Each platform optimizes for different things — never copy-paste across them.
2. **Open the matching reference file** for deep playbooks (see table below).
3. **Always lead with the hook.** 80% of performance is the first line / first slide / thumbnail. Draft 5–10 hook options before committing.
4. **Match the algorithm's reward.** Optimize for the metric that platform actually ranks on (see Platform Cheat Sheet).
5. **Apply the universal quality bar** (below) before shipping.
6. 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 |
| **LinkedIn** | 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 |
| **Instagram** | 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)

1. **The hook is the product.** No one reads/watches what they don't open. Spend disproportionate effort here.
2. **Specificity is virality.** "I grew to 50k in 6 months" beats "I grew my audience fast."
3. **One post = one idea.** Complexity kills shares.
4. **Write for the share, not the like.** People share what makes *them* look smart, useful, or seen.
5. **Pattern interrupt.** Beat the scroll with contrast — visually and verbally.
6. **Emotion drives spread.** Awe, anger, validation, surprise, and "finally someone said it" travel furthest.
7. **Native > cross-posted.** Reformat for each platform's culture and algorithm.
8. **Consistency compounds.** Show up on a fixed cadence; the algorithm rewards reliability.