⚠️ BEFORE USING THIS SKILL: Review all files in the
resources/directory. These contain AI tell catalogs, platform templates, refinement protocols, and 40-source research basis required for proper skill execution.
Research Basis
This skill synthesizes findings from 40 documented research sources:
- BuzzSumo: 100M headlines study → optimal length is 11 words/65 characters
- Outbrain: Negative superlatives outperform positive by 63%
- Netflix: 82% of browsing time on thumbnails, 1.8s decision window
- Face Psychology: +35-50% CTR with faces in thumbnails
- A/B Testing Research: 30-40% CTR improvement over time
Full statistics in resources/research-statistics.md.
Create Viral Content
Make your posts spread. This skill turns forgettable drafts into content that gets shares, comments, and action.
Core Principle: The Deliberative Refinement Loop
Good content doesn't come from one pass. You attack it, fix it, attack again:
- Generate initial draft
- Attack it from audience perspectives
- Identify AI tells and weak points
- Refine with human voice
- Repeat until unbreakable
The Anatomy of Viral Content
Hook Architecture (First 2 Seconds)
Pattern: Prediction + Stakes
"I think [CONCEPT] is the [YEAR] [CATEGORY] that [OUTCOME]."
Example: "I think deliberative refinement is the 2026 prompt technique that matters most."
Why it works:
- "I think" = personal conviction, not corporate announcement
- Year = creates FOMO and timeframe
- Category = helps reader self-identify
- Outcome = stakes that matter
Pattern: Tribal Identity Split
"[TECHNIQUE] separates [WINNERS] from [EVERYONE ELSE]."
Example: "This separates serious builders from prompt tourists."
Why it works:
- Creates in-group/out-group
- Reader immediately picks a side
- Ego investment drives engagement
Pattern: Before/After Compression
"What used to require [OLD COMPLEXITY] now [NEW SIMPLICITY]."
Example: "What used to need 12 models chained together now takes one."
Why it works:
- Concrete efficiency gain
- "I had no idea" response
- Shareable stat
Body Structure: The Build
Required elements (in order):
- WHAT - Explain the concept (1-2 sentences max)
- HOW - The mechanic with concrete examples
- WHY NOW - The breakthrough that makes it possible
- PAYOFF - What you can actually build/achieve
Anti-patterns to avoid:
- Starting with "why it matters" before explaining "what it is"
- Generic benefits without specific mechanics
- Selling the sizzle before showing the steak
Closer Architecture (Last 10%)
Pattern: Command, Not Request
BAD: "Try it. Change my mind." (beggy, engagement bait)
GOOD: "Your next [ACTION] shouldn't [OLD WAY]. It should [NEW WAY]."
Example: "Your next prompt shouldn't ask for an answer. It should demand: 'Attack this from three expert perspectives, ground your claims, then revise.'"
Why the command works:
- Ends on authority, not weakness
- Gives immediate actionable next step
- Mirrors the thesis in its structure
AI Tell Detection and Elimination
Kill these on sight:
Transition Tells
- ❌ "Here's the wild part:"
- ❌ "Here's the thing:"
- ❌ "Let's dive in"
- ❌ "But here's the kicker:"
- ✅ Direct statement with no transition needed
Enthusiasm Tells
- ❌ "I'm excited to share"
- ❌ "This is a game-changer"
- ❌ "Revolutionary"
- ✅ Let the content create excitement
Structure Tells
- ❌ Numbered lists for everything
- ❌ "First... Second... Finally..."
- ❌ "In conclusion"
- ✅ Prose that flows naturally
Engagement Bait Tells
- ❌ "Change my mind"
- ❌ "What do you think?"
- ❌ "Let me know in the comments"
- ✅ Strong closer that doesn't ask for permission
Corporate Speaks
- ❌ "Leverage"
- ❌ "Utilize"
- ❌ "Implement solutions"
- ✅ Plain verbs: use, try, build, ship
Punctuation Tells (2024-2025)
- ❌ Em-dash overuse — like this — everywhere (max 1 per 500 words)
- ❌ Paragraphs starting with "However," "Moreover," "Overall,"
- ❌ Pleonasms: "true fact," "end result," "close proximity"
- ❌ Tautologies: "collaborate together," "revert back"
- ❌ Uniform sentence lengths (all 15-18 words)
- ✅ Vary punctuation, sentence length, and structure
Platform-Specific Optimization
Title patterns that work:
- Hot Take: [Contrarian Position]
- [Technique]: Why [Common Practice] is dead in [YEAR]
- The [category] technique that [concrete result]
- Stop [old behavior]. [New behavior] is the [year] meta.
Body guidelines:
- 200-400 words optimal
- Use bold for section headers sparingly
- End with TL;DR that's actually quotable
- Don't ask "what do you think?" - invite specific discussion
Subreddit calibration:
- r/MachineLearning: Technical, invite discussion, conservative claims
- r/ChatGPT: Practical, show the meta shift, power-user focus
- r/singularity: Hype-friendly, maximum viral coefficient
- r/LocalLLaMA: Add self-hosting angle
- Hacker News: "Show HN:" format, understate rather than overstate
YouTube Comments
Constraints: ~500 chars, must hook in first line, no formatting Pattern:
[Bold claim in first sentence]. [Mechanic in 2 sentences]. [Why now]. [Call to action or quotable closer].
Twitter/X Threads
Thread structure:
- Hook tweet (standalone viral potential)
- "Here's how:" transition
- 3-5 mechanic tweets
- Payoff/result tweet
- Call-to-action tweet
Per-tweet rules:
- Each tweet must standalone
- No "1/" numbering (algorithmic penalty)
- Use line breaks for readability
- End threads with something quotable
Patterns that perform:
- Personal story + professional lesson
- "Unpopular opinion:" framing
- Contrarian take on industry norm
- Before/after transformation
Avoid:
- Pure promotional content
- Asking for engagement explicitly
- Hashtag stuffing
TikTok
Hook constraints: 1-3 seconds to capture, sound-off viewing common
High-performing hooks:
- Curiosity: "Most people don't know [surprising fact]..."
- Problem: "If you struggle with [problem], watch this..."
- Result: "I tried [thing] for [time]. Here's what happened..."
- Controversy: "This is why everyone is wrong about [topic]..."
Caption optimization:
- Keywords in first 3 words
- 5-10 words optimal
- Hashtags at end, not stuffed
Instagram Reels
Constraints: Vertical 9:16, auto-play, first frame critical
Thumbnail (cover) matters less than:
- First frame visual hook
- Text overlay in first 2 seconds
- Pattern interrupt opening
Carousel posts:
- First slide: Hook with curiosity gap
- Middle slides: Value delivery
- Last slide: Quotable statement or CTA
Email Subject Lines
Optimal length: 30-50 characters (mobile-first)
High-performing patterns:
- Curiosity: "Is this why your [metric] is stuck?"
- Personal: "[Name], noticed you haven't tried this"
- Value: "Get 2x [outcome] with one tweak"
Anti-patterns:
- ❌ ALL CAPS urgency
- ❌ "Quick question" (when it's not)
- ❌ Emoji overload 🚀🔥💡
The Humanization Pass
Done with structure? Run humanize-writing to polish the voice. Same viral hooks, human delivery.
Automatic Integration
If you've got both skills, call humanize-writing directly:
Apply the humanize-writing skill to this draft. Focus on:
- Removing AI vocabulary tells from the content
- Ensuring natural sentence rhythm
- Maintaining the viral hooks I've established
Manual Humanization Checklist
No humanize-writing? Run this instead:
- Read aloud test: Does it sound like a human talking to a friend at a bar?
- Transition audit: Remove every "Here's the thing" type phrase
- Enthusiasm check: Delete excitement language, keep exciting content
- Specificity check: Replace every generic noun with a concrete example
- Length check: Cut 20% - viral content is always shorter than the draft
Platform-Specific Humanization Calibration
| Platform | Humanization Level |