social-media
This skill should be used when writing social media posts with platform-specific formatting, character limits, and tone. Applies when the content brief specifies a social post, tweet, LinkedIn post, Instagram caption, Facebook post, Threads post, or Reddit submission. Covers per-platform rules, character budgets, and common pitfalls.
Social Media
Social posts are short-form content written for a specific platform and published directly without human review. Every word matters, and platform conventions differ enough that one-size-fits-all writing fails.
Core Constraints
These rules apply to every social post regardless of platform:
- No external links. Most social platforms penalize posts containing links by reducing their reach. Never include URLs in the post body (Reddit link posts are the exception — see
references/platforms.md). - No placeholders. Posts are published directly. Any placeholder (
[Link: ...],[Image: ...],[Brand Name]) appears verbatim to followers. - No emdashes. Emdashes signal AI-generated content to readers. Use commas or separate sentences.
- No image placeholders. Never include
![Visual: ...],![Image: ...], or[Image description: ...]. - Brand name appears naturally. Mention the brand in context, not as a forced insertion.
- Current year for time-sensitive content. Use the current year for trends, stats, and recommendations.
Platform Quick Reference
| Platform | Character limit | Target length | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,000 | 300-500 chars | Professional, informative | |
| X (Twitter) | 280 | 280 chars max | Punchy, direct |
| Threads | 500 | 300-500 chars | Conversational, authentic |
| 2,200 | 200-300 chars | Story-driven, visual-first | |
| 63,000 | 400-600 chars | Conversational, personal | |
| 40,000 | 500-1,000+ chars | Community-first, value-driven |
Writing Approach
Hook First
The first line determines whether someone reads the rest. On most platforms, only the first 1-2 lines display before "See more." Front-load the most compelling idea.
Good hooks:
- Open with an insight or counterintuitive claim
- Pose a specific question the post will answer
- State a concrete result or statistic
Bad hooks:
- "In today's digital landscape..."
- "We're excited to announce..."
- "Did you know that..." (overused)
Tone Calibration
Match the platform's conversational norms:
- LinkedIn: Authoritative and informative. Lead with insight. Support with evidence. End with a question or recommendation.
- X: Sharp and direct. One idea per post. No filler.
- Threads: Casual and authentic. Feels like talking to a friend who happens to be knowledgeable.
- Instagram: Story-driven. Emojis to break up text. Aspirational or instructional.
- Facebook: Personal and relatable. Longer form. Anecdotes work well.
- Reddit: Community-first. No overt promotion. Provide genuine value. Match the subreddit's norms.
Character Budget Discipline
Stay within the target range, not just the hard limit. A LinkedIn post that fills all 3,000 characters reads like a blog post crammed into a feed. A tweet that hits exactly 280 characters leaves no room for a quote-retweet comment.
Hashtags
| Platform | Hashtag count | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 | Relevant industry terms | |
| X | 2-3 | Trending or niche terms |
| Threads | 0-2 | Optional, keep minimal |
| 10-15 | Mix of broad and niche | |
| 1-3 | Minimal, optional | |
| 0 | Not used on Reddit |
Place hashtags at the end of the post, not inline. Inline hashtags break reading flow.
Call to Action
Every post needs a purpose, but not every post needs a hard CTA. Match the CTA strength to the platform:
- LinkedIn: Ask a question to drive comments, or recommend a specific action
- X: Implicit CTAs work ("What's your take?")
- Threads: Encourage replies, keep it casual
- Instagram: CTA in the last line ("Link in bio", "Save this for later")
- Facebook: Mid-post or end CTA
- Reddit: No CTA. Value-driven content earns engagement organically.
Quality Checklist
Before finalizing a social post, verify:
- Character count is within the platform's target range
- No external links, image placeholders, or bracketed instructions
- Brand name appears naturally (not forced)
- Hook is in the first 1-2 lines
- Hashtags follow platform conventions (count and placement)
- Tone matches the platform
- No emdashes
Additional Resources
Reference Files
For detailed per-platform writing rules, structural patterns, and engagement tactics, consult:
references/platforms.md- Complete platform-by-platform guide