Research Basis

⚠️ 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:

1. Generate initial draft
2. Attack it from audience perspectives
3. Identify AI tells and weak points
4. Refine with human voice
5. 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):

1. WHAT - Explain the concept (1-2 sentences max)
2. HOW - The mechanic with concrete examples
3. WHY NOW - The breakthrough that makes it possible
4. 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

Reddit

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:

1. Hook tweet (standalone viral potential)
2. "Here's how:" transition
3. 3-5 mechanic tweets
4. Payoff/result tweet
5. 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

LinkedIn

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:

1. Read aloud test: Does it sound like a human talking to a friend at a bar?
2. Transition audit: Remove every "Here's the thing" type phrase
3. Enthusiasm check: Delete excitement language, keep exciting content
4. Specificity check: Replace every generic noun with a concrete example
5. Length check: Cut 20% - viral content is always shorter than the draft

Platform-Specific Humanization Calibration

Platform	Humanization Level	Formality Target
Reddit	High	Casual expert
LinkedIn	Medium	Professional but warm
Twitter/X	Medium-High	Punchy, fragmentary OK
YouTube	High	Accessible, conversational
Hacker News	Medium	Technical, understated

Quantitative Thresholds for Viral Content

Check these numbers after humanizing:

• Hook strength: First sentence must create curiosity or stakes
• AI tells: Zero tolerance for blacklisted phrases (see resources/ai-tells.md)
• Word count: Platform-specific (Reddit: 200-400, Twitter: <280 per tweet)
• Specificity ratio: ≥1 concrete example per abstract claim
• Closer strength: Must end on authority, not request

Ethical Framework

Legitimate Uses

• Optimizing your own content for maximum social reach
• Improving engagement for genuine value propositions
• Learning viral content mechanics for personal skill development
• Making AI-generated content pass hostile audience scrutiny

Illegitimate Uses

• Astroturfing or coordinated inauthentic behavior
• Spreading misinformation with viral mechanics
• Impersonating others' expertise or voice
• Engagement farming without substance

Disclosure Guidance

• Required: When promoting products/services you're paid for
• Recommended: When AI assisted in content generation
• Not required: For general content creation and ideation

Voice Calibration

Match formality to platform:

• Reddit: Casual expert (bar conversation with someone smart)
• LinkedIn: Professional but not corporate
• Twitter: Punchy, fragmentary ok
• YouTube: Accessible, can be slightly more casual

Confidence calibration:

• Overconfident = gets attacked in comments
• Underconfident = doesn't spread
• Target: Strong conviction + specific evidence

Title Generation

⚠️ CRITICAL: Titles determine 70% of content performance. Consult resources/viral-titles.md and resources/title-formulas.md for 50+ formulas.

Research-Backed Title Rules

• Optimal length: 11 words / 65 characters (BuzzSumo 100M study)
• Magic number: 10 performs best; odd numbers beat even
• Negative superlatives: +63% CTR vs positive (Outbrain)
• Specific numbers: $1,247 beats $1,000

Quick Formulas (Generate 25+, Pick Best)

Curiosity-Gap: "What [group] won't tell you about [topic]" Contrarian: "[Common belief] is dead. Here's what's next." Listicle: "[Number] ways to [achieve X] without [sacrifice]" How-To: "How to [achieve X] in [timeframe] (step-by-step)" Prediction: "[Concept] is the [year] [category] that [outcome]" Negative: "[Number] [topic] mistakes destroying your [metric]"

Title Scoring (Target: 7+)

Criteria	Score 0-3
Curiosity	"Must know" feeling?
Specificity	Numbers, metrics?
Emotion	High-arousal trigger?

Thumbnail Design

⚠️ CRITICAL: Thumbnails drive 70%+ of video performance. Consult resources/viral-thumbnails.md and resources/thumbnail-checklist.md for design protocols.

Research-Backed Thumbnail Rules

• Face CTR boost: +35-50% (neuroscience: amygdala activation)
• Decision time: 1.8 seconds average (Netflix study)
• 82% of browsing time spent on thumbnails
• Custom thumbnails: 90% of top videos use them

Quick Checklist

• Face with clear expression (shock/surprise = highest CTR)
• Maximum 3 elements in frame ("Limit Your Lamborghinis")
• High contrast colors (test in dark mode)
• Text: 3-4 words max, bold sans-serif
• Mobile test (legible at 120px width)
• Title synergy (complement, don't duplicate)

AI Thumbnail Prompt

[person] with [shocked/surprised] expression, close-up portrait,
[vibrant color] background, studio lighting, high contrast,
YouTube thumbnail style, clean composition, no text

Refinement Protocol

Before you ship, attack the draft:

Pass 1: The Skeptic "Why should I care? What's actually new here?"

Pass 2: The Expert
"Is this technically accurate? What would an expert nitpick?"

Pass 3: The Scroller "Would I stop scrolling for this? What's the hook?"

Pass 4: The Competitor "How is this different from the 10 similar posts?"

Pass 5: The Editor "What can I cut without losing meaning?"

Examples

Bad → Good Transformation

Before (AI-generated feel):

I'm excited to share a revolutionary new productivity hack that will 
change your workflow forever. Here's the thing: most people waste hours 
on email. Let's dive into how inbox zero can transform your day. First, 
you batch process. Second, you use templates. Finally, you schedule 
check-ins. What do you think?

After (human voice):

Email before noon is self-sabotage. Tested this for 3 weeks. No inbox 
until 2pm. My deep work hours went from 2 to 4+. That 7:47am Slack 
ping? Not your fire. Morning brain builds. Afternoon brain reacts. 
Flip the order and you're always playing defense. Two inbox windows: 
2pm and 5pm. Handles everything that actually matters.

What changed:

• Removed enthusiasm tells ("excited to share", "revolutionary")
• Removed transition tells ("Here's the thing", "Let's dive in")
• Removed structure tells ("First... Second... Finally...")
• Removed engagement bait ("What do you think?")
• Added concrete metrics (3 weeks, 2 to 4+ hours, 7:47am)
• Used contractions ("I", "you're", "That's")
• Varied sentence length (4 words to 15 words)
• Strong conviction opener instead of hedged announcement