Kostja Zhang

---
name: website-structure
description: When the user wants to plan website structure, decide which pages to build, or prioritize pages for a new or existing site. Also use when the user mentions "website structure," "site structure," "which pages do I need," "page planning," "sitemap planning," "Must Have pages," "website architecture," or "site hierarchy." For a specific page template (e.g. homepage), use homepage-generator or landing-page-generator as appropriate. Not for organic SEO roadmap alone; use seo-strategy.
metadata:
  version: 1.5.0
---

# Strategy: Website Structure

Guides website structure planning: which pages to build, page priority, and how structure supports UX, SEO, and growth. Structure is the organization and connection of pages; it affects user navigation, Google's understanding of content importance, crawlability, and sitelinks in SERPs. See **serp-features** for sitelinks and SERP optimization.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read it for product type, audience, and growth goals.

Identify:
1. **Website type**: Product/SaaS, B2B, E-commerce, Portfolio, Forum, Directory
2. **Stage**: New site (plan from scratch) vs. existing (extend or audit)
3. **Growth strategy**: Affiliate, education, multi-language, community, B2B, developer
4. **Constraints**: Team size, budget, tech stack

## Page Priority Framework

Plan pages by priority for development scheduling. See [skills-reference §2 Page Taxonomy](../../../docs/skills-reference.md#2-page-taxonomy) for full page types and website-type mapping.

| Priority | Pages | Notes |
|----------|-------|-------|
| **Must Have** | Home, Product/Features, Pricing, Blog, About, Privacy, Terms, Contact | Essential for trust and conversion; Pricing: public page in nav for self-serve; enterprise-only may use "Contact sales" instead; see **pricing-page-generator** (Visibility & Placement) |
| **Great to Have** | Testimonials, FAQ, Sitemap (HTML), 404, Refund/Returns | Support UX and SEO |
| **Optional** | Search Results, News, Careers, Disclosure | Situational |
| **Traffic-driven** | Category/Collection pages | For content-heavy or e-commerce; needs Category + Tags |

## Generic Template Structure

Applicable to SaaS, tools, and content sites. Adapt by removing unused nodes (e.g. no API → drop API) and adding specific modules (e.g. industry, region).

| Section | Typical Paths | Page Skills |
|---------|---------------|-------------|
| **Root** | /, /features, /pricing, /demo, /contact | homepage-generator, features-page-generator, pricing-page-generator |
| **Tools** | /tools, /free-tools; hub + per-tool pages | tools-page-generator; free tools for lead gen; often SPA; programmatic; see **programmatic-seo** |
| **Resources** | /blog, /changelog, /glossary, /faq, /tutorials | blog-page-generator, changelog-page-generator, glossary-page-generator, faq-page-generator |
| **Partnership** | /affiliate, /startups, /ambassadors | affiliate-page-generator, landing-page-generator |
| **Legal** | /terms, /privacy, /careers | terms-page-generator, privacy-page-generator, careers-page-generator |
| **Competitor** | /alternatives, /compare, /migrate | alternatives-page-generator, migration-page-generator |
| **Standalone** | /dashboard, /login, /signup, /docs, /api, /status, /support | signup-login-page-generator, docs-page-generator, api-page-generator, status-page-generator |

## Growth Strategy → Structure Mapping

Structure reflects growth strategy. Subdirectories signal channels:

| Goal | Path Example | Page/Channel |
|------|--------------|--------------|
| Affiliate conversion | /affiliate | affiliate-page-generator |
| Education/student plan | /education, /startups, /student-discount | education-program, startups-page-generator |
| Multi-language | /zh-CN, /ja | localization-strategy |
| Community | /ambassadors, /showcase | creator-program, landing-page-generator |
| B2B / Enterprise | Solutions (industry-first), Use cases (scenario-first; can be sub-pages), Customer stories | solutions-page-generator, use-cases-page-generator, customer-stories-page-generator |
| Developer product | /api, /docs, /status | api-page-generator, docs-page-generator, status-page-generator |
| User feedback | Feedback, Roadmap | feedback-page-generator; External (Canny, FeatureBase) |
| Plugins/Integrations | /integrations, /plugins | integrations-page-generator, category-page-generator |
| Giveaway/Contest | /giveaway | contest-page-generator |

## Domain Structure (Multiple Products)

When planning for multiple products or brands, see **domain-architecture** for subfolder vs subdomain vs independent domain. This skill covers page structure within a single domain. For initial domain choice (Brand vs PMD vs EMD, TLD), see **domain-selection**.

## Planning Workflow

1. **Choose template**: Start from generic structure; map to [skills-reference §2](../../../docs/skills-reference.md#2-page-taxonomy) website types
2. **Trim modules**: Remove irrelevant nodes (e.g. no API → drop /api, /docs)
3. **Add specifics**: Industry pages, region, product variants
4. **Assign URLs**: Per node; follow **url-structure** (lowercase, hyphens, short, keyword-rich)
5. **Export list**: "Page type + URL + Priority" for dev scheduling
6. **Tech stack**: Match page types to services (DNS, auth, CMS, status page, etc.)
7. **Iterate**: Expand with new features, markets; keep structure clear

## Structure Principles

| Principle | Guideline |
|-----------|-----------|
| **Flat structure** | Max 4 clicks from homepage to any page; improves crawlability and weight distribution |
| **Early planning** | Plan structure before growth; can start right after domain purchase |
| **Sitelinks** | Good structure + TOC + authoritative internal links → natural sitelinks in SERP (cannot be forced via schema); see **serp-features** |
| **Orphan prevention** | Every page needs internal links; see **site-crawlability** and **internal-links** |
| **Features vs Use cases** | /features = capability-first; /use-cases = scenario-first; differentiate content angle, link between, avoid overlap; see **features-page-generator**, **use-cases-page-generator** |
| **Clear navigation** | Clear hierarchy and nav improve task completion; users find what they need faster; see **navigation-menu-generator** |
| **Pricing placement** | Marketing site: /pricing in main nav for prospects; in-app: Settings → Billing in sidebar for logged-in users (subscription management). Enterprise-only: "Contact sales" may replace public pricing page; see **pricing-page-generator** |

## Homepage Module Reference

See **homepage-generator** for common modules (Headline, Subheadline, CTA, Benefits, Social Proof, etc.), navigation options, and **hero-generator** for hero design.

## Output Format

- **Page list** with priority (Must Have / Great to Have / Optional)
- **URL structure** (paths per section)
- **Website-type fit** (which pages apply per [skills-reference §2](../../../docs/skills-reference.md#2-page-taxonomy))
- **Growth mapping** (which paths support which channels)
- **Next steps**: url-structure for URL rules; xml-sitemap for submission; site-crawlability for audit

## References

- [Website structure SEO guide](https://alignify.co/zh/seo/website-structure) — Alignify: structure importance, page priority, generic template, planning workflow, growth mapping, homepage modules
- **skills-reference §2** (docs/skills-reference.md#2-page-taxonomy) — Full page types, website-type matrix, core vs extended; use for page selection

## Related Skills

- **seo-strategy**: SEO workflow order; structure planning fits before Technical phase
- **domain-selection**: Initial domain choice; do before structure when choosing domain
- **domain-architecture**: Subfolder vs subdomain vs independent; do before structure if domain decision pending
- **url-structure**: URL optimization, hierarchy, slugs; apply after structure is defined
- **site-crawlability**: Crawlability, orphan pages, redirects; audit existing structure
- **internal-links**: Link strategy, hub-spoke; implement after pages exist
- **xml-sitemap**: Sitemap creation; include planned URLs
- **breadcrumb-generator**: Breadcrumb for hierarchy; large sites, e-commerce
- **navigation-menu-generator**: Nav design; primary, footer, mobile
- **content-strategy**: Content clusters, pillar pages; complements structure planning

---
name: seo-audit
description: When the user wants to run an SEO audit, technical SEO audit, or site health check. Also use when the user mentions "SEO audit," "technical audit," "site audit," "crawl audit," "indexing audit," "SEO health," or "fix SEO issues." For prioritization and organic strategy, use seo-strategy. For GSC data analysis, use google-search-console.
metadata:
  version: 1.1.0
---

# Strategies: SEO Audit

Guides end-to-end SEO audit: technical foundation, on-page, content, and off-page. Execute in order—technical blockers prevent indexing; on-page limits rankings; content and off-page build authority. Use when auditing an existing site or planning fixes.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Audit Order

| Phase | Focus | Skills |
|-------|-------|--------|
| **1. Technical** | Crawl, index, sitemap | robots-txt, xml-sitemap, canonical-tag, indexing, site-crawlability |
| **2. On-Page** | Metadata, structure, schema | title-tag, meta-description, page-metadata, schema-markup, internal-links, heading-structure |
| **3. Content** | Gaps, intent, optimization | keyword-research, content-strategy, content-optimization |
| **4. Off-Page** | Backlinks, authority | link-building, backlink-analysis |

**Principle**: Fix foundation before optimizing pages. See **seo-strategy** for workflow and prioritization.

## Technical Checklist

| Item | Check | Skill |
|------|-------|-------|
| **robots.txt** | Syntax; not blocking important pages | robots-txt |
| **Sitemap** | Submitted to GSC; indexable pages only; ≤50K URLs per sitemap | xml-sitemap |
| **HTTPS** | Sitewide; valid certificate | canonical-tag |
| **404/5xx** | Proper status codes; fix or redirect | site-crawlability |
| **noindex** | No accidental noindex on key pages | indexing |
| **Canonical** | Correct; no conflicts | canonical-tag |
| **Core Web Vitals** | LCP ≤2.5s, INP ≤200ms, CLS <0.1 | core-web-vitals |
| **Mobile** | Mobile-first; content parity; no intrusive interstitials | mobile-friendly |
| **Crawlability** | Redirect chains, broken links, orphan pages | site-crawlability |

## On-Page Checklist

| Item | Check | Skill |
|------|-------|-------|
| **Title** | Unique; 50–60 chars; keyword in first 10 words | title-tag |
| **Meta description** | 150–160 chars; CTA | meta-description |
| **Headings** | One H1; H1→H2→H3 hierarchy | heading-structure |
| **Images** | Alt text; no decorative alt for decorative images | image-optimization |
| **Schema** | Valid; Rich Results Test | schema-markup |
| **Internal links** | From strong pages; descriptive anchors | internal-links |
| **Duplicate content** | Canonical; consolidate or differentiate | canonical-tag |

## Content & Off-Page

| Phase | Focus | Skill |
|-------|-------|-------|
| **Content gap** | Missing topics vs competitors | content-strategy, competitor-research |
| **Intent match** | Content matches search intent | content-optimization |
| **Backlinks** | Toxic links; link gap vs competitors | backlink-analysis, link-building |

## Frequency

| Cadence | Use |
|---------|-----|
| **Full audit** | Quarterly |
| **Check-ins** | Monthly (GSC, indexing, Core Web Vitals) |

## Output Format

- **Phase 1–4 findings** (technical → on-page → content → off-page)
- **Priority list** (P0 blocker → P1 core → P2 important)
- **Skill mapping** (which skill for each fix)
- **Timeline** (immediate vs short-term vs ongoing)

## Related Skills

- **seo-strategy**: Workflow order, prioritization, when to invest in SEO
- **google-search-console**: Performance, indexing, Core Web Vitals data
- **site-crawlability**: Redirect chains, broken links, crawl budget
- **indexing**: Indexing issues, noindex, Search Console
- **core-web-vitals**: LCP, INP, CLS optimization

---
name: seo-strategy
description: When the user wants to plan SEO strategy, prioritize SEO work, or understand the SEO workflow. Also use when the user mentions "SEO strategy," "SEO plan," "SEO roadmap," "SEO priority," "SEO audit," "SEO workflow," "where to start SEO," "SEO approach," "organic growth strategy," "why SEO," "SEO value," or "search strategy." For technical/crawl audit execution, use seo-audit. For keyword research, use keyword-research. For AI search visibility, use generative-engine-optimization.
metadata:
  version: 1.3.0
---

# Strategies: SEO

Guides SEO strategy: workflow order, prioritization, Product-Led SEO, and when to use which skills. Use this skill when planning SEO from scratch, auditing an existing site, or deciding what to do next.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Strategic Context: Why SEO

| Value | Rationale |
|-------|------------|
| **Traffic control** | ~68% of initial web traffic from search; search aggregates most user intent |
| **Growth channel** | ~87% of consumers prefer Google when discovering new categories; 43% of conversions from organic (vs ~11% social) |
| **Cost efficiency** | SEO user LTV 3–5× paid ads; rank #1 CTR ~27.6% vs #10 ~2.4% |
| **Long-term asset** | Quality SEO assets yield 3–5 years of traffic; Core Web Vitals correlate with conversion (e.g., +8% per 0.1s faster) |

**SEO = Google optimization**: Google holds ~91% global search share; B2B buyers use search as research starting point. Optimize for Google first; see **localization-strategy** for non-Google markets.

**Reference**: [Alignify – SEO Core Value and Challenges in AI Search Era](https://alignify.co/zh/insights/reasons-you-need-seo)

## When to Invest in SEO

| Stage | Recommendation |
|-------|----------------|
| **Cold start** | Use email, ads, or influencers for first users; SEO takes time (sandbox, 6+ months) |
| **Post-PMF** | SEO scales; combine with paid for faster feedback; see **pmf-strategy**, **paid-ads-strategy** |
| **Team** | Many SMBs use contractors; SEO spans content, links, tech, UX—full-time team when scaling |

**Principle**: Don't do SEO for SEO's sake; don't fight Google rules; prioritize real user experience.

## AI Search Era & Channel Integration

| Challenge | Response |
|-----------|----------|
| **Zero-click, AI Overviews** | ~30% clicks go to Google-owned properties; AI Overviews ~12–15% SERP share; TOFU (what/why/how) CTR declining |
| **Algorithm volatility** | 5000+ updates/year; traffic swings common; focus on helpful content, E-E-A-T |
| **Response** | Elevate SEO to **search experience optimization**—user-centric, not rank-centric; see **generative-engine-optimization** for AI visibility |

**Channel integration**: SEO + ads (validate keywords, retarget); SEO + influencers (backlinks, mentions); SEO + social (UGC, embeddable content). Plugins/apps: functional links back to site.

## Workflow Order

**Fix foundation before optimizing pages.** Execute in this order:

| Phase | Focus | Skills |
|-------|-------|--------|
| **1. Technical** | Crawlability, indexing, sitemap | robots-txt, xml-sitemap, canonical-tag, indexing, indexnow, site-crawlability |
| **2. On-Page** | Metadata, structure, schema | title-tag, meta-description, page-metadata, schema-markup, internal-links, url-structure, heading-structure |
| **3. Content** | Keywords, clusters, optimization | keyword-research, content-strategy, content-optimization |
| **4. Off-Page** | Backlinks, authority | link-building, backlink-analysis |

Technical issues block indexing and crawl; on-page issues limit how well content ranks; content and off-page build authority over time.

## Product-Led SEO

SEO leverages content you already have—brand, features, scenarios, input, output, prompt, processes, knowledge—published in a structured way. Even without SEO, you'd showcase product features; SEO makes that content benefit you in traffic.

**Principle**: Do SEO around product/users, not around industry/search engines.

### Products Suited for SEO

| Type | Suited because |
|------|----------------|
| **Tool** | Users have clear use cases and needs |
| **Content** | Users have clear information needs |
| **E-commerce** | Users have clear purchase needs |
| **Service** | Users have clear service needs |

**Agent/Copilot products**: Pure native Agent hard to grow via SEO; users rarely search "agent." Release related features first (e.g., CRM, sales bot for sales agent) to build traffic, then funnel to Agent product. See **keyword-research** for product positioning test.

## SEO Audit Approach

| Scenario | Order | Focus |
|----------|-------|-------|
| **New site** | domain-selection → website-structure → Technical → On-Page → Content | Choose domain first (if needed); plan pages; build foundation; add content |
| **Existing site** | Technical audit → On-Page audit → Content gap → Off-Page | Fix crawl/index first; then metadata, schema; then content gaps; then links |
| **Low traffic** | keyword-research → content-strategy → content-optimization | Often content or intent mismatch |
| **Not indexing** | indexing, robots-txt, site-crawlability | Technical blockers |

## SEO Roadmap Priorities

| Priority | Meaning | Examples |
|----------|---------|----------|
| **P0** | Blocker—fix first | Crawlability, indexing, robots blocking |
| **P1** | Core—do soon | Title, meta, schema, sitemap, internal links |
| **P2** | Important—not urgent | Open Graph, Twitter Cards, IndexNow |
| **P3** | Nice to have | Rich results, sitelinks optimization |

## Paid–Organic Alignment

SEO and PPC share the same SERP—ads, AI overviews, videos, organic links. Without alignment, you risk duplication, cannibalization, and wasted spend. **Shared keyword data**: Use **keyword-research** for both; **google-ads** for Search targeting. PPC conversion data can prioritize SEO keywords; organic rank 4+ may reduce need for PPC on those terms.

**Reference**: [Backlinko – SEO and PPC: 8 Smart Ways to Align](https://backlinko.com/seo-and-ppc)

## Alternative SEO Strategies

| Strategy | When | Skill |
|----------|------|-------|
| **Programmatic SEO** | Scale pages with template + data | programmatic-seo |
| **Parasite SEO** | Leverage high-authority platforms | parasite-seo |
| **GEO** | AI search visibility, citations | generative-engine-optimization |
| **Localization** | Multi-language, international | localization-strategy |
| **Multi-domain brand SEO** | Multiple domains; brand query control | multi-domain-brand-seo |

## Output Format

- **Workflow phase** (where you are; what's next)
- **Priority list** (P0–P3 tasks)
- **Skill mapping** (which skill for each task)
- **Recommendation** (start with X; then Y)

**Task tracking**: Use templates/project-task-tracker.md to track task status; references this workflow.

## Related Skills

- **domain-selection**: Initial domain choice (Brand/PMD/EMD, TLD); do before website-structure for new sites
- **website-structure**: Plan which pages to build; do before or alongside Technical phase
- **keyword-research**: Discovery; informs content-strategy, content-optimization, and google-ads
- **google-ads, paid-ads-strategy**: Paid–organic synergy; cold start; PPC data for SEO priority
- **pmf-strategy**: Validate PMF before scaling SEO; cold start uses other channels
- **content-strategy**: Topic clusters, pillar pages; content planning
- **programmatic-seo**: Template-based scale; alternative to manual content
- **parasite-seo**: High-authority platforms; alternative to owned-site SEO
- **generative-engine-optimization**: AI search visibility; complements traditional SEO
- **localization-strategy**: Multi-language SEO
- **domain-architecture**: Domain structure (subfolder/subdomain/independent); do before or with website-structure when multiple products
- **rebranding-strategy**: Domain change, 301 redirects; use when rebranding
- **multi-domain-brand-seo**: Brand search control when Hub and Spoke domains coexist

---
name: retention-strategy
description: When the user wants to reduce churn, improve customer retention, or plan lifecycle marketing. Also use when the user mentions "retention," "churn," "customer lifecycle," "churn prevention," "at-risk customers," or "loyalty program." For lifecycle, use growth-funnel.
metadata:
  version: 1.1.1
---

# Strategies: Retention

Guides customer retention and churn prevention. Acquiring new customers costs 5–25× more than retaining; 5% retention improvement can increase profitability 25–95%. Use this skill when reducing churn, building retention programs, or identifying at-risk customers.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read Sections 4 (Audience), 9 (Documentation).

Identify:
1. **Churn type**: Voluntary (active cancel) vs involuntary (payment failure)
2. **Signals**: Login frequency, feature usage, support tickets
3. **Stage**: Onboarding, expansion, renewal

## Churn Types

| Type | Share | Causes |
|------|-------|--------|
| **Voluntary** | 60–80% | Pricing, missing features, poor onboarding, relationship |
| **Involuntary** | 20–40% | Payment failures, expired cards, billing |

**Predictability**: Most churn is predictable 30–90 days before cancellation via behavioral signals.

## Proactive vs Reactive

| Approach | Conversion |
|----------|------------|
| **Reactive** (after cancel) | 15–20% |
| **Proactive** (before decision) | 60–80% |

Move from lagging indicator to early warning systems.

## Retention Strategies

| Strategy | Use |
|----------|-----|
| **Health scoring** | Behavioral + transactional + relationship signals |
| **Loyalty programs** | 5–15 percentage point retention lift |
| **Segmentation** | Predictive modeling for at-risk |
| **Onboarding** | Prevent low value realization early |
| **Dunning** | Retry logic; pre-expiry card updates for involuntary |

## User Value & Feedback

| Dimension | Use |
|-----------|-----|
| **Product value** | Registration; feature usage; payment |
| **Marketing value** | Testimonials; customer stories; webinar guests; feedback, bug reports, feature requests |
| **Feedback analysis** | Email, community, reviews—AI-assisted analysis; prioritize by impact; route to product vs ops |

**Avoid**: Treating users only as MAU/registration denominators. See **creator-program** for creator ecosystem.

## Lifecycle Integration

Retention occurs after conversion; ongoing investment in customer success, not isolated campaigns. Map touchpoints: onboarding → adoption → expansion → renewal.

## Output Format

- **Churn analysis** (voluntary vs involuntary; signals)
- **Retention tactics** (by stage)
- **Health score** framework (if applicable)
- **Intervention** playbook (at-risk triggers)

## Related Skills

- **email-marketing**: Onboarding sequences; win-back campaigns
- **pmf-strategy**: Retention as PMF signal; churn as anti-signal
- **cold-start-strategy**: First users; differs from retention
- **analytics-tracking**: Usage data; churn signals
- **traffic-analysis**: Attribution; retention cohort analysis

---
name: research-sources
description: When the user wants to find information sources for content ideation, competitor monitoring, or industry tracking. Also use when the user mentions "research sources," "information sources," "content ideation," "industry monitoring," "competitor monitoring," "market intelligence," "content research," or "topic research." For keywords, use keyword-research.
metadata:
  version: 1.1.1
---

# Strategies: Research Sources

Guides selecting and organizing information sources for marketing research: content ideation, competitor monitoring, and industry tracking. Use this skill when planning where to gather signals for content, competitive intelligence, or market trends.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Use Cases

| Use case | Purpose |
|----------|---------|
| **Content ideation** | Topic ideas, trends, gaps for blog, newsletter, social |
| **Competitor monitoring** | Product updates, positioning, pricing, reviews |
| **Industry tracking** | Market shifts, funding, layoffs, regulatory changes |

## Source Categories

| Category | Format | Use |
|----------|--------|-----|
| **News** | Real-time, daily | Breaking news, announcements |
| **Blogs** | Company, analyst | Deep dives, product updates |
| **Newsletters** | Curated, weekly/daily | Trends, summaries; low effort |
| **Events** | Conferences, webinars | Industry pulse, networking |
| **Data** | Layoffs, market cap, funding | Quantitative signals |
| **Community** | Forums, Q&A | Real questions, pain points |
| **Archives** | Wayback, Internet Archive | Historical content, competitor changes |

**Selection criteria**: Authority, freshness, coverage, language/locale. Prefer 10–15 high-quality sources over 50+ low-signal ones.

## Example Sources (Generic)

| Category | Examples |
|----------|----------|
| **News** | TechCrunch, VentureBeat, MIT Technology Review |
| **Blogs** | Google AI Blog, OpenAI Blog, company blogs |
| **Newsletters** | TLDR AI, Ben's Bites, The Batch (DeepLearning.AI) |
| **Data** | Layoffs.fyi, Crunchbase, Companies Market Cap |
| **Archives** | Internet Archive, Wayback Machine |
| **Community** | Reddit, Quora, Stack Overflow; regional (e.g. Qiita for Japan) |

**Note**: Add locale-specific sources via **localization-strategy**; avoid long URL lists.

## By Use Case

| Use case | Source types |
|----------|--------------|
| **Content ideation** | News, blogs, newsletters, community (Reddit, Quora, Stack Overflow) |
| **Competitor monitoring** | Competitor blogs, review sites, social, funding databases |
| **Industry tracking** | News, newsletters, events, layoff/funding data |

**Avoid**: Long URL lists that go stale. Use category framework + a few examples; update periodically.

## Integration with Skills

| Skill | How research sources feed in |
|-------|------------------------------|
| **keyword-research** | Newsletters, community for long-tail and question keywords |
| **competitor-research** | Competitor blogs, review platforms, funding data |
| **content-marketing** | News, blogs for topic ideas; events for timely content |
| **content-strategy** | Industry trends for pillar/cluster planning |

## Output Format

- **Use case** (ideation, competitor, industry)
- **Category** selection (news, blogs, newsletters, etc.)
- **Source** shortlist (5–15; name + purpose)
- **Cadence** (daily scan, weekly digest, event calendar)

## Related Skills

- **keyword-research**: Keyword discovery; research sources inform topics
- **competitor-research**: Competitor analysis; sources for monitoring
- **content-marketing**: Content planning; sources for ideation
- **content-strategy**: Topic clusters; industry signals for pillars

---
name: product-launch
description: When the user wants to plan a product launch, execute launch channels, or create a launch checklist. Also use when the user mentions "product launch," "launch strategy," "product announcement," "launch channels," or "market launch." For GTM motion and positioning, use gtm-strategy. For cold start and first users, use cold-start-strategy. For Product Hunt day-of, use product-hunt-launch.
metadata:
  version: 1.2.0
---

# Strategies: Product Launch

Guides product launch execution—channels, timeline, checklist, and cross-functional coordination. Use this skill when planning the launch of a new product or major feature. For GTM strategy (PLG/SLG/MLG, 90-day framework, ICP, new market entry, repositioning), see **gtm-strategy**. For cold start (first users, no product yet), see **cold-start-strategy**.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read full file.

Identify:
1. **Launch type**: New product, major feature, market expansion
2. **GTM mode**: Sales-led, product-led, marketing-led, hybrid (from **gtm-strategy**)
3. **Channels**: PR, paid, organic, email, events

## Launch Checklist

- [ ] GTM strategy defined (see **gtm-strategy**)
- [ ] PMF validated (see **pmf-strategy**)
- [ ] Target market and ICP clear
- [ ] Messaging consistent across teams
- [ ] Channel mix chosen (PR, paid, organic, email)
- [ ] Timeline and milestones set
- [ ] Cross-functional owners assigned (RACI)

## Channel Mix

| Channel | Use | Skills |
|---------|-----|--------|
| **PR** | Press release, media relations | public-relations |
| **Paid ads** | Scale acquisition post-PMF | paid-ads-strategy |
| **Organic** | SEO, content, community | seo-strategy, content-marketing |
| **Email** | Announcement to existing users | email-marketing |
| **Product Hunt / Directories** | Launch-day buzz; early adopters | cold-start-strategy, directory-submission |

## Critical Success Factors

| Factor | Guideline |
|--------|-----------|
| **PMF first** | Validate product-market fit before scaling; see **pmf-strategy** |
| **GTM alignment** | One clear story; all teams use same messaging; see **gtm-strategy** |
| **Avoid rush** | Most failures = scale before PMF |

## Output Format

- **Launch plan** (timeline, channels, owners)
- **Channel** actions (PR, paid, organic, email)
- **Checklist** (pre-launch, launch, post-launch)
- **Cross-ref** to gtm-strategy for framework

## Related Skills

- **gtm-strategy**: GTM framework; modes, 90-day, ICP, new market, repositioning; product launch implements GTM for new product
- **pmf-strategy**: Validate PMF before scaling
- **cold-start-strategy**: First users; Product Hunt; differs from full GTM launch
- **indie-hacker-strategy**: Indie hacker launch; Build in Public; first 100 users
- **public-relations**: Press release; media relations for launch
- **paid-ads-strategy**: Paid channel for launch
- **website-structure**: Pages needed for launch

---
name: pmf-strategy
description: When the user wants to validate product-market fit, measure PMF, or plan before scaling. Also use when the user mentions "PMF," "product-market fit," "product market fit," "Sean Ellis test," "very disappointed," "vitamin vs painkiller," "PMF validation," "premature scaling," or "validate before scale." For GTM after validation, use gtm-strategy.
metadata:
  version: 1.1.1
---

# Strategies: Product-Market Fit

Guides product-market fit (PMF) validation and measurement. PMF occurs when a product precisely meets market needs, creating widespread demand. ~99% of startups fail primarily due to PMF issues (vitamin problems, premature scaling). Use this skill when validating before scaling, measuring PMF, or diagnosing traction problems.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Definition

**Product-market fit** (Marc Andreessen): "Being in a good market with a product that can satisfy that market."

**Signals**: Customers buying rapidly; usage growing; word-of-mouth spreading organically; high retention, low churn.

## Sean Ellis 40% Test

**Question**: "How would you feel if you could no longer use [product]?"

| Response | Meaning |
|----------|---------|
| **Very disappointed** | Strong PMF signal |
| Somewhat disappointed | — |
| Not disappointed | — |
| N/A – I no longer use | — |

**Threshold**: 40%+ answering "very disappointed" = PMF achieved. Below 40% = iterate.

| Score | Action |
|-------|--------|
| **Below 25%** | Significant changes needed |
| **25–39%** | Close to PMF; iterate and improve |
| **40%+** | PMF achieved |

**Best practice**: Survey 40–50 active users (used product 2+ times in last 14 days). Segment by user type—some segments may have PMF while others don't.

**Limitation**: Combine with retention curves, engagement, organic growth; avoid false positives in early stages.

## Vitamin vs Painkiller

| Type | Definition | Adoption |
|------|-------------|----------|
| **Painkiller** | Solves urgent, acute problems; users actively seek solutions | Fast adoption; high retention; willing to pay |
| **Vitamin** | Nice-to-have; incremental benefit; users can live without | Slow adoption; expensive marketing to succeed |

**~99% of failures**: Solving vitamin problems instead of real pain. Validate: Would users be genuinely inconvenienced if your product vanished?

**Validation**: Talk to users; listen for frustration; run pre-sells; check frequency and time-sensitivity of the problem.

## Key Indicators

| Indicator | Strong PMF |
|-----------|------------|
| **Retention** | High; low churn |
| **CAC vs CLTV** | CAC decreasing relative to CLTV |
| **Activation** | Strong conversion to paying customers |
| **Growth** | Organic; word-of-mouth |
| **NPS** | High; enthusiastic advocacy |

## Common Failures

| Failure | Avoid |
|--------|-------|
| **Vitamin problems** | Solve urgent pain, not nice-to-have |
| **Vanity feedback** | Use retention data, not polite opinions |
| **Premature scaling** | Validate PMF before scaling acquisition |
| **Misalignment** | Customer-problem fit before product-build |

## Product Research & SaaS Context

| Area | Notes |
|------|-------|
| **Product positioning** | Target audience; core value; competitive differentiation |
| **Market research** | Competitor analysis; surveys; interviews to validate assumptions |
| **SaaS form** | Cloud delivery; subscription; ease of use; dependency on industry standardization |
| **Enterprise / ACV** | Customization; data security/private deployment; procurement cycles; buy vs SaaS trade-offs |

**Use**: When discussing PMF for SaaS or enterprise—factor in product research rigor and ACV-specific challenges. See **gtm-strategy** for enterprise GTM.

## PMF as Continuous Process

PMF is increasingly a **continuous validation**—markets evolve; re-measure as you expand. Target "PMF for a niche" first (40%+ in one segment) before broadening.

## Output Format

- **PMF assessment** (current signals, Sean Ellis score if available)
- **Vitamin vs Painkiller** diagnosis
- **Validation** approach (interviews, pre-sells, metrics)
- **Next steps** (iterate vs scale)

## Related Skills

- **cold-start-strategy**: First users; avoid large-scale paid before PMF
- **indie-hacker-strategy**: Indie hacker PMF; monetize day one; Ramen profitability
- **paid-ads-strategy**: PMF testing (small budget) vs conversion-driven (post-PMF)
- **google-ads**: PMF testing with landing page + $47–500
- **gtm-strategy**: GTM framework; PMF validation before scaling GTM
- **product-launch**: Launch execution; validate PMF before scaling
- **retention-strategy**: Retention as PMF signal; churn as anti-signal

---
name: indie-hacker-strategy
description: When the user wants indie hacker or bootstrapping founder strategy—growth, channels, Build in Public, or solo founder tactics. Also use when the user mentions "indie hacker," "indie developer," "bootstrapping," "bootstrapped founder," "solo founder," "Build in Public," "scratch your own itch," "Micro-SaaS," "first 100 users," or "solo company." For cold start, use cold-start-strategy.
metadata:
  version: 1.1.1
---

# Strategies: Indie Hacker

Guides marketing and growth strategy for **indie hackers** (bootstrapped founders, solo developers)—autonomous, small-team or solo, no external funding. Covers mindset, first users, Build in Public, growth channels, and when to use which skills. For cold start execution (launch timeline, Product Hunt, directory submission), see **cold-start-strategy**. For forum tactics (Indie Hackers, HN, Reddit post structure), see **community-forum**. Full guide (cases, resources) → [Alignify – Indie Hacker Complete Guide](https://alignify.co/zh/insights/indie-hackers).

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Definition

**Indie Hacker** = Bootstrapped founder who builds products autonomously, typically 1–3 people, no external funding. Focus: sustainability, profitability, fast iteration—not VC-scale growth.

| Trait | Indie Hacker | VC-backed |
|-------|--------------|-----------|
| **Funding** | Bootstrapping; product revenue | External investment |
| **Growth** | Sustainable; Ramen profitability first | Scale at all costs |
| **Control** | Full autonomy | Investor reporting |
| **Timeline** | Long game; niche focus | Fast expansion |

## Core Concepts

| Concept | Meaning |
|---------|---------|
| **Bootstrapping** | Self-funded; use product revenue to grow; no equity dilution |
| **MVP** | Minimum viable product; ship fast, validate, iterate |
| **Build in Public** | Share progress, metrics, failures openly; attracts early adopters |
| **Scratch your own itch** | Solve your own problem first; others likely have it too |

## Pieter Levels Playbook

| Tactic | Guideline |
|--------|-----------|
| **Ship fast, fix later** | Launch ugly but functional MVPs; Nomad List started as Google Sheet + Stripe; Photo AI made $150K first week despite initial flaws |
| **Monetize from day one** | Add payment button at launch; validate willingness to pay, not just usage |
| **Automate everything** | Scripts, APIs, no-code; run without employees |
| **Build in public** | Share metrics openly; 600K+ followers; "Day 1: building X. Day 3: first customer" attracts early adopters |

**Reference**: [Pieter Levels: The One-Man Startup Empire](https://www.systemscowboy.com/pieter-levels-indie-hacker-strategy/)

## First 100 Users (Indie Hacker Tactics)

| Phase | Tactic |
|-------|--------|
| **First 5** | Direct DMs to people who'd genuinely benefit |
| **Next ~15** | Conversations in communities where target users hang out (Reddit, Indie Hackers) |
| **Scale to 50** | Build in public with visible metrics |
| **Reach 100** | Double down on what works; don't add new channels until one consistently converts |

**Niche products**: Reddit (60/100 users in one case), Discord (25), Indie Hackers (15). Twitter/HN may yield 0 for niche—target existing conversations in niche communities. **Reference**: [How I got my first 100 users - Indie Hackers](https://www.indiehackers.com/post/how-i-got-my-first-100-users-2fc9d71c34), [Indie10k – First 100 Users](https://indie10k.com/blog/get-first-100-users)

### Traction Triangle

1. **Clear Offer** — "I built X to help Y do Z"
2. **Right Channel** — Go where your niche congregates
3. **Social Proof** — Screenshots, roadmaps, user feedback, rapid shipping

## Build in Public (Content Framework)

| Content Mix | Share |
|-------------|-------|
| **40%** | Learnings |
| **30%** | Progress updates |
| **20%** | Challenges, failures |
| **10%** | Helping others |

**Principles**: Transparency over perfection; authenticity over polish; consistency over intensity; value over self-promotion (90/10 rule). Post weekly minimum; engage two-way. Founders who build in public see ~4.2× more day-one users; ~34% of launch users from audience. **Reference**: [Building in Public: Complete Strategy 2026](https://getathenic.com/blog/building-in-public-startup-strategy-2026), [Indie Hackers Marketing 2025](https://awesome-directories.com/blog/indie-hackers-launch-strategy-guide-2025/)

## Growth Channels (Indie Hacker Fit)

| Channel | Fit | Conversion | Skill |
|---------|-----|------------|-------|
| **Indie Hackers** | Sustained 4–6 months; authentic journey | ~23% vs PH 3% | community-forum |
| **Product Hunt** | Launch-day buzz | ~3% | product-hunt-launch, cold-start-strategy |
| **Reddit** | Niche subreddits; 5+ months; lead with story | Varies by niche | reddit-posts, community-forum |
| **Twitter/X** | Breadth, fastest follower growth | — | twitter-x-posts |
| **LinkedIn** | Higher customer conversion than X | — | linkedin-posts |
| **Discord** | Niche communities; strong for first 100 | — | community-forum |
| **SEO** | Long-term organic; Micro-SaaS, tools | — | seo-strategy |
| **LTD / AppSumo** | Fast revenue, validation | — | discount-marketing-strategy |
| **Founder-led outbound** | B2B, high ACV; 10–15 DMs/day | — | cold-start-strategy |

**Principle**: 2–3 channels executed well > many poorly. Twitter/X for breadth; LinkedIn for conversion. Indie Hackers + SEO or Product Hunt + Reddit common combos.

## Indie Hackers Platform Tactics

- **Sustained engagement**: 4–6 months; not one-time launch
- **Content**: Authentic journey posts, small wins, lessons learned, relatable struggles
- **Promotion**: Product "sprinkled within" content; avoid heavy promotion
- **Result**: ~12.5% conversion from authentic sharing; Plausible Analytics 24% trial vs PH 1.38%
- **Build in Public**: Share progress, metrics, failures openly

For HN launch, Reddit post structure, Discord tactics → **community-forum**.

## Product Types & Growth Fit

| Type | Example | Growth Focus |
|------|---------|--------------|
| **Micro-SaaS** | Nomad List, Tweet Hunter, SiteGPT | SEO, Indie Hackers, Product Hunt |
| **AI tools** | Photo AI, Interior AI, AutoShorts.ai | Product Hunt, Twitter, LTD |
| **Digital products** | Templates, plugins, themes | SEO, content |
| **Content** | Blog, course, tools | SEO, content-marketing |

## Monetization & Pricing

| Model | Use | Skill |
|-------|-----|-------|
| **SaaS (subscription)** | Monthly/annual; stable revenue | pricing-strategy |
| **One-time purchase** | Tools, templates; lower overhead | pricing-strategy |
| **LTD** | Fast validation; cold start | discount-marketing-strategy |
| **Diversified revenue** | Multiple products; lower risk | — |

**Principle**: Monetize early; add payment on day 1 to validate demand. Ramen profitability = first milestone. Avoid platform dependency (e.g., Twitter API).

## Multi-Channel Launch (Indie Hacker)

| Week | Focus |
|------|-------|
| 1–2 | Audience building (LinkedIn 3×/week) |
| 3–4 | Beta; community engagement |
| 5 | Pre-launch countdown |
| 6 | Product Hunt + Reddit/Indie Hackers |
| 7 | Post-launch follow-up |

**Build in public** before launch. For full launch checklist → **cold-start-strategy**.

## When to Use Which Skill

| Scenario | Skill |
|----------|-------|
| First users, launch timeline, Product Hunt | cold-start-strategy |
| Indie Hackers, HN, Reddit post structure, Discord | community-forum |
| PMF validation before scale | pmf-strategy |
| SEO for organic growth | seo-strategy |
| LTD structure, pricing | discount-marketing-strategy |
| Product Hunt, Taaft, G2 submission | product-hunt-launch, directory-submission |
| Full GTM (new product, 90-day) | gtm-strategy, product-launch |

## Output Format

- **Channel** selection (2–3; fit for indie)
- **First 100 users** plan (DMs, communities, Build in Public)
- **Build in Public** content mix (40/30/20/10)
- **Skill mapping** (cold-start, community-forum, seo-strategy, etc.)
- **Timeline** (pre-launch, launch, sustained)

## Related Skills

- **cold-start-strategy**: Launch timeline, Product Hunt, directory submission; first users execution
- **open-source-strategy**: Open source commercialization; GitHub, DevHunt; Build in Public for OSS
- **community-forum**: Indie Hackers, HN, Reddit, Discord tactics; forum post structure
- **pmf-strategy**: Validate before scaling; avoid large paid before PMF
- **seo-strategy**: Organic growth; Micro-SaaS, tools
- **discount-marketing-strategy**: LTD structure; cold start revenue
- **product-hunt-launch**: Product Hunt preparation and launch
- **directory-submission**: Taaft, G2, curated lists
- **gtm-strategy**: Full GTM framework; new product launch
- **product-launch**: Launch execution; channels, checklist
- **twitter-x-posts, linkedin-posts**: Build in Public post copy
- **reddit-posts**: Reddit post copy for cold-start

---
name: gtm-strategy
description: When the user wants to plan go-to-market strategy, GTM framework, or market entry. Also use when the user mentions "GTM," "go-to-market," "market entry," "new market," "repositioning," "PLG," "sales-led," "product-led," "marketing-led," "ICP," "buyer persona," "GTM motion," or "market expansion." For launch checklist, use product-launch.
metadata:
  version: 1.1.1
---

# Strategies: Go-to-Market

Guides go-to-market (GTM) strategy—the blueprint for launching or repositioning a product that aligns product, marketing, sales, and customer success around reaching and winning target customers. Organizations with documented GTM see ~10% higher success rates and 3× revenue growth; ~72% of B2B miss GTM targets in year 1, often due to execution gaps. Use this skill when planning GTM for product launch, new market entry, repositioning, or feature launch.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## GTM Scenarios

| Scenario | Scope | Use |
|----------|-------|-----|
| **Product launch** | New product to market | Full GTM; see **product-launch** for launch execution |
| **New market entry** | New geography or segment | Full GTM; different buying behaviors, competitors, regulations |
| **Repositioning** | Shift who you serve, what you solve | Messaging, ICP, channel alignment; not just rebrand |
| **Feature launch** | New capability in existing product | Tiered by impact; T1 (revenue) = full planning; T2/T3 = lighter |

**GTM vs product launch**: GTM is the strategy; product launch is the execution phase. GTM applies to multiple scenarios—not just new products.

## GTM Modes

| Mode | When to Use | ACV | Buyer |
|------|-------------|-----|-------|
| **Product-led (PLG)** | Value in minutes; self-evaluate; simple adoption | <$10K | Buyer = end user |
| **Sales-led (SLG)** | Multi-stakeholder; complex procurement; implementation | >$25K | Enterprise; negotiation |
| **Marketing-led (MLG)** | Content, SEO, paid drive awareness; market education | Varies | Demand gen focus |
| **Hybrid** | PLG for acquisition; sales for expansion | Common | Self-serve → sales handoff |

**Decision factors**: ACV, product complexity, buyer profile, how customers want to buy. Target LTV:CAC ≥3:1; CAC payback <12 months.

## 90-Day Execution Framework

| Phase | Weeks | Focus |
|-------|-------|-------|
| **Market analysis** | 1–3 | Validate demand; competitive landscape; TAM; buying signals |
| **Strategy design** | 4–6 | ICP, personas; positioning; pricing; GTM mode; channels |
| **Execution build** | 7–9 | Messaging, content, sales playbook; tech stack |
| **Launch & iterate** | 10–12 | Go live; measure; iterate |

**Key**: Connect plan to real buying activity within 90 days—not disconnected strategy documents.

## ICP vs Buyer Persona

| Type | Level | Defines |
|------|-------|---------|
| **ICP** | Company | Which organizations deliver best unit economics; firmographics (industry, size, revenue), technographics, problem intensity |
| **Buyer persona** | Individual | Decision-makers within target companies; roles, goals, pain points, objections, preferred channels |

**ICP impact**: Defined ICPs → ~68% higher conversion, ~50% lower CAC, ~30% shorter sales cycles. Include negative profiles (explicit disqualifiers) to protect pipeline quality.

## Market Analysis

| Element | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| **TAM** | Total addressable market; named account lists; primary TAM, serviceable TAM, accounts with buying signals |
| **Competitive landscape** | Customer bases, strengths, weaknesses, positioning claims |
| **Buying patterns** | Replace assumptions with data; customer pain points; decision criteria |

## Enterprise / High-ACV Challenges

| Challenge | Mitigation |
|-----------|------------|
| **Customization** | Product modularity; professional services; clear scope |
| **Data security / private deployment** | On-prem or private cloud; compliance; security certifications |
| **Procurement cycles** | Multi-stakeholder alignment; champion building; long sales cycles |
| **Buy vs SaaS** | Total cost of ownership; flexibility; ongoing value |

**Use**: When GTM targets enterprise or high-ACV—expect longer cycles, procurement, and security requirements.

## New Market Entry

~70% of international market entries fail within two years—often from overestimating demand, underestimating execution, spreading resources thin.

| Entry model | Trade-off |
|-------------|-----------|
| **Organic expansion** | High control; slower; capital-intensive |
| **Strategic partnerships** | Faster access; shared risk; reduced control |
| **M&A / Acquisition** | Immediate presence; high integration risk |
| **Asset-light** (EOR, outsourcing) | Fastest; minimal upfront; market testing |
| **Pilot testing** | Lowest commitment; validation |

**Critical**: Domestic playbook won't transfer. Buying behaviors vary (self-service US vs consultation-heavy Europe vs relationship-driven APAC); competitive landscapes shift; regulatory complexity multiplies (GDPR, data localization).

## Repositioning

**Repositioning** = Strategic shift in who you serve, what problem you solve, where you play. **Rebranding** = Visual/verbal expression (logo, voice). Repositioning ≠ rebrand.

| When to reposition | Avoid |
|--------------------|-------|
| Moving upmarket (SMB → enterprise) | Quick fix for missed quarters |
| New geography with different dynamics | Leadership boredom |
| ICP fundamentally changed | |
| Major pivot, launch, or acquisition | |

**Success factors**: Research-driven (customer discovery, market analysis); cross-functional alignment (sales, marketing, product, clinical); sharp differentiation.

## Cross-Functional Alignment

- **RACI**: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed—clarify roles across teams
- **Shared timelines, tools, accountability**
- **Consistent messaging** across all channels

## Output Format

- **Scenario** (product launch, new market, repositioning, feature)
- **GTM mode** (PLG/SLG/MLG/Hybrid) recommendation
- **90-day** phase plan
- **ICP** and **persona** (or link to project-context)
- **Market analysis** checklist
- **Launch** execution → see **product-launch**

## Related Skills

- **product-launch**: Launch execution; channels, timeline, checklist; implements GTM for product launch
- **pmf-strategy**: Validate PMF before scaling GTM
- **cold-start-strategy**: First users; differs from full GTM (0→1 vs commercialization)
- **rebranding-strategy**: Domain change, 301, announcement; when repositioning includes rebrand
- **localization-strategy**: New market entry; i18n, multilingual
- **paid-ads-strategy**: Ad channel for GTM
- **website-structure**: Pages needed for GTM
- **branding**: Positioning, differentiation; GTM messaging foundation

---
name: growth-funnel
description: When the user wants to plan growth using the AARRR framework, diagnose growth bottlenecks, or map actions across the customer lifecycle. Also use when the user mentions "growth funnel," "AARRR," "pirate metrics," "acquisition activation retention," "customer lifecycle metrics," or "growth framework." For retention tactics, use retention-strategy.
metadata:
  version: 1.1.1
---

# Strategies: Growth Funnel (AARRR)

Guides growth using the AARRR framework (Pirate Metrics)—five stages of the customer lifecycle. Created by Dave McClure (500 Startups) to focus on actionable metrics over vanity metrics. Use this skill when diagnosing growth bottlenecks, prioritizing improvements, or aligning product, marketing, and customer success.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## AARRR Framework

| Stage | Question | Key metrics |
|-------|----------|-------------|
| **Acquisition** | How do users discover you? | CAC, CPA, conversion by source |
| **Activation** | Do users reach "aha moment"? | Activation rate, time-to-first-value |
| **Retention** | Do users return? | D1/D7/D30 retention, churn |
| **Referral** | Do users recommend? | Referral rate, NPS, viral coefficient |
| **Revenue** | Do users pay? | Conversion rate, ARPU, LTV |

**Principle**: Define behavior-based events per stage; analyze by cohort. Quality over volume—channels bringing fewer but more activated users often outperform.

## Per-Stage Actions

| Stage | Actions | Related skills |
|-------|---------|----------------|
| **Acquisition** | SEO, paid ads, content, partnerships, directories, marketplaces | cold-start-strategy, seo-strategy, paid-ads-strategy, directory-submission, distribution-channels |
| **Activation** | Onboarding, use-case guidance, FAQ, case studies, free trials, trust signals | conversion-optimization, faq-page-generator, customer-stories-page-generator |
| **Retention** | Support, churn analysis, feedback, loyalty, dunning | retention-strategy, email-marketing |
| **Referral** | Referral program, affiliate, case study sharing | referral-program, affiliate-marketing |
| **Revenue** | Pricing, conversion optimization, CAC vs LTV analysis | pricing-strategy, conversion-optimization, paid-ads-strategy |

## Tactics by Stage

| Stage | Tactics |
|-------|---------|
| **Acquisition** | Google ads (keywords, display); organic SEO; social (LinkedIn, YouTube, X, blog); partnerships (NGOs, SMBs); directories, marketplaces |
| **Activation** | Use-case guidance; video + blog tutorials; FAQ; case studies; free trials/credits; new-feature promotion; email; trust signals (reviews, media) |
| **Retention** | Timely support; churn analysis; feedback collection; loyalty perks (credits, early access) |
| **Referral** | Referral credits; signup email with referral CTA; enterprise case sharing; affiliate program |
| **Revenue** | Conversion optimization; platform attribution; CAC vs LTV; post-campaign traffic analysis |

**Post-campaign**: Analyze traffic and conversion by channel; reallocate budget to top performers.

## Implementation

- **Events**: Define precise, behavior-based events for each stage
- **Cohorts**: Analyze by cohort, not aggregate; compare cohorts over time
- **Bottlenecks**: Identify stage with largest drop-off; prioritize there first
- **Cross-functional**: Product, marketing, customer success share common language

## Output Format

- **Stage** assessment (where are you strong/weak?)
- **Metrics** per stage (current, target)
- **Actions** prioritized by bottleneck
- **Related** skills for each stage

## Related Skills

- **cold-start-strategy**: Acquisition for 0→1; first users
- **retention-strategy**: Retention and churn prevention
- **conversion-optimization**: Activation, revenue conversion
- **referral-program**: Referral stage tactics
- **gtm-strategy**: Full GTM; growth-funnel is lifecycle view
- **integrated-marketing**: Channel mix across stages

---
name: conversion-optimization
description: When the user wants to improve conversion rates, run A/B tests, optimize funnels, or reduce friction. Also use when the user mentions "CRO," "conversion rate optimization," "A/B test," "split test," "funnel optimization," "checkout optimization," "form optimization," or "conversion funnel." For pricing psychology, use pricing-strategy.
metadata:
  version: 1.1.1
---

# Strategies: Conversion Optimization

Guides conversion rate optimization (CRO): increasing the percentage of visitors who complete desired actions. Higher conversion rates mean increased revenue, reduced CAC, and better ROI. Use this skill when optimizing funnels, running experiments, or reducing friction on high-traffic pages.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read Sections 4 (Audience), 5 (Website), 6 (Keywords).

Identify:
1. **Funnel stage**: Awareness, consideration, decision, post-purchase
2. **Conversion goal**: Signup, purchase, download, demo request
3. **Traffic**: Volume; mobile vs desktop split
4. **Current conversion rate**: Baseline for improvement

## CRO Process

| Step | Action |
|------|--------|
| **1. Research** | Map funnel; identify high-traffic, low-conversion pages |
| **2. Hypothesize** | Form testable hypothesis (if X, then Y because Z) |
| **3. Prioritize** | Score by Potential, Importance, Ease (PIE) |
| **4. Test** | A/B or multivariate; adequate sample size |
| **5. Analyze** | Statistical significance; implement winner |

## PIE Prioritization Framework

Score each test idea 1–10:

| Factor | Question |
|--------|----------|
| **Potential** | How much improvement is possible? |
| **Importance** | How much traffic does this page get? |
| **Ease** | How easy to implement? |

Rank backlog by total score; run highest-impact tests first.

## A/B Testing Best Practices

| Practice | Guideline |
|----------|-----------|
| **Sample size** | Calculate minimum before launch; 95% significance without adequate sample = false positives |
| **Duration** | Run full week cycles; account for day-of-week effects |
| **One variable** | Test one element per experiment (or use MVT for multiple) |
| **Mobile separate** | Mobile converts ~50% of desktop; test mobile independently—thumb reach, form complexity differ |
| **Low traffic** | Use Bayesian testing for faster, actionable results |

## Key Testing Areas

| Page Type | Test Ideas |
|-----------|------------|
| **Homepage** | Search bar prominence; personalized content; hero CTA; social proof placement |
| **Landing page** | Headline; form length; CTA copy; above-fold layout |
| **Product/Category** | Quick view; descriptions; add-to-cart placement |
| **Checkout** | Form fields; progress indicator; trust badges; guest checkout |
| **Pricing** | Plan order; anchoring; CTA per tier |

**Personalization**: Personalized experiences generate ~41% more impact than generic ones.

## Commercialization Infrastructure

| Module | Purpose |
|--------|---------|
| **Data & BI** | Data warehouse; user behavior events; agile surveys |
| **A/B testing** | Experiment platform; statistical significance; backend-controlled variants |
| **User education** | Help docs (multi-language); update notifications; EDM |
| **Attribution** | Ad pixels; attribution model; impression-to-click-to-sale tracking |

**Avoid**: Intrusive interstitials; popups that block content. Prefer non-intrusive ad formats.

## Foundational Requirements

- **Analytics**: Map funnels; identify drop-off points (analytics-tracking, traffic-analysis)
- **Qualitative**: Heatmaps, session recordings, user tests—understand *why* drop-off occurs
- **Technical**: Dedicated resources for 2–4 tests/month; maintain momentum

## Output Format

- **Funnel map** (stages, conversion rates, drop-off)
- **Hypothesis** (if X, then Y because Z)
- **Test plan** (variant, metric, sample size, duration)
- **Implementation** checklist

## Related Skills

- **landing-page-generator**: Landing page structure and copy
- **cta-generator**: CTA design and placement
- **analytics-tracking**: GA4, events, conversion tracking
- **traffic-analysis**: Attribution, funnel analysis
- **copywriting**: Headline, CTA copy for tests

---
name: cold-start-strategy
description: When the user wants to plan cold start, get first users, or launch a new product with zero traction. Also use when the user mentions "cold start," "cold start problem," "first users," "seed users," "finding users," "finding early users," "Fiverr Upwork," "comment outreach," "Twitter search users," "product launch strategy," "0 to 1 growth," "early-stage acquisition," "launch channels," "get first customers," "Product Hunt launch," "AppSumo," "LTD," "indie hacker," "bootstrapping," or "solo founder." For directory listing copy and submissions, use directory-submission. For Product Hunt day-of execution, use product-hunt-launch. For GTM motion design, use gtm-strategy.
metadata:
  version: 1.3.0
---

# Strategies: Cold Start

Guides cold start strategy for AI/SaaS products: getting first users and traction when you have zero. The cold start problem is overcoming the chicken-and-egg barrier; most startups fail due to poor distribution, not product quality. For **indie hacker** context (first 100 users, Build in Public, Pieter Levels tactics), see **indie-hacker-strategy**.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read it for product, audience, and positioning.

Identify:
1. **Product type**: AI tool, SaaS, app, B2B, B2C
2. **Target audience**: Where they spend time
3. **Budget**: Zero, minimal ($500–1K), or moderate
4. **Timeline**: Pre-launch, launch week, post-launch

## Cold Start Channels

| Channel | Audience | Use | Notes |
|---------|----------|-----|-------|
| **Product Hunt** | Indie makers, early adopters | Launch-day buzz; community upvotes | ~3% conversion; traffic spike; see **product-hunt-launch** |
| **AppSumo / LTD** | Deal seekers, early adopters | Lifetime deal for fast revenue, validation | Quick cash; price-sensitive users; see **discount-marketing-strategy** for LTD structure, trade-offs |
| **Reddit** | Subreddit-specific | r/AlphaAndBetaUsers, r/roastmystartup, r/devops, r/SaaS | 80/20 rule; 5+ months for traction; lead with story |
| **Indie Hackers** | Indie makers, founders | Sustained engagement; authentic journey | ~23% conversion; 4–6 months; see **indie-hacker-strategy** for tactics |
| **Hacker News** | Tech, startups | Show HN launch | Luck + timing; front page = traffic spike |
| **Directory submission** | AI tools, product launch | Taaft, G2, niche directories | Validate PMF; seed users; see **directory-submission** |
| **Founder-led outbound** | B2B, high ACV | Cold email, LinkedIn; 10–15 personalized outreaches/day | Pre-$5K MRR; only reliable path when ACV >$500/mo |
| **Community engagement** | Target users | Forums, LinkedIn groups, Discord | 45–90 days; contribute value first |

## Finding Users: Demand-Signal Outreach

Low-cost ways to find and reach users who are already expressing need. Use when Product Hunt, directories, or forums are not enough.

### Social Platform Search

Search Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Reddit, and niche communities for demand signals:

| Signal | What to seek |
|--------|--------------|
| **Keywords** | Industry terms, category keywords, "looking for [X] tool," "best alternative to [Y]" |
| **Discussion** | Industry threads, complaints about competitors, "anyone used…" or "recommend…" posts |
| **Platform** | Choose where your audience spends time (Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Reddit, Discord, vertical forums) |

### Freelance Platforms (Fiverr, Upwork)

| Step | Practice |
|------|----------|
| **Search** | Service requests related to your product (e.g. "need logo design," "looking for video editor") |
| **Identify** | Buyers in job descriptions or comments who have related needs |
| **Reach** | Offer help or tool recommendation; introduce product politely |

Users often have clear need and budget; high intent.

### Comment Outreach (Twitter/X, etc.)

| Practice | Guideline |
|----------|-----------|
| **Search** | Brand, category, "looking for AI tool," "best alternative to…" |
| **Reply** | Comment on posts where users express need; avoid spam |
| **Tone** | Sincere; honest that it's your product; invite trial and feedback |
| **Avoid** | Hard sell; copy-paste; repeated posting |

**Example outreach**: "Hi, I'm building something similar. If you'd like to try it: [link]. Happy to hear any feedback—we're iterating actively."

**Feedback collection**: DM, email, survey, user interview, in-app feedback—choose by channel and context.

## Multi-Channel Launch (6–7 Week)

Coordinated launch across channels yields 5–6× more users than single-channel:

| Week | Focus |
|------|-------|
| 1–2 | Audience building (LinkedIn 3×/week) |
| 3–4 | Beta; community engagement |
| 5 | Pre-launch countdown |
| 6 | Product Hunt + Reddit/Indie Hackers |
| 7 | Post-launch follow-up |

**Build in public** before launch—share progress, validate ideas, create invested audience. For indie hacker first 100 users, Build in Public content framework (40/30/20/10), Pieter Levels tactics → **indie-hacker-strategy**.

## Pre-Launch

- **Validate demand**: 10–15 target user conversations; 20–30 before launch
- **Waitlist**: 8–12 weeks before launch; target 200–1,000 signups
- **Landing page**: Ready; screenshots, description, media kit
- **Avoid**: Perfectionism; large-scale paid ads before PMF—see **paid-ads-strategy**. Small-budget Google Ads for PMF testing is valid.

## What Doesn't Work Early

- Hiring SDRs before founder has closed 10 customers
- Large-scale paid ads before product-market fit—see **paid-ads-strategy**. Small-budget PMF testing (e.g., $47–500 Google Ads + landing page) is valid.
- Sporadic execution; "spray and pray" targeting
- Mass submission to low-quality directories

## Output Format

- **Channel** selection (2–3 channels; execute well)
- **Timeline** (pre-launch, launch, post-launch)
- **Readiness** checklist
- **Platform-specific** actions (Product Hunt, Reddit, etc.)

## Related Skills

- **pmf-strategy**: Product-market fit validation; when to scale; avoid large-scale paid before PMF
- **gtm-strategy**: Full GTM framework; cold start differs (0→1 vs commercialization)
- **paid-ads-strategy**: Two modes—PMF testing (small budget) vs conversion-driven (post-PMF); when to add paid after cold start
- **google-ads**: PMF testing setup; small-budget validation
- **discount-marketing-strategy**: LTD structure, pricing, trade-offs; cold start uses LTD as channel
- **product-hunt-launch**: Product Hunt preparation and launch
- **directory-submission**: Taaft, G2, curated lists—directory listings as cold-start channel
- **community-forum**: Indie Hackers, HN, Reddit—forum/community as cold-start channel
- **reddit-posts**: Reddit post copy for cold-start posts
- **integrated-marketing**: Channel mix; cold start is early-stage channel strategy
- **media-kit-page-generator**: Assets required for Product Hunt and directory submissions
- **indie-hacker-strategy**: Indie hacker first 100 users; Build in Public; Pieter Levels tactics; channel fit; this skill = generic cold start; indie-hacker = indie-specific

---
name: pricing-strategy
description: When the user wants to plan, design, or optimize pricing strategy and structure. Also use when the user mentions "pricing strategy," "pricing model," "pricing tiers," "freemium," "value-based pricing," "anchoring," "price structure," or "monetization strategy." For pricing page, use pricing-page-generator.
metadata:
  version: 1.0.1
---

# Strategies: Pricing

Guides pricing strategy and structure for SaaS, tools, and products. Covers pricing models, tier design, anchoring, and when to apply discounts. For pricing **page** content and layout, see **pricing-page-generator**. For **discount** and promotional pricing, see **discount-marketing-strategy**.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read it for product, value proposition, and competitors.

Identify:
1. **Product type**: SaaS, tool, e-commerce
2. **Value metric**: What drives value (seats, usage, features)
3. **Market**: Competitor pricing; willingness to pay
4. **Goals**: Revenue, adoption, retention

## Pricing Models

| Model | Use |
|-------|-----|
| **Subscription** | Recurring; monthly/annual; most SaaS |
| **Freemium** | Free tier + paid; adoption then conversion |
| **Usage-based** | Pay per use; API, credits |
| **One-time** | Perpetual license; some tools |
| **Hybrid** | Base + usage; tiered + overage |

**Variable-cost products** (compute, API, AI): When per-user cost varies widely (heavy users cost 10×+ light users), uniform subscription often fails. Use usage-based, credits, or tiered-by-usage; align price to cost structure.

## Tier Design

- **2–4 tiers** typical; avoid too many options
- **Differentiation**: Clear "best for" per tier; feature gates
- **Anchoring**: Lead with mid-tier or annual; make target option obvious
- **Value metric**: Align price to value (seats, projects, API calls)

## Anchoring & Presentation

- **Annual discount**: 15–25% for annual prepay; improves cash flow
- **Decoy**: Higher tier makes mid-tier look better
- **Most popular**: Highlight recommended plan
- **Price display**: Monthly vs annual; show savings

## When to Use Discounts

Discounts apply on top of base pricing. See **discount-marketing-strategy** for:

- Annual commitment discounts
- First-time / new customer promotions
- Lifetime deals (LTD)
- Seasonal (BFCM)
- Referral, contest, affiliate codes

**Principle**: Set base price for long-term value; use discounts tactically for acquisition, retention, or cash flow.

## Output Format

- **Pricing model** recommendation
- **Tier structure** (plans, features, price points)
- **Anchoring** approach
- **Discount** fit (when to use; reference discount-marketing-strategy)
- **pricing-page-generator** (page execution)

## Related Skills

- **discount-marketing-strategy**: Promotional pricing; when and how to discount
- **pricing-page-generator**: Pricing page content, structure, conversion
- **landing-page-generator**: Click-through to pricing
- **localization-strategy**: Pricing by market (true localization vs cosmetic); see Pricing Strategies section

---
name: discount-marketing-strategy
description: When the user wants to plan, implement, or optimize discount and promotional pricing strategy. Also use when the user mentions "discount strategy," "promo code," "coupon," "redeem code," "lifetime deal," "LTD," "AppSumo," "Black Friday," "Cyber Monday," "BFCM," "seasonal sale," or "promotional pricing." For pricing page, use pricing-page-generator.
metadata:
  version: 1.1.1
---

# Strategies: Discount Marketing

Guides discount and promotional pricing strategy for SaaS, e-commerce, and tools. Covers discount structures, lifetime deals (LTD), redeem codes, Black Friday / Cyber Monday, and campaign design. Aligns with **pricing-strategy** (base price structure); discounts apply on top of base pricing.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read it for product, pricing, and goals.

Identify:
1. **Product type**: SaaS, e-commerce, tool
2. **Goal**: Acquisition, retention, cash flow, annual plan promotion
3. **Discount type**: One-time, recurring, LTD, campaign
4. **Constraints**: LTV:CAC, margin, support capacity

## Discount Structures (SaaS)

| Type | Typical Range | Use |
|------|---------------|-----|
| **Annual commitment** | 15–25% | Improve cash flow, reduce churn; Slack, Zoom, HubSpot |
| **Volume-based** | 10–40% | Enterprise; scale by seat/volume; Atlassian, Salesforce |
| **First-time / new customer** | 15–30% | Overcome hesitation; 3–12 months; below 15% rarely moves behavior; above 30% attracts price-sensitive, higher churn |
| **Lifetime deal (LTD)** | One-time; heavily discounted | Cold start, AppSumo; fast cash upfront; see LTD section below |

**Financial guardrails**: Ensure LTV:CAC supports discount; set qualification criteria (timeline, use case, contract length).

## Lifetime Deal (LTD) / AppSumo

LTD = one-time payment for lifelong access instead of recurring subscription. Common for cold start and deal platforms.

### Benefits

| Benefit | Notes |
|---------|-------|
| **Immediate cash flow** | Upfront lump sum; reinvest in product |
| **Cost-effective acquisition** | Community-driven; word-of-mouth; lower CAC |
| **User feedback** | LTD buyers are engaged; direct feedback for roadmap |
| **Audience access** | AppSumo: 500K+ users, 2K+ affiliates |

### Challenges

| Risk | Mitigation |
|-----|------------|
| **Revenue cannibalization** | Tiered LTD; upsell to premium; limit scope |
| **Resource strain** | Support, infra, dev capacity; plan for surge |
| **Commission** | AppSumo takes cut; factor into pricing |
| **Pricing perception** | May undervalue vs subscription; position clearly |

### When to Use

- **Cold start**: Zero traction; need fast revenue; see **cold-start-strategy**
- **Validation**: Test product-market fit; price-sensitive early adopters
- **Platform**: AppSumo, similar deal platforms; top 1% acceptance

**Cold start**: LTD is one channel in cold-start-strategy. Use **cold-start-strategy** for full launch planning; use **discount-marketing-strategy** for LTD structure, pricing, and trade-offs.

## Redeem Code / Coupon

### Types

| Type | Use |
|------|-----|
| **Percentage** | % off; feels more valuable for higher-priced items |
| **Fixed amount** | $ off; better for lower cart values |
| **Product-specific** | Clear inventory; promote collections |
| **BOGO / buy X get Y** | Increase cart size |
| **Free shipping** | With or without minimum order |

### Goals

- Convert hesitant shoppers; reduce cart abandonment (~70% abandonment)
- Track by channel; unique codes per campaign
- Segment customers; targeted discounts
- Retention; loyalty programs

### Implementation

- **Conditions**: Valid codes; minimum order; product eligibility
- **Validation**: Automated at checkout
- **Tracking**: Redemption data; attribution
- **Placement**: Top banner (30–50% redemption lift when used well); popup; email; see **top-banner-generator**, **popup-generator**

## Black Friday / Cyber Monday (BFCM)

### Timing

- **Launch**: Early November (e.g. Nov 7); lower promo volume post-election
- **Peak**: Monday before Thanksgiving; 40%+ of email campaigns contain discounts by then
- **Planning**: Start October

### Strategy

| Approach | Notes |
|----------|-------|
| **Strategic pricing** | 10–25% often outperforms deep cuts; quality and loyalty over rock-bottom |
| **Price anchoring** | Multiple options: e.g. $1 first month OR 50% off annual |
| **Psychological triggers** | Countdown; "cancel anytime"; % discount prominent |
| **Multi-channel** | Email, website, paid; personalized; peak send 9–10am ET Black Friday |
| **Post-holiday** | Retarget; segment; shift messaging |

## Campaign Types

| Campaign | Use | Related |
|----------|-----|---------|
| **BFCM** | Seasonal; Nov | See BFCM section above |
| **LTD** | Cold start; AppSumo | See LTD section |
| **Referral reward** | Discount/credits for referrer and referee | **referral-program** |
| **Contest / giveaway** | Prize = product, discount, cash | **contest-page-generator** |
| **Startups / education** | Special pricing for segment | **education-program**, **startups-page-generator** |
| **Forum / community** | Discount codes in niche forums | **community-forum** |
| **Affiliate** | Coupon sites; affiliate-specific codes | **affiliate-marketing** |

## Promotional Materials

| Type | Use |
|------|-----|
| **Banner / poster** | Website, events; attract attention |
| **Brochure** | Handout; company overview |
| **Logo stickers** | Brand exposure |
| **Website prep** | Promo landing page; banner for BFCM, seasonal; see **top-banner-generator** |
| **Media kit** | For press, partners; see **media-kit-page-generator** |

**Corporate materials**: Company overview, annual report, product info—for investor/partner meetings; printable for events.

## Implementation Best Practices

- **Clear objectives**: Define goals (e.g. +20% trial signups, -5% churn)
- **ICP alignment**: Tailor to segment; startups vs enterprise differ
- **Genuine scarcity**: Time-bound; avoid perpetual "limited time"
- **LTV:CAC**: Ensure discount economics work
- **Channel tracking**: UTM; unique codes per channel

## Output Format

- **Discount type** and structure
- **Campaign** (if applicable: BFCM, LTD, etc.)
- **Redeem code** approach (if applicable)
- **Financial** guardrails
- **Related** page/component skills (pricing-page, top-banner, contest-page)

## Related Skills

- **pricing-strategy**: Base price structure; pricing-strategy defines when discounts fit; discount-marketing-strategy defines how to execute
- **pricing-page-generator**: Pricing page display; anchoring, annual discount presentation
- **cold-start-strategy**: LTD as cold-start channel; full launch planning
- **indie-hacker-strategy**: Indie hacker LTD use; monetize day one; cold start revenue
- **referral-program**: Referral rewards (discounts, credits); 10–30% of price
- **contest-page-generator**: Giveaway/contest; prize = discount
- **education-program**: Student/education discount channel; verification, placement, discount structure
- **startups-page-generator**: Startups/education program page; when standalone page needed
- **top-banner-generator**: Promo banner; discount code display; 30–50% redemption lift
- **community-forum**: Forum promotion; discount codes in industry forums
- **affiliate-marketing**: Coupon sites; affiliate-specific codes
- **landing-page-generator**: Promo landing pages
- **directory-submission**: Promo code field for Product Hunt, deal platforms

---
name: paid-ads-strategy
description: When the user wants to plan paid ads strategy, allocate ad budget, or choose paid channels. Also use when the user mentions "paid ads," "paid media," "PPC," "SEM," "web ads," "app ads," "TV ads," "CTV," "OOH," "banner ads," "ad network," "ad alliance," "Taaft ads," "Shopify App Store ads," "Google Ads," "Meta Ads," "PMF testing," "PMF validation," "test product-market fit with ads," "ad spend," "ad budget," "ROAS," "paid acquisition," "Quality Score," or "ad-to-page alignment." For Google Ads execution, use google-ads. For Meta Ads execution, use meta-ads. For landing page alignment, use landing-page-generator.
metadata:
  version: 1.7.0
---

# Strategies: Paid Ads

Guides paid ads strategy: when to use paid acquisition, channel selection, budget allocation, ad-to-landing-page alignment, and cross-platform best practices. Paid ads (Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn, Reddit, TikTok, etc.) deliver immediate reach and targeting; use when PMF is validated and budget allows.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

**Platform-specific execution**: Web: **google-ads**, **meta-ads**, **linkedin-ads**, **reddit-ads**, **tiktok-ads**. App: **app-ads**. TV/Streaming: **ctv-ads**.

## Before Starting

**Check for project context first:** If `.agents/project-context.md` or `.claude/project-context.md` exists, read it before asking questions.

Gather this context (ask if not provided):

| Area | Questions |
|------|-----------|
| **Goals** | Primary objective? (Awareness, traffic, leads, sales, app installs) Target CPA/ROAS? Monthly budget? Constraints? |
| **Product & offer** | What are you promoting? Landing page URL? What makes it compelling? |
| **Audience** | Ideal customer? Problem you solve? What do they search for or care about? Existing customer data for lookalikes? |
| **Current state** | Run ads before? What worked/didn't? Pixel/conversion data? Funnel conversion rate? |

## Two Modes: PMF Testing vs Conversion-Driven

| Mode | When | Goal | Budget | Metrics |
|------|------|------|--------|---------|
| **PMF testing** | Pre-PMF; idea validation | Validate demand, messaging, pricing, audience before building | $47–500; small | CTR, sign-up rate, bounce rate; low CTR/high bounce = messaging issue |
| **Conversion-driven** | PMF validated | Commercialization; scale; efficient acquisition | Scale; ROAS target | ROAS, CAC, conversion rate |

**PMF testing**: Use paid ads as a **learning tool**—simple landing page, "Join Waitlist" or "Get Early Access" CTA, test ad variations (value props, price points, audiences). No full product needed. See **google-ads** for PMF testing setup.

**Conversion-driven**: Full funnel; conversion tracking; scale budget. Avoid large-scale paid acquisition before PMF—see **cold-start-strategy**.

**Reference**: [Marketing Cactus – Using Google Ads to Test Product-Market Fit](https://mktcactus.com/en/using-google-ads-to-test-product-market-fit-before-launching/)

## When to Use Paid Ads

| Condition | Rationale |
|-----------|-----------|
| **PMF validated** (conversion mode) | Product-market fit confirmed; scale acquisition |
| **PMF testing** (validation mode) | Small budget; validate demand, messaging, pricing before building |
| **Budget available** | CAC and LTV modeled (conversion); or $47–500 for testing |
| **Need speed** | Organic takes months; paid delivers traffic immediately |

## When NOT to Use Paid Ads

| Condition | Rationale |
|-----------|-----------|
| **Pre-PMF + large scale** | Large-scale paid acquisition before PMF wastes budget; use PMF testing mode or cold-start channels first |
| **No conversion tracking** | Can't measure ROAS; optimize blindly (PMF testing uses CTR/sign-up) |
| **Organic can work** | SEO, content, community may achieve goal at lower cost; see **seo-strategy** |

**Cold start**: For acquisition, use Product Hunt, Reddit, directories, founder-led outbound first. For PMF validation, small-budget Google Ads + landing page is valid. See **cold-start-strategy**, **google-ads**.

## Ad Formats by Medium

Paid ads span multiple media beyond web. Choose by product type and audience.

| Medium | Format | Best for | Skill |
|--------|--------|----------|-------|
| **Web** | Search, Display, Social (landing page) | Websites, SaaS, e-commerce, leads | google-ads, meta-ads, linkedin-ads, reddit-ads, tiktok-ads |
| **Display / Banner** | Ad networks, programmatic, banner ads | Brand awareness; retargeting; publisher sites | display-ads |
| **App** | App install, in-app ads, App Store/Play Store | Mobile apps; user acquisition (UA) | app-ads |
| **TV / Streaming** | CTV, OTT, linear TV | Brand awareness; streaming viewers; 95% ad completion | ctv-ads |
| **Directory / Marketplace** | Taaft, Shopify App Store, G2, Capterra | High-intent directory visitors; app/software discovery | directory-listing-ads |
| **Out-of-home (OOH)** | Billboards, transit, DOOH | Brand reach; unskippable; real-world exposure | — |

**Web** drives to landing pages; **Display** = banner/network on publisher sites; **App** = install or in-app; **TV/CTV** = awareness or QR/URL; **Directory** = paid placements within Taaft, Shopify App Store, G2, Capterra.

## Platform Selection (Web)

| Platform | Best for | Use when |
|----------|----------|----------|
| **Google Ads** | High-intent search traffic | People actively search for your solution |
| **Meta (FB/IG)** | Demand gen, visual products | Creating demand; strong creative assets |
| **LinkedIn Ads** | B2B, decision-makers | Job title/company targeting matters; higher ACV |
| **Reddit Ads** | Niche communities, discussion-driven | Audience in specific subreddits; authentic, value-first messaging |
| **TikTok Ads** | Younger demographics, viral creative | Audience 18–34; video capacity |
| **X (Twitter) Ads** | Tech audiences, thought leadership | Audience active on X; timely content |

**Decision tree**: High intent? → Google Search. No? → Awareness: Meta/TikTok/YouTube. B2B: LinkedIn. E-commerce: Meta + Google Shopping. **App?** → app-ads. **Streaming/TV?** → ctv-ads. **Display/banner?** → display-ads. **Directory (Taaft, Shopify, G2)?** → directory-listing-ads.

## Dual-Channel Strategy

Treat Google Ads and Meta Ads as **complementary**, not competing. Google captures high-intent search at moment of need; Meta creates and shapes demand by introducing brands to new audiences. A dual-channel approach often outperforms single-channel; use unified KPIs (prioritize profit over volume). See **google-ads**, **meta-ads** for platform setup.

## Budget Allocation

| Phase | Approach |
|-------|----------|
| **Testing (2–4 weeks)** | 70% proven/safe; 30% new audiences/creative |
| **Scaling** | Consolidate into winners; increase 20–30% at a time; wait 3–5 days between increases |

## Ad Copy Frameworks (Cross-Platform)

| Framework | Structure |
|-----------|-----------|
| **PAS** | Problem → Agitate pain → Introduce solution → CTA |
| **BAB** | Current painful state → Desired future state → Your product as bridge |
| **Social Proof** | Impressive stat/testimonial → What you do → CTA |

## Creative Best Practices

**Image ads**: Clear product screenshots; before/after; stats as focal point; human faces (real); text overlay <20%.

**Video ads (15–30 sec)**: Hook (0–3s) → Problem (3–8s) → Solution (8–20s) → CTA (20–30s). Captions always; vertical for Stories/Reels; native feel outperforms polished.

**Creative testing order**: 1) Concept/angle 2) Hook/headline 3) Visual style 4) Body copy 5) CTA.

## Retargeting Overview

| Funnel stage | Audience | Message |
|--------------|----------|---------|
| Top | Blog readers, video viewers | Educational, social proof |
| Middle | Pricing/feature visitors | Case studies, demos |
| Bottom | Cart abandoners, trial users | Urgency, objection handling |

**Exclusions**: Existing customers; recent converters (7–14d); bounced visitors (<10s).

## Budget & Metrics

| Metric | Purpose |
|--------|---------|
| **ROAS** | Return on ad spend; primary paid channel metric |
| **CAC** | Cost per acquisition; compare to LTV |
| **Quality Score** (Google) | Ad relevance, LP experience; higher = lower CPC |
| **CPC/CPM** | Cost per click/impression; platform-specific |

**Quantified benchmarks**: Quality Score 5→7 can reduce CPC by 30–50%. Smart bidding (Target CPA/ROAS) typically needs ≥30 conversions in 30 days to work effectively. Proper optimization can increase conversion rates 30–150% and reduce CPA 20–50%.

## Attribution & Incrementality

**Incrementality** measures the *additional* value marketing creates beyond what would occur without it—causal impact, not just correlation. Essential in privacy-first environments (cookies limited, third-party data restricted); incrementality testing does not depend on cross-device tracking.

| Approach | Use when |
|----------|----------|
| **Incrementality testing** | Holdout experiments (geo, channel); isolate true lift; justify budget |
| **Attribution** | UTM, last-click, multi-touch; compare channels; see **traffic-analysis** |
| **Advanced conversion** | Server-side (Enhanced Conversions, CAPI); better accuracy |

**Principle**: Measure incrementality and downstream value, not just cost metrics. Major platforms have lowered experiment thresholds (e.g., Google Ads incrementality experiments from $100K+ to ~$5K minimum spend).

## Ad-to-Landing-Page Alignment

| Principle | Practice |
|-----------|----------|
| **Ad promise on page** | Ad copy (e.g. "15% off") must appear immediately; mismatch increases bounce |
| **Post-click experience** | Ads drive traffic; LPs drive conversions; optimize full funnel |
| **Quality Score** | Well-optimized LPs improve Google Quality Score → lower CPC |
| **Mobile-first** | CTA above fold; thumb-reachable; fast load (<3s) |

See **landing-page-generator** for LP structure and conversion optimization.

## Common Mistakes to Avoid

- Launching without conversion tracking
- Too many campaigns (fragmenting budget)
- Not giving algorithms learning time (2–4 weeks; PMax needs 6+ weeks)
- Single ad per ad set; not refreshing creative (fatigue)
- Spreading budget too thin; big budget changes

## Weekly Optimization Cadence

| Check | Action |
|-------|--------|
| **Creative fatigue** | Refresh when CTR or conversion rate drops; test new concepts |
| **Learning phase** | Ensure sufficient volume (e.g., 50+ conv/week Meta; 30+ conv/30d Google for smart bidding) |
| **Brand term share** | If brand terms >30% of conversions, consider reallocating to non-brand |
| **Placement/spend** | Flag if any single placement exceeds 15% of total spend |

## Affiliate Brand Bidding

When running affiliate programs: prohibit affiliates from bidding on your brand terms in Google Ads. Monitor paid search; use brand monitoring tools. See **affiliate-page-generator**.

## Competitor Brand Bidding

**When**: Bid on "[Competitor] alternative," "[Competitor] vs [You]" to intercept high-intent traffic. Google allows competitor terms as keywords; ad copy cannot use competitor names without permission.

**Landing page**: Use a **dedicated comparison/alternatives page**, not a blog. Users searching competitor brands expect direct alternatives; blog increases bounce. See **alternatives-page-generator**, **google-ads** Competitor Brand Keywords.

## Output Format

- **Channel** recommendation (and route to platform skill if needed)
- **When to start** (PMF check; budget readiness)
- **Budget** approach (test budget; ROAS target)
- **Landing page** requirement (ad-to-page alignment)
- **Metrics** to track (ROAS, CAC, Quality Score)

## Related Skills

- **google-ads**, **meta-ads**, **linkedin-ads**, **reddit-ads**, **tiktok-ads**: Web platform setup
- **reddit-posts**, **linkedin-posts**, **tiktok-captions**, **twitter-x-posts**: Platform (organic) skills; creative alignment with reddit-ads, linkedin-ads, tiktok-ads, X Ads
- **app-ads**: App install, UA; Google App Campaigns, Apple Search Ads
- **ctv-ads**: CTV, OTT, streaming ads
- **display-ads**: Ad networks, banner ads, programmatic display
- **directory-listing-ads**: Taaft, Shopify App Store, G2, Capterra paid placements
- **landing-page-generator**: LP structure for paid traffic; ad-to-page alignment
- **alternatives-page-generator**: Competitor brand keyword ads → dedicated LP (not blog); comparison page structure
- **cold-start-strategy**: When NOT to use paid ads
- **pmf-strategy**: PMF validation; when to use PMF testing vs conversion-driven mode
- **seo-strategy**: Organic vs paid
- **integrated-marketing**: PESO model; paid as one channel
- **keyword-research**: Keywords inform paid search targeting
- **traffic-analysis**: UTM for paid attribution
- **analytics-tracking**: Conversion tracking; ROAS measurement; incrementality experiments

---
name: open-source-strategy
description: When the user wants open source strategy, OSS commercialization, or open source growth. Also use when the user mentions "open source strategy," "OSS strategy," "open source commercialization," "open source to paid," "open core," "COSS," "commercial open source," "GitHub stars strategy," "DevHunt," "open source marketing," "open source growth," "Llama," "Dify," "Cursor," "open source business model," or "developer tools directory." For GitHub tactics, use github.
metadata:
  version: 1.0.1
---

# Strategies: Open Source

Guides open source as a commercialization path: build community and trust first, monetize later. Many products use open source for early growth (Cursor from VSCode, Llama, Qwen, Dify) and later commercialize via managed services or open core. For GitHub (SEO, GEO, README, Awesome lists), see **github**. For directory submission (DevHunt, Awesome lists), see **directory-submission**.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Definition & Why

**Open source strategy** = Use open source for distribution, trust, and community; monetize through enterprise features, managed services, or support. 95% of enterprises use open source; 33% increasing usage. Community becomes your marketing force—users self-host, contribute, and recommend.

| Path | Example |
|------|---------|
| **Open source → Commercial product** | Cursor (VSCode fork); Llama, Qwen (enterprise/cloud) |
| **Open core → Managed service** | Dify (self-host free + cloud paid); MongoDB Atlas; Confluent |

**Core insight**: Brand is the moat when code is commoditized. Developers won't pay directly; they become your marketing army through word-of-mouth, content, and recommendations.

## Business Models

| Model | Description | Examples |
|-------|-------------|----------|
| **Open Core** | Core free; enterprise features (SSO, audit, multi-tenancy) paid | GitLab, Elastic, Grafana |
| **Managed Services (SaaS)** | Self-host free; cloud/hosted paid | MongoDB Atlas, Confluent, Dify |
| **Support-First** | Free software; enterprise support subscriptions | Red Hat |
| **Free + Paid Convenience** | 70–80% revenue from cloud; self-host free | Most COSS companies |

**Monetization layer**: Enterprise users buy risk mitigation—SLAs, indemnification, security patches, support—not just code.

## Developer-First Distribution

### GitHub (Primary)

GitHub is the main hub for open source discovery. Optimize for visibility and conversion.

| Element | Purpose | Skill |
|---------|---------|-------|
| **README** | Landing page; answer-first GEO; installation, usage | **github** |
| **About, Topics** | Discovery, keywords; 6–20 topics; 350-char About | **github** |
| **Stars** | Trending status; credibility; search visibility | GitHub + coordinated launch |
| **Awesome lists** | Curated lists; backlinks; discovery | **github**, **directory-submission** |

**Stars strategy**: Stars without strategy are vanity metrics. Coordinate multi-channel launch (HN, Reddit, Dev.to); Tuesday–Wednesday US Pacific morning often outperforms. Quality README and clear value proposition matter more than channel volume.

### DevHunt (Developer Tools Directory)

**DevHunt** is an open-source platform for developer tools—alternative to Product Hunt, built for developers. Naturally aligned with open source projects.

| Aspect | Detail |
|--------|--------|
| **Audience** | Developers, indie makers, open source maintainers |
| **Content** | Dev tools, APIs, libraries, open source projects |
| **Features** | GitHub-verified submissions; 50+ categories; free to submit |
| **Use when** | Open source or developer tool; want dev-focused discovery |

**Submission**: Prepare product info (name, tagline, description, category, GitHub URL). See **directory-submission** for submission workflow and asset preparation.

### GitHub Marketplace

For extensions, actions, integrations. See **distribution-channels** for marketplace listing strategy.

## Community & Trust

| Practice | Guideline |
|----------|-----------|
| **Build in Public** | Share progress, metrics, failures; attracts early adopters | **indie-hacker-strategy** |
| **Contributing** | CONTRIBUTING.md; clear contribution path |
| **Transparency** | Roadmap, changelog; community involvement in planning |
| **Commercialization** | Preserve goodwill; communicate early; keep investing in OSS |

**Community benefits**: Organic word-of-mouth; user-generated content (SEO); free QA via bug reports; contribution activity signals project health.

## Licensing (Brief)

| License | Use | Trade-off |
|---------|-----|-----------|
| **MIT, Apache 2.0** | Permissive; max adoption | Cloud giants can fork without contributing |
| **AGPL** | Prevent cloud fork without contribution | May reduce adoption |
| **BSL/SSPL** | Source-available; commercial restrictions | Elastic, HashiCorp, Redis Labs shifted to this |

## Related Skills

- **github**: GitHub README, About, Topics, Awesome lists; SEO, GEO, parasite SEO
- **directory-submission**: DevHunt, Awesome lists; submission workflow per platform
- **parasite-seo**: GitHub as high-authority platform
- **generative-engine-optimization**: GEO; AI citation for technical content
- **indie-hacker-strategy**: Build in Public; bootstrapped founder path
- **distribution-channels**: GitHub Marketplace, plugin stores
- **link-building**: Backlinks from repos, Awesome lists
- **community-forum**: Forums, Discord, community tactics

---
name: localization-strategy
description: When the user wants to plan or implement localization strategy for multilingual and global growth. Also use when the user mentions "localization," "multilingual," "i18n," "global expansion," "market entry," "localization strategy," "hreflang," "multi-language SEO," or "international SEO." For translation workflow, glossary, and style guide, use translation.
metadata:
  version: 1.1.0
---

# Strategies: Localization

Guides localization strategy for AI/SaaS products expanding into global markets. Covers i18n implementation, translation, pricing, and marketing adaptation--not just text translation.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1-2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read it for product, target markets, and brand.

Identify:
1. **Target markets**: Priority languages/regions
2. **Product type**: SaaS, AI tool, content
3. **Technical stack**: Next.js, React, etc.

## Localization vs. Translation

Localization includes:
- **Product**: Features, UI/UX, cultural adaptation
- **Pricing**: True localization (adjust by market) vs. cosmetic (currency only)
- **Marketing**: Channels, content, user personas
- **Compliance**: GDPR, local regulations

## Technical (i18n)

### URL Structure

Choose one; be consistent:

| Option | Example | Pros / Cons |
|--------|---------|-------------|
| **Subdirectories** | `/en/`, `/de/`, `/zh/` | Recommended; maintains domain authority |
| **Subdomains** | `de.example.com` | Separate hosting; less authority transfer |
| **ccTLD** | `example.de` | Strongest geo signal; costly |

- **Use subdirectories, not subdomains** for i18n; subdomains transfer less authority.
- **Default locale**: Root path for default (e.g. `/` for English); prefix for others (`/zh/`, `/de/`).
- **IETF BCP 47**: Use valid codes (`en`, `en-US`, `zh-CN`, `pt-BR`). Same language, different country (e.g. `de-DE` vs `de-AT`) needs ≥20% content difference for Google to differentiate.

### i18n SEO Principles

- **No hardcoded strings**: All user-facing text via translation dictionary.
- **Symmetric alternates**: Every locale page lists ALL other versions (including self-reference). ~75% of international sites have hreflang errors; missing reciprocal links is the most common.
- **x-default**: Always include for fallback when user language/location doesn't match any version.
- **Canonical alignment**: Canonical must match the same regional version hreflang refers to; misalignment causes Google to ignore hreflang.
- **Full SEO coverage**: Metadata, OpenGraph, JSON-LD (`inLanguage`), and sitemap all locale-aware.

### Common Issues (Next.js + next-intl)

| Issue | Solution |
|-------|----------|
| Route conflict | `generateStaticParams()`; validate locale |
| Auto redirect | `localeDetection: false` |
| Middleware | Apply only to prefixed paths (e.g. `/zh`) |
| URL duplication | Manual switcher; `getLocalizedHref()` |

### SEO

- **Hreflang** on all language versions; self-reference + symmetric annotations.
- **Language switcher**: Use `<a>` not `<button>`; links in initial HTML.
- **Canonical**: Handle multi-domain if using local TLDs; align with hreflang.
- **SPAs**: Use sitemap-based hreflang as backup when HTML head is JS-rendered. See **rendering-strategies**.

## Keyword Research by Market

| Market | Tool |
|--------|------|
| **Russia** | Yandex Wordstat |
| **Korea** | Naver DataLab |
| **Global** | Google Keyword Planner, SEO tools |

Consider: Cultural expressions, search habits, competition, long-tail in small markets.

## Terminology & Translation

- **Translation workflow, glossary, style guide**: See **translation** for full workflow
- **Avoid machine translation** for product/marketing: See **translation** (Human vs MT)

## Pricing Strategies

| Strategy | Use |
|----------|-----|
| **True localization** | Adjust price by purchasing power |
| **Cosmetic** | Display currency only; same price |
| **Tools** | Parity Deals, Chargebee |

## i18n SEO Checklist (New Feature / New Locale)

### New feature with i18n

1. Add translation keys to all locale JSON files. Use **translation** for glossary, style guide, and translation workflow.
2. Add `generateMetadata()` with alternates (hreflang) per page.
3. Add JSON-LD with `inLanguage` and translated fields.
4. Add page to sitemap with hreflang annotations.
5. Set `lang` attribute on `<html>`; UTF-8 encoding.

### New locale

1. Add locale code to config; create `{code}.json` dictionary.
2. Register in sitemap locale list; regenerate.
3. Add OpenGraph `locale` and `alternateLocale`.
4. Ensure all alternates are symmetric (every page lists all versions).

### Multilingual Risks

- **Batch publishing**: Too many translated pages at once can trigger de-indexing or thin-content penalties.
- **Mitigation**: Roll out slowly; ensure content is product/industry relevant; avoid Wikipedia-like breadth; monitor indexing in GSC.

### Avoid

- IP-based redirects that override user preferences.
- Machine translation without localization for product/marketing (see **translation**).
- Missing reciprocal hreflang between language versions.
- Canonical tags that conflict with hreflang.

## Output Format

- **Market** priority
- **i18n** approach
- **Keyword** strategy per market
- **Pricing** recommendation
- **Technical** checklist
- **i18n SEO** checklist (if applicable)

## Related Skills

- **pricing-strategy**: Base price structure; localization-strategy covers pricing by market
- **page-metadata**: Hreflang implementation
- **url-structure**: URL hierarchy for i18n (subdirectories, subdomains)
- **content-strategy**: Multilingual content planning; avoid thin translations
- **translation**: Translation workflow, glossary, style guide, human vs MT; produces content for localized pages
- **navigation-menu-generator**: Language switcher SEO
- **affiliate-marketing**: Local affiliates for target markets
- **gtm-strategy**: New market entry; localization as GTM for new geography

---
name: generative-engine-optimization
description: When the user wants to optimize for AI search visibility (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, AI Overviews). Also use when the user mentions "GEO," "AEO," "generative engine optimization," "AI search visibility," "LLM optimization," "GitHub GEO," "Grokipedia," "optimize for ChatGPT," "AI Overviews," "Bing Copilot," "Yandex AI," "Perplexity optimization," "GEO strategy," or "AI search optimization." For third-party publishing strategy (which platforms to use), use parasite-seo. For GitHub repos, README, and Awesome lists, use github. For Medium.com only, use medium-posts. For Grokipedia edits, use grokipedia-recommendations. For traditional Google SERP strategy, use seo-strategy.
metadata:
  version: 1.3.0
---

# Strategies: GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)

Guides GEO/AEO strategy for AI search visibility. GEO optimizes content for ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and AI search summaries (Google AI Overviews, Bing Copilot, Yandex Search with AI)—getting cited in AI-generated answers rather than ranking in traditional SERPs. See **serp-features** for AI search as SERP features; **featured-snippet** for snippet optimization that overlaps with AI Overviews.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1-2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Scope

- **GEO** = Generative Engine Optimization
- **AEO** = Answer Engine Optimization
- **LLMO** = Large Language Model Optimization
- **AIO** = Artificial Intelligence Optimization

All refer to the same goal: visibility in AI assistant responses.

## GEO vs. SEO

| Dimension | SEO | GEO |
|-----------|-----|-----|
| **Goal** | Rankings in search results | Citations in AI answers |
| **User path** | Click → visit → convert | Answer in-place; may not visit |
| **Content** | Full page optimization | Clear, citable paragraphs |
| **Metrics** | Clicks, traffic | Citations, brand mentions |
| **Platforms** | Google, Bing, Yandex (organic) | AI Overviews, Copilot, Yandex AI, ChatGPT, Perplexity |

**Both matter**: Create content that ranks and gets cited. AI search summaries (AI Overviews, Copilot, Yandex AI) are **SERP features**—see **serp-features**. When SERP features cause **zero-click** (user gets answer without clicking), citation becomes the primary value; optimize for being cited, not just ranked.

## AI Search Platforms (SERP Features + Standalone)

| Platform | Type | Source Selection | Optimization Focus |
|----------|------|------------------|---------------------|
| **Google AI Overviews** | SERP feature | Top 10–12 organic; Gemini; favors older domains (49% over 15 yrs) | Traditional SEO; structured data; citable blocks |
| **Bing Copilot Search** | SERP feature | Bing index; GPT-4; 9.81% domain overlap with Google; favors younger domains (18.85%); LinkedIn signals for B2B | Bing optimization; LinkedIn presence; structured content |
| **Yandex Search with AI / Neuro** | SERP feature | Real-time Yandex search; YandexGPT; Russia-focused | Yandex indexing; Russian content; cited sources |
| **Perplexity** | Standalone | 200B+ URL index; independent crawl; favors recency, semantic alignment | Content freshness; semantic markup; mid-tier site opportunity |
| **ChatGPT (web search)** | Standalone | GPTbot; high-authority, frequently updated, LLM-friendly; favors older domains (45.8%) | Backlinks; structured data; authority signals |

**Citation behavior**: AI Overview citations 20–35% higher CTR than equivalent organic. Copilot: shortest responses, fewest links (~3.13/response). Perplexity: prominent URL citations, high trackability. [Geneo](https://geneo.app/blog/chatgpt-vs-perplexity-vs-google-ai-overview-geo-comparison/), [GEO AIO](https://geoaiomarketing.com/how-bing-copilot-selects-sources-compared-to-perplexity/)

## How GEO Works

- **RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)**: AI tools search first, then generate answers. Optimize for search result performance to influence AI responses.
- **Search APIs**: Bing, Brave, etc. feed AI tools. SEO fundamentals still apply.
- **Core model training**: Long, costly; not practical for most strategies. Focus on RAG.

## Technical Crawlability (AI Crawlers)

AI crawlers (GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot) do **not** execute JavaScript—critical content must be in initial HTML. See **rendering-strategies** for SSR, SSG, CSR; **site-crawlability** for AI crawler optimization; **robots-txt** for allow/block. [Vercel/MERJ study](https://vercel.com/blog/the-rise-of-the-ai-crawler) (2024)

## Content Best Practices

| Practice | Purpose |
|----------|---------|
| **Direct-answer format** | Answer specific questions in clear paragraphs |
| **Entity signals** | Clear brand, product, author identity; see **entity-seo** |
| **Citable paragraphs** | Each block understandable on its own |
| **Distribution** | Website, **YouTube** (Google prioritizes YouTube in search; ~78% of social media citations in AI Overviews come from YouTube + Reddit), forums, Reddit—thoughtful comments can outrank blog posts |

### Article-Level GEO

For blog posts and articles, structure content for AI citation. Content with these elements is cited ~35% more frequently.

| Element | Guideline |
|---------|-----------|
| **TL;DR or Key Takeaways** | Choose one: **TL;DR** = 50–100 word bold summary paragraph; **Key Takeaways** = 5–7 bullet points; placed after intro |
| **QAE pattern** | Question (H2) → Answer (2 sentences) → Evidence (data, examples, lists) |
| **Answer-first** | Direct answer in first 40–60 words after each H2 |
| **Answer blocks** | 100–200 words per section; direct answer + context + evidence + nuance |
| **Structured formats** | Lists, tables, numbered steps increase citation rate |

See **article-content** for content creation; **article-page-generator** for page structure.

## Parasite SEO & High-Authority Platforms

**Parasite SEO** = Placing content on high-authority platforms to leverage their domain strength for rankings and AI citation. See **parasite-seo** for full strategy.

**GitHub**: Tier 2 technical authority; very high AI citation. See **github** for repos, README, Pages, gists, awesome lists.

**YouTube**: Google prioritizes YouTube in search; YouTube citations in AI Overviews surged 25.21% (2025). Long-form instructional and visual-demo videos dominate. See **youtube-seo** for channel and video optimization; **video-optimization** for website-embedded video SEO.

**Grokipedia**: xAI's AI encyclopedia; ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot cite it. See **grokipedia-recommendations** for adding recommendations or links. Contribute genuinely useful content; avoid manipulative placement (Google Site Reputation Abuse policy).

## Tools

- GEO tracking and optimization tools for measuring AI citation and visibility

## Key Insight

ChatGPT traffic converts ~6x higher than Google search. AI tool users often have clearer intent.

## Output Format

- **Content structure** for AI citation
- **Entity** optimization; see **entity-seo**
- **Distribution** strategy
- **Measurement** approach

## Related Skills

- **site-crawlability**: AI crawler optimization; URL/redirect management
- **rendering-strategies**: SSR, SSG, CSR; content in initial HTML for AI crawlers
- **robots-txt**: AI crawler allow/block (GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot)
- **parasite-seo**: Parasite SEO strategy; high-authority platforms for GEO
- **github**: GitHub for GEO; repos, README; Tier 2 technical authority
- **youtube-seo**: YouTube optimization; GEO distribution; Google prioritizes YouTube
- **serp-features**: **Strongly related**—AI Overviews, Bing Copilot, Yandex AI; platform comparison
- **featured-snippet**: Snippet optimization; overlaps with AI Overviews
- **entity-seo**: Entity signals; Organization, Person schema; GEO citation
- **article-content**: Article body creation; TL;DR, Key Takeaways, QAE pattern
- **article-page-generator**: Article page structure; schema; layout
- **faq-page-generator**: FAQ structure for GEO; citable Q&A blocks; content in initial HTML
- **howto-section-generator**: HowTo step sections; citable ordered procedures; HowTo JSON-LD

---
name: multi-domain-brand-seo
description: When the user wants to optimize brand search for a company with multiple domains (e.g. parent company.com vs product.ai). Ensure the parent/company domain ranks first for brand queries. Also use when the user mentions "brand search," "multi-domain SEO," "company domain first," "parent vs product domain," "hub-spoke domain," "brand SERP control," or "differentiate company and product domains." For domain structure, use domain-architecture.
metadata:
  version: 1.0.1
---

# SEO: Multi-Domain Brand Search

When a company has multiple domains (e.g., company.com and product.ai), ensure the **company/main site** ranks first for brand queries. Product sites focus on product keywords and do not compete for brand position. See **domain-architecture** for structure decisions; **rebranding-strategy** for domain change and migration.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Typical Scenarios

| Scenario | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| **Multiple domains** | Company main site (company.com), product site (product.ai / product.io) |
| **Brand query competition** | Product site or third-party (Crunchbase, LinkedIn, reviews) may outrank main site for brand |
| **Entity confusion** | Legacy brands, sub-brands, directories dilute brand perception |
| **Goal** | Brand queries → company.com first; product.ai → product keywords only |

## Hub-Spoke Model

| Role | Domain | Responsibility |
|------|--------|----------------|
| **Hub** | company.com | Brand #1; About, Research, ecosystem, product matrix |
| **Spoke** | product.ai | Product keywords, features, pricing; visible "by [Company]" and link back to company.com |

## Differentiation

| Dimension | Hub (company.com) | Spoke (product.ai) |
|-----------|--------------------|---------------------|
| **Audience** | Investors, partners, media, developers | Product users, prospects |
| **Keywords** | Brand name, company name, industry | Product features, use cases |
| **Content** | Mission, About, Research, Events, product matrix | Features, Use Cases, Pricing, Sign up |
| **Conversion** | Contact, Waitlist, Early Access | Sign up, Try free, Pricing |

## Avoid Cannibalization

- Hub does not target Spoke product keywords (e.g., "virtual staging," "AI design tool")
- Spoke does not target Hub brand keywords (Title avoids brand-only; add product description)
- Internal links: Hub → Spoke (Products); Spoke → Hub (About, Footer)

## Optimization Checklist

### Hub (company.com) On-Page

| Item | Recommendation |
|------|----------------|
| **Title** | Company full name + positioning, e.g. `[Company] — [Slogan] \| AI Research & Products` |
| **Meta Description** | Company name, core business, partners; 150–160 chars |
| **H1** | Company name or main slogan |
| **URL** | Canonicalize www vs non-www (301) |

### Hub Content & Structure

| Item | Recommendation |
|------|----------------|
| **About** | Company intro, founders, founding date, positioning; link to product sites |
| **Products** | Product matrix; each product links to its site |
| **Research / News** | Papers, events, partnerships; increase brand mentions |
| **FAQ** | "What is [Company]?" "What is [Product]?"; FAQ schema |

### Spoke (product.ai) Differentiation

| Item | Recommendation |
|------|----------------|
| **Title** | Product name + product description, e.g. `[Product] — [Core function]` or `[Product keyword] \| [Product]`; avoid brand-only |
| **About** | "A product of [Company](https://company.com)" |
| **Footer** | "© [Company]" or "A [Company] Product" + link to company.com |
| **Schema** | SoftwareApplication with `author` or `publisher` pointing to Company |

### Schema (Hub)

Use Organization schema with `subOrganization` to define product relationships:

```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "[Company Name]",
  "url": "https://www.company.com",
  "description": "[Company description]",
  "sameAs": ["https://linkedin.com/company/...", "https://github.com/..."],
  "subOrganization": [
    {
      "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
      "name": "[Product Name]",
      "url": "https://product.ai",
      "applicationCategory": "[Category]"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Entity & Knowledge Panel

See **entity-seo** for full entity optimization. Key for multi-domain:
- **Consistency**: Same brand name, description, logo across Hub and Spoke
- **Entity Home**: Authoritative About page on Hub as primary reference
- **Knowledge Panel**: Claim via Google; suggest updates when available

## Output Format

- **Hub vs Spoke** mapping (domains, roles)
- **On-page checklist** (Hub and Spoke)
- **Schema** (Organization with subOrganization)
- **Internal linking** plan
- **Cannibalization** check

## Related Skills

- **domain-architecture**: Hub-Spoke structure; when to use multiple domains
- **schema-markup**: Organization, SoftwareApplication; subOrganization
- **serp-features**: Knowledge Panel, Sitelinks; brand SERP
- **entity-seo**: Entity & Knowledge Panel; Organization schema; consistency
- **rebranding-strategy**: Domain change; 301 redirects during transition

---
name: domain-selection
description: When the user wants to choose an SEO-friendly domain for a new site—brand vs keyword domain, TLD selection, or domain best practices. Also use when the user mentions "domain choice," "pick domain," "SEO-friendly domain," "brand domain," "EMD," "PMD," "exact match domain," "partial match domain," "TLD," ".ai domain," ".com vs .io," "domain length," "domain history," or "defensive domain registration." For migration, use rebranding-strategy.
metadata:
  version: 1.0.1
---

# Strategy: Domain Selection

Guides initial domain choice for a single site: Brand vs Partial Match vs Exact Match domains, TLD selection (.ai, .com, .io), length, readability, history check, and defensive registration. A good domain affects SEO, brand perception, and UX. See **domain-architecture** when planning for multiple products; **rebranding-strategy** when changing domain.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

**Reference**: [Alignify: Domain SEO – How to Choose SEO-Friendly Domains](https://alignify.co/zh/seo/domain) — detailed guide, AI brand naming, TLD recommendations, rebrand cases.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read Sections 2 (Positioning), 3 (Target Audience), 8 (Brand & Voice).

Identify:
1. **Product type**: Tool, content, e-commerce, AI product, etc.
2. **Brand stage**: New brand vs established; solo vs team
3. **Goals**: Quick SEO traffic vs long-term brand building

## Domain Type: Brand vs PMD vs EMD

| Type | Description | SEO | Brand | Best For |
|------|-------------|-----|-------|----------|
| **Branded Domain** | Domain = brand; no functional keywords (Notion, Canva, Perplexity) | Long-term; Google favors brands | High | Teams; long-term brand building |
| **Partial Match (PMD)** | Part of domain relates to function (FlowGPT, Dify, Reportify) | Balance; signals topic | Medium | AI tools; balance SEO + brand |
| **Exact Match (EMD)** | Domain = search query (png2jpg.com, aiartgenerator.cc) | Fast early traffic; ceiling lower | Low | Solo devs; tool sites; site networks |

**Google stance**: Keywords in domain no longer directly affect ranking; domain still matters for UX and brand. EMDs work when paired with quality content; branded domains with entity recognition matter more long-term.

**Recommendation**:
- **Brand building** → Branded or PMD; plan for months
- **Quick SEO traffic** → EMD or PMD; good for tool sites, converters, generators
- **AI products** → PMD (xxxGPT, xxxify) or Branded; avoid generic names that cause search confusion (e.g., multiple "Speak AI" products)

## TLD Selection

| TLD | Use Case | Notes |
|-----|----------|-------|
| **.com** | Default choice; highest trust | Most preferred; often expensive |
| **.ai** | AI products | ccTLD (Anguilla); auto-hyperlinks in Excel/Sheets/Feishu → natural backlinks; signals AI |
| **.io** | Tech, SaaS | Popular; geopolitical risk (Chagos Islands) |
| **.co, .app, .pro** | Alternatives | If .com taken |
| **.new** | Instant-create tools | For bolt.new, claude.new style; see Alignify .new guide |

**AI products**: Prefer **.ai**, **.com**, or **.io**. Avoid niche TLDs (.im, .xyz, .inc, .art, .dev)—higher risk of resolution issues (e.g., Notion .so outage).

## Domain Best Practices

| Rule | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| **Short & memorable** | Easier to type, share, recall |
| **Avoid hyphens** | Looks unprofessional; can signal low quality |
| **Check history** | Use Archive.org; avoid previously penalized domains |
| **Defensive registration** | Register .net, .org, variants; redirect to main; do not deploy on multiple domains |
| **Impersonation variants** | For AI products: register brand+ai, brand+app, brand+official; see **brand-protection** for impersonation response |
| **Accurate WHOIS; renew on time** | Avoid loss or hijacking |

## .ai Domain Natural Backlinks

When brand name includes `.ai` (e.g., Character.ai, Leonardo.Ai), the full string auto-hyperlinks in Excel, Google Sheets, Feishu, and some IM apps. Each mention = potential backlink. Useful for AI products where the generic name alone (e.g., "Character") is a common noun.

## Output Format

- **Domain type** recommendation (Brand / PMD / EMD) with rationale
- **TLD** recommendation
- **Checklist** (length, readability, history, defensive registration)
- **Related** next steps (website-structure, rebranding-strategy)

## Related Skills

- **branding**: Brand strategy; domain selection implements brand positioning
- **website-structure**: Plan pages after domain choice; single-domain structure
- **domain-architecture**: Subfolder vs subdomain vs independent when multiple products
- **rebranding-strategy**: Domain change, 301 redirects; use when rebranding
- **brand-protection**: Defensive registration for impersonation prevention; fake site response
- **link-building**: Build authority after domain is chosen

---
name: domain-architecture
description: When the user wants to decide domain structure for multiple products or brands—subfolder vs subdomain vs independent domain. Also use when the user mentions "subfolder vs subdomain," "subdirectory vs subdomain," "multiple products domain," "multiple websites," "brand architecture," "branded house," "house of brands," "where to host product," "domain structure," or "hub-spoke domain." For brand SERP, use multi-domain-brand-seo.
metadata:
  version: 1.0.1
---

# Strategy: Domain Architecture

Guides domain structure decisions for multiple products or brands: subfolder (subdirectory), subdomain, or independent domain. Covers brand architecture (Branded House vs House of Brands) and Hub-Spoke principles when multiple domains coexist. See **domain-selection** for initial domain choice (Brand/PMD/EMD, TLD); **website-structure** for single-domain page planning; **rebranding-strategy** for domain change and migration; **multi-domain-brand-seo** for brand search optimization.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read it for product portfolio and growth goals.

Identify:
1. **Product count**: Single product vs multiple products/brands
2. **Brand strategy**: Unified brand vs distinct brands
3. **Current state**: Planning from scratch vs consolidating existing domains
4. **Constraints**: Tech stack, team, budget

## Domain Structure Options

| Structure | Example | SEO Authority | Brand Independence | Typical Use |
|-----------|---------|---------------|-------------------|-------------|
| **Subfolder** | company.com/product-a | Shared with main domain | Low | Products under one brand; SMB; content consolidation |
| **Subdomain** | product.company.com | Treated separately by Google | Medium | Separate product experience; tech isolation; support/docs |
| **Independent domain** | product.ai | None shared | High | Acquired brands; different markets; distinct brand identity |

### When to Use Each

| Choose | When |
|--------|------|
| **Subfolder** | Products share value proposition; want to strengthen main domain; SMB; blog, tools, features under one brand |
| **Subdomain** | Need separate tech stack (e.g., app vs marketing); support portal; docs; distinct UX but same brand |
| **Independent domain** | House of Brands; acquired company; different audience; different TLD (e.g., .ai for AI product) |

**SEO consensus**: Subfolders typically outperform subdomains for most cases—authority flows to the main domain. Subdomains require separate SEO effort.

## Brand Architecture

| Model | Description | Domain Tendency | Examples |
|-------|-------------|-----------------|----------|
| **Branded House** | One master brand; products use functional descriptors | Subfolder or subdomain | Google (google.com/search, google.com/maps), FedEx |
| **House of Brands** | Each brand independent; parent hidden | Independent domains | Unilever (dove.com, axe.com) |
| **Sub-brands / Endorsed** | Sub-brands with parent endorsement | Subdomain or independent | FedEx Express, Marriott Bonvoy |

**Decision factors**: Business strategy, market positioning, product overlap, resource availability.

## Hub-Spoke (Multiple Domains Coexist)

When company main site (company.com) and product site (product.ai) both exist:

| Role | Domain | Focus |
|------|--------|-------|
| **Hub** | company.com | Brand, About, Research, product matrix; brand queries |
| **Spoke** | product.ai | Product features, pricing, signup; product queries |

**Principles**:
- Hub links to Spoke (Products section); Spoke links back (About, Footer, "A [Company] product")
- Spoke avoids competing for brand queries in Title; Hub avoids competing for product keywords
- See **multi-domain-brand-seo** for brand search optimization.

## Output Format

- **Recommendation** (subfolder / subdomain / independent) with rationale
- **Brand architecture** fit (Branded House / House of Brands / Sub-brands)
- **Domain mapping** (e.g., product A → company.com/product-a)
- **Hub-Spoke** guidance (if multiple domains)
- **Related** next steps (website-structure, rebranding-strategy)

## Related Skills

- **domain-selection**: Initial domain choice (Brand/PMD/EMD, TLD); single-site use case
- **website-structure**: Plan pages within a domain; single-domain structure
- **rebranding-strategy**: Domain change, 301 redirects, migration
- **multi-domain-brand-seo**: Brand search control when Hub and Spoke coexist
- **branding**: Brand strategy, positioning; domain architecture implements brand structure

---
name: rebranding-strategy
description: When the user wants to plan or execute a rebrand—domain change, 301 redirects, migration, or announcement. Also use when the user mentions "rebranding," "rebrand," "domain change," "domain migration," "301 redirect," "change domain name," "rebrand announcement," "social media rebrand," "brand launch," or "domain redirect." For domain choice, use domain-selection.
metadata:
  version: 1.0.1
---

# Strategy: Rebranding

Guides rebranding execution: domain change, 301 redirects, migration checklist, and communication (social media, internal). Plan for months, not days or weeks. See **domain-selection** for initial domain choice; **domain-architecture** for domain structure decisions; **multi-domain-brand-seo** when multiple domains coexist.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Initial Assessment

**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read it for brand and product info.

Identify:
1. **Scope**: Full rebrand (name, domain, identity) vs partial (logo, messaging only)
2. **Domain change**: Yes or no; old → new mapping
3. **Timeline**: Target launch date; typical 4–12 weeks
4. **Channels**: Website, social, product UI, directories, email

## Rebranding Timeline (Typical)

| Phase | Duration | Focus |
|-------|----------|-------|
| **Audit & plan** | Weeks 1–2 | Brand audit; inventory touchpoints; migration plan |
| **Prepare** | Weeks 2–6 | New assets; redirect mapping; staging; backup |
| **Pre-launch** | Week 6–8 | Internal announcement; social handle check; teasers |
| **Launch** | Week 8+ | Go live; 301 redirects; multi-channel announcement |
| **Post-launch** | 2–4 weeks | Monitor search, traffic; fix 404s; iterate |

**Principle**: Plan for months. Avoid changing domain and major structure in one migration—split into smaller migrations when possible.

## 301 Redirect Best Practices

| Practice | Purpose |
|----------|---------|
| **1:1 mapping** | Each old URL → most relevant new URL; never redirect all to homepage |
| **301 (permanent)** | Use 301, not 302; 302 does not fully transfer SEO equity |
| **No chains/loops** | Old URL → final destination directly; avoid A→B→C |
| **Redirect mapping sheet** | Document every old→new mapping; prevents ~80% of migration failures |
| **Don't block in robots.txt** | Redirected URLs should not be disallowed |

### Common Mistakes

- Redirect chains (multiple hops)
- Redirect loops
- Redirecting everything to homepage
- Using 302 for permanent moves
- Blocking redirected URLs in robots.txt

## Domain Migration Checklist

### Pre-Migration

- [ ] Create SEO migration plan
- [ ] Collect benchmarks (GA4, GSC, rankings)
- [ ] Run site crawler; inventory all pages
- [ ] Create redirect mapping sheet (old URL → new URL)
- [ ] Purchase new domain; configure DNS
- [ ] Technical SEO audit
- [ ] Staging environment; backup
- [ ] Check for manual penalties on both domains

### Launch

- [ ] Implement 301 redirects
- [ ] Update Google Search Console (change of address)
- [ ] Update sitemaps, robots.txt
- [ ] Verify new site works; test redirects (curl, Screaming Frog)
- [ ] Add GA4 annotation for migration date

### Post-Migration

- [ ] Monitor GSC coverage; fix "Page with Redirect" issues
- [ ] Fix 404s immediately
- [ ] Expect temporary ranking fluctuation (2–4 weeks)
- [ ] Do not delete old site as fallback

## Social Media Announcement

### Three Phases

| Phase | Actions |
|-------|---------|
| **Pre-Launch** | Finalize new identity; audit social presence; secure handles across platforms; internal alignment |
| **Build Anticipation** | Tease with sneak peeks; cryptic visuals; influencer/ambassador previews; avoid announcing too soon |
| **Execute** | All platforms updated together; new bios, handles, visuals; compelling rebrand story (why, not what) |

### What to Avoid

- Don't list steps or technical details—focus on story and benefit
- Don't announce before all pieces are in place (mixed messaging)
- Don't rely on one channel—multi-channel rollout
- Don't bombard with "why we rebranded" unless it resonates

### Rebrand Story

- **Anchor**: Emotionally resonating narrative; why now; how it benefits customers
- **Avoid**: "We changed our logo" / "We updated our website" without context

## Internal Communication

- Brief all employees before public launch
- Explain strategic reasons; equip them to answer customer questions
- Update email signatures, Slack, internal docs
- Internal FAQ for common rebrand questions

## Output Format

- **Timeline** (phases, milestones)
- **Redirect mapping** approach (template, tools)
- **Migration checklist** (customized)
- **Social announcement plan** (phases, channels, content angles)
- **Internal communication** (briefing, FAQ)

## Related Skills

- **domain-selection**: Domain choice (Brand/PMD/EMD, TLD); informs new domain choice when rebranding
- **domain-architecture**: Domain structure before/after rebrand
- **website-structure**: New site structure after migration
- **schema-markup**: Update Organization schema on new domain
- **multi-domain-brand-seo**: When old and new domains coexist during transition
- **branding**: Brand strategy, identity; rebranding implements the change
- **brand-protection**: Sync impersonation checks when rebranding; update official domain declaration
- **gtm-strategy**: Repositioning GTM; when repositioning includes rebrand

---
name: integrated-marketing
description: When the user wants to plan integrated marketing, coordinate channels, or clarify program vs channel vs campaign. Also use when the user mentions "IMC," "integrated marketing," "channel mix," "marketing program," "PESO model," "integrated marketing communications," "omnichannel marketing," "channel strategy," "marketing mix," or "cross-channel campaign." For content planning, use content-marketing.
metadata:
  version: 1.1.1
---

# Strategies: Integrated Marketing (IMC)

Guides Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) strategy. IMC coordinates all marketing channels to deliver a consistent message and unified customer experience. Companies using integrated approaches achieve ~25% higher marketing ROI; optimized channel mixes outperform by ~27% in acquisition efficiency.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1-2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Program vs. Channel vs. Campaign

| Term | Definition | Examples |
|------|------------|----------|
| **Program** | High-level strategy; collection of channels to achieve a discrete goal | Thought leadership program, lifecycle program, loyalty program |
| **Channel** | Specific medium/platform for communication | Email, LinkedIn, SEO, paid ads, events |
| **Campaign** | Time-bound initiative using one or more channels | Product launch, seasonal sale, holiday giveaway |

**Relationship**: Program contains campaigns; campaigns use channels. Avoid using terms interchangeably.

## PESO Model

Organize communications into four integrated categories:

| Type | Examples | Role |
|------|----------|------|
| **Paid** | Ads, sponsored content, influencer partnerships | Immediate reach, targeting |
| **Earned** | PR, media coverage, organic mentions | Authority, credibility |
| **Shared** | Social engagement, co-created content, EGC | Community, authenticity |
| **Owned** | Website, blog, email, content hub | Strategic foundation; anchor |

**Best practice**: Owned media as anchor; sequence PESO intentionally. Integration over silos--all four work together for synergy.

## Growth Metrics by Stage

| Stage | Focus metrics |
|-------|----------------|
| **Early (traffic)** | Website traffic; organic traffic; keyword rankings |
| **Channel testing** | ROI (influencer), LTV (discount), ROAS (paid) |
| **Monetization** | CAC, conversion rate |
| **Scale** | MRR, ARR |

**Principle**: Growth is a means, not an end—it serves conversion and monetization. Don't pursue traffic at the cost of user precision or long-term brand health.

## Customer Journey by Stage

Map touchpoints across the lifecycle to avoid channel silos:

| Stage | Touchpoints |
|-------|-------------|
| **Awareness** | PR, ads, word-of-mouth, email, PPC |
| **Consideration** | Social ads, reviews, blog, media, direct email |
| **Purchase** | Website, e-commerce, store |
| **Retention** | FAQ, knowledge base, community forum |
| **Advocacy** | Social, blog, promotions, newsletter |

**Use**: Assign channels to stages; ensure handoffs (e.g. awareness → consideration) are intentional. See **growth-funnel** for AARRR framework.

## Channel Evaluation Framework

When selecting channels, evaluate across:

| Variable | Question |
|---------|----------|
| **Goal** | Awareness, acquisition, loyalty? |
| **Cost** | Budget; CAC vs LTV |
| **Measurability** | Can you attribute impact? ROI clarity? |
| **Speed** | Time to full impact |
| **Scale** | How big can this channel get? |
| **Fit** | Does target audience use it? |
| **Effort** | Resources to set up and maintain |

## Example Programs

| Program | Channels | Goal |
|---------|----------|------|
| **Thought leadership** | PR, social, influencers, spokespeople, events | Brand authority |
| **Lifecycle** | Email, website chat, retargeting, SMS | Conversion, retention |
| **Loyalty** | Email campaigns, promotions, personalized offers | Retention |
| **Brand awareness** | Content marketing, influencer partnerships, PR | Reach |

**Content marketing**: See **content-marketing** for content types, formats, repurposing across channels.

## IMC Best Practices

- **Message consistency**: Same core message across channels; adapt for each medium
- **Start focused**: 2-3 connected channels first; prove ROI before expanding
- **Map to funnel**: Assign channels to awareness, consideration, decision
- **Unified measurement**: Single framework tracking shared goals; avoid channel-only reporting
- **Cross-channel attribution**: Link channels to determine true performance

## Output Format

- **Program** definition and goal
- **Channel** selection with evaluation rationale
- **PESO** mapping (which channels = paid/earned/shared/owned)
- **Campaign** structure (if applicable)
- **Measurement** approach

## Related Skills

- **cold-start-strategy**: Cold start for early-stage; first users, launch channels
- **indie-hacker-strategy**: Indie hacker channel mix; Build in Public; first 100 users
- **discount-marketing-strategy**: Promotional pricing; LTV (discount) in channel testing
- **pricing-strategy**: Base price structure; pricing-strategy + discount-marketing = full pricing approach
- **seo-strategy**: SEO workflow, prioritization; SEO as owned/organic channel
- **paid-ads-strategy**: Paid ads (Google, Meta, LinkedIn); when to use; ROAS; PESO Paid channel
- **parasite-seo, programmatic-seo**: Parasite SEO (high-authority platforms), programmatic SEO (pages at scale)
- **affiliate-marketing, community-forum, creator-program, directory-submission, employee-generated-content, email-marketing, influencer-marketing, public-relations, referral-program**: Specific channel tactics
- **generative-engine-optimization**: GEO as channel for AI search visibility
- **ai-traffic-tracking**: Track AI channel traffic in GA4; measure GEO impact
- **traffic-analysis**: Attribution, UTM, multi-channel reporting
- **analytics-tracking**: GA4, event tracking across channels
- **content-strategy**: SEO content (topic clusters); owned media pillar
- **content-marketing**: Content types, formats, channels, repurposing; full content marketing plan

---
name: content-marketing
description: When the user wants to plan content marketing across channels, define content types and formats, or create a content repurposing strategy. Also use when the user mentions "content marketing strategy," "content types," "content formats," "content repurposing," "content calendar," "content mix," "owned content," "content distribution," "content funnel," or "content planning across channels." For SEO calendar, use content-strategy.
metadata:
  version: 1.2.1
---

# Strategies: Content Marketing

Guides content marketing strategy across channels: content types, formats, distribution, and repurposing. 62% of successful B2B have a documented strategy; content repurposing addresses the top challenge—consistently developing new content. Use this skill when planning content across blog, email, social, video, and pages.

**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

## Scope

- **Content types**: What you create (by purpose/theme)
- **Content formats**: How it's delivered (article, video, email, post)
- **Channels**: Where it's distributed (blog, email, X, LinkedIn, etc.)
- **Repurposing**: One core content → multiple formats → multiple channels
- **Funnel mapping**: Content by stage (awareness, consideration, decision)

## Initial Assessment

**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read Sections 3 (Value Proposition), 4 (Audience), 11 (Content Strategy).

Identify:
1. **Goals**: Traffic, conversions, brand, retention
2. **Existing content**: What already exists; audit gaps
3. **Capacity**: Resources, tools, cadence
4. **Channels**: Blog, email, social, video; which channels fit audience

## Content Types (What You Create)

| Type | Purpose | Funnel | Skills |
|------|---------|--------|--------|
| **How-to guides** | Educate; informational intent | Awareness, Consideration | content-strategy, article-content, article-page-generator |
| **Comparisons** | "X vs Y"; commercial intent | Consideration | content-strategy, alternatives-page-generator |
| **List posts** | "Top 10," "Best X" | Consideration | content-strategy, article-content, article-page-generator |
| **Case studies** | Proof; customer success | Consideration, Decision | customer-stories-page-generator |
| **Product updates** | Feature launches, release notes | Decision, Retention | changelog-page-generator |
| **News / Trending** | Industry news, hot topics | Awareness | article-content, article-page-generator |
| **Glossaries** | Definitions; internal link hub | Awareness | glossary-page-generator |
| **Tools / calculators** | Linkable assets; engagement | Consideration | — |
| **Funding / PR** | Funding, acquisitions | Brand | article-content, article-page-generator |
| **Onboarding** | Welcome, first-use guidance | Retention | email-marketing |
| **Campaign** | Promotions, limited-time | Decision | email-marketing |
| **Newsletter** | Curated insights; nurture | Retention | email-marketing |

### Product Marketing Content

| Type | Use | Format |
|------|-----|--------|
| **QA answers** | Internal reference or customer-facing; product questions | Docs, FAQ, KB |
| **Use guide** | How to use product; onboarding | Blog, docs, video |
| **Maintenance guide** | Care, upkeep, best practices | Docs, blog |
| **Troubleshooting** | Common issues, bugs, fixes | FAQ, docs, KB |

**Use**: Blog, docs, or in-product; supports activation and retention. See **faq-page-generator**, **docs-page-generator**.

## Content Formats (How It's Delivered)

| Format | Use | Skills |
|--------|-----|--------|
| **Pages** | Homepage, about, features, pricing, landing | homepage-generator, about-page-generator, landing-page-generator |
| **Articles** | Blog posts, guides, listicles | article-content, article-page-generator, blog-page-generator |
| **Email** | EDM, newsletter, sequences | email-marketing |
| **Social posts** | X, LinkedIn, Reddit, TikTok | twitter-x-posts, linkedin-posts, reddit-posts, tiktok-captions; **visual-content** for post images |
| **Video** | Short-form, long-form, webinar | video-marketing |
| **Infographics** | Visual summaries | **visual-content** |
| **Slides / PDF** | Decks, whitepapers, eBooks | — |
| **Podcast** | Audio episodes | — |

## Content Repurposing Matrix

**Principle**: One core content → multiple formats → multiple channels. Maximize ROI.

| Core Content | Formats | Channels |
|--------------|---------|----------|
| **Case study** | Article, video, infographic, slides | Blog, email, LinkedIn, YouTube, sales deck |
| **How-to guide** | Article, video, checklist, PDF | Blog, email, YouTube, docs |
| **Product update** | Article, email, post, video | Blog, email, X, LinkedIn, changelog |
| **Industry insight** | Article, podcast, post, newsletter | Blog, Spotify, X, email |

**Example**: One client success story → article (blog) + video (YouTube) + infographic (LinkedIn) + slides (sales) → 4 channels from 1 creation.

## Funnel Mapping

| Stage | Content Focus | Channels |
|-------|---------------|----------|
| **Awareness** | Education, thought leadership, glossary, how-tos | Blog, SEO, social, PR |
| **Consideration** | Comparisons, case studies, demos, features | Blog, email, landing, social |
| **Decision** | Pricing, testimonials, product pages, case studies | Website, email, sales |
| **Retention** | Onboarding, newsletter, product updates, changelog | Email, in-app, blog |

## Article Orientations

Article types by orientation—drives structure, SEO depth, and schema choice. See **article-page-generator** for page structure.

| Orientation | Examples | Primary Goal | SEO Priority |
|-------------|----------|--------------|--------------|
| **Funding / PR** | Funding rounds, acquisitions, executive hires | Brand awareness, press, investor relations | Low — thin content, few search queries |
| **Product updates** | Feature launches, release notes, changelogs | User education, product adoption | Low–medium — internal announcements rarely rank |
| **Guides / How-to** | Tutorials, step-by-step, best practices | Education, lead nurture, authority | High — matches search intent |
| **News / Trending** | Industry news, hot topics, seasonal | Engagement, social shares, topical relevance | Medium — quick traffic spikes, short shelf life |
| **Evergreen** | Pillar guides, glossaries, comparisons | Long-term traffic, backlinks, authority | High — compounds over time |

**SEO-driven vs non-SEO-driven**: SEO-driven (how-to, listicles, comparisons) → target keywords, full optimization. Non-SEO-driven (funding, product updates) → focus on clarity, shareability, internal linking to SEO content. Hybrid: product launch posts can include SEO-friendly sections (e.g., "How to use [feature]").

## Evergreen vs Timely Mix

| Mix | Ratio | Use |
|-----|-------|-----|
| **Evergreen** | 70–75% | Pillar guides, how-tos, comparisons, glossaries; long-term traffic; refresh 6–12 months |
| **Timely** | 25–30% | Seasonal, trending, news; quick spikes; link into evergreen pillars |

**Evergreen vs timely (article-level)**: Evergreen = year-round relevance; steady traffic; refresh every 6–12 months. Timely = weeks to months; spikes then decline; often one-and-done; use NewsArticle schema. Recommended mix: 70/30 or 60/40 evergreen-to-timely.

See **content-strategy** for SEO topic clusters and pillar-cluster structure.

## Content Calendar

- Map content types to topics and keywords
- Prioritize by opportunity (volume → intent → feasibility)
- Schedule by capacity; include update schedule for existing content
- Plan repurposing: which core pieces become formats for which channels
- **Visual-first**: Plan images in calendar from the start; see **visual-content** for specs and repurposing

## Output Format

- **Content types** plan (what to create)
- **Format × channel** matrix (how and where)
- **Repurposing** plan (one-to-many)
- **Funnel** mapping (awareness/consideration/decision)
- **Content calendar** (topics, keywords, deadlines, repurposing)

## Related Skills

- **content-strategy**: SEO topic clusters, pillar-cluster, editorial calendar; SEO content planning
- **integrated-marketing**: PESO model, channel mix; content as owned media
- **article-content**: Article body creation; word count by type; writing frameworks
- **howto-section-generator**: How-to step sections; guides vs FAQ
- **article-page-generator**: Article page structure, orientations; blog content
- **email-marketing**: Email content types (onboarding, campaign, newsletter)
- **twitter-x-posts, linkedin-posts, reddit-posts, tiktok-captions**: Platform-specific post formats
- **visual-content**: Visual content planning; images for social, infographics, repurposing; cross-channel specs
- **landing-page-generator**: Landing page copy and structure
- **customer-stories-page-generator**: Case study content
- **branding**: Brand voice, storytelling; content consistency
- **translation**: Translation workflow for multilingual content; glossary, style guide