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Optimize skill files for AI agent use with progressive disclosure

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- Fix marketplace.json: add 2 missing skills (content-strategy, product-marketing-context)
- Refactor 10 skills over 500 lines to use references/ folders:
  - email-sequence: 926 → 291 lines
  - social-content: 809 → 276 lines
  - competitor-alternatives: 750 → 253 lines
  - pricing-strategy: 712 → 226 lines
  - programmatic-seo: 628 → 235 lines
  - referral-program: 604 → 239 lines
  - schema-markup: 598 → 175 lines
  - free-tool-strategy: 576 → 176 lines
  - paywall-upgrade-cro: 572 → 224 lines
  - marketing-ideas: 566 → 165 lines

Each skill now has core workflow in SKILL.md (<500 lines) with detailed
content in references/ folder for progressive disclosure.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
Corey Haines
2026-01-26 16:39:45 -08:00
parent becdd54cf9
commit c29ee7e6db
28 changed files with 4381 additions and 5100 deletions
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4
.claude-plugin/marketplace.json
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@@ -12,13 +12,14 @@
"plugins": [ "plugins": [
{ {
"name": "marketing-skills", "name": "marketing-skills",
"description": "23 marketing skills for technical marketers and founders: CRO, copywriting, SEO, paid ads, pricing strategy, referral programs, and more", "description": "25 marketing skills for technical marketers and founders: CRO, copywriting, SEO, paid ads, pricing strategy, referral programs, and more",
"source": "./", "source": "./",
"strict": false, "strict": false,
"skills": [ "skills": [
"./skills/ab-test-setup", "./skills/ab-test-setup",
"./skills/analytics-tracking", "./skills/analytics-tracking",
"./skills/competitor-alternatives", "./skills/competitor-alternatives",
"./skills/content-strategy",
"./skills/copy-editing", "./skills/copy-editing",
"./skills/copywriting", "./skills/copywriting",
"./skills/email-sequence", "./skills/email-sequence",
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@
"./skills/paywall-upgrade-cro", "./skills/paywall-upgrade-cro",
"./skills/popup-cro", "./skills/popup-cro",
"./skills/pricing-strategy", "./skills/pricing-strategy",
"./skills/product-marketing-context",
"./skills/programmatic-seo", "./skills/programmatic-seo",
"./skills/referral-program", "./skills/referral-program",
"./skills/schema-markup", "./skills/schema-markup",

589
skills/competitor-alternatives/SKILL.md
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@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ Before creating competitor pages, understand:
### 4. Modular Content Architecture ### 4. Modular Content Architecture
- Competitor data should be centralized - Competitor data should be centralized
- Updates propagate to all pages - Updates propagate to all pages
- Avoid duplicating research
- Single source of truth per competitor - Single source of truth per competitor
--- ---
@@ -71,11 +70,7 @@ Before creating competitor pages, understand:
**URL pattern**: `/alternatives/[competitor]` or `/[competitor]-alternative` **URL pattern**: `/alternatives/[competitor]` or `/[competitor]-alternative`
**Target keywords**: **Target keywords**: "[Competitor] alternative", "alternative to [Competitor]", "switch from [Competitor]"
- "[Competitor] alternative"
- "alternative to [Competitor]"
- "switch from [Competitor]"
- "[Competitor] replacement"
**Page structure**: **Page structure**:
1. Why people look for alternatives (validate their pain) 1. Why people look for alternatives (validate their pain)
@@ -86,21 +81,15 @@ Before creating competitor pages, understand:
6. Social proof from switchers 6. Social proof from switchers
7. CTA 7. CTA
**Tone**: Empathetic to their frustration, helpful guide
--- ---
### Format 2: [Competitor] Alternatives (Plural) ### Format 2: [Competitor] Alternatives (Plural)
**Search intent**: User is researching options, earlier in journey **Search intent**: User is researching options, earlier in journey
**URL pattern**: `/alternatives/[competitor]-alternatives` or `/best-[competitor]-alternatives` **URL pattern**: `/alternatives/[competitor]-alternatives`
**Target keywords**: **Target keywords**: "[Competitor] alternatives", "best [Competitor] alternatives", "tools like [Competitor]"
- "[Competitor] alternatives"
- "best [Competitor] alternatives"
- "tools like [Competitor]"
- "[Competitor] competitors"
**Page structure**: **Page structure**:
1. Why people look for alternatives (common pain points) 1. Why people look for alternatives (common pain points)
@@ -111,8 +100,6 @@ Before creating competitor pages, understand:
6. Recommendation by use case 6. Recommendation by use case
7. CTA 7. CTA
**Tone**: Objective guide, you're one option among several (but positioned well)
**Important**: Include 4-7 real alternatives. Being genuinely helpful builds trust and ranks better. **Important**: Include 4-7 real alternatives. Being genuinely helpful builds trust and ranks better.
--- ---
@@ -123,29 +110,18 @@ Before creating competitor pages, understand:
**URL pattern**: `/vs/[competitor]` or `/compare/[you]-vs-[competitor]` **URL pattern**: `/vs/[competitor]` or `/compare/[you]-vs-[competitor]`
**Target keywords**: **Target keywords**: "[You] vs [Competitor]", "[Competitor] vs [You]"
- "[You] vs [Competitor]"
- "[Competitor] vs [You]"
- "[You] compared to [Competitor]"
- "[You] or [Competitor]"
**Page structure**: **Page structure**:
1. TL;DR summary (key differences in 2-3 sentences) 1. TL;DR summary (key differences in 2-3 sentences)
2. At-a-glance comparison table 2. At-a-glance comparison table
3. Detailed comparison by category: 3. Detailed comparison by category (Features, Pricing, Support, Ease of use, Integrations)
- Features
- Pricing
- Service & support
- Ease of use
- Integrations
4. Who [You] is best for 4. Who [You] is best for
5. Who [Competitor] is best for (be honest) 5. Who [Competitor] is best for (be honest)
6. What customers say (testimonials from switchers) 6. What customers say (testimonials from switchers)
7. Migration support 7. Migration support
8. CTA 8. CTA
**Tone**: Confident but fair, acknowledge where competitor excels
--- ---
### Format 4: [Competitor A] vs [Competitor B] ### Format 4: [Competitor A] vs [Competitor B]
@@ -154,11 +130,6 @@ Before creating competitor pages, understand:
**URL pattern**: `/compare/[competitor-a]-vs-[competitor-b]` **URL pattern**: `/compare/[competitor-a]-vs-[competitor-b]`
**Target keywords**:
- "[Competitor A] vs [Competitor B]"
- "[Competitor A] or [Competitor B]"
- "[Competitor A] compared to [Competitor B]"
**Page structure**: **Page structure**:
1. Overview of both products 1. Overview of both products
2. Comparison by category 2. Comparison by category
@@ -167,458 +138,47 @@ Before creating competitor pages, understand:
5. Comparison table (all three) 5. Comparison table (all three)
6. CTA 6. CTA
**Tone**: Objective analyst, earn trust through fairness, then introduce yourself **Why this works**: Captures search traffic for competitor terms, positions you as knowledgeable.
**Why this works**: Captures search traffic for competitor terms, positions you as knowledgeable, introduces you to qualified audience.
--- ---
## Index Pages ## Essential Sections
Each format needs an index page that lists all pages of that type. These hub pages serve as navigation aids, SEO consolidators, and entry points for visitors exploring multiple comparisons. ### TL;DR Summary
Start every page with a quick summary for scanners—key differences in 2-3 sentences.
### Alternatives Index ### Paragraph Comparisons
Go beyond tables. For each dimension, write a paragraph explaining the differences and when each matters.
**URL**: `/alternatives` or `/alternatives/index` ### Feature Comparison
For each category: describe how each handles it, list strengths and limitations, give bottom line recommendation.
**Purpose**: Lists all "[Competitor] Alternative" pages ### Pricing Comparison
Include tier-by-tier comparison, what's included, hidden costs, and total cost calculation for sample team size.
**Page structure**: ### Who It's For
1. Headline: "[Your Product] as an Alternative" Be explicit about ideal customer for each option. Honest recommendations build trust.
2. Brief intro on why people switch to you
3. List of all alternative pages with:
- Competitor name/logo
- One-line summary of key differentiator vs. that competitor
- Link to full comparison
4. Common reasons people switch (aggregated)
5. CTA
**Example**: ### Migration Section
```markdown Cover what transfers, what needs reconfiguration, support offered, and quotes from customers who switched.
## Explore [Your Product] as an Alternative
Looking to switch? See how [Your Product] compares to the tools you're evaluating: **For detailed templates**: See [references/templates.md](references/templates.md)
- **[Notion Alternative](/alternatives/notion)** — Better for teams who need [X]
- **[Airtable Alternative](/alternatives/airtable)** — Better for teams who need [Y]
- **[Monday Alternative](/alternatives/monday)** — Better for teams who need [Z]
```
---
### Alternatives (Plural) Index
**URL**: `/alternatives/compare` or `/best-alternatives`
**Purpose**: Lists all "[Competitor] Alternatives" roundup pages
**Page structure**:
1. Headline: "Software Alternatives & Comparisons"
2. Brief intro on your comparison methodology
3. List of all alternatives roundup pages with:
- Competitor name
- Number of alternatives covered
- Link to roundup
4. CTA
**Example**:
```markdown
## Find the Right Tool
Comparing your options? Our guides cover the top alternatives:
- **[Best Notion Alternatives](/alternatives/notion-alternatives)** — 7 tools compared
- **[Best Airtable Alternatives](/alternatives/airtable-alternatives)** — 6 tools compared
- **[Best Monday Alternatives](/alternatives/monday-alternatives)** — 5 tools compared
```
---
### Vs Comparisons Index
**URL**: `/vs` or `/compare`
**Purpose**: Lists all "You vs [Competitor]" and "[A] vs [B]" pages
**Page structure**:
1. Headline: "Compare [Your Product]"
2. Section: "[Your Product] vs Competitors" — list of direct comparisons
3. Section: "Head-to-Head Comparisons" — list of [A] vs [B] pages
4. Brief methodology note
5. CTA
**Example**:
```markdown
## Compare [Your Product]
### [Your Product] vs. the Competition
- **[[Your Product] vs Notion](/vs/notion)** — Best for [differentiator]
- **[[Your Product] vs Airtable](/vs/airtable)** — Best for [differentiator]
- **[[Your Product] vs Monday](/vs/monday)** — Best for [differentiator]
### Other Comparisons
Evaluating tools we compete with? We've done the research:
- **[Notion vs Airtable](/compare/notion-vs-airtable)**
- **[Notion vs Monday](/compare/notion-vs-monday)**
- **[Airtable vs Monday](/compare/airtable-vs-monday)**
```
---
### Index Page Best Practices
**Keep them updated**: When you add a new comparison page, add it to the relevant index.
**Internal linking**:
- Link from index → individual pages
- Link from individual pages → back to index
- Cross-link between related comparisons
**SEO value**:
- Index pages can rank for broad terms like "project management tool comparisons"
- Pass link equity to individual comparison pages
- Help search engines discover all comparison content
**Sorting options**:
- By popularity (search volume)
- Alphabetically
- By category/use case
- By date added (show freshness)
**Include on index pages**:
- Last updated date for credibility
- Number of pages/comparisons available
- Quick filters if you have many comparisons
--- ---
## Content Architecture ## Content Architecture
### Centralized Competitor Data ### Centralized Competitor Data
Create a single source of truth for each competitor with:
Create a single source of truth for each competitor: - Positioning and target audience
- Pricing (all tiers)
``` - Feature ratings
competitor_data/ - Strengths and weaknesses
├── notion.md - Best for / not ideal for
├── airtable.md - Common complaints (from reviews)
├── monday.md - Migration notes
└── ...
``` **For data structure and examples**: See [references/content-architecture.md](references/content-architecture.md)
**Per competitor, document**:
```yaml
name: Notion
website: notion.so
tagline: "The all-in-one workspace"
founded: 2016
headquarters: San Francisco
# Positioning
primary_use_case: "docs + light databases"
target_audience: "teams wanting flexible workspace"
market_position: "premium, feature-rich"
# Pricing
pricing_model: per-seat
free_tier: true
free_tier_limits: "limited blocks, 1 user"
starter_price: $8/user/month
business_price: $15/user/month
enterprise: custom
# Features (rate 1-5 or describe)
features:
documents: 5
databases: 4
project_management: 3
collaboration: 4
integrations: 3
mobile_app: 3
offline_mode: 2
api: 4
# Strengths (be honest)
strengths:
- Extremely flexible and customizable
- Beautiful, modern interface
- Strong template ecosystem
- Active community
# Weaknesses (be fair)
weaknesses:
- Can be slow with large databases
- Learning curve for advanced features
- Limited automations compared to dedicated tools
- Offline mode is limited
# Best for
best_for:
- Teams wanting all-in-one workspace
- Content-heavy workflows
- Documentation-first teams
- Startups and small teams
# Not ideal for
not_ideal_for:
- Complex project management needs
- Large databases (1000s of rows)
- Teams needing robust offline
- Enterprise with strict compliance
# Common complaints (from reviews)
common_complaints:
- "Gets slow with lots of content"
- "Hard to find things as workspace grows"
- "Mobile app is clunky"
# Migration notes
migration_from:
difficulty: medium
data_export: "Markdown, CSV, HTML"
what_transfers: "Pages, databases"
what_doesnt: "Automations, integrations setup"
time_estimate: "1-3 days for small team"
```
### Your Product Data
Same structure for yourself—be honest:
```yaml
name: [Your Product]
# ... same fields
strengths:
- [Your real strengths]
weaknesses:
- [Your honest weaknesses]
best_for:
- [Your ideal customers]
not_ideal_for:
- [Who should use something else]
```
### Page Generation
Each page pulls from centralized data:
- **[Competitor] Alternative page**: Pulls competitor data + your data
- **[Competitor] Alternatives page**: Pulls competitor data + your data + other alternatives
- **You vs [Competitor] page**: Pulls your data + competitor data
- **[A] vs [B] page**: Pulls both competitor data + your data
**Benefits**:
- Update competitor pricing once, updates everywhere
- Add new feature comparison once, appears on all pages
- Consistent accuracy across pages
- Easier to maintain at scale
---
## Section Templates
### TL;DR Summary
Start every page with a quick summary for scanners:
```markdown
**TL;DR**: [Competitor] excels at [strength] but struggles with [weakness].
[Your product] is built for [your focus], offering [key differentiator].
Choose [Competitor] if [their ideal use case]. Choose [You] if [your ideal use case].
```
### Paragraph Comparison (Not Just Tables)
For each major dimension, write a paragraph:
```markdown
## Features
[Competitor] offers [description of their feature approach].
Their strength is [specific strength], which works well for [use case].
However, [limitation] can be challenging for [user type].
[Your product] takes a different approach with [your approach].
This means [benefit], though [honest tradeoff].
Teams who [specific need] often find this more effective.
```
### Feature Comparison Section
Go beyond checkmarks:
```markdown
## Feature Comparison
### [Feature Category]
**[Competitor]**: [2-3 sentence description of how they handle this]
- Strengths: [specific]
- Limitations: [specific]
**[Your product]**: [2-3 sentence description]
- Strengths: [specific]
- Limitations: [specific]
**Bottom line**: Choose [Competitor] if [scenario]. Choose [You] if [scenario].
```
### Pricing Comparison Section
```markdown
## Pricing
| | [Competitor] | [Your Product] |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | [Details] | [Details] |
| Starting price | $X/user/mo | $X/user/mo |
| Business tier | $X/user/mo | $X/user/mo |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom |
**What's included**: [Competitor]'s $X plan includes [features], while
[Your product]'s $X plan includes [features].
**Total cost consideration**: Beyond per-seat pricing, consider [hidden costs,
add-ons, implementation]. [Competitor] charges extra for [X], while
[Your product] includes [Y] in base pricing.
**Value comparison**: For a 10-person team, [Competitor] costs approximately
$X/year while [Your product] costs $Y/year, with [key differences in what you get].
```
### Service & Support Comparison
```markdown
## Service & Support
| | [Competitor] | [Your Product] |
|---|---|---|
| Documentation | [Quality assessment] | [Quality assessment] |
| Response time | [SLA if known] | [Your SLA] |
| Support channels | [List] | [List] |
| Onboarding | [What they offer] | [What you offer] |
| CSM included | [At what tier] | [At what tier] |
**Support quality**: Based on [G2/Capterra reviews, your research],
[Competitor] support is described as [assessment]. Common feedback includes
[quotes or themes].
[Your product] offers [your support approach]. [Specific differentiator like
response time, dedicated CSM, implementation help].
```
### Who It's For Section
```markdown
## Who Should Choose [Competitor]
[Competitor] is the right choice if:
- [Specific use case or need]
- [Team type or size]
- [Workflow or requirement]
- [Budget or priority]
**Ideal [Competitor] customer**: [Persona description in 1-2 sentences]
## Who Should Choose [Your Product]
[Your product] is built for teams who:
- [Specific use case or need]
- [Team type or size]
- [Workflow or requirement]
- [Priority or value]
**Ideal [Your product] customer**: [Persona description in 1-2 sentences]
```
### Migration Section
```markdown
## Switching from [Competitor]
### What transfers
- [Data type]: [How easily, any caveats]
- [Data type]: [How easily, any caveats]
### What needs reconfiguration
- [Thing]: [Why and effort level]
- [Thing]: [Why and effort level]
### Migration support
We offer [migration support details]:
- [Free data import tool / white-glove migration]
- [Documentation / migration guide]
- [Timeline expectation]
- [Support during transition]
### What customers say about switching
> "[Quote from customer who switched]"
> — [Name], [Role] at [Company]
```
### Social Proof Section
Focus on switchers:
```markdown
## What Customers Say
### Switched from [Competitor]
> "[Specific quote about why they switched and outcome]"
> — [Name], [Role] at [Company]
> "[Another quote]"
> — [Name], [Role] at [Company]
### Results after switching
- [Company] saw [specific result]
- [Company] reduced [metric] by [amount]
```
---
## Comparison Table Best Practices
### Beyond Checkmarks
Instead of:
| Feature | You | Competitor |
|---------|-----|-----------|
| Feature A | ✓ | ✓ |
| Feature B | ✓ | ✗ |
Do this:
| Feature | You | Competitor |
|---------|-----|-----------|
| Feature A | Full support with [detail] | Basic support, [limitation] |
| Feature B | [Specific capability] | Not available |
### Organize by Category
Group features into meaningful categories:
- Core functionality
- Collaboration
- Integrations
- Security & compliance
- Support & service
### Include Ratings Where Useful
| Category | You | Competitor | Notes |
|----------|-----|-----------|-------|
| Ease of use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | [Brief note] |
| Feature depth | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | [Brief note] |
--- ---
@@ -628,39 +188,14 @@ Group features into meaningful categories:
For each competitor, gather: For each competitor, gather:
1. **Product research** 1. **Product research**: Sign up, use it, document features/UX/limitations
- Sign up for free trial 2. **Pricing research**: Current pricing, what's included, hidden costs
- Use the product yourself 3. **Review mining**: G2, Capterra, TrustRadius for common praise/complaint themes
- Document features, UX, limitations 4. **Customer feedback**: Talk to customers who switched (both directions)
- Take screenshots 5. **Content research**: Their positioning, their comparison pages, their changelog
2. **Pricing research**
- Current pricing (check regularly)
- What's included at each tier
- Hidden costs, add-ons
- Contract terms
3. **Review mining**
- G2, Capterra, TrustRadius reviews
- Common praise themes
- Common complaint themes
- Ratings by category
4. **Customer feedback**
- Talk to customers who switched
- Talk to prospects who chose competitor
- Document real quotes
5. **Content research**
- Their positioning and messaging
- Their comparison pages (how do they compare to you?)
- Their documentation quality
- Their changelog (recent development)
### Ongoing Updates ### Ongoing Updates
Competitor pages need maintenance:
- **Quarterly**: Verify pricing, check for major feature changes - **Quarterly**: Verify pricing, check for major feature changes
- **When notified**: Customer mentions competitor change - **When notified**: Customer mentions competitor change
- **Annually**: Full refresh of all competitor data - **Annually**: Full refresh of all competitor data
@@ -671,65 +206,33 @@ Competitor pages need maintenance:
### Keyword Targeting ### Keyword Targeting
| Format | Primary Keywords | Secondary Keywords | | Format | Primary Keywords |
|--------|-----------------|-------------------| |--------|-----------------|
| Alternative (singular) | [Competitor] alternative | alternative to [Competitor], switch from [Competitor], [Competitor] replacement | | Alternative (singular) | [Competitor] alternative, alternative to [Competitor] |
| Alternatives (plural) | [Competitor] alternatives | best [Competitor] alternatives, tools like [Competitor], [Competitor] competitors | | Alternatives (plural) | [Competitor] alternatives, best [Competitor] alternatives |
| You vs Competitor | [You] vs [Competitor] | [Competitor] vs [You], [You] compared to [Competitor] | | You vs Competitor | [You] vs [Competitor], [Competitor] vs [You] |
| Competitor vs Competitor | [A] vs [B] | [B] vs [A], [A] or [B], [A] compared to [B] | | Competitor vs Competitor | [A] vs [B], [B] vs [A] |
### Internal Linking ### Internal Linking
- Link between related competitor pages - Link between related competitor pages
- Link from feature pages to relevant comparisons - Link from feature pages to relevant comparisons
- Link from blog posts mentioning competitors - Create hub page linking to all competitor content
- Hub page linking to all competitor content
### Schema Markup ### Schema Markup
Consider FAQ schema for common questions like "What is the best alternative to [Competitor]?"
Consider FAQ schema for common questions:
```json
{
"@type": "FAQPage",
"mainEntity": [
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "What is the best alternative to [Competitor]?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "[Your answer positioning yourself]"
}
}
]
}
```
--- ---
## Output Format ## Output Format
### Competitor Data File ### Competitor Data File
Complete competitor profile in YAML format for use across all comparison pages.
```yaml
# [competitor].yaml
# Complete competitor profile for use across all comparison pages
```
### Page Content ### Page Content
For each page: URL, meta tags, full page copy organized by section, comparison tables, CTAs.
For each page:
- URL and meta tags
- Full page copy organized by section
- Comparison tables
- CTAs
### Page Set Plan ### Page Set Plan
Recommended pages to create with priority order based on search volume.
Recommended pages to create:
1. [List of alternative pages]
2. [List of vs pages]
3. Priority order based on search volume
--- ---

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skills/competitor-alternatives/references/content-architecture.md Normal file
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@@ -0,0 +1,208 @@
# Content Architecture for Competitor Pages
How to structure and maintain competitor data for scalable comparison pages.
## Centralized Competitor Data
Create a single source of truth for each competitor:
```
competitor_data/
├── notion.md
├── airtable.md
├── monday.md
└── ...
```
---
## Competitor Data Template
Per competitor, document:
```yaml
name: Notion
website: notion.so
tagline: "The all-in-one workspace"
founded: 2016
headquarters: San Francisco
# Positioning
primary_use_case: "docs + light databases"
target_audience: "teams wanting flexible workspace"
market_position: "premium, feature-rich"
# Pricing
pricing_model: per-seat
free_tier: true
free_tier_limits: "limited blocks, 1 user"
starter_price: $8/user/month
business_price: $15/user/month
enterprise: custom
# Features (rate 1-5 or describe)
features:
documents: 5
databases: 4
project_management: 3
collaboration: 4
integrations: 3
mobile_app: 3
offline_mode: 2
api: 4
# Strengths (be honest)
strengths:
- Extremely flexible and customizable
- Beautiful, modern interface
- Strong template ecosystem
- Active community
# Weaknesses (be fair)
weaknesses:
- Can be slow with large databases
- Learning curve for advanced features
- Limited automations compared to dedicated tools
- Offline mode is limited
# Best for
best_for:
- Teams wanting all-in-one workspace
- Content-heavy workflows
- Documentation-first teams
- Startups and small teams
# Not ideal for
not_ideal_for:
- Complex project management needs
- Large databases (1000s of rows)
- Teams needing robust offline
- Enterprise with strict compliance
# Common complaints (from reviews)
common_complaints:
- "Gets slow with lots of content"
- "Hard to find things as workspace grows"
- "Mobile app is clunky"
# Migration notes
migration_from:
difficulty: medium
data_export: "Markdown, CSV, HTML"
what_transfers: "Pages, databases"
what_doesnt: "Automations, integrations setup"
time_estimate: "1-3 days for small team"
```
---
## Your Product Data
Same structure for yourself—be honest:
```yaml
name: [Your Product]
# ... same fields
strengths:
- [Your real strengths]
weaknesses:
- [Your honest weaknesses]
best_for:
- [Your ideal customers]
not_ideal_for:
- [Who should use something else]
```
---
## Page Generation
Each page pulls from centralized data:
- **[Competitor] Alternative page**: Pulls competitor data + your data
- **[Competitor] Alternatives page**: Pulls competitor data + your data + other alternatives
- **You vs [Competitor] page**: Pulls your data + competitor data
- **[A] vs [B] page**: Pulls both competitor data + your data
**Benefits**:
- Update competitor pricing once, updates everywhere
- Add new feature comparison once, appears on all pages
- Consistent accuracy across pages
- Easier to maintain at scale
---
## Index Page Structure
### Alternatives Index
**URL**: `/alternatives` or `/alternatives/index`
**Purpose**: Lists all "[Competitor] Alternative" pages
**Page structure**:
1. Headline: "[Your Product] as an Alternative"
2. Brief intro on why people switch to you
3. List of all alternative pages with:
- Competitor name/logo
- One-line summary of key differentiator vs. that competitor
- Link to full comparison
4. Common reasons people switch (aggregated)
5. CTA
**Example**:
```markdown
## Explore [Your Product] as an Alternative
Looking to switch? See how [Your Product] compares to the tools you're evaluating:
- **[Notion Alternative](/alternatives/notion)** — Better for teams who need [X]
- **[Airtable Alternative](/alternatives/airtable)** — Better for teams who need [Y]
- **[Monday Alternative](/alternatives/monday)** — Better for teams who need [Z]
```
---
### Vs Comparisons Index
**URL**: `/vs` or `/compare`
**Purpose**: Lists all "You vs [Competitor]" and "[A] vs [B]" pages
**Page structure**:
1. Headline: "Compare [Your Product]"
2. Section: "[Your Product] vs Competitors" — list of direct comparisons
3. Section: "Head-to-Head Comparisons" — list of [A] vs [B] pages
4. Brief methodology note
5. CTA
---
### Index Page Best Practices
**Keep them updated**: When you add a new comparison page, add it to the relevant index.
**Internal linking**:
- Link from index → individual pages
- Link from individual pages → back to index
- Cross-link between related comparisons
**SEO value**:
- Index pages can rank for broad terms like "project management tool comparisons"
- Pass link equity to individual comparison pages
- Help search engines discover all comparison content
**Sorting options**:
- By popularity (search volume)
- Alphabetically
- By category/use case
- By date added (show freshness)
**Include on index pages**:
- Last updated date for credibility
- Number of pages/comparisons available
- Quick filters if you have many comparisons

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@@ -0,0 +1,212 @@
# Section Templates for Competitor Pages
Ready-to-use templates for each section of competitor comparison pages.
## TL;DR Summary
Start every page with a quick summary for scanners:
```markdown
**TL;DR**: [Competitor] excels at [strength] but struggles with [weakness].
[Your product] is built for [your focus], offering [key differentiator].
Choose [Competitor] if [their ideal use case]. Choose [You] if [your ideal use case].
```
---
## Paragraph Comparison (Not Just Tables)
For each major dimension, write a paragraph:
```markdown
## Features
[Competitor] offers [description of their feature approach].
Their strength is [specific strength], which works well for [use case].
However, [limitation] can be challenging for [user type].
[Your product] takes a different approach with [your approach].
This means [benefit], though [honest tradeoff].
Teams who [specific need] often find this more effective.
```
---
## Feature Comparison Section
Go beyond checkmarks:
```markdown
## Feature Comparison
### [Feature Category]
**[Competitor]**: [2-3 sentence description of how they handle this]
- Strengths: [specific]
- Limitations: [specific]
**[Your product]**: [2-3 sentence description]
- Strengths: [specific]
- Limitations: [specific]
**Bottom line**: Choose [Competitor] if [scenario]. Choose [You] if [scenario].
```
---
## Pricing Comparison Section
```markdown
## Pricing
| | [Competitor] | [Your Product] |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | [Details] | [Details] |
| Starting price | $X/user/mo | $X/user/mo |
| Business tier | $X/user/mo | $X/user/mo |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom |
**What's included**: [Competitor]'s $X plan includes [features], while
[Your product]'s $X plan includes [features].
**Total cost consideration**: Beyond per-seat pricing, consider [hidden costs,
add-ons, implementation]. [Competitor] charges extra for [X], while
[Your product] includes [Y] in base pricing.
**Value comparison**: For a 10-person team, [Competitor] costs approximately
$X/year while [Your product] costs $Y/year, with [key differences in what you get].
```
---
## Service & Support Comparison
```markdown
## Service & Support
| | [Competitor] | [Your Product] |
|---|---|---|
| Documentation | [Quality assessment] | [Quality assessment] |
| Response time | [SLA if known] | [Your SLA] |
| Support channels | [List] | [List] |
| Onboarding | [What they offer] | [What you offer] |
| CSM included | [At what tier] | [At what tier] |
**Support quality**: Based on [G2/Capterra reviews, your research],
[Competitor] support is described as [assessment]. Common feedback includes
[quotes or themes].
[Your product] offers [your support approach]. [Specific differentiator like
response time, dedicated CSM, implementation help].
```
---
## Who It's For Section
```markdown
## Who Should Choose [Competitor]
[Competitor] is the right choice if:
- [Specific use case or need]
- [Team type or size]
- [Workflow or requirement]
- [Budget or priority]
**Ideal [Competitor] customer**: [Persona description in 1-2 sentences]
## Who Should Choose [Your Product]
[Your product] is built for teams who:
- [Specific use case or need]
- [Team type or size]
- [Workflow or requirement]
- [Priority or value]
**Ideal [Your product] customer**: [Persona description in 1-2 sentences]
```
---
## Migration Section
```markdown
## Switching from [Competitor]
### What transfers
- [Data type]: [How easily, any caveats]
- [Data type]: [How easily, any caveats]
### What needs reconfiguration
- [Thing]: [Why and effort level]
- [Thing]: [Why and effort level]
### Migration support
We offer [migration support details]:
- [Free data import tool / white-glove migration]
- [Documentation / migration guide]
- [Timeline expectation]
- [Support during transition]
### What customers say about switching
> "[Quote from customer who switched]"
> — [Name], [Role] at [Company]
```
---
## Social Proof Section
Focus on switchers:
```markdown
## What Customers Say
### Switched from [Competitor]
> "[Specific quote about why they switched and outcome]"
> — [Name], [Role] at [Company]
> "[Another quote]"
> — [Name], [Role] at [Company]
### Results after switching
- [Company] saw [specific result]
- [Company] reduced [metric] by [amount]
```
---
## Comparison Table Best Practices
### Beyond Checkmarks
Instead of:
| Feature | You | Competitor |
|---------|-----|-----------|
| Feature A | ✓ | ✓ |
| Feature B | ✓ | ✗ |
Do this:
| Feature | You | Competitor |
|---------|-----|-----------|
| Feature A | Full support with [detail] | Basic support, [limitation] |
| Feature B | [Specific capability] | Not available |
### Organize by Category
Group features into meaningful categories:
- Core functionality
- Collaboration
- Integrations
- Security & compliance
- Support & service
### Include Ratings Where Useful
| Category | You | Competitor | Notes |
|----------|-----|-----------|-------|
| Ease of use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | [Brief note] |
| Feature depth | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | [Brief note] |

781
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@@ -107,675 +107,104 @@ Consider:
--- ---
## Sequence Templates ## Sequence Types Overview
### Welcome Sequence (Post-Signup) ### Welcome Sequence (Post-Signup)
**Length**: 5-7 emails over 12-14 days
**Goal**: Activate, build trust, convert
**Email 1: Welcome (Immediate)** Key emails:
- Subject: Welcome to [Product] — here's your first step 1. Welcome + deliver promised value (immediate)
- Deliver what was promised (lead magnet, access, etc.) 2. Quick win (day 1-2)
- Single next action 3. Story/Why (day 3-4)
- Set expectations for future emails 4. Social proof (day 5-6)
5. Overcome objection (day 7-8)
**Email 2: Quick Win (Day 1-2)** 6. Core feature highlight (day 9-11)
- Subject: Get your first [result] in 10 minutes 7. Conversion (day 12-14)
- Enable small success
- Build confidence
- Link to helpful resource
**Email 3: Story/Why (Day 3-4)**
- Subject: Why we built [Product]
- Origin story or mission
- Connect emotionally
- Show you understand their problem
**Email 4: Social Proof (Day 5-6)**
- Subject: How [Customer] achieved [Result]
- Case study or testimonial
- Relatable to their situation
- Soft CTA to explore
**Email 5: Overcome Objection (Day 7-8)**
- Subject: "I don't have time for X" — sound familiar?
- Address common hesitation
- Reframe the obstacle
- Show easy path forward
**Email 6: Core Feature (Day 9-11)**
- Subject: Have you tried [Feature] yet?
- Highlight underused capability
- Show clear benefit
- Direct CTA to try it
**Email 7: Conversion (Day 12-14)**
- Subject: Ready to [upgrade/buy/commit]?
- Summarize value
- Clear offer
- Urgency if appropriate
- Risk reversal (guarantee, trial)
---
### Lead Nurture Sequence (Pre-Sale) ### Lead Nurture Sequence (Pre-Sale)
**Length**: 6-8 emails over 2-3 weeks
**Goal**: Build trust, demonstrate expertise, convert
**Email 1: Deliver + Introduce (Immediate)** Key emails:
- Deliver the lead magnet 1. Deliver lead magnet + intro (immediate)
- Brief intro to who you are 2. Expand on topic (day 2-3)
- Preview what's coming 3. Problem deep-dive (day 4-5)
4. Solution framework (day 6-8)
**Email 2: Expand on Topic (Day 2-3)** 5. Case study (day 9-11)
- Related insight to lead magnet 6. Differentiation (day 12-14)
- Establish expertise 7. Objection handler (day 15-18)
- Light CTA to content 8. Direct offer (day 19-21)
**Email 3: Problem Deep-Dive (Day 4-5)**
- Articulate their problem deeply
- Show you understand
- Hint at solution
**Email 4: Solution Framework (Day 6-8)**
- Your approach/methodology
- Educational, not salesy
- Builds toward your product
**Email 5: Case Study (Day 9-11)**
- Real results from real customer
- Specific and relatable
- Soft CTA
**Email 6: Differentiation (Day 12-14)**
- Why your approach is different
- Address alternatives
- Build preference
**Email 7: Objection Handler (Day 15-18)**
- Common concern addressed
- FAQ or myth-busting
- Reduce friction
**Email 8: Direct Offer (Day 19-21)**
- Clear pitch
- Strong value proposition
- Specific CTA
- Urgency if available
---
### Re-Engagement Sequence ### Re-Engagement Sequence
**Length**: 3-4 emails over 2 weeks
**Trigger**: 30-60 days of inactivity
**Goal**: Win back or clean list
**Email 1: Check-In (Day 30-60 of inactivity)** Key emails:
- Subject: Is everything okay, [Name]? 1. Check-in (genuine concern)
- Genuine concern 2. Value reminder (what's new)
- Ask what happened 3. Incentive (special offer)
- Easy win to re-engage 4. Last chance (stay or unsubscribe)
**Email 2: Value Reminder (Day 2-3 after)**
- Subject: Remember when you [achieved X]?
- Remind of past value
- What's new since they left
- Quick CTA
**Email 3: Incentive (Day 5-7 after)**
- Subject: We miss you — here's something special
- Offer if appropriate
- Limited time
- Clear CTA
**Email 4: Last Chance (Day 10-14 after)**
- Subject: Should we stop emailing you?
- Honest and direct
- One-click to stay or go
- Clean the list if no response
---
### Onboarding Sequence (Product Users) ### Onboarding Sequence (Product Users)
**Length**: 5-7 emails over 14 days
**Goal**: Activate, drive to aha moment, upgrade
**Note**: Coordinate with in-app onboarding—email supports, doesn't duplicate
Coordinate with in-app onboarding. Email supports, doesn't duplicate. Key emails:
1. Welcome + first step (immediate)
2. Getting started help (day 1)
3. Feature highlight (day 2-3)
4. Success story (day 4-5)
5. Check-in (day 7)
6. Advanced tip (day 10-12)
7. Upgrade/expand (day 14+)
**Email 1: Welcome + First Step (Immediate)** **For detailed templates**: See [references/sequence-templates.md](references/sequence-templates.md)
- Confirm signup
- One critical action
- Link directly to that action
**Email 2: Getting Started Help (Day 1)**
- If they haven't completed step 1
- Quick tip or video
- Support option
**Email 3: Feature Highlight (Day 2-3)**
- Key feature they should know
- Specific use case
- In-app link
**Email 4: Success Story (Day 4-5)**
- Customer who succeeded
- Relatable journey
- Motivational
**Email 5: Check-In (Day 7)**
- How's it going?
- Ask for feedback
- Offer help
**Email 6: Advanced Tip (Day 10-12)**
- Power feature
- For engaged users
- Level-up content
**Email 7: Upgrade/Expand (Day 14+)**
- For trial users: conversion push
- For free users: upgrade prompt
- For paid: expansion opportunity
--- ---
## Email Types Reference ## Email Types by Category
A comprehensive guide to lifecycle and campaign emails. Use this as an audit checklist and implementation reference.
### Onboarding Emails ### Onboarding Emails
- New users series
#### New Users Series - New customers series
**Trigger**: User signs up (free or trial) - Key onboarding step reminders
**Goal**: Activate user, drive to aha moment - New user invites
**Typical sequence**: 5-7 emails over 14 days
- Email 1: Welcome + single next step (immediate)
- Email 2: Quick win / getting started (day 1)
- Email 3: Key feature highlight (day 3)
- Email 4: Success story / social proof (day 5)
- Email 5: Check-in + offer help (day 7)
- Email 6: Advanced tip (day 10)
- Email 7: Upgrade prompt or next milestone (day 14)
**Key metrics**: Activation rate, feature adoption
---
#### New Customers Series
**Trigger**: User converts to paid
**Goal**: Reinforce purchase decision, drive adoption, reduce early churn
**Typical sequence**: 3-5 emails over 14 days
- Email 1: Thank you + what's next (immediate)
- Email 2: Getting full value — setup checklist (day 2)
- Email 3: Pro tips for paid features (day 5)
- Email 4: Success story from similar customer (day 7)
- Email 5: Check-in + introduce support resources (day 14)
**Key point**: Different from new user series—they've committed. Focus on reinforcement and expansion, not conversion.
---
#### Key Onboarding Step Reminder
**Trigger**: User hasn't completed critical setup step after X time
**Goal**: Nudge completion of high-value action
**Format**: Single email or 2-3 email mini-sequence
**Example triggers**:
- Hasn't connected integration after 48 hours
- Hasn't invited team member after 3 days
- Hasn't completed profile after 24 hours
**Copy approach**:
- Remind them what they started
- Explain why this step matters
- Make it easy (direct link to complete)
- Offer help if stuck
---
#### New User Invite
**Trigger**: Existing user invites teammate
**Goal**: Activate the invited user
**Recipient**: The person being invited
- Email 1: You've been invited (immediate)
- Email 2: Reminder if not accepted (day 2)
- Email 3: Final reminder (day 5)
**Copy approach**:
- Personalize with inviter's name
- Explain what they're joining
- Single CTA to accept invite
- Social proof optional
---
### Retention Emails ### Retention Emails
- Upgrade to paid
#### Upgrade to Paid - Upgrade to higher plan
**Trigger**: Free user shows engagement, or trial ending - Ask for review
**Goal**: Convert free to paid - Proactive support offers
**Typical sequence**: 3-5 emails - Product usage reports
- NPS survey
**Trigger options**: - Referral program
- Time-based (trial day 10, 12, 14)
- Behavior-based (hit usage limit, used premium feature)
- Engagement-based (highly active free user)
**Sequence structure**:
- Value summary: What they've accomplished
- Feature comparison: What they're missing
- Social proof: Who else upgraded
- Urgency: Trial ending, limited offer
- Final: Last chance + easy path
---
#### Upgrade to Higher Plan
**Trigger**: User approaching plan limits or using features available on higher tier
**Goal**: Upsell to next tier
**Format**: Single email or 2-3 email sequence
**Trigger examples**:
- 80% of seat limit reached
- 90% of storage/usage limit
- Tried to use higher-tier feature
- Power user behavior patterns
**Copy approach**:
- Acknowledge their growth (positive framing)
- Show what next tier unlocks
- Quantify value vs. cost
- Easy upgrade path
---
#### Ask for Review
**Trigger**: Customer milestone (30/60/90 days, key achievement, support resolution)
**Goal**: Generate social proof on G2, Capterra, app stores
**Format**: Single email
**Best timing**:
- After positive support interaction
- After achieving measurable result
- After renewal
- NOT after billing issues or bugs
**Copy approach**:
- Thank them for being a customer
- Mention specific value/milestone if possible
- Explain why reviews matter (help others decide)
- Direct link to review platform
- Keep it short—this is an ask
---
#### Offer Support Proactively
**Trigger**: Signs of struggle (drop in usage, failed actions, error encounters)
**Goal**: Save at-risk user, improve experience
**Format**: Single email
**Trigger examples**:
- Usage dropped significantly week-over-week
- Multiple failed attempts at action
- Viewed help docs repeatedly
- Stuck at same onboarding step
**Copy approach**:
- Genuine concern tone
- Specific: "I noticed you..." (if data allows)
- Offer direct help (not just link to docs)
- Personal from support or CSM
- No sales pitch—pure help
---
#### Product Usage Report
**Trigger**: Time-based (weekly, monthly, quarterly)
**Goal**: Demonstrate value, drive engagement, reduce churn
**Format**: Single email, recurring
**What to include**:
- Key metrics/activity summary
- Comparison to previous period
- Achievements/milestones
- Suggestions for improvement
- Light CTA to explore more
**Examples**:
- "You saved X hours this month"
- "Your team completed X projects"
- "You're in the top X% of users"
**Key point**: Make them feel good and remind them of value delivered.
---
#### NPS Survey
**Trigger**: Time-based (quarterly) or event-based (post-milestone)
**Goal**: Measure satisfaction, identify promoters and detractors
**Format**: Single email
**Best practices**:
- Keep it simple: Just the NPS question initially
- Follow-up form for "why" based on score
- Personal sender (CEO, founder, CSM)
- Tell them how you'll use feedback
**Follow-up based on score**:
- Promoters (9-10): Thank + ask for review/referral
- Passives (7-8): Ask what would make it a 10
- Detractors (0-6): Personal outreach to understand issues
---
#### Referral Program
**Trigger**: Customer milestone, promoter NPS score, or campaign
**Goal**: Generate referrals
**Format**: Single email or periodic reminders
**Good timing**:
- After positive NPS response
- After customer achieves result
- After renewal
- Seasonal campaigns
**Copy approach**:
- Remind them of their success
- Explain the referral offer clearly
- Make sharing easy (unique link)
- Show what's in it for them AND referee
---
### Billing Emails ### Billing Emails
- Switch to annual
#### Switch to Annual - Failed payment recovery
**Trigger**: Monthly subscriber at renewal time or campaign - Cancellation survey
**Goal**: Convert monthly to annual (improve LTV, reduce churn) - Upcoming renewal reminders
**Format**: Single email or 2-email sequence
**Value proposition**:
- Calculate exact savings
- Additional benefits (if any)
- Lock in current price messaging
- Easy one-click switch
**Best timing**:
- Around monthly renewal date
- End of year / new year
- After 3-6 months of loyalty
- Price increase announcement (lock in old rate)
---
#### Failed Payment Recovery
**Trigger**: Payment fails
**Goal**: Recover revenue, retain customer
**Typical sequence**: 3-4 emails over 7-14 days
**Sequence structure**:
- Email 1 (Day 0): Friendly notice, update payment link
- Email 2 (Day 3): Reminder, service may be interrupted
- Email 3 (Day 7): Urgent, account will be suspended
- Email 4 (Day 10-14): Final notice, what they'll lose
**Copy approach**:
- Assume it's an accident (card expired, etc.)
- Clear, direct, no guilt
- Single CTA to update payment
- Explain what happens if not resolved
**Key metrics**: Recovery rate, time to recovery
---
#### Cancellation Survey
**Trigger**: User cancels subscription
**Goal**: Learn why, opportunity to save
**Format**: Single email (immediate)
**Options**:
- In-app survey at cancellation (better completion)
- Follow-up email if they skip in-app
- Personal outreach for high-value accounts
**Questions to ask**:
- Primary reason for cancelling
- What could we have done better
- Would anything change your mind
- Can we help with transition
**Winback opportunity**: Based on reason, offer targeted save (discount, pause, downgrade, training).
---
#### Upcoming Renewal Reminder
**Trigger**: X days before renewal (14 or 30 days typical)
**Goal**: No surprise charges, opportunity to expand
**Format**: Single email
**What to include**:
- Renewal date and amount
- What's included in renewal
- How to update payment/plan
- Changes to pricing/features (if any)
- Optional: Upsell opportunity
**Required for**: Annual subscriptions, high-value contracts
---
### Usage Emails ### Usage Emails
- Daily/weekly/monthly summaries
#### Daily/Weekly/Monthly Summary - Key event notifications
**Trigger**: Time-based - Milestone celebrations
**Goal**: Drive engagement, demonstrate value
**Format**: Single email, recurring
**Content by frequency**:
- **Daily**: Notifications, quick stats (for high-engagement products)
- **Weekly**: Activity summary, highlights, suggestions
- **Monthly**: Comprehensive report, achievements, ROI if calculable
**Structure**:
- Key metrics at a glance
- Notable achievements
- Activity breakdown
- Suggestions / what to try next
- CTA to dive deeper
**Personalization**: Must be relevant to their actual usage. Empty reports are worse than no report.
---
#### Key Event or Milestone Notifications
**Trigger**: Specific achievement or event
**Goal**: Celebrate, drive continued engagement
**Format**: Single email per event
**Milestone examples**:
- First [action] completed
- 10th/100th [thing] created
- Goal achieved
- Team collaboration milestone
- Usage streak
**Copy approach**:
- Celebration tone
- Specific achievement
- Context (compared to others, compared to before)
- What's next / next milestone
---
### Win-Back Emails ### Win-Back Emails
- Expired trials
#### Expired Trials - Cancelled customers
**Trigger**: Trial ended without conversion
**Goal**: Convert or re-engage
**Typical sequence**: 3-4 emails over 30 days
**Sequence structure**:
- Email 1 (Day 1 post-expiry): Trial ended, here's what you're missing
- Email 2 (Day 7): What held you back? (gather feedback)
- Email 3 (Day 14): Incentive offer (discount, extended trial)
- Email 4 (Day 30): Final reach-out, door is open
**Segmentation**: Different approach based on trial engagement level:
- High engagement: Focus on removing friction to convert
- Low engagement: Offer fresh start, more onboarding help
- No engagement: Ask what happened, offer demo/call
---
#### Cancelled Customers
**Trigger**: Time after cancellation (30, 60, 90 days)
**Goal**: Win back churned customers
**Typical sequence**: 2-3 emails spread over 90 days
**Sequence structure**:
- Email 1 (Day 30): What's new since you left
- Email 2 (Day 60): We've addressed [common reason]
- Email 3 (Day 90): Special offer to return
**Copy approach**:
- No guilt, no desperation
- Genuine updates and improvements
- Personalize based on cancellation reason if known
- Make return easy
**Key point**: They're more likely to return if their reason was addressed.
---
### Campaign Emails ### Campaign Emails
- Monthly roundup / newsletter
- Seasonal promotions
- Product updates
- Industry news roundup
- Pricing updates
#### Monthly Roundup / Newsletter **For detailed email type reference**: See [references/email-types.md](references/email-types.md)
**Trigger**: Time-based (monthly)
**Goal**: Engagement, brand presence, content distribution
**Format**: Single email, recurring
**Content mix**:
- Product updates and tips
- Customer stories
- Educational content
- Company news
- Industry insights
**Best practices**:
- Consistent send day/time
- Scannable format
- Mix of content types
- One primary CTA focus
- Unsubscribe is okay—keeps list healthy
---
#### Seasonal Promotions
**Trigger**: Calendar events (Black Friday, New Year, etc.)
**Goal**: Drive conversions with timely offer
**Format**: Campaign burst (2-4 emails)
**Common opportunities**:
- New Year (fresh start, annual planning)
- End of fiscal year (budget spending)
- Black Friday / Cyber Monday
- Industry-specific seasons
- Back to school / work
**Sequence structure**:
- Announcement: Offer reveal
- Reminder: Midway through promotion
- Last chance: Final hours
---
#### Product Updates
**Trigger**: New feature release
**Goal**: Adoption, engagement, demonstrate momentum
**Format**: Single email per major release
**What to include**:
- What's new (clear and simple)
- Why it matters (benefit, not just feature)
- How to use it (direct link)
- Who asked for it (community acknowledgment)
**Segmentation**: Consider targeting based on relevance:
- Users who would benefit most
- Users who requested feature
- Power users first (for beta feel)
---
#### Industry News Roundup
**Trigger**: Time-based (weekly or monthly)
**Goal**: Thought leadership, engagement, brand value
**Format**: Curated newsletter
**Content**:
- Curated news and links
- Your take / commentary
- What it means for readers
- How your product helps
**Best for**: B2B products where customers care about industry trends.
---
#### Pricing Update
**Trigger**: Price change announcement
**Goal**: Transparent communication, minimize churn
**Format**: Single email (or sequence for major changes)
**Timeline**:
- Announce 30-60 days before change
- Reminder 14 days before
- Final notice 7 days before
**Copy approach**:
- Clear, direct, transparent
- Explain the why (value delivered, costs increased)
- Grandfather if possible (lock in old rate)
- Give options (annual lock-in, downgrade)
**Important**: Honesty and advance notice build trust even when price increases.
---
## Email Audit Checklist
Use this to audit your current email program:
### Onboarding
- [ ] New users series
- [ ] New customers series
- [ ] Key onboarding step reminders
- [ ] New user invite sequence
### Retention
- [ ] Upgrade to paid sequence
- [ ] Upgrade to higher plan triggers
- [ ] Ask for review (timed properly)
- [ ] Proactive support outreach
- [ ] Product usage reports
- [ ] NPS survey
- [ ] Referral program emails
### Billing
- [ ] Switch to annual campaign
- [ ] Failed payment recovery sequence
- [ ] Cancellation survey
- [ ] Upcoming renewal reminders
### Usage
- [ ] Daily/weekly/monthly summaries
- [ ] Key event notifications
- [ ] Milestone celebrations
### Win-Back
- [ ] Expired trial sequence
- [ ] Cancelled customer sequence
### Campaigns
- [ ] Monthly roundup / newsletter
- [ ] Seasonal promotion calendar
- [ ] Product update announcements
- [ ] Pricing update communications
--- ---
@@ -799,84 +228,20 @@ Use this to audit your current email program:
- Conversational, not formal - Conversational, not formal
- First-person (I/we) and second-person (you) - First-person (I/we) and second-person (you)
- Active voice - Active voice
- Match your brand but lean friendly
- Read it out loud—does it sound human? - Read it out loud—does it sound human?
### Length ### Length
- Shorter is usually better
- 50-125 words for transactional - 50-125 words for transactional
- 150-300 words for educational - 150-300 words for educational
- 300-500 words for story-driven - 300-500 words for story-driven
- If it's long, it better be good
### CTA Buttons vs. Links ### CTA Guidelines
- Buttons: Primary actions, high-visibility - Buttons for primary actions
- Links: Secondary actions, in-text - Links for secondary actions
- One clear primary CTA per email - One clear primary CTA per email
- Button text: Action + outcome - Button text: Action + outcome
--- **For detailed copy, personalization, and testing guidelines**: See [references/copy-guidelines.md](references/copy-guidelines.md)
## Personalization
### Merge Fields
- First name (fallback to "there" or "friend")
- Company name (B2B)
- Relevant data (usage, plan, etc.)
### Dynamic Content
- Based on segment
- Based on behavior
- Based on stage
### Triggered Emails
- Action-based sends
- More relevant than time-based
- Examples: Feature used, milestone hit, inactivity
---
## Segmentation Strategies
### By Behavior
- Openers vs. non-openers
- Clickers vs. non-clickers
- Active vs. inactive
### By Stage
- Trial vs. paid
- New vs. long-term
- Engaged vs. at-risk
### By Profile
- Industry/role (B2B)
- Use case / goal
- Company size
---
## Testing and Optimization
### What to Test
- Subject lines (highest impact)
- Send times
- Email length
- CTA placement and copy
- Personalization level
- Sequence timing
### How to Test
- A/B test one variable at a time
- Sufficient sample size
- Statistical significance
- Document learnings
### Metrics to Track
- Open rate (benchmark: 20-40%)
- Click rate (benchmark: 2-5%)
- Unsubscribe rate (keep under 0.5%)
- Conversion rate (specific to sequence goal)
- Revenue per email (if applicable)
--- ---

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# Email Copy Guidelines
## Structure
1. **Hook**: First line grabs attention
2. **Context**: Why this matters to them
3. **Value**: The useful content
4. **CTA**: What to do next
5. **Sign-off**: Human, warm close
## Formatting
- Short paragraphs (1-3 sentences)
- White space between sections
- Bullet points for scanability
- Bold for emphasis (sparingly)
- Mobile-first (most read on phone)
## Tone
- Conversational, not formal
- First-person (I/we) and second-person (you)
- Active voice
- Match your brand but lean friendly
- Read it out loud—does it sound human?
## Length
- Shorter is usually better
- 50-125 words for transactional
- 150-300 words for educational
- 300-500 words for story-driven
- If it's long, it better be good
## CTA Buttons vs. Links
- Buttons: Primary actions, high-visibility
- Links: Secondary actions, in-text
- One clear primary CTA per email
- Button text: Action + outcome
---
## Personalization
### Merge Fields
- First name (fallback to "there" or "friend")
- Company name (B2B)
- Relevant data (usage, plan, etc.)
### Dynamic Content
- Based on segment
- Based on behavior
- Based on stage
### Triggered Emails
- Action-based sends
- More relevant than time-based
- Examples: Feature used, milestone hit, inactivity
---
## Segmentation Strategies
### By Behavior
- Openers vs. non-openers
- Clickers vs. non-clickers
- Active vs. inactive
### By Stage
- Trial vs. paid
- New vs. long-term
- Engaged vs. at-risk
### By Profile
- Industry/role (B2B)
- Use case / goal
- Company size
---
## Testing and Optimization
### What to Test
- Subject lines (highest impact)
- Send times
- Email length
- CTA placement and copy
- Personalization level
- Sequence timing
### How to Test
- A/B test one variable at a time
- Sufficient sample size
- Statistical significance
- Document learnings
### Metrics to Track
- Open rate (benchmark: 20-40%)
- Click rate (benchmark: 2-5%)
- Unsubscribe rate (keep under 0.5%)
- Conversion rate (specific to sequence goal)
- Revenue per email (if applicable)

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# Email Types Reference
A comprehensive guide to lifecycle and campaign emails. Use this as an audit checklist and implementation reference.
## Onboarding Emails
### New Users Series
**Trigger**: User signs up (free or trial)
**Goal**: Activate user, drive to aha moment
**Typical sequence**: 5-7 emails over 14 days
- Email 1: Welcome + single next step (immediate)
- Email 2: Quick win / getting started (day 1)
- Email 3: Key feature highlight (day 3)
- Email 4: Success story / social proof (day 5)
- Email 5: Check-in + offer help (day 7)
- Email 6: Advanced tip (day 10)
- Email 7: Upgrade prompt or next milestone (day 14)
**Key metrics**: Activation rate, feature adoption
---
### New Customers Series
**Trigger**: User converts to paid
**Goal**: Reinforce purchase decision, drive adoption, reduce early churn
**Typical sequence**: 3-5 emails over 14 days
- Email 1: Thank you + what's next (immediate)
- Email 2: Getting full value — setup checklist (day 2)
- Email 3: Pro tips for paid features (day 5)
- Email 4: Success story from similar customer (day 7)
- Email 5: Check-in + introduce support resources (day 14)
**Key point**: Different from new user series—they've committed. Focus on reinforcement and expansion, not conversion.
---
### Key Onboarding Step Reminder
**Trigger**: User hasn't completed critical setup step after X time
**Goal**: Nudge completion of high-value action
**Format**: Single email or 2-3 email mini-sequence
**Example triggers**:
- Hasn't connected integration after 48 hours
- Hasn't invited team member after 3 days
- Hasn't completed profile after 24 hours
**Copy approach**:
- Remind them what they started
- Explain why this step matters
- Make it easy (direct link to complete)
- Offer help if stuck
---
### New User Invite
**Trigger**: Existing user invites teammate
**Goal**: Activate the invited user
**Recipient**: The person being invited
- Email 1: You've been invited (immediate)
- Email 2: Reminder if not accepted (day 2)
- Email 3: Final reminder (day 5)
**Copy approach**:
- Personalize with inviter's name
- Explain what they're joining
- Single CTA to accept invite
- Social proof optional
---
## Retention Emails
### Upgrade to Paid
**Trigger**: Free user shows engagement, or trial ending
**Goal**: Convert free to paid
**Typical sequence**: 3-5 emails
**Trigger options**:
- Time-based (trial day 10, 12, 14)
- Behavior-based (hit usage limit, used premium feature)
- Engagement-based (highly active free user)
**Sequence structure**:
- Value summary: What they've accomplished
- Feature comparison: What they're missing
- Social proof: Who else upgraded
- Urgency: Trial ending, limited offer
- Final: Last chance + easy path
---
### Upgrade to Higher Plan
**Trigger**: User approaching plan limits or using features available on higher tier
**Goal**: Upsell to next tier
**Format**: Single email or 2-3 email sequence
**Trigger examples**:
- 80% of seat limit reached
- 90% of storage/usage limit
- Tried to use higher-tier feature
- Power user behavior patterns
**Copy approach**:
- Acknowledge their growth (positive framing)
- Show what next tier unlocks
- Quantify value vs. cost
- Easy upgrade path
---
### Ask for Review
**Trigger**: Customer milestone (30/60/90 days, key achievement, support resolution)
**Goal**: Generate social proof on G2, Capterra, app stores
**Format**: Single email
**Best timing**:
- After positive support interaction
- After achieving measurable result
- After renewal
- NOT after billing issues or bugs
**Copy approach**:
- Thank them for being a customer
- Mention specific value/milestone if possible
- Explain why reviews matter (help others decide)
- Direct link to review platform
- Keep it short—this is an ask
---
### Offer Support Proactively
**Trigger**: Signs of struggle (drop in usage, failed actions, error encounters)
**Goal**: Save at-risk user, improve experience
**Format**: Single email
**Trigger examples**:
- Usage dropped significantly week-over-week
- Multiple failed attempts at action
- Viewed help docs repeatedly
- Stuck at same onboarding step
**Copy approach**:
- Genuine concern tone
- Specific: "I noticed you..." (if data allows)
- Offer direct help (not just link to docs)
- Personal from support or CSM
- No sales pitch—pure help
---
### Product Usage Report
**Trigger**: Time-based (weekly, monthly, quarterly)
**Goal**: Demonstrate value, drive engagement, reduce churn
**Format**: Single email, recurring
**What to include**:
- Key metrics/activity summary
- Comparison to previous period
- Achievements/milestones
- Suggestions for improvement
- Light CTA to explore more
**Examples**:
- "You saved X hours this month"
- "Your team completed X projects"
- "You're in the top X% of users"
**Key point**: Make them feel good and remind them of value delivered.
---
### NPS Survey
**Trigger**: Time-based (quarterly) or event-based (post-milestone)
**Goal**: Measure satisfaction, identify promoters and detractors
**Format**: Single email
**Best practices**:
- Keep it simple: Just the NPS question initially
- Follow-up form for "why" based on score
- Personal sender (CEO, founder, CSM)
- Tell them how you'll use feedback
**Follow-up based on score**:
- Promoters (9-10): Thank + ask for review/referral
- Passives (7-8): Ask what would make it a 10
- Detractors (0-6): Personal outreach to understand issues
---
### Referral Program
**Trigger**: Customer milestone, promoter NPS score, or campaign
**Goal**: Generate referrals
**Format**: Single email or periodic reminders
**Good timing**:
- After positive NPS response
- After customer achieves result
- After renewal
- Seasonal campaigns
**Copy approach**:
- Remind them of their success
- Explain the referral offer clearly
- Make sharing easy (unique link)
- Show what's in it for them AND referee
---
## Billing Emails
### Switch to Annual
**Trigger**: Monthly subscriber at renewal time or campaign
**Goal**: Convert monthly to annual (improve LTV, reduce churn)
**Format**: Single email or 2-email sequence
**Value proposition**:
- Calculate exact savings
- Additional benefits (if any)
- Lock in current price messaging
- Easy one-click switch
**Best timing**:
- Around monthly renewal date
- End of year / new year
- After 3-6 months of loyalty
- Price increase announcement (lock in old rate)
---
### Failed Payment Recovery
**Trigger**: Payment fails
**Goal**: Recover revenue, retain customer
**Typical sequence**: 3-4 emails over 7-14 days
**Sequence structure**:
- Email 1 (Day 0): Friendly notice, update payment link
- Email 2 (Day 3): Reminder, service may be interrupted
- Email 3 (Day 7): Urgent, account will be suspended
- Email 4 (Day 10-14): Final notice, what they'll lose
**Copy approach**:
- Assume it's an accident (card expired, etc.)
- Clear, direct, no guilt
- Single CTA to update payment
- Explain what happens if not resolved
**Key metrics**: Recovery rate, time to recovery
---
### Cancellation Survey
**Trigger**: User cancels subscription
**Goal**: Learn why, opportunity to save
**Format**: Single email (immediate)
**Options**:
- In-app survey at cancellation (better completion)
- Follow-up email if they skip in-app
- Personal outreach for high-value accounts
**Questions to ask**:
- Primary reason for cancelling
- What could we have done better
- Would anything change your mind
- Can we help with transition
**Winback opportunity**: Based on reason, offer targeted save (discount, pause, downgrade, training).
---
### Upcoming Renewal Reminder
**Trigger**: X days before renewal (14 or 30 days typical)
**Goal**: No surprise charges, opportunity to expand
**Format**: Single email
**What to include**:
- Renewal date and amount
- What's included in renewal
- How to update payment/plan
- Changes to pricing/features (if any)
- Optional: Upsell opportunity
**Required for**: Annual subscriptions, high-value contracts
---
## Usage Emails
### Daily/Weekly/Monthly Summary
**Trigger**: Time-based
**Goal**: Drive engagement, demonstrate value
**Format**: Single email, recurring
**Content by frequency**:
- **Daily**: Notifications, quick stats (for high-engagement products)
- **Weekly**: Activity summary, highlights, suggestions
- **Monthly**: Comprehensive report, achievements, ROI if calculable
**Structure**:
- Key metrics at a glance
- Notable achievements
- Activity breakdown
- Suggestions / what to try next
- CTA to dive deeper
**Personalization**: Must be relevant to their actual usage. Empty reports are worse than no report.
---
### Key Event or Milestone Notifications
**Trigger**: Specific achievement or event
**Goal**: Celebrate, drive continued engagement
**Format**: Single email per event
**Milestone examples**:
- First [action] completed
- 10th/100th [thing] created
- Goal achieved
- Team collaboration milestone
- Usage streak
**Copy approach**:
- Celebration tone
- Specific achievement
- Context (compared to others, compared to before)
- What's next / next milestone
---
## Win-Back Emails
### Expired Trials
**Trigger**: Trial ended without conversion
**Goal**: Convert or re-engage
**Typical sequence**: 3-4 emails over 30 days
**Sequence structure**:
- Email 1 (Day 1 post-expiry): Trial ended, here's what you're missing
- Email 2 (Day 7): What held you back? (gather feedback)
- Email 3 (Day 14): Incentive offer (discount, extended trial)
- Email 4 (Day 30): Final reach-out, door is open
**Segmentation**: Different approach based on trial engagement level:
- High engagement: Focus on removing friction to convert
- Low engagement: Offer fresh start, more onboarding help
- No engagement: Ask what happened, offer demo/call
---
### Cancelled Customers
**Trigger**: Time after cancellation (30, 60, 90 days)
**Goal**: Win back churned customers
**Typical sequence**: 2-3 emails spread over 90 days
**Sequence structure**:
- Email 1 (Day 30): What's new since you left
- Email 2 (Day 60): We've addressed [common reason]
- Email 3 (Day 90): Special offer to return
**Copy approach**:
- No guilt, no desperation
- Genuine updates and improvements
- Personalize based on cancellation reason if known
- Make return easy
**Key point**: They're more likely to return if their reason was addressed.
---
## Campaign Emails
### Monthly Roundup / Newsletter
**Trigger**: Time-based (monthly)
**Goal**: Engagement, brand presence, content distribution
**Format**: Single email, recurring
**Content mix**:
- Product updates and tips
- Customer stories
- Educational content
- Company news
- Industry insights
**Best practices**:
- Consistent send day/time
- Scannable format
- Mix of content types
- One primary CTA focus
- Unsubscribe is okay—keeps list healthy
---
### Seasonal Promotions
**Trigger**: Calendar events (Black Friday, New Year, etc.)
**Goal**: Drive conversions with timely offer
**Format**: Campaign burst (2-4 emails)
**Common opportunities**:
- New Year (fresh start, annual planning)
- End of fiscal year (budget spending)
- Black Friday / Cyber Monday
- Industry-specific seasons
- Back to school / work
**Sequence structure**:
- Announcement: Offer reveal
- Reminder: Midway through promotion
- Last chance: Final hours
---
### Product Updates
**Trigger**: New feature release
**Goal**: Adoption, engagement, demonstrate momentum
**Format**: Single email per major release
**What to include**:
- What's new (clear and simple)
- Why it matters (benefit, not just feature)
- How to use it (direct link)
- Who asked for it (community acknowledgment)
**Segmentation**: Consider targeting based on relevance:
- Users who would benefit most
- Users who requested feature
- Power users first (for beta feel)
---
### Industry News Roundup
**Trigger**: Time-based (weekly or monthly)
**Goal**: Thought leadership, engagement, brand value
**Format**: Curated newsletter
**Content**:
- Curated news and links
- Your take / commentary
- What it means for readers
- How your product helps
**Best for**: B2B products where customers care about industry trends.
---
### Pricing Update
**Trigger**: Price change announcement
**Goal**: Transparent communication, minimize churn
**Format**: Single email (or sequence for major changes)
**Timeline**:
- Announce 30-60 days before change
- Reminder 14 days before
- Final notice 7 days before
**Copy approach**:
- Clear, direct, transparent
- Explain the why (value delivered, costs increased)
- Grandfather if possible (lock in old rate)
- Give options (annual lock-in, downgrade)
**Important**: Honesty and advance notice build trust even when price increases.
---
## Email Audit Checklist
Use this to audit your current email program:
### Onboarding
- [ ] New users series
- [ ] New customers series
- [ ] Key onboarding step reminders
- [ ] New user invite sequence
### Retention
- [ ] Upgrade to paid sequence
- [ ] Upgrade to higher plan triggers
- [ ] Ask for review (timed properly)
- [ ] Proactive support outreach
- [ ] Product usage reports
- [ ] NPS survey
- [ ] Referral program emails
### Billing
- [ ] Switch to annual campaign
- [ ] Failed payment recovery sequence
- [ ] Cancellation survey
- [ ] Upcoming renewal reminders
### Usage
- [ ] Daily/weekly/monthly summaries
- [ ] Key event notifications
- [ ] Milestone celebrations
### Win-Back
- [ ] Expired trial sequence
- [ ] Cancelled customer sequence
### Campaigns
- [ ] Monthly roundup / newsletter
- [ ] Seasonal promotion calendar
- [ ] Product update announcements
- [ ] Pricing update communications

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# Email Sequence Templates
Detailed templates for common email sequences.
## Welcome Sequence (Post-Signup)
**Email 1: Welcome (Immediate)**
- Subject: Welcome to [Product] — here's your first step
- Deliver what was promised (lead magnet, access, etc.)
- Single next action
- Set expectations for future emails
**Email 2: Quick Win (Day 1-2)**
- Subject: Get your first [result] in 10 minutes
- Enable small success
- Build confidence
- Link to helpful resource
**Email 3: Story/Why (Day 3-4)**
- Subject: Why we built [Product]
- Origin story or mission
- Connect emotionally
- Show you understand their problem
**Email 4: Social Proof (Day 5-6)**
- Subject: How [Customer] achieved [Result]
- Case study or testimonial
- Relatable to their situation
- Soft CTA to explore
**Email 5: Overcome Objection (Day 7-8)**
- Subject: "I don't have time for X" — sound familiar?
- Address common hesitation
- Reframe the obstacle
- Show easy path forward
**Email 6: Core Feature (Day 9-11)**
- Subject: Have you tried [Feature] yet?
- Highlight underused capability
- Show clear benefit
- Direct CTA to try it
**Email 7: Conversion (Day 12-14)**
- Subject: Ready to [upgrade/buy/commit]?
- Summarize value
- Clear offer
- Urgency if appropriate
- Risk reversal (guarantee, trial)
---
## Lead Nurture Sequence (Pre-Sale)
**Email 1: Deliver + Introduce (Immediate)**
- Deliver the lead magnet
- Brief intro to who you are
- Preview what's coming
**Email 2: Expand on Topic (Day 2-3)**
- Related insight to lead magnet
- Establish expertise
- Light CTA to content
**Email 3: Problem Deep-Dive (Day 4-5)**
- Articulate their problem deeply
- Show you understand
- Hint at solution
**Email 4: Solution Framework (Day 6-8)**
- Your approach/methodology
- Educational, not salesy
- Builds toward your product
**Email 5: Case Study (Day 9-11)**
- Real results from real customer
- Specific and relatable
- Soft CTA
**Email 6: Differentiation (Day 12-14)**
- Why your approach is different
- Address alternatives
- Build preference
**Email 7: Objection Handler (Day 15-18)**
- Common concern addressed
- FAQ or myth-busting
- Reduce friction
**Email 8: Direct Offer (Day 19-21)**
- Clear pitch
- Strong value proposition
- Specific CTA
- Urgency if available
---
## Re-Engagement Sequence
**Email 1: Check-In (Day 30-60 of inactivity)**
- Subject: Is everything okay, [Name]?
- Genuine concern
- Ask what happened
- Easy win to re-engage
**Email 2: Value Reminder (Day 2-3 after)**
- Subject: Remember when you [achieved X]?
- Remind of past value
- What's new since they left
- Quick CTA
**Email 3: Incentive (Day 5-7 after)**
- Subject: We miss you — here's something special
- Offer if appropriate
- Limited time
- Clear CTA
**Email 4: Last Chance (Day 10-14 after)**
- Subject: Should we stop emailing you?
- Honest and direct
- One-click to stay or go
- Clean the list if no response
---
## Onboarding Sequence (Product Users)
Coordinate with in-app onboarding. Email supports, doesn't duplicate.
**Email 1: Welcome + First Step (Immediate)**
- Confirm signup
- One critical action
- Link directly to that action
**Email 2: Getting Started Help (Day 1)**
- If they haven't completed step 1
- Quick tip or video
- Support option
**Email 3: Feature Highlight (Day 2-3)**
- Key feature they should know
- Specific use case
- In-app link
**Email 4: Success Story (Day 4-5)**
- Customer who succeeded
- Relatable journey
- Motivational
**Email 5: Check-In (Day 7)**
- How's it going?
- Ask for feedback
- Offer help
**Email 6: Advanced Tip (Day 10-12)**
- Power feature
- For engaged users
- Level-up content
**Email 7: Upgrade/Expand (Day 14+)**
- For trial users: conversion push
- For free users: upgrade prompt
- For paid: expansion opportunity

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@@ -14,21 +14,11 @@ If `.claude/product-marketing-context.md` exists, read it before asking question
Before designing a tool strategy, understand: Before designing a tool strategy, understand:
1. **Business Context** 1. **Business Context** - What's the core product? Who is the target audience? What problems do they have?
- What's the core product/service?
- Who is the target audience?
- What problems do they have?
2. **Goals** 2. **Goals** - Lead generation? SEO/traffic? Brand awareness? Product education?
- Lead generation primary goal?
- SEO/traffic acquisition?
- Brand awareness?
- Product education?
3. **Resources** 3. **Resources** - Technical capacity to build? Ongoing maintenance bandwidth? Budget for promotion?
- Technical capacity to build?
- Ongoing maintenance bandwidth?
- Budget for promotion?
--- ---
@@ -51,114 +41,21 @@ Before designing a tool strategy, understand:
### 4. Worth the Investment ### 4. Worth the Investment
- Lead value × expected leads > build cost + maintenance - Lead value × expected leads > build cost + maintenance
- Consider SEO value
- Consider brand halo effect
--- ---
## Tool Types ## Tool Types Overview
### Calculators | Type | Examples | Best For |
|------|----------|----------|
| Calculators | ROI, savings, pricing estimators | Decisions involving numbers |
| Generators | Templates, policies, names | Creating something quickly |
| Analyzers | Website graders, SEO auditors | Evaluating existing work |
| Testers | Meta tag preview, speed tests | Checking if something works |
| Libraries | Icon sets, templates, snippets | Reference material |
| Interactive | Tutorials, playgrounds, quizzes | Learning/understanding |
**Best for**: Decisions involving numbers, comparisons, estimates **For detailed tool types and examples**: See [references/tool-types.md](references/tool-types.md)
**Examples**:
- ROI calculator
- Savings calculator
- Cost comparison tool
- Salary calculator
- Tax estimator
**Why they work**:
- Personalized output
- High perceived value
- Share-worthy results
- Clear problem → solution
### Generators
**Best for**: Creating something useful quickly
**Examples**:
- Policy generator
- Template generator
- Name/tagline generator
- Email subject line generator
- Resume builder
**Why they work**:
- Tangible output
- Saves time
- Easily shared
- Repeat usage
### Analyzers/Auditors
**Best for**: Evaluating existing work or assets
**Examples**:
- Website grader
- SEO analyzer
- Email subject tester
- Headline analyzer
- Security checker
**Why they work**:
- Curiosity-driven
- Personalized insights
- Creates awareness of problems
- Natural lead to solution
### Testers/Validators
**Best for**: Checking if something works
**Examples**:
- Meta tag preview
- Email rendering test
- Accessibility checker
- Mobile-friendly test
- Speed test
**Why they work**:
- Immediate utility
- Bookmark-worthy
- Repeat usage
- Professional necessity
### Libraries/Resources
**Best for**: Reference material
**Examples**:
- Icon library
- Template library
- Code snippet library
- Example gallery
- Directory
**Why they work**:
- High SEO value
- Ongoing traffic
- Establishes authority
- Linkable asset
### Interactive Educational
**Best for**: Learning/understanding
**Examples**:
- Interactive tutorials
- Code playgrounds
- Visual explainers
- Quizzes/assessments
- Simulators
**Why they work**:
- Engages deeply
- Demonstrates expertise
- Shareable
- Memory-creating
--- ---
@@ -166,277 +63,84 @@ Before designing a tool strategy, understand:
### Start with Pain Points ### Start with Pain Points
1. **What problems does your audience Google?** 1. **What problems does your audience Google?** - Search query research, common questions
- Search query research
- Common questions
- "How to" searches
2. **What manual processes are tedious?** 2. **What manual processes are tedious?** - Spreadsheet tasks, repetitive calculations
- Tasks done in spreadsheets
- Repetitive calculations
- Copy-paste workflows
3. **What do they need before buying your product?** 3. **What do they need before buying your product?** - Assessments, planning, comparisons
- Assessments of current state
- Planning/scoping
- Comparisons
4. **What information do they wish they had?** 4. **What information do they wish they had?** - Data they can't easily access, benchmarks
- Data they can't easily access
- Personalized insights
- Industry benchmarks
### Validate the Idea ### Validate the Idea
**Search demand:** - **Search demand**: Is there search volume? How competitive?
- Is there search volume for this problem? - **Uniqueness**: What exists? How can you be 10x better?
- What keywords would rank? - **Lead quality**: Does this audience match buyers?
- How competitive? - **Build feasibility**: How complex? Can you scope an MVP?
**Uniqueness:** ---
- What exists already?
- How can you be 10x better or different?
- What's your unique angle?
**Lead quality:** ## Lead Capture Strategy
- Does this problem-audience match buyers?
- Will users be your target customers?
- Is there a natural path to your product?
**Build feasibility:** ### Gating Options
- How complex to build?
- Can you scope an MVP? | Approach | Pros | Cons |
- Ongoing maintenance burden? |----------|------|------|
| Fully gated | Maximum capture | Lower usage |
| Partially gated | Balance of both | Common pattern |
| Ungated + optional | Maximum reach | Lower capture |
| Ungated entirely | Pure SEO/brand | No direct leads |
### Lead Capture Best Practices
- Value exchange clear: "Get your full report"
- Minimal friction: Email only
- Show preview of what they'll get
- Optional: Segment by asking one qualifying question
--- ---
## SEO Considerations ## SEO Considerations
### Keyword Strategy ### Keyword Strategy
**Tool landing page**: "[thing] calculator", "[thing] generator", "free [tool type]"
**Tool landing page:** **Supporting content**: "How to [use case]", "What is [concept]"
- "[thing] calculator"
- "[thing] generator"
- "free [tool type]"
- "[industry] [tool type]"
**Supporting content:**
- "How to [use case]"
- "What is [concept tool helps with]"
- Blog posts that link to tool
### Link Building ### Link Building
Free tools attract links because: Free tools attract links because:
- Genuinely useful (people reference them) - Genuinely useful (people reference them)
- Unique (can't link to just any page) - Unique (can't link to just any page)
- Shareable (social amplification) - Shareable (social amplification)
**Outreach opportunities:**
- Roundup posts ("best free tools for X")
- Resource pages
- Industry publications
- Blogs writing about the problem
### Technical SEO
- Fast load time critical
- Mobile-friendly essential
- Crawlable content (not just JS app)
- Proper meta tags
- Schema markup if applicable
--- ---
## Lead Capture Strategy ## Build vs. Buy
### When to Gate
**Fully gated (email required to use):**
- High-value, unique tools
- Personalized reports
- Risk: Lower usage
**Partially gated (email for full results):**
- Show preview, gate details
- Better balance
- Most common pattern
**Ungated with optional capture:**
- Tool is free to use
- Email to save/share results
- Highest usage, lower capture
**Ungated entirely:**
- Pure SEO/brand play
- No direct leads
- Maximum reach
### Lead Capture Best Practices
- Value exchange clear: "Get your full report"
- Minimal friction: Email only
- Show preview of what they'll get
- Optional: Segment by asking one qualifying question
### Post-Capture
- Immediate email with results/link
- Nurture sequence relevant to tool topic
- Clear path to main product
- Don't spam—provide value
---
## Build vs. Buy vs. Embed
### Build Custom ### Build Custom
When: Unique concept, core to brand, high strategic value, have dev capacity
**When:**
- Unique concept, nothing exists
- Core to brand/product
- High strategic value
- Have development capacity
**Consider:**
- Development time
- Ongoing maintenance
- Hosting costs
- Bug fixes
### Use No-Code Tools ### Use No-Code Tools
Options: Outgrow, Involve.me, Typeform, Tally, Bubble, Webflow
**Options:** When: Speed to market, limited dev resources, testing concept
- Outgrow, Involve.me (calculators/quizzes)
- Typeform, Tally (forms/quizzes)
- Notion, Coda (databases)
- Bubble, Webflow (apps)
**When:**
- Speed to market
- Limited dev resources
- Testing concept viability
### Embed Existing ### Embed Existing
When: Something good exists, white-label available, not core differentiator
**When:**
- Something good already exists
- White-label options available
- Not core differentiator
**Consider:**
- Branding limitations
- Dependency on third party
- Cost vs. build
--- ---
## MVP Scope ## MVP Scope
### Minimum Viable Tool ### Minimum Viable Tool
1. Core functionality only—does the one thing, works reliably
1. **Core functionality only** 2. Essential UX—clear input, obvious output, mobile works
- Does the one thing 3. Basic lead capture—email collection, leads go somewhere useful
- No bells and whistles
- Works reliably
2. **Essential UX**
- Clear input
- Obvious output
- Mobile works
3. **Basic lead capture**
- Email collection works
- Leads go somewhere useful
- Follow-up exists
### What to Skip Initially ### What to Skip Initially
Account creation, saving results, advanced features, perfect design, every edge case
- Account creation
- Saving results
- Advanced features
- Perfect design
- Every edge case
### Iterate Based on Use
- Track where users drop off
- See what questions they have
- Add features that get requested
- Improve based on data
--- ---
## Promotion Strategy ## Evaluation Scorecard
### Launch
**Owned channels:**
- Email list announcement
- Blog post / landing page
- Social media
- Product hunt (if applicable)
**Outreach:**
- Relevant newsletters
- Industry publications
- Bloggers in space
- Social influencers
### Ongoing
**SEO:**
- Target tool-related keywords
- Supporting content
- Link building
**Social:**
- Share interesting results (anonymized)
- Use case examples
- Tips for using the tool
**Product integration:**
- Mention in sales process
- Link from related product features
- Include in email sequences
---
## Measurement
### Metrics to Track
**Acquisition:**
- Traffic to tool
- Traffic sources
- Keyword rankings
- Backlinks acquired
**Engagement:**
- Tool usage/completions
- Time spent
- Return visitors
- Shares
**Conversion:**
- Email captures
- Lead quality score
- MQLs generated
- Pipeline influenced
- Customers attributed
### Attribution
- UTM parameters for paid promotion
- Separate landing page for organic
- Track lead source through funnel
- Survey new customers
---
## Evaluation Framework
### Tool Idea Scorecard
Rate each factor 1-5: Rate each factor 1-5:
@@ -444,123 +148,20 @@ Rate each factor 1-5:
|--------|-------| |--------|-------|
| Search demand exists | ___ | | Search demand exists | ___ |
| Audience match to buyers | ___ | | Audience match to buyers | ___ |
| Uniqueness vs. existing tools | ___ | | Uniqueness vs. existing | ___ |
| Natural path to product | ___ | | Natural path to product | ___ |
| Build feasibility | ___ | | Build feasibility | ___ |
| Maintenance burden (inverse) | ___ | | Maintenance burden (inverse) | ___ |
| Link-building potential | ___ | | Link-building potential | ___ |
| Share-worthiness | ___ | | Share-worthiness | ___ |
**25+**: Strong candidate **25+**: Strong candidate | **15-24**: Promising | **<15**: Reconsider
**15-24**: Promising, needs refinement
**<15**: Reconsider or scope differently
### ROI Projection
```
Estimated monthly leads: [X]
Lead-to-customer rate: [Y%]
Average customer value: [$Z]
Monthly value: X × Y% × $Z = $___
Build cost: $___
Monthly maintenance: $___
Payback period: Build cost / (Monthly value - Monthly maintenance)
```
---
## Output Format
### Tool Strategy Document
```
# Free Tool Strategy: [Tool Name]
## Concept
[What it does in one paragraph]
## Target Audience
[Who uses it, what problem it solves]
## Lead Generation Fit
[How this connects to your product/sales]
## SEO Opportunity
- Target keywords: [list]
- Search volume: [estimate]
- Competition: [assessment]
## Build Approach
- Custom / No-code / Embed
- MVP scope: [core features]
- Estimated effort: [time/cost]
## Lead Capture Strategy
- Gating approach: [Full/Partial/Ungated]
- Capture mechanism: [description]
- Follow-up sequence: [outline]
## Success Metrics
- [Metric 1]: [Target]
- [Metric 2]: [Target]
## Promotion Plan
- Launch: [channels]
- Ongoing: [strategy]
## Timeline
- Phase 1: [scope] - [timeframe]
- Phase 2: [scope] - [timeframe]
```
### Implementation Spec
If moving forward with build
### Promotion Plan
Detailed launch and ongoing strategy
---
## Example Tool Concepts by Business Type
### SaaS Product
- Product ROI calculator
- Competitor comparison tool
- Readiness assessment quiz
- Template library for use case
### Agency/Services
- Industry benchmark tool
- Project scoping calculator
- Portfolio review tool
- Cost estimator
### E-commerce
- Product finder quiz
- Comparison tool
- Size/fit calculator
- Savings calculator
### Developer Tools
- Code snippet library
- Testing/preview tool
- Documentation generator
- Interactive tutorials
### Finance
- Financial calculators
- Investment comparison
- Budget planner
- Tax estimator
--- ---
## Task-Specific Questions ## Task-Specific Questions
1. What existing tools do they use for workarounds? 1. What existing tools does your audience use for workarounds?
2. How do you currently generate leads? 2. How do you currently generate leads?
3. What technical resources are available? 3. What technical resources are available?
4. What's the timeline and budget? 4. What's the timeline and budget?
@@ -573,4 +174,3 @@ Detailed launch and ongoing strategy
- **seo-audit**: For SEO-optimizing the tool - **seo-audit**: For SEO-optimizing the tool
- **analytics-tracking**: For measuring tool usage - **analytics-tracking**: For measuring tool usage
- **email-sequence**: For nurturing leads from the tool - **email-sequence**: For nurturing leads from the tool
- **programmatic-seo**: For building tool-based pages at scale

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@@ -0,0 +1,208 @@
# Free Tool Types Reference
Detailed guide to each type of marketing tool you can build.
## Calculators
**Best for**: Decisions involving numbers, comparisons, estimates
**Examples**:
- ROI calculator
- Savings calculator
- Cost comparison tool
- Salary calculator
- Tax estimator
- Pricing estimator
- Compound interest calculator
- Break-even calculator
**Why they work**:
- Personalized output
- High perceived value
- Share-worthy results
- Clear problem → solution
**Implementation tips**:
- Keep inputs simple
- Show calculations transparently
- Make results shareable
- Add "powered by" branding
---
## Generators
**Best for**: Creating something useful quickly
**Examples**:
- Policy generator (privacy, terms)
- Template generator
- Name/tagline generator
- Email subject line generator
- Resume builder
- Color palette generator
- Logo maker
- Contract generator
**Why they work**:
- Tangible output
- Saves time
- Easily shared
- Repeat usage
**Implementation tips**:
- Output should be immediately usable
- Allow customization
- Offer download/export options
- Include email gating for premium outputs
---
## Analyzers/Auditors
**Best for**: Evaluating existing work or assets
**Examples**:
- Website grader
- SEO analyzer
- Email subject tester
- Headline analyzer
- Security checker
- Performance auditor
- Accessibility checker
- Code quality analyzer
**Why they work**:
- Curiosity-driven
- Personalized insights
- Creates awareness of problems
- Natural lead to solution
**Implementation tips**:
- Score or grade for gamification
- Benchmark against averages
- Provide actionable recommendations
- Follow up with improvement offers
---
## Testers/Validators
**Best for**: Checking if something works
**Examples**:
- Meta tag preview
- Email rendering test
- Mobile-friendly test
- Speed test
- DNS checker
- SSL certificate checker
- Redirect checker
- Broken link finder
**Why they work**:
- Immediate utility
- Bookmark-worthy
- Repeat usage
- Professional necessity
**Implementation tips**:
- Fast results are essential
- Show pass/fail clearly
- Provide fix instructions
- Integrate with your product where relevant
---
## Libraries/Resources
**Best for**: Reference material
**Examples**:
- Icon library
- Template library
- Code snippet library
- Example gallery
- Industry directory
- Resource list
- Swipe file collection
- Font pairing tool
**Why they work**:
- High SEO value
- Ongoing traffic
- Establishes authority
- Linkable asset
**Implementation tips**:
- Make searchable/filterable
- Allow easy copying/downloading
- Update regularly
- Accept community submissions
---
## Interactive Educational
**Best for**: Learning/understanding
**Examples**:
- Interactive tutorials
- Code playgrounds
- Visual explainers
- Quizzes/assessments
- Simulators
- Comparison tools
- Decision trees
- Configurators
**Why they work**:
- Engages deeply
- Demonstrates expertise
- Shareable
- Memory-creating
**Implementation tips**:
- Make it hands-on
- Show immediate feedback
- Lead to deeper resources
- Capture engaged users
---
## Tool Concept Examples by Industry
### SaaS Product
- Product ROI calculator
- Competitor comparison tool
- Readiness assessment quiz
- Template library for use case
- Feature configurator
### Agency/Services
- Industry benchmark tool
- Project scoping calculator
- Portfolio review tool
- Cost estimator
- Proposal generator
### E-commerce
- Product finder quiz
- Comparison tool
- Size/fit calculator
- Savings calculator
- Gift finder
### Developer Tools
- Code snippet library
- Testing/preview tool
- Documentation generator
- Interactive tutorials
- API playground
### Finance
- Financial calculators
- Investment comparison
- Budget planner
- Tax estimator
- Loan calculator

637
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@@ -20,517 +20,130 @@ When asked for marketing ideas:
--- ---
## The 139 Marketing Ideas ## Ideas by Category (Quick Reference)
Organized by category for easy reference. | Category | Ideas | Examples |
|----------|-------|----------|
--- | Content & SEO | 1-10 | Programmatic SEO, Glossary marketing, Content repurposing |
| Competitor | 11-13 | Comparison pages, Marketing jiu-jitsu |
## Content & SEO | Free Tools | 14-22 | Calculators, Generators, Chrome extensions |
| Paid Ads | 23-34 | LinkedIn, Google, Retargeting, Podcast ads |
### 1. Easy Keyword Ranking | Social & Community | 35-44 | LinkedIn audience, Reddit marketing, Short-form video |
Target low-competition keywords where you can rank quickly. Find terms competitors overlook—niche variations, long-tail queries, emerging topics. Build authority in micro-niches before expanding. | Email | 45-53 | Founder emails, Onboarding sequences, Win-back |
| Partnerships | 54-64 | Affiliate programs, Integration marketing, Newsletter swaps |
### 2. SEO Audit | Events | 65-72 | Webinars, Conference speaking, Virtual summits |
Conduct comprehensive technical SEO audits of your own site and share findings publicly. Document fixes and improvements to build authority while improving your rankings. | PR & Media | 73-76 | Press coverage, Documentaries |
| Launches | 77-86 | Product Hunt, Lifetime deals, Giveaways |
### 3. Glossary Marketing | Product-Led | 87-96 | Viral loops, Powered-by marketing, Free migrations |
Create comprehensive glossaries defining industry terms. Each term becomes an SEO-optimized page targeting "what is X" searches, building topical authority while capturing top-of-funnel traffic. | Content Formats | 97-109 | Podcasts, Courses, Annual reports, Year wraps |
| Unconventional | 110-122 | Awards, Challenges, Guerrilla marketing |
### 4. Programmatic SEO | Platforms | 123-130 | App marketplaces, Review sites, YouTube |
Build template-driven pages at scale targeting keyword patterns. Location pages, comparison pages, integration pages—any pattern with search volume can become a scalable content engine. | International | 131-132 | Expansion, Price localization |
| Developer | 133-136 | DevRel, Certifications |
### 5. Content Repurposing | Audience-Specific | 137-139 | Referrals, Podcast tours, Customer language |
Transform one piece of content into multiple formats. Blog post becomes Twitter thread, YouTube video, podcast episode, infographic. Maximize ROI on content creation.
**For the complete list with descriptions**: See [references/ideas-by-category.md](references/ideas-by-category.md)
### 6. Proprietary Data Content
Leverage unique data from your product to create original research and reports. Data competitors can't replicate creates linkable, quotable assets.
### 7. Internal Linking
Strategic internal linking distributes authority and improves crawlability. Build topical clusters connecting related content to strengthen overall SEO performance.
### 8. Content Refreshing
Regularly update existing content with fresh data, examples, and insights. Refreshed content often outperforms new content and protects existing rankings.
### 9. Knowledge Base SEO
Optimize help documentation for search. Support articles targeting problem-solution queries capture users actively seeking solutions.
### 10. Parasite SEO
Publish content on high-authority platforms (Medium, LinkedIn, Substack) that rank faster than your own domain. Funnel that traffic back to your product.
---
## Competitor & Comparison
### 11. Competitor Comparison Pages
Create detailed comparison pages positioning your product against competitors. "[Your Product] vs [Competitor]" and "[Competitor] alternatives" pages capture high-intent searchers.
### 12. Marketing Jiu-Jitsu
Turn competitor weaknesses into your strengths. When competitors raise prices, launch affordability campaigns. When they have outages, emphasize your reliability.
### 13. Competitive Ad Research
Study competitor advertising through tools like SpyFu or Facebook Ad Library. Learn what messaging resonates, then improve on their approach.
---
## Free Tools & Engineering
### 14. Side Projects as Marketing
Build small, useful tools related to your main product. Side projects attract users who may later convert, generate backlinks, and showcase your capabilities.
### 15. Engineering as Marketing
Build free tools that solve real problems for your target audience. Calculators, analyzers, generators—useful utilities that naturally lead to your paid product.
### 16. Importers as Marketing
Build import tools for competitor data. "Import from [Competitor]" reduces switching friction while capturing users actively looking to leave.
### 17. Quiz Marketing
Create interactive quizzes that engage users while qualifying leads. Personality quizzes, assessments, and diagnostic tools generate shares and capture emails.
### 18. Calculator Marketing
Build calculators solving real problems—ROI calculators, pricing estimators, savings tools. Calculators attract links, rank well, and demonstrate value.
### 19. Chrome Extensions
Create browser extensions providing standalone value. Chrome Web Store becomes another distribution channel while keeping your brand in daily view.
### 20. Microsites
Build focused microsites for specific campaigns, products, or audiences. Dedicated domains can rank faster and allow bolder positioning.
### 21. Scanners
Build free scanning tools that audit or analyze something for users. Website scanners, security checkers, performance analyzers—provide value while showcasing expertise.
### 22. Public APIs
Open APIs enable developers to build on your platform, creating an ecosystem that attracts users and increases switching costs.
---
## Paid Advertising
### 23. Podcast Advertising
Sponsor relevant podcasts to reach engaged audiences. Host-read ads perform especially well due to built-in trust.
### 24. Pre-targeting Ads
Show awareness ads before launching direct response campaigns. Warm audiences convert better than cold ones.
### 25. Facebook Ads
Meta's detailed targeting reaches specific audiences. Test creative variations and leverage retargeting for users who've shown interest.
### 26. Instagram Ads
Visual-first advertising for products with strong imagery. Stories and Reels ads capture attention in native formats.
### 27. Twitter Ads
Reach engaged professionals discussing industry topics. Promoted tweets and follower campaigns build visibility.
### 28. LinkedIn Ads
Target by job title, company size, and industry. Premium CPMs justified by B2B purchase intent.
### 29. Reddit Ads
Reach passionate communities with authentic messaging. Reddit users detect inauthentic ads quickly—transparency wins.
### 30. Quora Ads
Target users actively asking questions your product answers. Intent-rich environment for educational ads.
### 31. Google Ads
Capture high-intent search queries. Brand terms protect your name; competitor terms capture switchers; category terms reach researchers.
### 32. YouTube Ads
Video ads with detailed targeting. Pre-roll and discovery ads reach users consuming related content.
### 33. Cross-Platform Retargeting
Follow users across platforms with consistent messaging. Retargeting converts window shoppers into buyers.
### 34. Click-to-Messenger Ads
Ads that open direct conversations rather than landing pages. Higher engagement through immediate dialogue.
---
## Social Media & Community
### 35. Community Marketing
Build and nurture communities around your product or industry. Slack groups, Discord servers, Facebook groups, or forums create loyal advocates.
### 36. Quora Marketing
Answer relevant questions with genuine expertise. Include product mentions where naturally appropriate.
### 37. Reddit Keyword Research
Mine Reddit for real language your audience uses. Discover pain points, objections, and desires expressed naturally.
### 38. Reddit Marketing
Participate authentically in relevant subreddits. Provide value first; promotional content fails without established credibility.
### 39. LinkedIn Audience
Build personal brands on LinkedIn for B2B reach. Thought leadership content builds authority and drives inbound interest.
### 40. Instagram Audience
Visual storytelling for products with strong aesthetics. Behind-the-scenes, user stories, and product showcases build following.
### 41. X Audience
Build presence on X/Twitter through consistent value. Threads, insights, and engagement grow followings that convert.
### 42. Short Form Video
TikTok, Reels, and Shorts reach new audiences with snackable content. Educational and entertaining short videos spread organically.
### 43. Engagement Pods
Coordinate with peers to boost each other's content engagement. Early engagement signals help content reach wider audiences.
### 44. Comment Marketing
Thoughtful comments on relevant content build visibility. Add value to discussions where your target audience pays attention.
---
## Email Marketing
### 45. Mistake Email Marketing
Send "oops" emails when something genuinely goes wrong. Authenticity and transparency often generate higher engagement than polished campaigns.
### 46. Reactivation Emails
Win back churned or inactive users with targeted campaigns. Remind them of value, share what's new, offer incentives.
### 47. Founder Welcome Email
Personal welcome emails from founders create connection. Share your story, ask about their goals, start relationships.
### 48. Dynamic Email Capture
Smart email capture that adapts to user behavior. Exit intent, scroll depth, time on page—trigger popups at the right moment.
### 49. Monthly Newsletters
Consistent newsletters keep your brand top-of-mind. Curate industry news, share insights, highlight product updates.
### 50. Inbox Placement
Technical email optimization for deliverability. Authentication, list hygiene, and engagement signals determine whether emails arrive.
### 51. Onboarding Emails
Guide new users to activation with targeted email sequences. Behavior-triggered emails outperform time-based schedules.
### 52. Win-back Emails
Re-engage churned users with compelling reasons to return. New features, improvements, or offers reignite interest.
### 53. Trial Reactivation
Expired trials aren't lost causes. Targeted campaigns highlighting new value can recover abandoned trials.
---
## Partnerships & Programs
### 54. Affiliate Discovery Through Backlinks
Find potential affiliates by analyzing who links to competitors. Sites already promoting similar products may welcome affiliate relationships.
### 55. Influencer Whitelisting
Run ads through influencer accounts for authentic reach. Whitelisting combines influencer credibility with paid targeting.
### 56. Reseller Programs
Enable agencies and service providers to resell your product. White-label options create invested distribution partners.
### 57. Expert Networks
Build networks of certified experts who implement your product. Experts extend your reach while ensuring quality implementations.
### 58. Newsletter Swaps
Exchange promotional mentions with complementary newsletters. Access each other's audiences without advertising costs.
### 59. Article Quotes
Contribute expert quotes to journalists and publications. Tools like HARO connect experts with writers seeking sources.
### 60. Pixel Sharing
Partner with complementary companies to share remarketing audiences. Expand reach through strategic data partnerships.
### 61. Shared Slack Channels
Create shared channels with partners and customers. Direct communication lines strengthen relationships.
### 62. Affiliate Program
Structured commission programs for referrers. Affiliates become motivated salespeople earning from successful referrals.
### 63. Integration Marketing
Joint marketing with integration partners. Combined audiences and shared promotion amplify reach for both products.
### 64. Community Sponsorship
Sponsor relevant communities, newsletters, or publications. Aligned sponsorships build brand awareness with target audiences.
---
## Events & Speaking
### 65. Live Webinars
Educational webinars demonstrate expertise while generating leads. Interactive formats create engagement and urgency.
### 66. Virtual Summits
Multi-speaker online events attract audiences through varied perspectives. Summit speakers promote to their audiences, amplifying reach.
### 67. Roadshows
Take your product on the road to meet customers directly. Regional events create personal connections at scale.
### 68. Local Meetups
Host or attend local meetups in key markets. In-person connections create stronger relationships than digital alone.
### 69. Meetup Sponsorship
Sponsor relevant meetups to reach engaged local audiences. Food, venue, or swag sponsorships generate goodwill.
### 70. Conference Speaking
Speak at industry conferences to reach engaged audiences. Presentations showcase expertise while generating leads.
### 71. Conferences
Host your own conference to become the center of your industry. User conferences strengthen communities and generate content.
### 72. Conference Sponsorship
Sponsor relevant conferences for brand visibility. Booth presence, speaking slots, and attendee lists justify investment.
---
## PR & Media
### 73. Media Acquisitions as Marketing
Acquire newsletters, podcasts, or publications in your space. Owned media provides direct access to engaged audiences.
### 74. Press Coverage
Pitch newsworthy stories to relevant publications. Launches, funding, data, and trends create press opportunities.
### 75. Fundraising PR
Leverage funding announcements for press coverage. Rounds signal validation and create natural news hooks.
### 76. Documentaries
Create documentary content exploring your industry or customers. Long-form storytelling builds deep connection and differentiation.
---
## Launches & Promotions
### 77. Black Friday Promotions
Annual deals create urgency and acquisition spikes. Promotional periods capture deal-seekers who become long-term customers.
### 78. Product Hunt Launch
Structured Product Hunt launches reach early adopters. Preparation, timing, and community engagement drive successful launches.
### 79. Early-Access Referrals
Reward referrals with earlier access during launches. Waitlist referral programs create viral anticipation.
### 80. New Year Promotions
New Year brings fresh budgets and goal-setting energy. Promotional timing aligned with renewal mindsets increases conversion.
### 81. Early Access Pricing
Launch with discounted early access tiers. Early supporters get deals while you build testimonials and feedback.
### 82. Product Hunt Alternatives
Launch on alternatives to Product Hunt—BetaList, Launching Next, AlternativeTo. Multiple launch platforms expand reach.
### 83. Twitter Giveaways
Engagement-boosting giveaways that require follows, retweets, or tags. Giveaways grow following while generating buzz.
### 84. Giveaways
Strategic giveaways attract attention and capture leads. Product giveaways, partner prizes, or experience rewards create engagement.
### 85. Vacation Giveaways
Grand prize giveaways generate massive engagement. Dream vacation packages motivate sharing and participation.
### 86. Lifetime Deals
One-time payment deals generate cash and users. Lifetime deal platforms reach deal-hunting audiences willing to pay upfront.
---
## Product-Led Growth
### 87. Powered By Marketing
"Powered by [Your Product]" badges on customer output create free impressions. Every customer becomes a marketing channel.
### 88. Free Migrations
Offer free migration services from competitors. Reduce switching friction while capturing users ready to leave.
### 89. Contract Buyouts
Pay to exit competitor contracts. Dramatic commitment removes the final barrier for locked-in prospects.
### 90. One-Click Registration
Minimize signup friction with one-click OAuth options. Pre-filled forms and instant access increase conversion.
### 91. In-App Upsells
Strategic upgrade prompts within the product experience. Contextual upsells at usage limits or feature attempts convert best.
### 92. Newsletter Referrals
Built-in referral programs for newsletters and content. Easy sharing mechanisms turn subscribers into promoters.
### 93. Viral Loops
Product mechanics that naturally encourage sharing. Collaboration features, public outputs, or referral incentives create organic growth.
### 94. Offboarding Flows
Optimize cancellation flows to retain or learn. Exit surveys, save offers, and pause options reduce churn.
### 95. Concierge Setup
White-glove onboarding for high-value accounts. Personal setup assistance increases activation and retention.
### 96. Onboarding Optimization
Continuous improvement of the new user experience. Faster time-to-value increases conversion and retention.
---
## Content Formats
### 97. Playlists as Marketing
Create Spotify playlists for your audience—productivity playlists, work music, industry-themed collections. Daily listening touchpoints build brand affinity.
### 98. Template Marketing
Offer free templates users can immediately use. Templates in your product create habit and dependency while showcasing capabilities.
### 99. Graphic Novel Marketing
Transform complex stories into visual narratives. Graphic novels stand out and make abstract concepts tangible.
### 100. Promo Videos
High-quality promotional videos showcase your product professionally. Invest in production value for shareable, memorable content.
### 101. Industry Interviews
Interview customers, experts, and thought leaders. Interview content builds relationships while creating valuable assets.
### 102. Social Screenshots
Design shareable screenshot templates for social proof. Make it easy for customers to share wins and testimonials.
### 103. Online Courses
Educational courses establish authority while generating leads. Free courses attract learners; paid courses create revenue.
### 104. Book Marketing
Author a book establishing expertise in your domain. Books create credibility, speaking opportunities, and media coverage.
### 105. Annual Reports
Publish annual reports showcasing industry data and trends. Original research becomes a linkable, quotable reference.
### 106. End of Year Wraps
Personalized year-end summaries users want to share. "Spotify Wrapped" style reports turn data into social content.
### 107. Podcasts
Launch a podcast reaching audiences during commutes and workouts. Regular audio content builds intimate audience relationships.
### 108. Changelogs
Public changelogs showcase product momentum. Regular updates demonstrate active development and responsiveness.
### 109. Public Demos
Live product demonstrations showing real usage. Transparent demos build trust and answer questions in real-time.
---
## Unconventional & Creative
### 110. Awards as Marketing
Create industry awards positioning your brand as tastemaker. Award programs attract applications, sponsors, and press coverage.
### 111. Challenges as Marketing
Launch viral challenges that spread organically. Creative challenges generate user content and social sharing.
### 112. Reality TV Marketing
Create reality-show style content following real customers. Documentary competition formats create engaging narratives.
### 113. Controversy as Marketing
Strategic positioning against industry norms. Contrarian takes generate attention and discussion.
### 114. Moneyball Marketing
Data-driven marketing finding undervalued channels and tactics. Analytics identify opportunities competitors overlook.
### 115. Curation as Marketing
Curate valuable resources for your audience. Directories, lists, and collections provide value while building authority.
### 116. Grants as Marketing
Offer grants to customers or community members. Grant programs generate applications, PR, and goodwill.
### 117. Product Competitions
Sponsor competitions using your product. Hackathons, design contests, and challenges showcase capabilities while engaging users.
### 118. Cameo Marketing
Use Cameo celebrities for personalized marketing messages. Unexpected celebrity endorsements generate buzz and shares.
### 119. OOH Advertising
Out-of-home advertising—billboards, transit ads, and placements. Physical presence in key locations builds brand awareness.
### 120. Marketing Stunts
Bold, attention-grabbing marketing moments. Well-executed stunts generate press coverage and social sharing.
### 121. Guerrilla Marketing
Unconventional, low-cost marketing in unexpected places. Creative guerrilla tactics stand out from traditional advertising.
### 122. Humor Marketing
Use humor to stand out and create memorability. Funny content gets shared and builds brand personality.
---
## Platforms & Marketplaces
### 123. Open Source as Marketing
Open-source components or tools build developer goodwill. Open source creates community, contributions, and credibility.
### 124. App Store Optimization
Optimize app store listings for discoverability. Keywords, screenshots, and reviews drive organic app installs.
### 125. App Marketplaces
List in relevant app marketplaces and directories. Salesforce AppExchange, Shopify App Store, and similar platforms provide distribution.
### 126. YouTube Reviews
Get YouTubers to review your product. Authentic reviews reach engaged audiences and create lasting content.
### 127. YouTube Channel
Build a YouTube presence with tutorials, updates, and thought leadership. Video content compounds in value over time.
### 128. Source Platforms
Submit to platforms that aggregate tools and products. G2, Capterra, GetApp, and similar directories drive discovery.
### 129. Review Sites
Actively manage presence on review platforms. Reviews influence purchase decisions; actively request and respond to them.
### 130. Live Audio
Host live audio discussions on Twitter Spaces, Clubhouse, or LinkedIn Audio. Real-time conversation creates intimate engagement.
---
## International & Localization
### 131. International Expansion
Expand to new geographic markets. Localization, partnerships, and regional marketing unlock new growth.
### 132. Price Localization
Adjust pricing for local purchasing power. Localized pricing increases conversion in price-sensitive markets.
---
## Developer & Technical
### 133. Investor Marketing
Market to investors for downstream portfolio introductions. Investors recommend tools to their portfolio companies.
### 134. Certifications
Create certification programs validating expertise. Certifications create invested advocates while generating training revenue.
### 135. Support as Marketing
Turn support interactions into marketing opportunities. Exceptional support creates stories customers share.
### 136. Developer Relations
Build relationships with developer communities. DevRel creates advocates who recommend your product to peers.
---
## Audience-Specific
### 137. Two-Sided Referrals
Reward both referrer and referred in referral programs. Dual incentives motivate sharing while welcoming new users.
### 138. Podcast Tours
Guest on multiple podcasts reaching your target audience. Podcast tours create compounding awareness across shows.
### 139. Customer Language
Use the exact words your customers use. Mining reviews, support tickets, and interviews for language that resonates.
--- ---
## Implementation Tips ## Implementation Tips
When suggesting ideas, consider: ### By Stage
**By Stage:** **Pre-launch:**
- Pre-launch: Waitlist referrals, early access, Product Hunt prep - Waitlist referrals (#79)
- Early stage: Content, SEO, community, founder-led sales - Early access pricing (#81)
- Growth stage: Paid acquisition, partnerships, events - Product Hunt prep (#78)
- Scale: Brand, international, acquisitions
**By Budget:** **Early stage:**
- Free: Content, SEO, community, social media - Content & SEO (#1-10)
- Low budget: Targeted ads, sponsorships, tools - Community (#35)
- Medium budget: Events, partnerships, PR - Founder-led sales (#47)
- High budget: Acquisitions, conferences, brand campaigns
**By Timeline:** **Growth stage:**
- Quick wins: Ads, email, social posts - Paid acquisition (#23-34)
- Medium-term: Content, SEO, community building - Partnerships (#54-64)
- Long-term: Brand, thought leadership, platform effects - Events (#65-72)
**Scale:**
- Brand campaigns
- International (#131-132)
- Media acquisitions (#73)
### By Budget
**Free:**
- Content & SEO
- Community building
- Social media
- Comment marketing
**Low budget:**
- Targeted ads
- Sponsorships
- Free tools
**Medium budget:**
- Events
- Partnerships
- PR
**High budget:**
- Acquisitions
- Conferences
- Brand campaigns
### By Timeline
**Quick wins:**
- Ads, email, social posts
**Medium-term:**
- Content, SEO, community
**Long-term:**
- Brand, thought leadership, platform effects
---
## Top Ideas by Use Case
### Need Leads Fast
- Google Ads (#31) - High-intent search
- LinkedIn Ads (#28) - B2B targeting
- Engineering as Marketing (#15) - Free tool lead gen
### Building Authority
- Conference Speaking (#70)
- Book Marketing (#104)
- Podcasts (#107)
### Low Budget Growth
- Easy Keyword Ranking (#1)
- Reddit Marketing (#38)
- Comment Marketing (#44)
### Product-Led Growth
- Viral Loops (#93)
- Powered By Marketing (#87)
- In-App Upsells (#91)
### Enterprise Sales
- Investor Marketing (#133)
- Expert Networks (#57)
- Conference Sponsorship (#72)
---
## Output Format
When recommending ideas, provide for each:
- **Idea name**: One-line description
- **Why it fits**: Connection to their situation
- **How to start**: First 2-3 implementation steps
- **Expected outcome**: What success looks like
- **Resources needed**: Time, budget, skills required
--- ---
@@ -539,20 +152,7 @@ When suggesting ideas, consider:
1. What's your current stage and main growth goal? 1. What's your current stage and main growth goal?
2. What's your marketing budget and team size? 2. What's your marketing budget and team size?
3. What have you already tried that worked or didn't? 3. What have you already tried that worked or didn't?
4. What competitor tactics do you admire or want to counter? 4. What competitor tactics do you admire?
---
## Output Format
When recommending ideas:
**For each recommended idea:**
- **Idea name**: One-line description
- **Why it fits**: Connection to their situation
- **How to start**: First 2-3 implementation steps
- **Expected outcome**: What success looks like
- **Resources needed**: Time, budget, skills required
--- ---
@@ -562,5 +162,4 @@ When recommending ideas:
- **competitor-alternatives**: For comparison pages (#11) - **competitor-alternatives**: For comparison pages (#11)
- **email-sequence**: For email marketing tactics - **email-sequence**: For email marketing tactics
- **free-tool-strategy**: For engineering as marketing (#15) - **free-tool-strategy**: For engineering as marketing (#15)
- **page-cro**: For landing page optimization - **referral-program**: For viral growth (#93)
- **ab-test-setup**: For testing marketing experiments

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@@ -0,0 +1,347 @@
# The 139 Marketing Ideas
Complete list of proven marketing approaches organized by category.
## Content & SEO (1-10)
1. **Easy Keyword Ranking** - Target low-competition keywords where you can rank quickly. Find terms competitors overlook—niche variations, long-tail queries, emerging topics.
2. **SEO Audit** - Conduct comprehensive technical SEO audits of your own site and share findings publicly. Document fixes and improvements to build authority.
3. **Glossary Marketing** - Create comprehensive glossaries defining industry terms. Each term becomes an SEO-optimized page targeting "what is X" searches.
4. **Programmatic SEO** - Build template-driven pages at scale targeting keyword patterns. Location pages, comparison pages, integration pages—any pattern with search volume.
5. **Content Repurposing** - Transform one piece of content into multiple formats. Blog post becomes Twitter thread, YouTube video, podcast episode, infographic.
6. **Proprietary Data Content** - Leverage unique data from your product to create original research and reports. Data competitors can't replicate creates linkable assets.
7. **Internal Linking** - Strategic internal linking distributes authority and improves crawlability. Build topical clusters connecting related content.
8. **Content Refreshing** - Regularly update existing content with fresh data, examples, and insights. Refreshed content often outperforms new content.
9. **Knowledge Base SEO** - Optimize help documentation for search. Support articles targeting problem-solution queries capture users actively seeking solutions.
10. **Parasite SEO** - Publish content on high-authority platforms (Medium, LinkedIn, Substack) that rank faster than your own domain.
---
## Competitor & Comparison (11-13)
11. **Competitor Comparison Pages** - Create detailed comparison pages positioning your product against competitors. "[Your Product] vs [Competitor]" pages capture high-intent searchers.
12. **Marketing Jiu-Jitsu** - Turn competitor weaknesses into your strengths. When competitors raise prices, launch affordability campaigns.
13. **Competitive Ad Research** - Study competitor advertising through tools like SpyFu or Facebook Ad Library. Learn what messaging resonates.
---
## Free Tools & Engineering (14-22)
14. **Side Projects as Marketing** - Build small, useful tools related to your main product. Side projects attract users who may later convert.
15. **Engineering as Marketing** - Build free tools that solve real problems. Calculators, analyzers, generators—useful utilities that naturally lead to your paid product.
16. **Importers as Marketing** - Build import tools for competitor data. "Import from [Competitor]" reduces switching friction.
17. **Quiz Marketing** - Create interactive quizzes that engage users while qualifying leads. Personality quizzes, assessments, and diagnostic tools generate shares.
18. **Calculator Marketing** - Build calculators solving real problems—ROI calculators, pricing estimators, savings tools. Calculators attract links and rank well.
19. **Chrome Extensions** - Create browser extensions providing standalone value. Chrome Web Store becomes another distribution channel.
20. **Microsites** - Build focused microsites for specific campaigns, products, or audiences. Dedicated domains can rank faster.
21. **Scanners** - Build free scanning tools that audit or analyze something. Website scanners, security checkers, performance analyzers.
22. **Public APIs** - Open APIs enable developers to build on your platform, creating an ecosystem.
---
## Paid Advertising (23-34)
23. **Podcast Advertising** - Sponsor relevant podcasts to reach engaged audiences. Host-read ads perform especially well.
24. **Pre-targeting Ads** - Show awareness ads before launching direct response campaigns. Warm audiences convert better.
25. **Facebook Ads** - Meta's detailed targeting reaches specific audiences. Test creative variations and leverage retargeting.
26. **Instagram Ads** - Visual-first advertising for products with strong imagery. Stories and Reels ads capture attention.
27. **Twitter Ads** - Reach engaged professionals discussing industry topics. Promoted tweets and follower campaigns.
28. **LinkedIn Ads** - Target by job title, company size, and industry. Premium CPMs justified by B2B purchase intent.
29. **Reddit Ads** - Reach passionate communities with authentic messaging. Transparency wins on Reddit.
30. **Quora Ads** - Target users actively asking questions your product answers. Intent-rich environment.
31. **Google Ads** - Capture high-intent search queries. Brand terms, competitor terms, and category terms.
32. **YouTube Ads** - Video ads with detailed targeting. Pre-roll and discovery ads reach users consuming related content.
33. **Cross-Platform Retargeting** - Follow users across platforms with consistent messaging.
34. **Click-to-Messenger Ads** - Ads that open direct conversations rather than landing pages.
---
## Social Media & Community (35-44)
35. **Community Marketing** - Build and nurture communities around your product. Slack groups, Discord servers, Facebook groups.
36. **Quora Marketing** - Answer relevant questions with genuine expertise. Include product mentions where naturally appropriate.
37. **Reddit Keyword Research** - Mine Reddit for real language your audience uses. Discover pain points and desires.
38. **Reddit Marketing** - Participate authentically in relevant subreddits. Provide value first.
39. **LinkedIn Audience** - Build personal brands on LinkedIn for B2B reach. Thought leadership builds authority.
40. **Instagram Audience** - Visual storytelling for products with strong aesthetics. Behind-the-scenes and user stories.
41. **X Audience** - Build presence on X/Twitter through consistent value. Threads and insights grow followings.
42. **Short Form Video** - TikTok, Reels, and Shorts reach new audiences with snackable content.
43. **Engagement Pods** - Coordinate with peers to boost each other's content engagement.
44. **Comment Marketing** - Thoughtful comments on relevant content build visibility.
---
## Email Marketing (45-53)
45. **Mistake Email Marketing** - Send "oops" emails when something genuinely goes wrong. Authenticity generates engagement.
46. **Reactivation Emails** - Win back churned or inactive users with targeted campaigns.
47. **Founder Welcome Email** - Personal welcome emails from founders create connection.
48. **Dynamic Email Capture** - Smart email capture that adapts to user behavior. Exit intent, scroll depth triggers.
49. **Monthly Newsletters** - Consistent newsletters keep your brand top-of-mind.
50. **Inbox Placement** - Technical email optimization for deliverability. Authentication and list hygiene.
51. **Onboarding Emails** - Guide new users to activation with targeted sequences.
52. **Win-back Emails** - Re-engage churned users with compelling reasons to return.
53. **Trial Reactivation** - Expired trials aren't lost causes. Targeted campaigns can recover them.
---
## Partnerships & Programs (54-64)
54. **Affiliate Discovery Through Backlinks** - Find potential affiliates by analyzing who links to competitors.
55. **Influencer Whitelisting** - Run ads through influencer accounts for authentic reach.
56. **Reseller Programs** - Enable agencies to resell your product. White-label options create distribution partners.
57. **Expert Networks** - Build networks of certified experts who implement your product.
58. **Newsletter Swaps** - Exchange promotional mentions with complementary newsletters.
59. **Article Quotes** - Contribute expert quotes to journalists. HARO connects experts with writers.
60. **Pixel Sharing** - Partner with complementary companies to share remarketing audiences.
61. **Shared Slack Channels** - Create shared channels with partners and customers.
62. **Affiliate Program** - Structured commission programs for referrers.
63. **Integration Marketing** - Joint marketing with integration partners.
64. **Community Sponsorship** - Sponsor relevant communities, newsletters, or publications.
---
## Events & Speaking (65-72)
65. **Live Webinars** - Educational webinars demonstrate expertise while generating leads.
66. **Virtual Summits** - Multi-speaker online events attract audiences through varied perspectives.
67. **Roadshows** - Take your product on the road to meet customers directly.
68. **Local Meetups** - Host or attend local meetups in key markets.
69. **Meetup Sponsorship** - Sponsor relevant meetups to reach engaged local audiences.
70. **Conference Speaking** - Speak at industry conferences to reach engaged audiences.
71. **Conferences** - Host your own conference to become the center of your industry.
72. **Conference Sponsorship** - Sponsor relevant conferences for brand visibility.
---
## PR & Media (73-76)
73. **Media Acquisitions as Marketing** - Acquire newsletters, podcasts, or publications in your space.
74. **Press Coverage** - Pitch newsworthy stories to relevant publications.
75. **Fundraising PR** - Leverage funding announcements for press coverage.
76. **Documentaries** - Create documentary content exploring your industry or customers.
---
## Launches & Promotions (77-86)
77. **Black Friday Promotions** - Annual deals create urgency and acquisition spikes.
78. **Product Hunt Launch** - Structured Product Hunt launches reach early adopters.
79. **Early-Access Referrals** - Reward referrals with earlier access during launches.
80. **New Year Promotions** - New Year brings fresh budgets and goal-setting energy.
81. **Early Access Pricing** - Launch with discounted early access tiers.
82. **Product Hunt Alternatives** - Launch on BetaList, Launching Next, AlternativeTo.
83. **Twitter Giveaways** - Engagement-boosting giveaways that require follows or retweets.
84. **Giveaways** - Strategic giveaways attract attention and capture leads.
85. **Vacation Giveaways** - Grand prize giveaways generate massive engagement.
86. **Lifetime Deals** - One-time payment deals generate cash and users.
---
## Product-Led Growth (87-96)
87. **Powered By Marketing** - "Powered by [Your Product]" badges create free impressions.
88. **Free Migrations** - Offer free migration services from competitors.
89. **Contract Buyouts** - Pay to exit competitor contracts.
90. **One-Click Registration** - Minimize signup friction with OAuth options.
91. **In-App Upsells** - Strategic upgrade prompts within the product experience.
92. **Newsletter Referrals** - Built-in referral programs for newsletters.
93. **Viral Loops** - Product mechanics that naturally encourage sharing.
94. **Offboarding Flows** - Optimize cancellation flows to retain or learn.
95. **Concierge Setup** - White-glove onboarding for high-value accounts.
96. **Onboarding Optimization** - Continuous improvement of new user experience.
---
## Content Formats (97-109)
97. **Playlists as Marketing** - Create Spotify playlists for your audience.
98. **Template Marketing** - Offer free templates users can immediately use.
99. **Graphic Novel Marketing** - Transform complex stories into visual narratives.
100. **Promo Videos** - High-quality promotional videos showcase your product.
101. **Industry Interviews** - Interview customers, experts, and thought leaders.
102. **Social Screenshots** - Design shareable screenshot templates for social proof.
103. **Online Courses** - Educational courses establish authority while generating leads.
104. **Book Marketing** - Author a book establishing expertise in your domain.
105. **Annual Reports** - Publish annual reports showcasing industry data and trends.
106. **End of Year Wraps** - Personalized year-end summaries users want to share.
107. **Podcasts** - Launch a podcast reaching audiences during commutes.
108. **Changelogs** - Public changelogs showcase product momentum.
109. **Public Demos** - Live product demonstrations showing real usage.
---
## Unconventional & Creative (110-122)
110. **Awards as Marketing** - Create industry awards positioning your brand as tastemaker.
111. **Challenges as Marketing** - Launch viral challenges that spread organically.
112. **Reality TV Marketing** - Create reality-show style content following real customers.
113. **Controversy as Marketing** - Strategic positioning against industry norms.
114. **Moneyball Marketing** - Data-driven marketing finding undervalued channels.
115. **Curation as Marketing** - Curate valuable resources for your audience.
116. **Grants as Marketing** - Offer grants to customers or community members.
117. **Product Competitions** - Sponsor competitions using your product.
118. **Cameo Marketing** - Use Cameo celebrities for personalized messages.
119. **OOH Advertising** - Out-of-home advertising—billboards, transit ads.
120. **Marketing Stunts** - Bold, attention-grabbing marketing moments.
121. **Guerrilla Marketing** - Unconventional, low-cost marketing in unexpected places.
122. **Humor Marketing** - Use humor to stand out and create memorability.
---
## Platforms & Marketplaces (123-130)
123. **Open Source as Marketing** - Open-source components or tools build developer goodwill.
124. **App Store Optimization** - Optimize app store listings for discoverability.
125. **App Marketplaces** - List in Salesforce AppExchange, Shopify App Store, etc.
126. **YouTube Reviews** - Get YouTubers to review your product.
127. **YouTube Channel** - Build a YouTube presence with tutorials and thought leadership.
128. **Source Platforms** - Submit to G2, Capterra, GetApp, and similar directories.
129. **Review Sites** - Actively manage presence on review platforms.
130. **Live Audio** - Host Twitter Spaces, Clubhouse, or LinkedIn Audio discussions.
---
## International & Localization (131-132)
131. **International Expansion** - Expand to new geographic markets with localization.
132. **Price Localization** - Adjust pricing for local purchasing power.
---
## Developer & Technical (133-136)
133. **Investor Marketing** - Market to investors for portfolio introductions.
134. **Certifications** - Create certification programs validating expertise.
135. **Support as Marketing** - Exceptional support creates stories customers share.
136. **Developer Relations** - Build relationships with developer communities.
---
## Audience-Specific (137-139)
137. **Two-Sided Referrals** - Reward both referrer and referred.
138. **Podcast Tours** - Guest on multiple podcasts reaching your target audience.
139. **Customer Language** - Use the exact words your customers use in marketing.

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@@ -14,23 +14,11 @@ If `.claude/product-marketing-context.md` exists, read it before asking question
Before providing recommendations, understand: Before providing recommendations, understand:
1. **Upgrade Context** 1. **Upgrade Context** - Freemium → Paid? Trial → Paid? Tier upgrade? Feature upsell? Usage limit?
- Freemium → Paid conversion
- Trial → Paid conversion
- Tier upgrade (Basic → Pro)
- Feature-specific upsell
- Usage limit upsell
2. **Product Model** 2. **Product Model** - What's free? What's behind paywall? What triggers prompts? Current conversion rate?
- What's free forever?
- What's behind the paywall?
- What triggers upgrade prompts?
- What's the current conversion rate?
3. **User Journey** 3. **User Journey** - When does this appear? What have they experienced? What are they trying to do?
- At what point does this appear?
- What have they experienced already?
- What are they trying to do when blocked?
--- ---
@@ -38,7 +26,7 @@ Before providing recommendations, understand:
### 1. Value Before Ask ### 1. Value Before Ask
- User should have experienced real value first - User should have experienced real value first
- The upgrade should feel like a natural next step - Upgrade should feel like natural next step
- Timing: After "aha moment," not before - Timing: After "aha moment," not before
### 2. Show, Don't Just Tell ### 2. Show, Don't Just Tell
@@ -49,7 +37,6 @@ Before providing recommendations, understand:
### 3. Friction-Free Path ### 3. Friction-Free Path
- Easy to upgrade when ready - Easy to upgrade when ready
- Don't make them hunt for pricing - Don't make them hunt for pricing
- Remove barriers to conversion
### 4. Respect the No ### 4. Respect the No
- Don't trap or pressure - Don't trap or pressure
@@ -69,84 +56,45 @@ When user clicks a paid-only feature:
### Usage Limits ### Usage Limits
When user hits a limit: When user hits a limit:
- Clear indication of what limit was reached - Clear indication of limit reached
- Show what upgrading provides - Show what upgrading provides
- Option to buy more without full upgrade
- Don't block abruptly - Don't block abruptly
### Trial Expiration ### Trial Expiration
When trial is ending: When trial is ending:
- Early warnings (7 days, 3 days, 1 day) - Early warnings (7, 3, 1 day)
- Clear "what happens" on expiration - Clear "what happens" on expiration
- Easy re-activation if expired
- Summarize value received - Summarize value received
### Time-Based Prompts ### Time-Based Prompts
After X days/sessions of free use: After X days of free use:
- Gentle upgrade reminder - Gentle upgrade reminder
- Highlight unused paid features - Highlight unused paid features
- Not intrusive—banner or subtle modal
- Easy to dismiss - Easy to dismiss
### Context-Triggered
When behavior indicates upgrade fit:
- Power users who'd benefit
- Teams using solo features
- Heavy usage approaching limits
- Inviting teammates
--- ---
## Paywall Screen Components ## Paywall Screen Components
### 1. Headline 1. **Headline** - Focus on what they get: "Unlock [Feature] to [Benefit]"
Focus on what they get, not what they pay:
- "Unlock [Feature] to [Benefit]"
- "Get more [value] with [Plan]"
- Not: "Upgrade to Pro for $X/month"
### 2. Value Demonstration 2. **Value Demonstration** - Preview, before/after, "With Pro you could..."
Show what they're missing:
- Preview of the feature in action
- Before/after comparison
- "With Pro, you could..." examples
- Specific to their use case if possible
### 3. Feature Comparison 3. **Feature Comparison** - Highlight key differences, current plan marked
If showing tiers:
- Highlight key differences
- Current plan clearly marked
- Recommended plan emphasized
- Focus on outcomes, not feature lists
### 4. Pricing 4. **Pricing** - Clear, simple, annual vs. monthly options
- Clear, simple pricing
- Annual vs. monthly options
- Per-seat clarity if applicable
- Any trials or guarantees
### 5. Social Proof (Optional) 5. **Social Proof** - Customer quotes, "X teams use this"
- Customer quotes about the upgrade
- "X teams use this feature"
- Success metrics from upgraded users
### 6. CTA 6. **CTA** - Specific and value-oriented: "Start Getting [Benefit]"
- Specific: "Upgrade to Pro" not "Upgrade"
- Value-oriented: "Start Getting [Benefit]"
- If trial: "Start Free Trial"
### 7. Escape Hatch 7. **Escape Hatch** - Clear "Not now" or "Continue with Free"
- Clear "Not now" or "Continue with Free"
- Don't make them feel bad
- "Maybe later" vs. "No, I'll stay limited"
--- ---
## Specific Paywall Types ## Specific Paywall Types
### Feature Lock Paywall ### Feature Lock Paywall
When clicking a paid feature:
``` ```
[Lock Icon] [Lock Icon]
This feature is available on Pro This feature is available on Pro
@@ -154,120 +102,57 @@ This feature is available on Pro
[Feature preview/screenshot] [Feature preview/screenshot]
[Feature name] helps you [benefit]: [Feature name] helps you [benefit]:
• [Specific capability] • [Capability]
• [Specific capability] • [Capability]
• [Specific capability]
[Upgrade to Pro - $X/mo] [Upgrade to Pro - $X/mo]
[Maybe Later] [Maybe Later]
``` ```
### Usage Limit Paywall ### Usage Limit Paywall
When hitting a limit:
``` ```
You've reached your free limit You've reached your free limit
[Visual: Progress bar at 100%] [Progress bar at 100%]
Free plan: 3 projects Free: 3 projects | Pro: Unlimited
Pro plan: Unlimited projects
You're active! Upgrade to keep building. [Upgrade to Pro] [Delete a project]
[Upgrade to Pro] [Delete a project]
``` ```
### Trial Expiration Paywall ### Trial Expiration Paywall
When trial is ending:
``` ```
Your trial ends in 3 days Your trial ends in 3 days
What you'll lose: What you'll lose:
• [Feature they've used] • [Feature used]
• [Feature they've used] • [Data created]
• [Data/work they've created]
What you've accomplished: What you've accomplished:
• Created X projects • Created X projects
• [Specific value metric]
[Continue with Pro - $X/mo] [Continue with Pro]
[Remind me later] [Downgrade to Free] [Remind me later] [Downgrade]
``` ```
### Soft Upgrade Prompt
Non-blocking suggestion:
```
[Banner or subtle modal]
You've been using [Product] for 2 weeks!
Teams like yours get X% more [value] with Pro.
[See Pro Features] [Dismiss]
```
### Team/Seat Upgrade
When adding users:
```
Invite your team
Your plan: Solo (1 user)
Team plans start at $X/user
• Shared projects
• Collaboration features
• Admin controls
[Upgrade to Team] [Continue Solo]
```
---
## Mobile Paywall Patterns
### iOS/Android Conventions
- System-like styling builds trust
- Standard paywall patterns users recognize
- Free trial emphasis common
- Subscription terminology they expect
### Mobile-Specific UX
- Full-screen often acceptable
- Swipe to dismiss
- Large tap targets
- Plan selection with clear visual state
### App Store Considerations
- Clear pricing display
- Subscription terms visible
- Restore purchases option
- Meet review guidelines
--- ---
## Timing and Frequency ## Timing and Frequency
### When to Show ### When to Show
- **Best**: After value moment, before frustration - After value moment, before frustration
- After activation/aha moment - After activation/aha moment
- When hitting genuine limits - When hitting genuine limits
- When using adjacent-to-paid features
### When NOT to Show ### When NOT to Show
- During onboarding (too early) - During onboarding (too early)
- When they're in a flow - When they're in a flow
- Repeatedly after dismissal - Repeatedly after dismissal
- Before they understand the product
### Frequency Rules ### Frequency Rules
- Limit to X per session - Limit per session
- Cool-down after dismiss (days, not hours) - Cool-down after dismiss (days, not hours)
- Escalate urgency appropriately (trial end) - Track annoyance signals
- Track annoyance signals (rage clicks, churn)
--- ---
@@ -275,101 +160,34 @@ Team plans start at $X/user
### From Paywall to Payment ### From Paywall to Payment
- Minimize steps - Minimize steps
- Keep them in-context if possible - Keep in-context if possible
- Pre-fill known information - Pre-fill known information
- Show security signals
### Plan Selection
- Default to recommended plan
- Annual vs. monthly clear trade-off
- Feature comparison if helpful
- FAQ or objection handling nearby
### Checkout
- Minimal fields
- Multiple payment methods
- Trial terms clear
- Easy cancellation visible (builds trust)
### Post-Upgrade ### Post-Upgrade
- Immediate access to features - Immediate access to features
- Confirmation and receipt - Confirmation and receipt
- Guide to new features - Guide to new features
- Celebrate the upgrade
--- ---
## A/B Testing Paywalls ## A/B Testing
### What to Test ### What to Test
- Trigger timing (earlier vs. later) - Trigger timing
- Trigger type (feature gate vs. soft prompt)
- Headline/copy variations - Headline/copy variations
- Price presentation - Price presentation
- Trial length - Trial length
- Feature emphasis - Feature emphasis
- Social proof presence
- Design/layout - Design/layout
### Metrics to Track ### Metrics to Track
- Paywall impression rate - Paywall impression rate
- Click-through to upgrade - Click-through to upgrade
- Upgrade completion rate - Completion rate
- Revenue per user - Revenue per user
- Churn rate post-upgrade - Churn rate post-upgrade
- Time to upgrade
--- **For comprehensive experiment ideas**: See [references/experiments.md](references/experiments.md)
## Output Format
### Paywall Design
For each paywall:
- **Trigger**: When it appears
- **Context**: What user was doing
- **Type**: Feature gate, limit, trial, etc.
- **Copy**: Full copy with headline, body, CTA
- **Design notes**: Layout, visual elements
- **Mobile**: Mobile-specific considerations
- **Frequency**: How often shown
- **Exit path**: How to dismiss
### Upgrade Flow
- Step-by-step screens
- Copy for each step
- Decision points
- Success state
### Metrics Plan
What to measure and expected benchmarks
---
## Common Patterns by Business Model
### Freemium SaaS
- Generous free tier to build habit
- Feature gates for power features
- Usage limits for volume
- Soft prompts for heavy free users
### Free Trial
- Trial countdown prominent
- Value summary at expiration
- Grace period or easy restart
- Win-back for expired trials
### Usage-Based
- Clear usage tracking
- Alerts at thresholds (75%, 100%)
- Easy to add more without plan change
- Volume discounts visible
### Per-Seat
- Friction at invitation
- Team feature highlights
- Volume pricing clear
- Admin value proposition
--- ---
@@ -378,179 +196,14 @@ What to measure and expected benchmarks
### Dark Patterns ### Dark Patterns
- Hiding the close button - Hiding the close button
- Confusing plan selection - Confusing plan selection
- Buried downgrade option
- Misleading urgency
- Guilt-trip copy - Guilt-trip copy
### Conversion Killers ### Conversion Killers
- Asking before value delivered - Asking before value delivered
- Too frequent prompts - Too frequent prompts
- Blocking critical flows - Blocking critical flows
- Unclear pricing
- Complicated upgrade process - Complicated upgrade process
### Trust Destroyers
- Surprise charges
- Hard-to-cancel subscriptions
- Bait and switch
- Data hostage tactics
---
## Experiment Ideas
### Trigger & Timing Experiments
**When to Show**
- Test trigger timing: after aha moment vs. at feature attempt
- Early trial reminder (7 days) vs. late reminder (1 day before)
- Show after X actions completed vs. after X days
- Test soft prompts at different engagement thresholds
- Trigger based on usage patterns vs. time-based only
**Trigger Type**
- Hard gate (can't proceed) vs. soft gate (preview + prompt)
- Feature lock vs. usage limit as primary trigger
- In-context modal vs. dedicated upgrade page
- Banner reminder vs. modal prompt
- Exit-intent on free plan pages
---
### Paywall Design Experiments
**Layout & Format**
- Full-screen paywall vs. modal overlay
- Minimal paywall (CTA-focused) vs. feature-rich paywall
- Single plan display vs. plan comparison
- Image/preview included vs. text-only
- Vertical layout vs. horizontal layout on desktop
**Value Presentation**
- Feature list vs. benefit statements
- Show what they'll lose (loss aversion) vs. what they'll gain
- Personalized value summary based on usage
- Before/after demonstration
- ROI calculator or value quantification
**Visual Elements**
- Add product screenshots or previews
- Include short demo video or GIF
- Test illustration vs. product imagery
- Animated vs. static paywall
- Progress visualization (what they've accomplished)
---
### Pricing Presentation Experiments
**Price Display**
- Show monthly vs. annual vs. both with toggle
- Highlight savings for annual ($ amount vs. % off)
- Price per day framing ("Less than a coffee")
- Show price after trial vs. emphasize "Start Free"
- Display price prominently vs. de-emphasize until click
**Plan Options**
- Single recommended plan vs. multiple tiers
- Add "Most Popular" badge to target plan
- Test number of visible plans (2 vs. 3)
- Show enterprise/custom tier vs. hide it
- Include one-time purchase option alongside subscription
**Discounts & Offers**
- First month/year discount for conversion
- Limited-time upgrade offer with countdown
- Loyalty discount based on free usage duration
- Bundle discount for annual commitment
- Referral discount for social proof
---
### Copy & Messaging Experiments
**Headlines**
- Benefit-focused ("Unlock unlimited projects") vs. feature-focused ("Get Pro features")
- Question format ("Ready to do more?") vs. statement format
- Urgency-based ("Don't lose your work") vs. value-based
- Personalized headline with user's name or usage data
- Social proof headline ("Join 10,000+ Pro users")
**CTAs**
- "Start Free Trial" vs. "Upgrade Now" vs. "Continue with Pro"
- First person ("Start My Trial") vs. second person ("Start Your Trial")
- Value-specific ("Unlock Unlimited") vs. generic ("Upgrade")
- Add urgency ("Upgrade Today") vs. no pressure
- Include price in CTA vs. separate price display
**Objection Handling**
- Add money-back guarantee messaging
- Show "Cancel anytime" prominently
- Include FAQ on paywall
- Address specific objections based on feature gated
- Add chat/support option on paywall
---
### Trial & Conversion Experiments
**Trial Structure**
- 7-day vs. 14-day vs. 30-day trial length
- Credit card required vs. not required for trial
- Full-access trial vs. limited feature trial
- Trial extension offer for engaged users
- Second trial offer for expired/churned users
**Trial Expiration**
- Countdown timer visibility (always vs. near end)
- Email reminders: frequency and timing
- Grace period after expiration vs. immediate downgrade
- "Last chance" offer with discount
- Pause option vs. immediate cancellation
**Upgrade Path**
- One-click upgrade from paywall vs. separate checkout
- Pre-filled payment info for returning users
- Multiple payment methods offered
- Quarterly plan option alongside monthly/annual
- Team invite flow for solo-to-team conversion
---
### Personalization Experiments
**Usage-Based**
- Personalize paywall copy based on features used
- Highlight most-used premium features
- Show usage stats ("You've created 50 projects")
- Recommend plan based on behavior patterns
- Dynamic feature emphasis based on user segment
**Segment-Specific**
- Different paywall for power users vs. casual users
- B2B vs. B2C messaging variations
- Industry-specific value propositions
- Role-based feature highlighting
- Traffic source-based messaging
---
### Frequency & UX Experiments
**Frequency Capping**
- Test number of prompts per session
- Cool-down period after dismiss (hours vs. days)
- Escalating urgency over time vs. consistent messaging
- Once per feature vs. consolidated prompts
- Re-show rules after major engagement
**Dismiss Behavior**
- "Maybe later" vs. "No thanks" vs. "Remind me tomorrow"
- Ask reason for declining
- Offer alternative (lower tier, annual discount)
- Exit survey on dismiss
- Friendly vs. neutral decline copy
--- ---
## Task-Specific Questions ## Task-Specific Questions
@@ -569,4 +222,3 @@ What to measure and expected benchmarks
- **page-cro**: For public pricing page optimization - **page-cro**: For public pricing page optimization
- **onboarding-cro**: For driving to aha moment before upgrade - **onboarding-cro**: For driving to aha moment before upgrade
- **ab-test-setup**: For testing paywall variations - **ab-test-setup**: For testing paywall variations
- **analytics-tracking**: For measuring upgrade funnel

155
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@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
# Paywall Experiment Ideas
Comprehensive list of A/B tests and experiments for paywall optimization.
## Trigger & Timing Experiments
### When to Show
- Test trigger timing: after aha moment vs. at feature attempt
- Early trial reminder (7 days) vs. late reminder (1 day before)
- Show after X actions completed vs. after X days
- Test soft prompts at different engagement thresholds
- Trigger based on usage patterns vs. time-based only
### Trigger Type
- Hard gate (can't proceed) vs. soft gate (preview + prompt)
- Feature lock vs. usage limit as primary trigger
- In-context modal vs. dedicated upgrade page
- Banner reminder vs. modal prompt
- Exit-intent on free plan pages
---
## Paywall Design Experiments
### Layout & Format
- Full-screen paywall vs. modal overlay
- Minimal paywall (CTA-focused) vs. feature-rich paywall
- Single plan display vs. plan comparison
- Image/preview included vs. text-only
- Vertical layout vs. horizontal layout on desktop
### Value Presentation
- Feature list vs. benefit statements
- Show what they'll lose (loss aversion) vs. what they'll gain
- Personalized value summary based on usage
- Before/after demonstration
- ROI calculator or value quantification
### Visual Elements
- Add product screenshots or previews
- Include short demo video or GIF
- Test illustration vs. product imagery
- Animated vs. static paywall
- Progress visualization (what they've accomplished)
---
## Pricing Presentation Experiments
### Price Display
- Show monthly vs. annual vs. both with toggle
- Highlight savings for annual ($ amount vs. % off)
- Price per day framing ("Less than a coffee")
- Show price after trial vs. emphasize "Start Free"
- Display price prominently vs. de-emphasize until click
### Plan Options
- Single recommended plan vs. multiple tiers
- Add "Most Popular" badge to target plan
- Test number of visible plans (2 vs. 3)
- Show enterprise/custom tier vs. hide it
- Include one-time purchase option alongside subscription
### Discounts & Offers
- First month/year discount for conversion
- Limited-time upgrade offer with countdown
- Loyalty discount based on free usage duration
- Bundle discount for annual commitment
- Referral discount for social proof
---
## Copy & Messaging Experiments
### Headlines
- Benefit-focused ("Unlock unlimited projects") vs. feature-focused ("Get Pro features")
- Question format ("Ready to do more?") vs. statement format
- Urgency-based ("Don't lose your work") vs. value-based
- Personalized headline with user's name or usage data
- Social proof headline ("Join 10,000+ Pro users")
### CTAs
- "Start Free Trial" vs. "Upgrade Now" vs. "Continue with Pro"
- First person ("Start My Trial") vs. second person ("Start Your Trial")
- Value-specific ("Unlock Unlimited") vs. generic ("Upgrade")
- Add urgency ("Upgrade Today") vs. no pressure
- Include price in CTA vs. separate price display
### Objection Handling
- Add money-back guarantee messaging
- Show "Cancel anytime" prominently
- Include FAQ on paywall
- Address specific objections based on feature gated
- Add chat/support option on paywall
---
## Trial & Conversion Experiments
### Trial Structure
- 7-day vs. 14-day vs. 30-day trial length
- Credit card required vs. not required for trial
- Full-access trial vs. limited feature trial
- Trial extension offer for engaged users
- Second trial offer for expired/churned users
### Trial Expiration
- Countdown timer visibility (always vs. near end)
- Email reminders: frequency and timing
- Grace period after expiration vs. immediate downgrade
- "Last chance" offer with discount
- Pause option vs. immediate cancellation
### Upgrade Path
- One-click upgrade from paywall vs. separate checkout
- Pre-filled payment info for returning users
- Multiple payment methods offered
- Quarterly plan option alongside monthly/annual
- Team invite flow for solo-to-team conversion
---
## Personalization Experiments
### Usage-Based
- Personalize paywall copy based on features used
- Highlight most-used premium features
- Show usage stats ("You've created 50 projects")
- Recommend plan based on behavior patterns
- Dynamic feature emphasis based on user segment
### Segment-Specific
- Different paywall for power users vs. casual users
- B2B vs. B2C messaging variations
- Industry-specific value propositions
- Role-based feature highlighting
- Traffic source-based messaging
---
## Frequency & UX Experiments
### Frequency Capping
- Test number of prompts per session
- Cool-down period after dismiss (hours vs. days)
- Escalating urgency over time vs. consistent messaging
- Once per feature vs. consolidated prompts
- Re-show rules after major engagement
### Dismiss Behavior
- "Maybe later" vs. "No thanks" vs. "Remind me tomorrow"
- Ask reason for declining
- Offer alternative (lower tier, annual discount)
- Exit survey on dismiss
- Friendly vs. neutral decline copy

596
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@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ description: "When the user wants help with pricing decisions, packaging, or mon
# Pricing Strategy # Pricing Strategy
You are an expert in SaaS pricing and monetization strategy with access to pricing research data and analysis tools. Your goal is to help design pricing that captures value, drives growth, and aligns with customer willingness to pay. You are an expert in SaaS pricing and monetization strategy. Your goal is to help design pricing that captures value, drives growth, and aligns with customer willingness to pay.
## Before Starting ## Before Starting
@@ -24,18 +24,15 @@ Gather this context (ask if not provided):
- What's the primary value you deliver? - What's the primary value you deliver?
- What alternatives do customers consider? - What alternatives do customers consider?
- How do competitors price? - How do competitors price?
- What makes you different/better?
### 3. Current Performance ### 3. Current Performance
- What's your current conversion rate? - What's your current conversion rate?
- What's your average revenue per user (ARPU)? - What's your ARPU and churn rate?
- What's your churn rate?
- Any feedback on pricing from customers/prospects? - Any feedback on pricing from customers/prospects?
### 4. Goals ### 4. Goals
- Are you optimizing for growth, revenue, or profitability? - Optimizing for growth, revenue, or profitability?
- Are you trying to move upmarket or expand downmarket? - Moving upmarket or expanding downmarket?
- Any pricing changes you're considering?
--- ---
@@ -43,8 +40,6 @@ Gather this context (ask if not provided):
### The Three Pricing Axes ### The Three Pricing Axes
Every pricing decision involves three dimensions:
**1. Packaging** — What's included at each tier? **1. Packaging** — What's included at each tier?
- Features, limits, support level - Features, limits, support level
- How tiers differ from each other - How tiers differ from each other
@@ -55,141 +50,18 @@ Every pricing decision involves three dimensions:
**3. Price Point** — How much do you charge? **3. Price Point** — How much do you charge?
- The actual dollar amounts - The actual dollar amounts
- The perceived value vs. cost - Perceived value vs. cost
### Value-Based Pricing Framework ### Value-Based Pricing
Price should be based on value delivered, not cost to serve: Price should be based on value delivered, not cost to serve:
``` - **Customer's perceived value** — The ceiling
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ - **Your price** — Between alternatives and perceived value
│ │ - **Next best alternative** — The floor for differentiation
│ Customer's perceived value of your solution │ - **Your cost to serve** — Only a baseline, not the basis
│ ────────────────────────────────────────────── $1000 │
│ │
│ ↑ Value captured (your opportunity) │
│ │
│ Your price │
│ ────────────────────────────────────────────── $500 │
│ │
│ ↑ Consumer surplus (value customer keeps) │
│ │
│ Next best alternative │
│ ────────────────────────────────────────────── $300 │
│ │
│ ↑ Differentiation value │
│ │
│ Your cost to serve │
│ ────────────────────────────────────────────── $50 │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
**Key insight:** Price between the next best alternative and perceived value. Cost is a floor, not a basis. **Key insight:** Price between the next best alternative and perceived value.
---
## Pricing Research Methods
### Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity Meter
The Van Westendorp survey identifies the acceptable price range for your product.
**The Four Questions:**
Ask each respondent:
1. "At what price would you consider [product] to be so expensive that you would not consider buying it?" (Too expensive)
2. "At what price would you consider [product] to be priced so low that you would question its quality?" (Too cheap)
3. "At what price would you consider [product] to be starting to get expensive, but you still might consider it?" (Expensive/high side)
4. "At what price would you consider [product] to be a bargain—a great buy for the money?" (Cheap/good value)
**How to Analyze:**
1. Plot cumulative distributions for each question
2. Find the intersections:
- **Point of Marginal Cheapness (PMC):** "Too cheap" crosses "Expensive"
- **Point of Marginal Expensiveness (PME):** "Too expensive" crosses "Cheap"
- **Optimal Price Point (OPP):** "Too cheap" crosses "Too expensive"
- **Indifference Price Point (IDP):** "Expensive" crosses "Cheap"
**The acceptable price range:** PMC to PME
**Optimal pricing zone:** Between OPP and IDP
**Survey Tips:**
- Need 100-300 respondents for reliable data
- Segment by persona (different willingness to pay)
- Use realistic product descriptions
- Consider adding purchase intent questions
**Sample Van Westendorp Analysis Output:**
```
Price Sensitivity Analysis Results:
─────────────────────────────────
Point of Marginal Cheapness: $29/mo
Optimal Price Point: $49/mo
Indifference Price Point: $59/mo
Point of Marginal Expensiveness: $79/mo
Recommended range: $49-59/mo
Current price: $39/mo (below optimal)
Opportunity: 25-50% price increase without significant demand impact
```
### MaxDiff Analysis (Best-Worst Scaling)
MaxDiff identifies which features customers value most, informing packaging decisions.
**How It Works:**
1. List 8-15 features you could include
2. Show respondents sets of 4-5 features at a time
3. Ask: "Which is MOST important? Which is LEAST important?"
4. Repeat across multiple sets until all features compared
5. Statistical analysis produces importance scores
**Example Survey Question:**
```
Which feature is MOST important to you?
Which feature is LEAST important to you?
□ Unlimited projects
□ Custom branding
□ Priority support
□ API access
□ Advanced analytics
```
**Analyzing Results:**
Features are ranked by utility score:
- High utility = Must-have (include in base tier)
- Medium utility = Differentiator (use for tier separation)
- Low utility = Nice-to-have (premium tier or cut)
**Using MaxDiff for Packaging:**
| Utility Score | Packaging Decision |
|---------------|-------------------|
| Top 20% | Include in all tiers (table stakes) |
| 20-50% | Use to differentiate tiers |
| 50-80% | Higher tiers only |
| Bottom 20% | Consider cutting or premium add-on |
### Willingness to Pay Surveys
**Direct method (simple but biased):**
"How much would you pay for [product]?"
**Better: Gabor-Granger method:**
"Would you buy [product] at [$X]?" (Yes/No)
Vary price across respondents to build demand curve.
**Even better: Conjoint analysis:**
Show product bundles at different prices
Respondents choose preferred option
Statistical analysis reveals price sensitivity per feature
--- ---
@@ -212,253 +84,57 @@ The value metric is what you charge for—it should scale with the value custome
| Per user/seat | Collaboration tools | Slack, Notion | | Per user/seat | Collaboration tools | Slack, Notion |
| Per usage | Variable consumption | AWS, Twilio | | Per usage | Variable consumption | AWS, Twilio |
| Per feature | Modular products | HubSpot add-ons | | Per feature | Modular products | HubSpot add-ons |
| Per contact/record | CRM, email tools | Mailchimp, HubSpot | | Per contact/record | CRM, email tools | Mailchimp |
| Per transaction | Payments, marketplaces | Stripe, Shopify | | Per transaction | Payments, marketplaces | Stripe |
| Flat fee | Simple products | Basecamp | | Flat fee | Simple products | Basecamp |
| Revenue share | High-value outcomes | Affiliate platforms |
### Choosing Your Value Metric ### Choosing Your Value Metric
**Step 1: Identify how customers get value**
- What outcome do they care about?
- What do they measure success by?
- What would they pay more for?
**Step 2: Map usage to value**
| Usage Pattern | Value Delivered | Potential Metric |
|---------------|-----------------|------------------|
| More team members use it | More collaboration value | Per user |
| More data processed | More insights | Per record/event |
| More revenue generated | Direct ROI | Revenue share |
| More projects managed | More organization | Per project |
**Step 3: Test for alignment**
Ask: "As a customer uses more of [metric], do they get more value?" Ask: "As a customer uses more of [metric], do they get more value?"
- If yes → good value metric - If yes → good value metric
- If no → price doesn't align with value - If no → price doesn't align with value
### Mapping Usage to Value: Framework
**1. Instrument usage data**
Track how customers use your product:
- Feature usage frequency
- Volume metrics (users, records, API calls)
- Outcome metrics (revenue generated, time saved)
**2. Correlate with customer success**
- Which usage patterns predict retention?
- Which usage patterns predict expansion?
- Which customers pay the most, and why?
**3. Identify value thresholds**
- At what usage level do customers "get it"?
- At what usage level do they expand?
- At what usage level should price increase?
**Example Analysis:**
```
Usage-Value Correlation Analysis:
─────────────────────────────────
Segment: High-LTV customers (>$10k ARR)
Average monthly active users: 15
Average projects: 8
Average integrations: 4
Segment: Churned customers
Average monthly active users: 3
Average projects: 2
Average integrations: 0
Insight: Value correlates with team adoption (users)
and depth of use (integrations)
Recommendation: Price per user, gate integrations to higher tiers
```
--- ---
## Tier Structure ## Tier Structure Overview
### How Many Tiers?
**2 tiers:** Simple, clear choice
- Works for: Clear SMB vs. Enterprise split
- Risk: May leave money on table
**3 tiers:** Industry standard
- Good tier = Entry point
- Better tier = Recommended (anchor to best)
- Best tier = High-value customers
**4+ tiers:** More granularity
- Works for: Wide range of customer sizes
- Risk: Decision paralysis, complexity
### Good-Better-Best Framework ### Good-Better-Best Framework
**Good tier (Entry):** **Good tier (Entry):** Core features, limited usage, low price
- Purpose: Remove barriers to entry **Better tier (Recommended):** Full features, reasonable limits, anchor price
- Includes: Core features, limited usage **Best tier (Premium):** Everything, advanced features, 2-3x Better price
- Price: Low, accessible
- Target: Small teams, try before you buy
**Better tier (Recommended):** ### Tier Differentiation
- Purpose: Where most customers land
- Includes: Full features, reasonable limits
- Price: Your "anchor" price
- Target: Growing teams, serious users
**Best tier (Premium):** - **Feature gating** — Basic vs. advanced features
- Purpose: Capture high-value customers - **Usage limits** — Same features, different limits
- Includes: Everything, advanced features, higher limits - **Support level** — Email → Priority → Dedicated
- Price: Premium (often 2-3x "Better") - **Access** — API, SSO, custom branding
- Target: Larger teams, power users, enterprises
### Tier Differentiation Strategies **For detailed tier structures and persona-based packaging**: See [references/tier-structure.md](references/tier-structure.md)
**Feature gating:**
- Basic features in all tiers
- Advanced features in higher tiers
- Works when features have clear value differences
**Usage limits:**
- Same features, different limits
- More users, storage, API calls at higher tiers
- Works when value scales with usage
**Support level:**
- Email support → Priority support → Dedicated success
- Works for products with implementation complexity
**Access and customization:**
- API access, SSO, custom branding
- Works for enterprise differentiation
### Example Tier Structure
```
┌────────────────┬─────────────────┬─────────────────┬─────────────────┐
│ │ Starter │ Pro │ Business │
│ │ $29/mo │ $79/mo │ $199/mo │
├────────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────────────┤
│ Users │ Up to 5 │ Up to 20 │ Unlimited │
│ Projects │ 10 │ Unlimited │ Unlimited │
│ Storage │ 5 GB │ 50 GB │ 500 GB │
│ Integrations │ 3 │ 10 │ Unlimited │
│ Analytics │ Basic │ Advanced │ Custom │
│ Support │ Email │ Priority │ Dedicated │
│ API Access │ ✗ │ ✓ │ ✓ │
│ SSO │ ✗ │ ✗ │ ✓ │
│ Audit logs │ ✗ │ ✗ │ ✓ │
└────────────────┴─────────────────┴─────────────────┴─────────────────┘
```
--- ---
## Packaging for Personas ## Pricing Research
### Identifying Pricing Personas ### Van Westendorp Method
Different customers have different: Four questions that identify acceptable price range:
- Willingness to pay 1. Too expensive (wouldn't consider)
- Feature needs 2. Too cheap (question quality)
- Buying processes 3. Expensive but might consider
- Value perception 4. A bargain
**Segment by:** Analyze intersections to find optimal pricing zone.
- Company size (solopreneur → SMB → enterprise)
- Use case (marketing vs. sales vs. support)
- Sophistication (beginner → power user)
- Industry (different budget norms)
### Persona-Based Packaging ### MaxDiff Analysis
**Step 1: Define personas** Identifies which features customers value most:
- Show sets of features
- Ask: Most important? Least important?
- Results inform tier packaging
| Persona | Size | Needs | WTP | Example | **For detailed research methods**: See [references/research-methods.md](references/research-methods.md)
|---------|------|-------|-----|---------|
| Freelancer | 1 person | Basic features | Low | $19/mo |
| Small Team | 2-10 | Collaboration | Medium | $49/mo |
| Growing Co | 10-50 | Scale, integrations | Higher | $149/mo |
| Enterprise | 50+ | Security, support | High | Custom |
**Step 2: Map features to personas**
| Feature | Freelancer | Small Team | Growing | Enterprise |
|---------|------------|------------|---------|------------|
| Core features | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Collaboration | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Integrations | — | Limited | Full | Full |
| API access | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| SSO/SAML | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Audit logs | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Custom contract | — | — | — | ✓ |
**Step 3: Price to value for each persona**
- Research willingness to pay per segment
- Set prices that capture value without blocking adoption
- Consider segment-specific landing pages
---
## Freemium vs. Free Trial
### When to Use Freemium
**Freemium works when:**
- Product has viral/network effects
- Free users provide value (content, data, referrals)
- Large market where % conversion drives volume
- Low marginal cost to serve free users
- Clear feature/usage limits for upgrade trigger
**Freemium risks:**
- Free users may never convert
- Devalues product perception
- Support costs for non-paying users
- Harder to raise prices later
**Example: Slack**
- Free tier for small teams
- Message history limit creates upgrade trigger
- Free users invite others (viral growth)
- Converts when team hits limit
### When to Use Free Trial
**Free trial works when:**
- Product needs time to demonstrate value
- Onboarding/setup investment required
- B2B with buying committees
- Higher price points
- Product is "sticky" once configured
**Trial best practices:**
- 7-14 days for simple products
- 14-30 days for complex products
- Full access (not feature-limited)
- Clear countdown and reminders
- Credit card optional vs. required trade-off
**Credit card upfront:**
- Higher trial-to-paid conversion (40-50% vs. 15-25%)
- Lower trial volume
- Better qualified leads
### Hybrid Approaches
**Freemium + Trial:**
- Free tier with limited features
- Trial of premium features
- Example: Zoom (free 40-min, trial of Pro)
**Reverse trial:**
- Start with full access
- After trial, downgrade to free tier
- Example: See premium value, live with limitations until ready
--- ---
@@ -468,206 +144,54 @@ Different customers have different:
**Market signals:** **Market signals:**
- Competitors have raised prices - Competitors have raised prices
- You're significantly cheaper than alternatives
- Prospects don't flinch at price - Prospects don't flinch at price
- "It's so cheap!" feedback - "It's so cheap!" feedback
**Business signals:** **Business signals:**
- Very high conversion rates (>40%) - Very high conversion rates (>40%)
- Very low churn (<3% monthly) - Very low churn (<3% monthly)
- Customers using more than they pay for - Strong unit economics
- Unit economics are strong
**Product signals:** **Product signals:**
- You've added significant value since last pricing - Significant value added since last pricing
- Product is more mature/stable - Product more mature/stable
- New features justify higher price
### Price Increase Strategies ### Price Increase Strategies
**1. Grandfather existing customers** 1. **Grandfather existing** — New price for new customers only
- New price for new customers only 2. **Delayed increase** — Announce 3-6 months out
- Existing customers keep old price 3. **Tied to value** — Raise price but add features
- Pro: No churn risk 4. **Plan restructure** — Change plans entirely
- Con: Leaves money on table, creates complexity
**2. Delayed increase for existing**
- Announce increase 3-6 months out
- Give time to lock in old price (annual)
- Pro: Fair, drives annual conversions
- Con: Some churn, requires communication
**3. Increase tied to value**
- Raise price but add features
- "New Pro tier with X, Y, Z"
- Pro: Justified increase
- Con: Requires actual new value
**4. Plan restructure**
- Change plans entirely
- Existing customers mapped to nearest fit
- Pro: Clean slate
- Con: Disruptive, requires careful mapping
### Communicating Price Increases
**For new customers:**
- Just update pricing page
- No announcement needed
- Monitor conversion rate
**For existing customers:**
```
Subject: Updates to [Product] pricing
Hi [Name],
I'm writing to let you know about upcoming changes to [Product] pricing.
[Context: what you've added, why change is happening]
Starting [date], our pricing will change from [old] to [new].
As a valued customer, [what this means for them: grandfathered, locked rate, timeline].
[If they're affected:]
You have until [date] to [action: lock in current rate, renew at old price].
[If they're grandfathered:]
You'll continue at your current rate. No action needed.
We appreciate your continued support of [Product].
[Your name]
```
--- ---
## Pricing Page Best Practices ## Pricing Page Best Practices
### Above the Fold ### Above the Fold
- Clear tier comparison table - Clear tier comparison table
- Recommended tier highlighted - Recommended tier highlighted
- Monthly/annual toggle - Monthly/annual toggle
- Primary CTA for each tier - Primary CTA for each tier
### Tier Presentation
- Lead with the recommended tier (visual emphasis)
- Show value progression clearly
- Use checkmarks and limits, not paragraphs
- Anchor to higher tier (show enterprise first or savings)
### Common Elements ### Common Elements
- Feature comparison table
- Who each tier is for
- FAQ section
- Annual discount callout (17-20%)
- Money-back guarantee
- Customer logos/trust signals
- [ ] Feature comparison table ### Pricing Psychology
- [ ] Who each tier is for
- [ ] FAQ section
- [ ] Contact sales option
- [ ] Annual discount callout
- [ ] Money-back guarantee
- [ ] Customer logos/trust signals
### Pricing Psychology to Apply
- **Anchoring:** Show higher-priced option first - **Anchoring:** Show higher-priced option first
- **Decoy effect:** Middle tier should be obviously best value - **Decoy effect:** Middle tier should be best value
- **Charm pricing:** $49 vs. $50 (for value-focused) - **Charm pricing:** $49 vs. $50 (for value-focused)
- **Round pricing:** $50 vs. $49 (for premium) - **Round pricing:** $50 vs. $49 (for premium)
- **Annual savings:** Show monthly price but offer annual discount (17-20%)
---
## Price Testing
### Methods for Testing Price
**1. A/B test pricing page (risky)**
- Different visitors see different prices
- Ethical/legal concerns
- May damage trust if discovered
**2. Geographic testing**
- Test higher prices in new markets
- Different currencies/regions
- Cleaner test, limited reach
**3. New customer only**
- Raise prices for new customers
- Compare conversion rates
- Monitor cohort LTV
**4. Sales team discretion**
- Test higher quotes through sales
- Track close rates at different prices
- Works for sales-led GTM
**5. Feature-based testing**
- Test different packaging
- Add premium tier at higher price
- See adoption without changing existing
### What to Measure
- Conversion rate at each price point
- Average revenue per user (ARPU)
- Total revenue (conversion × price)
- Customer lifetime value
- Churn rate by price paid
- Price sensitivity by segment
---
## Enterprise Pricing
### When to Add Custom Pricing
Add "Contact Sales" when:
- Deal sizes exceed $10k+ ARR
- Customers need custom contracts
- Implementation/onboarding required
- Security/compliance requirements
- Procurement processes involved
### Enterprise Tier Elements
**Table stakes:**
- SSO/SAML
- Audit logs
- Admin controls
- Uptime SLA
- Security certifications
**Value-adds:**
- Dedicated support/success
- Custom onboarding
- Training sessions
- Custom integrations
- Priority roadmap input
### Enterprise Pricing Strategies
**Per-seat at scale:**
- Volume discounts for large teams
- Example: $15/user (standard) → $10/user (100+)
**Platform fee + usage:**
- Base fee for access
- Usage-based above thresholds
- Example: $500/mo base + $0.01 per API call
**Value-based contracts:**
- Price tied to customer's revenue/outcomes
- Example: % of transactions, revenue share
--- ---
## Pricing Checklist ## Pricing Checklist
### Before Setting Prices ### Before Setting Prices
- [ ] Defined target customer personas - [ ] Defined target customer personas
- [ ] Researched competitor pricing - [ ] Researched competitor pricing
- [ ] Identified your value metric - [ ] Identified your value metric
@@ -675,29 +199,20 @@ Add "Contact Sales" when:
- [ ] Mapped features to tiers - [ ] Mapped features to tiers
### Pricing Structure ### Pricing Structure
- [ ] Chosen number of tiers - [ ] Chosen number of tiers
- [ ] Differentiated tiers clearly - [ ] Differentiated tiers clearly
- [ ] Set price points based on research - [ ] Set price points based on research
- [ ] Created annual discount strategy - [ ] Created annual discount strategy
- [ ] Planned enterprise/custom tier - [ ] Planned enterprise/custom tier
### Validation
- [ ] Tested pricing with target customers
- [ ] Reviewed pricing with sales team
- [ ] Validated unit economics work
- [ ] Planned for price increases
- [ ] Set up tracking for pricing metrics
--- ---
## Task-Specific Questions ## Task-Specific Questions
1. What pricing research have you done (surveys, competitor analysis)? 1. What pricing research have you done?
2. What's your current ARPU and conversion rate? 2. What's your current ARPU and conversion rate?
3. What's your primary value metric (what do customers pay for value)? 3. What's your primary value metric?
4. Who are your main pricing personas (by size, use case)? 4. Who are your main pricing personas?
5. Are you self-serve, sales-led, or hybrid? 5. Are you self-serve, sales-led, or hybrid?
6. What pricing changes are you considering? 6. What pricing changes are you considering?
@@ -709,4 +224,3 @@ Add "Contact Sales" when:
- **copywriting**: For pricing page copy - **copywriting**: For pricing page copy
- **marketing-psychology**: For pricing psychology principles - **marketing-psychology**: For pricing psychology principles
- **ab-test-setup**: For testing pricing changes - **ab-test-setup**: For testing pricing changes
- **analytics-tracking**: For tracking pricing metrics

146
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@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
# Pricing Research Methods
## Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity Meter
The Van Westendorp survey identifies the acceptable price range for your product.
### The Four Questions
Ask each respondent:
1. "At what price would you consider [product] to be so expensive that you would not consider buying it?" (Too expensive)
2. "At what price would you consider [product] to be priced so low that you would question its quality?" (Too cheap)
3. "At what price would you consider [product] to be starting to get expensive, but you still might consider it?" (Expensive/high side)
4. "At what price would you consider [product] to be a bargain—a great buy for the money?" (Cheap/good value)
### How to Analyze
1. Plot cumulative distributions for each question
2. Find the intersections:
- **Point of Marginal Cheapness (PMC):** "Too cheap" crosses "Expensive"
- **Point of Marginal Expensiveness (PME):** "Too expensive" crosses "Cheap"
- **Optimal Price Point (OPP):** "Too cheap" crosses "Too expensive"
- **Indifference Price Point (IDP):** "Expensive" crosses "Cheap"
**The acceptable price range:** PMC to PME
**Optimal pricing zone:** Between OPP and IDP
### Survey Tips
- Need 100-300 respondents for reliable data
- Segment by persona (different willingness to pay)
- Use realistic product descriptions
- Consider adding purchase intent questions
### Sample Output
```
Price Sensitivity Analysis Results:
─────────────────────────────────
Point of Marginal Cheapness: $29/mo
Optimal Price Point: $49/mo
Indifference Price Point: $59/mo
Point of Marginal Expensiveness: $79/mo
Recommended range: $49-59/mo
Current price: $39/mo (below optimal)
Opportunity: 25-50% price increase without significant demand impact
```
---
## MaxDiff Analysis (Best-Worst Scaling)
MaxDiff identifies which features customers value most, informing packaging decisions.
### How It Works
1. List 8-15 features you could include
2. Show respondents sets of 4-5 features at a time
3. Ask: "Which is MOST important? Which is LEAST important?"
4. Repeat across multiple sets until all features compared
5. Statistical analysis produces importance scores
### Example Survey Question
```
Which feature is MOST important to you?
Which feature is LEAST important to you?
□ Unlimited projects
□ Custom branding
□ Priority support
□ API access
□ Advanced analytics
```
### Analyzing Results
Features are ranked by utility score:
- High utility = Must-have (include in base tier)
- Medium utility = Differentiator (use for tier separation)
- Low utility = Nice-to-have (premium tier or cut)
### Using MaxDiff for Packaging
| Utility Score | Packaging Decision |
|---------------|-------------------|
| Top 20% | Include in all tiers (table stakes) |
| 20-50% | Use to differentiate tiers |
| 50-80% | Higher tiers only |
| Bottom 20% | Consider cutting or premium add-on |
---
## Willingness to Pay Surveys
**Direct method (simple but biased):**
"How much would you pay for [product]?"
**Better: Gabor-Granger method:**
"Would you buy [product] at [$X]?" (Yes/No)
Vary price across respondents to build demand curve.
**Even better: Conjoint analysis:**
Show product bundles at different prices
Respondents choose preferred option
Statistical analysis reveals price sensitivity per feature
---
## Usage-Value Correlation Analysis
### 1. Instrument usage data
Track how customers use your product:
- Feature usage frequency
- Volume metrics (users, records, API calls)
- Outcome metrics (revenue generated, time saved)
### 2. Correlate with customer success
- Which usage patterns predict retention?
- Which usage patterns predict expansion?
- Which customers pay the most, and why?
### 3. Identify value thresholds
- At what usage level do customers "get it"?
- At what usage level do they expand?
- At what usage level should price increase?
### Example Analysis
```
Usage-Value Correlation Analysis:
─────────────────────────────────
Segment: High-LTV customers (>$10k ARR)
Average monthly active users: 15
Average projects: 8
Average integrations: 4
Segment: Churned customers
Average monthly active users: 3
Average projects: 2
Average integrations: 0
Insight: Value correlates with team adoption (users)
and depth of use (integrations)
Recommendation: Price per user, gate integrations to higher tiers
```

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@@ -0,0 +1,223 @@
# Tier Structure and Packaging
## How Many Tiers?
**2 tiers:** Simple, clear choice
- Works for: Clear SMB vs. Enterprise split
- Risk: May leave money on table
**3 tiers:** Industry standard
- Good tier = Entry point
- Better tier = Recommended (anchor to best)
- Best tier = High-value customers
**4+ tiers:** More granularity
- Works for: Wide range of customer sizes
- Risk: Decision paralysis, complexity
---
## Good-Better-Best Framework
**Good tier (Entry):**
- Purpose: Remove barriers to entry
- Includes: Core features, limited usage
- Price: Low, accessible
- Target: Small teams, try before you buy
**Better tier (Recommended):**
- Purpose: Where most customers land
- Includes: Full features, reasonable limits
- Price: Your "anchor" price
- Target: Growing teams, serious users
**Best tier (Premium):**
- Purpose: Capture high-value customers
- Includes: Everything, advanced features, higher limits
- Price: Premium (often 2-3x "Better")
- Target: Larger teams, power users, enterprises
---
## Tier Differentiation Strategies
**Feature gating:**
- Basic features in all tiers
- Advanced features in higher tiers
- Works when features have clear value differences
**Usage limits:**
- Same features, different limits
- More users, storage, API calls at higher tiers
- Works when value scales with usage
**Support level:**
- Email support → Priority support → Dedicated success
- Works for products with implementation complexity
**Access and customization:**
- API access, SSO, custom branding
- Works for enterprise differentiation
---
## Example Tier Structure
```
┌────────────────┬─────────────────┬─────────────────┬─────────────────┐
│ │ Starter │ Pro │ Business │
│ │ $29/mo │ $79/mo │ $199/mo │
├────────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────────────┤
│ Users │ Up to 5 │ Up to 20 │ Unlimited │
│ Projects │ 10 │ Unlimited │ Unlimited │
│ Storage │ 5 GB │ 50 GB │ 500 GB │
│ Integrations │ 3 │ 10 │ Unlimited │
│ Analytics │ Basic │ Advanced │ Custom │
│ Support │ Email │ Priority │ Dedicated │
│ API Access │ ✗ │ ✓ │ ✓ │
│ SSO │ ✗ │ ✗ │ ✓ │
│ Audit logs │ ✗ │ ✗ │ ✓ │
└────────────────┴─────────────────┴─────────────────┴─────────────────┘
```
---
## Packaging for Personas
### Identifying Pricing Personas
Different customers have different:
- Willingness to pay
- Feature needs
- Buying processes
- Value perception
**Segment by:**
- Company size (solopreneur → SMB → enterprise)
- Use case (marketing vs. sales vs. support)
- Sophistication (beginner → power user)
- Industry (different budget norms)
### Persona-Based Packaging
**Step 1: Define personas**
| Persona | Size | Needs | WTP | Example |
|---------|------|-------|-----|---------|
| Freelancer | 1 person | Basic features | Low | $19/mo |
| Small Team | 2-10 | Collaboration | Medium | $49/mo |
| Growing Co | 10-50 | Scale, integrations | Higher | $149/mo |
| Enterprise | 50+ | Security, support | High | Custom |
**Step 2: Map features to personas**
| Feature | Freelancer | Small Team | Growing | Enterprise |
|---------|------------|------------|---------|------------|
| Core features | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Collaboration | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Integrations | — | Limited | Full | Full |
| API access | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| SSO/SAML | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Audit logs | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Custom contract | — | — | — | ✓ |
**Step 3: Price to value for each persona**
- Research willingness to pay per segment
- Set prices that capture value without blocking adoption
- Consider segment-specific landing pages
---
## Freemium vs. Free Trial
### When to Use Freemium
**Freemium works when:**
- Product has viral/network effects
- Free users provide value (content, data, referrals)
- Large market where % conversion drives volume
- Low marginal cost to serve free users
- Clear feature/usage limits for upgrade trigger
**Freemium risks:**
- Free users may never convert
- Devalues product perception
- Support costs for non-paying users
- Harder to raise prices later
### When to Use Free Trial
**Free trial works when:**
- Product needs time to demonstrate value
- Onboarding/setup investment required
- B2B with buying committees
- Higher price points
- Product is "sticky" once configured
**Trial best practices:**
- 7-14 days for simple products
- 14-30 days for complex products
- Full access (not feature-limited)
- Clear countdown and reminders
- Credit card optional vs. required trade-off
**Credit card upfront:**
- Higher trial-to-paid conversion (40-50% vs. 15-25%)
- Lower trial volume
- Better qualified leads
### Hybrid Approaches
**Freemium + Trial:**
- Free tier with limited features
- Trial of premium features
- Example: Zoom (free 40-min, trial of Pro)
**Reverse trial:**
- Start with full access
- After trial, downgrade to free tier
- Example: See premium value, live with limitations until ready
---
## Enterprise Pricing
### When to Add Custom Pricing
Add "Contact Sales" when:
- Deal sizes exceed $10k+ ARR
- Customers need custom contracts
- Implementation/onboarding required
- Security/compliance requirements
- Procurement processes involved
### Enterprise Tier Elements
**Table stakes:**
- SSO/SAML
- Audit logs
- Admin controls
- Uptime SLA
- Security certifications
**Value-adds:**
- Dedicated support/success
- Custom onboarding
- Training sessions
- Custom integrations
- Priority roadmap input
### Enterprise Pricing Strategies
**Per-seat at scale:**
- Volume discounts for large teams
- Example: $15/user (standard) → $10/user (100+)
**Platform fee + usage:**
- Base fee for access
- Usage-based above thresholds
- Example: $500/mo base + $0.01 per API call
**Value-based contracts:**
- Price tied to customer's revenue/outcomes
- Example: % of transactions, revenue share

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@@ -27,26 +27,18 @@ Before designing a programmatic SEO strategy, understand:
3. **Competitive Landscape** 3. **Competitive Landscape**
- Who ranks for these terms now? - Who ranks for these terms now?
- What do their pages look like? - What do their pages look like?
- What would it take to beat them? - Can you realistically compete?
--- ---
## Core Principles ## Core Principles
### 1. Unique Value Per Page ### 1. Unique Value Per Page
Every page must provide value specific to that page: - Every page must provide value specific to that page
- Unique data, insights, or combinations
- Not just swapped variables in a template - Not just swapped variables in a template
- Maximize unique content—the more differentiated, the better - Maximize unique content—the more differentiated, the better
- Avoid "thin content" penalties by adding real depth
### 2. Proprietary Data Wins ### 2. Proprietary Data Wins
The best pSEO uses data competitors can't easily replicate:
- **Proprietary data**: Data you own or generate
- **Product-derived data**: Insights from your product usage
- **User-generated content**: Reviews, comments, submissions
- **Aggregated insights**: Unique analysis of public data
Hierarchy of data defensibility: Hierarchy of data defensibility:
1. Proprietary (you created it) 1. Proprietary (you created it)
2. Product-derived (from your users) 2. Product-derived (from your users)
@@ -59,314 +51,55 @@ Hierarchy of data defensibility:
- Good: `yoursite.com/templates/resume/` - Good: `yoursite.com/templates/resume/`
- Bad: `templates.yoursite.com/resume/` - Bad: `templates.yoursite.com/resume/`
Subfolders pass authority to your main domain. Subdomains are treated as separate sites by Google.
**URL best practices**:
- Short, descriptive, keyword-rich
- Consistent pattern across page type
- No unnecessary parameters
- Human-readable slugs
### 4. Genuine Search Intent Match ### 4. Genuine Search Intent Match
Pages must actually answer what people are searching for: Pages must actually answer what people are searching for.
- Understand the intent behind each pattern
- Provide the complete answer
- Don't over-optimize for keywords at expense of usefulness
### 5. Scalable Quality, Not Just Quantity ### 5. Quality Over Quantity
- Quality standards must be maintained at scale Better to have 100 great pages than 10,000 thin ones.
- Better to have 100 great pages than 10,000 thin ones
- Build quality checks into the process
### 6. Avoid Google Penalties ### 6. Avoid Google Penalties
- No doorway pages (thin pages that just funnel to main site) - No doorway pages
- No keyword stuffing - No keyword stuffing
- No duplicate content across pages - No duplicate content
- Genuine utility for users - Genuine utility for users
--- ---
## The 12 Programmatic SEO Playbooks ## The 12 Playbooks (Overview)
Beyond mixing and matching data point permutations, these are the proven playbooks for programmatic SEO: | Playbook | Pattern | Example |
|----------|---------|---------|
### 1. Templates | Templates | "[Type] template" | "resume template" |
**Pattern**: "[Type] template" or "free [type] template" | Curation | "best [category]" | "best website builders" |
**Example searches**: "resume template", "invoice template", "pitch deck template" | Conversions | "[X] to [Y]" | "$10 USD to GBP" |
| Comparisons | "[X] vs [Y]" | "webflow vs wordpress" |
**What it is**: Downloadable or interactive templates users can use directly. | Examples | "[type] examples" | "landing page examples" |
| Locations | "[service] in [location]" | "dentists in austin" |
**Why it works**: | Personas | "[product] for [audience]" | "crm for real estate" |
- High intent—people need it now | Integrations | "[product A] [product B] integration" | "slack asana integration" |
- Shareable/linkable assets | Glossary | "what is [term]" | "what is pSEO" |
- Natural for product-led companies | Translations | Content in multiple languages | Localized content |
| Directory | "[category] tools" | "ai copywriting tools" |
**Value requirements**: | Profiles | "[entity name]" | "stripe ceo" |
- Actually usable templates (not just previews)
- Multiple variations per type **For detailed playbook implementation**: See [references/playbooks.md](references/playbooks.md)
- Quality comparable to paid options
- Easy download/use flow
**URL structure**: `/templates/[type]/` or `/templates/[category]/[type]/`
---
### 2. Curation
**Pattern**: "best [category]" or "top [number] [things]"
**Example searches**: "best website builders", "top 10 crm software", "best free design tools"
**What it is**: Curated lists ranking or recommending options in a category.
**Why it works**:
- Comparison shoppers searching for guidance
- High commercial intent
- Evergreen with updates
**Value requirements**:
- Genuine evaluation criteria
- Real testing or expertise
- Regular updates (date visible)
- Not just affiliate-driven rankings
**URL structure**: `/best/[category]/` or `/[category]/best/`
---
### 3. Conversions
**Pattern**: "[X] to [Y]" or "[amount] [unit] in [unit]"
**Example searches**: "$10 USD to GBP", "100 kg to lbs", "pdf to word"
**What it is**: Tools or pages that convert between formats, units, or currencies.
**Why it works**:
- Instant utility
- Extremely high search volume
- Repeat usage potential
**Value requirements**:
- Accurate, real-time data
- Fast, functional tool
- Related conversions suggested
- Mobile-friendly interface
**URL structure**: `/convert/[from]-to-[to]/` or `/[from]-to-[to]-converter/`
---
### 4. Comparisons
**Pattern**: "[X] vs [Y]" or "[X] alternative"
**Example searches**: "webflow vs wordpress", "notion vs coda", "figma alternatives"
**What it is**: Head-to-head comparisons between products, tools, or options.
**Why it works**:
- High purchase intent
- Clear search pattern
- Scales with number of competitors
**Value requirements**:
- Honest, balanced analysis
- Actual feature comparison data
- Clear recommendation by use case
- Updated when products change
**URL structure**: `/compare/[x]-vs-[y]/` or `/[x]-vs-[y]/`
*See also: competitor-alternatives skill for detailed frameworks*
---
### 5. Examples
**Pattern**: "[type] examples" or "[category] inspiration"
**Example searches**: "saas landing page examples", "email subject line examples", "portfolio website examples"
**What it is**: Galleries or collections of real-world examples for inspiration.
**Why it works**:
- Research phase traffic
- Highly shareable
- Natural for design/creative tools
**Value requirements**:
- Real, high-quality examples
- Screenshots or embeds
- Categorization/filtering
- Analysis of why they work
**URL structure**: `/examples/[type]/` or `/[type]-examples/`
---
### 6. Locations
**Pattern**: "[service/thing] in [location]"
**Example searches**: "coworking spaces in san diego", "dentists in austin", "best restaurants in brooklyn"
**What it is**: Location-specific pages for services, businesses, or information.
**Why it works**:
- Local intent is massive
- Scales with geography
- Natural for marketplaces/directories
**Value requirements**:
- Actual local data (not just city name swapped)
- Local providers/options listed
- Location-specific insights (pricing, regulations)
- Map integration helpful
**URL structure**: `/[service]/[city]/` or `/locations/[city]/[service]/`
---
### 7. Personas
**Pattern**: "[product] for [audience]" or "[solution] for [role/industry]"
**Example searches**: "payroll software for agencies", "crm for real estate", "project management for freelancers"
**What it is**: Tailored landing pages addressing specific audience segments.
**Why it works**:
- Speaks directly to searcher's context
- Higher conversion than generic pages
- Scales with personas
**Value requirements**:
- Genuine persona-specific content
- Relevant features highlighted
- Testimonials from that segment
- Use cases specific to audience
**URL structure**: `/for/[persona]/` or `/solutions/[industry]/`
---
### 8. Integrations
**Pattern**: "[your product] [other product] integration" or "[product] + [product]"
**Example searches**: "slack asana integration", "zapier airtable", "hubspot salesforce sync"
**What it is**: Pages explaining how your product works with other tools.
**Why it works**:
- Captures users of other products
- High intent (they want the solution)
- Scales with integration ecosystem
**Value requirements**:
- Real integration details
- Setup instructions
- Use cases for the combination
- Working integration (not vaporware)
**URL structure**: `/integrations/[product]/` or `/connect/[product]/`
---
### 9. Glossary
**Pattern**: "what is [term]" or "[term] definition" or "[term] meaning"
**Example searches**: "what is pSEO", "api definition", "what does crm stand for"
**What it is**: Educational definitions of industry terms and concepts.
**Why it works**:
- Top-of-funnel awareness
- Establishes expertise
- Natural internal linking opportunities
**Value requirements**:
- Clear, accurate definitions
- Examples and context
- Related terms linked
- More depth than a dictionary
**URL structure**: `/glossary/[term]/` or `/learn/[term]/`
---
### 10. Translations
**Pattern**: Same content in multiple languages
**Example searches**: "qué es pSEO", "was ist SEO", "マーケティングとは"
**What it is**: Your content translated and localized for other language markets.
**Why it works**:
- Opens entirely new markets
- Lower competition in many languages
- Multiplies your content reach
**Value requirements**:
- Quality translation (not just Google Translate)
- Cultural localization
- hreflang tags properly implemented
- Native speaker review
**URL structure**: `/[lang]/[page]/` or `yoursite.com/es/`, `/de/`, etc.
---
### 11. Directory
**Pattern**: "[category] tools" or "[type] software" or "[category] companies"
**Example searches**: "ai copywriting tools", "email marketing software", "crm companies"
**What it is**: Comprehensive directories listing options in a category.
**Why it works**:
- Research phase capture
- Link building magnet
- Natural for aggregators/reviewers
**Value requirements**:
- Comprehensive coverage
- Useful filtering/sorting
- Details per listing (not just names)
- Regular updates
**URL structure**: `/directory/[category]/` or `/[category]-directory/`
---
### 12. Profiles
**Pattern**: "[person/company name]" or "[entity] + [attribute]"
**Example searches**: "stripe ceo", "airbnb founding story", "elon musk companies"
**What it is**: Profile pages about notable people, companies, or entities.
**Why it works**:
- Informational intent traffic
- Builds topical authority
- Natural for B2B, news, research
**Value requirements**:
- Accurate, sourced information
- Regularly updated
- Unique insights or aggregation
- Not just Wikipedia rehash
**URL structure**: `/people/[name]/` or `/companies/[name]/`
--- ---
## Choosing Your Playbook ## Choosing Your Playbook
### Match to Your Assets
| If you have... | Consider... | | If you have... | Consider... |
|----------------|-------------| |----------------|-------------|
| Proprietary data | Stats, Directories, Profiles | | Proprietary data | Directories, Profiles |
| Product with integrations | Integrations | | Product with integrations | Integrations |
| Design/creative product | Templates, Examples | | Design/creative product | Templates, Examples |
| Multi-segment audience | Personas | | Multi-segment audience | Personas |
| Local presence | Locations | | Local presence | Locations |
| Tool or utility product | Conversions | | Tool or utility product | Conversions |
| Content/expertise | Glossary, Curation | | Content/expertise | Glossary, Curation |
| International potential | Translations |
| Competitor landscape | Comparisons | | Competitor landscape | Comparisons |
### Combine Playbooks You can layer multiple playbooks (e.g., "Best coworking spaces in San Diego").
You can layer multiple playbooks:
- **Locations + Personas**: "Marketing agencies for startups in Austin"
- **Curation + Locations**: "Best coworking spaces in San Diego"
- **Integrations + Personas**: "Slack for sales teams"
- **Glossary + Translations**: Multi-language educational content
--- ---
@@ -374,126 +107,55 @@ You can layer multiple playbooks:
### 1. Keyword Pattern Research ### 1. Keyword Pattern Research
**Identify the pattern**: **Identify the pattern:**
- What's the repeating structure? - What's the repeating structure?
- What are the variables? - What are the variables?
- How many unique combinations exist? - How many unique combinations exist?
**Validate demand**: **Validate demand:**
- Aggregate search volume for pattern - Aggregate search volume
- Volume distribution (head vs. long tail) - Volume distribution (head vs. long tail)
- Seasonal patterns
- Trend direction - Trend direction
**Assess competition**:
- Who ranks currently?
- What's their content quality?
- What's their domain authority?
- Can you realistically compete?
### 2. Data Requirements ### 2. Data Requirements
**Identify data sources**: **Identify data sources:**
- What data populates each page? - What data populates each page?
- Where does that data come from?
- Is it first-party, scraped, licensed, public? - Is it first-party, scraped, licensed, public?
- How is it updated? - How is it updated?
**Data schema design**:
```
For "[Service] in [City]" pages:
city:
- name
- population
- relevant_stats
service:
- name
- description
- typical_pricing
local_providers:
- name
- rating
- reviews_count
- specialty
local_data:
- regulations
- average_prices
- market_size
```
### 3. Template Design ### 3. Template Design
**Page structure**: **Page structure:**
- Header with target keyword - Header with target keyword
- Unique intro (not just variables swapped) - Unique intro (not just variables swapped)
- Data-driven sections - Data-driven sections
- Related pages / internal links - Related pages / internal links
- CTAs appropriate to intent - CTAs appropriate to intent
**Ensuring uniqueness**: **Ensuring uniqueness:**
- Each page needs unique value - Each page needs unique value
- Conditional content based on data - Conditional content based on data
- User-generated content where possible
- Original insights/analysis per page - Original insights/analysis per page
**Template example**:
```
H1: [Service] in [City]: [Year] Guide
Intro: [Dynamic paragraph using city stats + service context]
Section 1: Why [City] for [Service]
[City-specific data and insights]
Section 2: Top [Service] Providers in [City]
[Data-driven list with unique details]
Section 3: Pricing for [Service] in [City]
[Local pricing data if available]
Section 4: FAQs about [Service] in [City]
[Common questions with city-specific answers]
Related: [Service] in [Nearby Cities]
```
### 4. Internal Linking Architecture ### 4. Internal Linking Architecture
**Hub and spoke model**: **Hub and spoke model:**
- Hub: Main category page - Hub: Main category page
- Spokes: Individual programmatic pages - Spokes: Individual programmatic pages
- Cross-links between related spokes - Cross-links between related spokes
**Avoid orphan pages**: **Avoid orphan pages:**
- Every page reachable from main site - Every page reachable from main site
- Logical category structure
- XML sitemap for all pages - XML sitemap for all pages
- Breadcrumbs with structured data
**Breadcrumbs**:
- Show hierarchy
- Structured data markup
- User navigation aid
### 5. Indexation Strategy ### 5. Indexation Strategy
**Prioritize important pages**: - Prioritize high-volume patterns
- Not all pages need to be indexed
- Index high-volume patterns
- Noindex very thin variations - Noindex very thin variations
- Manage crawl budget thoughtfully
**Crawl budget management**:
- Paginate thoughtfully
- Avoid infinite crawl traps
- Use robots.txt wisely
**Sitemap strategy**:
- Separate sitemaps by page type - Separate sitemaps by page type
- Monitor indexation rate
- Prioritize by importance
--- ---
@@ -501,111 +163,57 @@ Related: [Service] in [Nearby Cities]
### Pre-Launch Checklist ### Pre-Launch Checklist
**Content quality**: **Content quality:**
- [ ] Each page provides unique value - [ ] Each page provides unique value
- [ ] Not just variable substitution
- [ ] Answers search intent - [ ] Answers search intent
- [ ] Readable and useful - [ ] Readable and useful
**Technical SEO**: **Technical SEO:**
- [ ] Unique titles and meta descriptions - [ ] Unique titles and meta descriptions
- [ ] Proper heading structure - [ ] Proper heading structure
- [ ] Schema markup implemented - [ ] Schema markup implemented
- [ ] Canonical tags correct
- [ ] Page speed acceptable - [ ] Page speed acceptable
**Internal linking**: **Internal linking:**
- [ ] Connected to site architecture - [ ] Connected to site architecture
- [ ] Related pages linked - [ ] Related pages linked
- [ ] No orphan pages - [ ] No orphan pages
- [ ] Breadcrumbs implemented
**Indexation**: **Indexation:**
- [ ] In XML sitemap - [ ] In XML sitemap
- [ ] Crawlable - [ ] Crawlable
- [ ] Not blocked by robots.txt
- [ ] No conflicting noindex - [ ] No conflicting noindex
### Monitoring Post-Launch ### Post-Launch Monitoring
**Track**: Track: Indexation rate, Rankings, Traffic, Engagement, Conversion
- Indexation rate
- Rankings by page pattern
- Traffic by page pattern
- Engagement metrics
- Conversion rate
**Watch for**: Watch for: Thin content warnings, Ranking drops, Manual actions, Crawl errors
- Thin content warnings in Search Console
- Ranking drops
- Manual actions
- Crawl errors
--- ---
## Common Mistakes to Avoid ## Common Mistakes
### Thin Content - **Thin content**: Just swapping city names in identical content
- Just swapping city names in identical content - **Keyword cannibalization**: Multiple pages targeting same keyword
- No unique information per page - **Over-generation**: Creating pages with no search demand
- "Doorway pages" that just redirect - **Poor data quality**: Outdated or incorrect information
- **Ignoring UX**: Pages exist for Google, not users
### Keyword Cannibalization
- Multiple pages targeting same keyword
- No clear hierarchy
- Competing with yourself
### Over-Generation
- Creating pages with no search demand
- Too many low-quality pages dilute authority
- Quantity over quality
### Poor Data Quality
- Outdated information
- Incorrect data
- Missing data showing as blank
### Ignoring User Experience
- Pages exist for Google, not users
- No conversion path
- Bouncy, unhelpful content
--- ---
## Output Format ## Output Format
### Strategy Document ### Strategy Document
- Opportunity analysis
**Opportunity Analysis**: - Implementation plan
- Keyword pattern identified - Content guidelines
- Search volume estimates
- Competition assessment
- Feasibility rating
**Implementation Plan**:
- Data requirements and sources
- Template structure
- Number of pages (phases)
- Internal linking plan
- Technical requirements
**Content Guidelines**:
- What makes each page unique
- Quality standards
- Update frequency
### Page Template ### Page Template
- URL structure
**URL structure**: `/category/variable/` - Title/meta templates
**Title template**: [Variable] + [Static] + [Brand] - Content outline
**Meta description template**: [Pattern with variables] - Schema markup
**H1 template**: [Pattern]
**Content outline**: Section by section
**Schema markup**: Type and required fields
### Launch Checklist
Specific pre-launch checks for this implementation
--- ---
@@ -613,16 +221,15 @@ Specific pre-launch checks for this implementation
1. What keyword patterns are you targeting? 1. What keyword patterns are you targeting?
2. What data do you have (or can acquire)? 2. What data do you have (or can acquire)?
3. How many pages are you planning to create? 3. How many pages are you planning?
4. What does your site authority look like? 4. What does your site authority look like?
5. Who currently ranks for these terms? 5. Who currently ranks for these terms?
6. What's your technical stack for generating pages? 6. What's your technical stack?
--- ---
## Related Skills ## Related Skills
- **seo-audit**: For auditing programmatic pages after launch - **seo-audit**: For auditing programmatic pages after launch
- **schema-markup**: For adding structured data to templates - **schema-markup**: For adding structured data
- **copywriting**: For the non-templated copy portions - **competitor-alternatives**: For comparison page frameworks
- **analytics-tracking**: For measuring programmatic page performance

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@@ -0,0 +1,293 @@
# The 12 Programmatic SEO Playbooks
Beyond mixing and matching data point permutations, these are the proven playbooks for programmatic SEO.
## 1. Templates
**Pattern**: "[Type] template" or "free [type] template"
**Example searches**: "resume template", "invoice template", "pitch deck template"
**What it is**: Downloadable or interactive templates users can use directly.
**Why it works**:
- High intent—people need it now
- Shareable/linkable assets
- Natural for product-led companies
**Value requirements**:
- Actually usable templates (not just previews)
- Multiple variations per type
- Quality comparable to paid options
- Easy download/use flow
**URL structure**: `/templates/[type]/` or `/templates/[category]/[type]/`
---
## 2. Curation
**Pattern**: "best [category]" or "top [number] [things]"
**Example searches**: "best website builders", "top 10 crm software", "best free design tools"
**What it is**: Curated lists ranking or recommending options in a category.
**Why it works**:
- Comparison shoppers searching for guidance
- High commercial intent
- Evergreen with updates
**Value requirements**:
- Genuine evaluation criteria
- Real testing or expertise
- Regular updates (date visible)
- Not just affiliate-driven rankings
**URL structure**: `/best/[category]/` or `/[category]/best/`
---
## 3. Conversions
**Pattern**: "[X] to [Y]" or "[amount] [unit] in [unit]"
**Example searches**: "$10 USD to GBP", "100 kg to lbs", "pdf to word"
**What it is**: Tools or pages that convert between formats, units, or currencies.
**Why it works**:
- Instant utility
- Extremely high search volume
- Repeat usage potential
**Value requirements**:
- Accurate, real-time data
- Fast, functional tool
- Related conversions suggested
- Mobile-friendly interface
**URL structure**: `/convert/[from]-to-[to]/` or `/[from]-to-[to]-converter/`
---
## 4. Comparisons
**Pattern**: "[X] vs [Y]" or "[X] alternative"
**Example searches**: "webflow vs wordpress", "notion vs coda", "figma alternatives"
**What it is**: Head-to-head comparisons between products, tools, or options.
**Why it works**:
- High purchase intent
- Clear search pattern
- Scales with number of competitors
**Value requirements**:
- Honest, balanced analysis
- Actual feature comparison data
- Clear recommendation by use case
- Updated when products change
**URL structure**: `/compare/[x]-vs-[y]/` or `/[x]-vs-[y]/`
*See also: competitor-alternatives skill for detailed frameworks*
---
## 5. Examples
**Pattern**: "[type] examples" or "[category] inspiration"
**Example searches**: "saas landing page examples", "email subject line examples", "portfolio website examples"
**What it is**: Galleries or collections of real-world examples for inspiration.
**Why it works**:
- Research phase traffic
- Highly shareable
- Natural for design/creative tools
**Value requirements**:
- Real, high-quality examples
- Screenshots or embeds
- Categorization/filtering
- Analysis of why they work
**URL structure**: `/examples/[type]/` or `/[type]-examples/`
---
## 6. Locations
**Pattern**: "[service/thing] in [location]"
**Example searches**: "coworking spaces in san diego", "dentists in austin", "best restaurants in brooklyn"
**What it is**: Location-specific pages for services, businesses, or information.
**Why it works**:
- Local intent is massive
- Scales with geography
- Natural for marketplaces/directories
**Value requirements**:
- Actual local data (not just city name swapped)
- Local providers/options listed
- Location-specific insights (pricing, regulations)
- Map integration helpful
**URL structure**: `/[service]/[city]/` or `/locations/[city]/[service]/`
---
## 7. Personas
**Pattern**: "[product] for [audience]" or "[solution] for [role/industry]"
**Example searches**: "payroll software for agencies", "crm for real estate", "project management for freelancers"
**What it is**: Tailored landing pages addressing specific audience segments.
**Why it works**:
- Speaks directly to searcher's context
- Higher conversion than generic pages
- Scales with personas
**Value requirements**:
- Genuine persona-specific content
- Relevant features highlighted
- Testimonials from that segment
- Use cases specific to audience
**URL structure**: `/for/[persona]/` or `/solutions/[industry]/`
---
## 8. Integrations
**Pattern**: "[your product] [other product] integration" or "[product] + [product]"
**Example searches**: "slack asana integration", "zapier airtable", "hubspot salesforce sync"
**What it is**: Pages explaining how your product works with other tools.
**Why it works**:
- Captures users of other products
- High intent (they want the solution)
- Scales with integration ecosystem
**Value requirements**:
- Real integration details
- Setup instructions
- Use cases for the combination
- Working integration (not vaporware)
**URL structure**: `/integrations/[product]/` or `/connect/[product]/`
---
## 9. Glossary
**Pattern**: "what is [term]" or "[term] definition" or "[term] meaning"
**Example searches**: "what is pSEO", "api definition", "what does crm stand for"
**What it is**: Educational definitions of industry terms and concepts.
**Why it works**:
- Top-of-funnel awareness
- Establishes expertise
- Natural internal linking opportunities
**Value requirements**:
- Clear, accurate definitions
- Examples and context
- Related terms linked
- More depth than a dictionary
**URL structure**: `/glossary/[term]/` or `/learn/[term]/`
---
## 10. Translations
**Pattern**: Same content in multiple languages
**Example searches**: "qué es pSEO", "was ist SEO", "マーケティングとは"
**What it is**: Your content translated and localized for other language markets.
**Why it works**:
- Opens entirely new markets
- Lower competition in many languages
- Multiplies your content reach
**Value requirements**:
- Quality translation (not just Google Translate)
- Cultural localization
- hreflang tags properly implemented
- Native speaker review
**URL structure**: `/[lang]/[page]/` or `yoursite.com/es/`, `/de/`, etc.
---
## 11. Directory
**Pattern**: "[category] tools" or "[type] software" or "[category] companies"
**Example searches**: "ai copywriting tools", "email marketing software", "crm companies"
**What it is**: Comprehensive directories listing options in a category.
**Why it works**:
- Research phase capture
- Link building magnet
- Natural for aggregators/reviewers
**Value requirements**:
- Comprehensive coverage
- Useful filtering/sorting
- Details per listing (not just names)
- Regular updates
**URL structure**: `/directory/[category]/` or `/[category]-directory/`
---
## 12. Profiles
**Pattern**: "[person/company name]" or "[entity] + [attribute]"
**Example searches**: "stripe ceo", "airbnb founding story", "elon musk companies"
**What it is**: Profile pages about notable people, companies, or entities.
**Why it works**:
- Informational intent traffic
- Builds topical authority
- Natural for B2B, news, research
**Value requirements**:
- Accurate, sourced information
- Regularly updated
- Unique insights or aggregation
- Not just Wikipedia rehash
**URL structure**: `/people/[name]/` or `/companies/[name]/`
---
## Choosing Your Playbook
### Match to Your Assets
| If you have... | Consider... |
|----------------|-------------|
| Proprietary data | Stats, Directories, Profiles |
| Product with integrations | Integrations |
| Design/creative product | Templates, Examples |
| Multi-segment audience | Personas |
| Local presence | Locations |
| Tool or utility product | Conversions |
| Content/expertise | Glossary, Curation |
| International potential | Translations |
| Competitor landscape | Comparisons |
### Combine Playbooks
You can layer multiple playbooks:
- **Locations + Personas**: "Marketing agencies for startups in Austin"
- **Curation + Locations**: "Best coworking spaces in San Diego"
- **Integrations + Personas**: "Slack for sales teams"
- **Glossary + Translations**: Multi-language educational content

537
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@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ description: "When the user wants to create, optimize, or analyze a referral pro
# Referral & Affiliate Programs # Referral & Affiliate Programs
You are an expert in viral growth and referral marketing with access to referral program data and third-party tools. Your goal is to help design and optimize programs that turn customers into growth engines. You are an expert in viral growth and referral marketing. Your goal is to help design and optimize programs that turn customers into growth engines.
## Before Starting ## Before Starting
@@ -15,45 +15,39 @@ If `.claude/product-marketing-context.md` exists, read it before asking question
Gather this context (ask if not provided): Gather this context (ask if not provided):
### 1. Program Type ### 1. Program Type
- Are you building a customer referral program, affiliate program, or both? - Customer referral program, affiliate program, or both?
- Is this B2B or B2C? - B2B or B2C?
- What's the average customer value (LTV)? - What's the average customer LTV?
- What's your current CAC from other channels? - What's your current CAC from other channels?
### 2. Current State ### 2. Current State
- Do you have an existing referral/affiliate program? - Existing referral/affiliate program?
- What's your current referral rate (% of customers who refer)? - Current referral rate (% who refer)?
- What incentives have you tried? - What incentives have you tried?
- Do you have customer NPS or satisfaction data?
### 3. Product Fit ### 3. Product Fit
- Is your product shareable? (Does using it involve others?) - Is your product shareable?
- Does your product have network effects? - Does it have network effects?
- Do customers naturally talk about your product? - Do customers naturally talk about it?
- What triggers word-of-mouth currently?
### 4. Resources ### 4. Resources
- What tools/platforms do you use or consider? - Tools/platforms you use or consider?
- What's your budget for referral incentives? - Budget for referral incentives?
- Do you have engineering resources for custom implementation?
--- ---
## Referral vs. Affiliate: When to Use Each ## Referral vs. Affiliate
### Customer Referral Programs ### Customer Referral Programs
**Best for:** **Best for:**
- Existing customers recommending to their network - Existing customers recommending to their network
- Products with natural word-of-mouth - Products with natural word-of-mouth
- Building authentic social proof
- Lower-ticket or self-serve products - Lower-ticket or self-serve products
**Characteristics:** **Characteristics:**
- Referrer is an existing customer - Referrer is an existing customer
- Motivation: Rewards + helping friends - One-time or limited rewards
- Typically one-time or limited rewards
- Tracked via unique links or codes
- Higher trust, lower volume - Higher trust, lower volume
### Affiliate Programs ### Affiliate Programs
@@ -61,22 +55,13 @@ Gather this context (ask if not provided):
**Best for:** **Best for:**
- Reaching audiences you don't have access to - Reaching audiences you don't have access to
- Content creators, influencers, bloggers - Content creators, influencers, bloggers
- Products with clear value proposition
- Higher-ticket products that justify commissions - Higher-ticket products that justify commissions
**Characteristics:** **Characteristics:**
- Affiliates may not be customers - Affiliates may not be customers
- Motivation: Revenue/commission
- Ongoing commission relationship - Ongoing commission relationship
- Requires more management
- Higher volume, variable trust - Higher volume, variable trust
### Hybrid Approach
Many successful programs combine both:
- Referral program for customers (simple, small rewards)
- Affiliate program for partners (larger commissions, more structure)
--- ---
## Referral Program Design ## Referral Program Design
@@ -84,267 +69,35 @@ Many successful programs combine both:
### The Referral Loop ### The Referral Loop
``` ```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ Trigger Moment → Share Action → Convert Referred → Reward → (Loop)
│ │
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ Trigger │───▶│ Share │───▶│ Convert │ │
│ │ Moment │ │ Action │ │ Referred │ │
│ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │
│ ▲ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────┘ │
│ Reward │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
``` ```
### Step 1: Identify Trigger Moments ### Step 1: Identify Trigger Moments
When are customers most likely to refer?
**High-intent moments:** **High-intent moments:**
- Right after first "aha" moment - Right after first "aha" moment
- After achieving a milestone - After achieving a milestone
- After receiving exceptional support - After exceptional support
- After renewing or upgrading - After renewing or upgrading
- When they tell you they love the product
**Natural sharing moments:** ### Step 2: Design Share Mechanism
- When the product involves collaboration
- When they're asked "what tool do you use?"
- When they share results publicly
- When they complete something shareable
### Step 2: Design the Share Mechanism **Ranked by effectiveness:**
1. In-product sharing (highest conversion)
**Methods ranked by effectiveness:** 2. Personalized link
3. Email invitation
1. **In-product sharing** — Highest conversion, feels native 4. Social sharing
2. **Personalized link** — Easy to track, works everywhere 5. Referral code (works offline)
3. **Email invitation** — Direct, personal, higher intent
4. **Social sharing** — Broadest reach, lowest conversion
5. **Referral code** — Memorable, works offline
**Best practice:** Offer multiple sharing options, lead with the highest-converting method.
### Step 3: Choose Incentive Structure ### Step 3: Choose Incentive Structure
**Single-sided rewards** (referrer only): **Single-sided rewards** (referrer only): Simpler, works for high-value products
- Simpler to explain
- Works for high-value products
- Risk: Referred may feel no urgency
**Double-sided rewards** (both parties): **Double-sided rewards** (both parties): Higher conversion, win-win framing
- Higher conversion rates
- Creates win-win framing
- Standard for most programs
**Tiered rewards:** **Tiered rewards**: Gamifies referral process, increases engagement
- Increases engagement over time
- Gamifies the referral process
- More complex to communicate
### Incentive Types **For examples and incentive sizing**: See [references/program-examples.md](references/program-examples.md)
| Type | Pros | Cons | Best For |
|------|------|------|----------|
| Cash/credit | Universally valued | Feels transactional | Marketplaces, fintech |
| Product credit | Drives usage | Only valuable if they'll use it | SaaS, subscriptions |
| Free months | Clear value | May attract freebie-seekers | Subscription products |
| Feature unlock | Low cost to you | Only works for gated features | Freemium products |
| Swag/gifts | Memorable, shareable | Logistics complexity | Brand-focused companies |
| Charity donation | Feel-good | Lower personal motivation | Mission-driven brands |
### Incentive Sizing Framework
**Calculate your maximum incentive:**
```
Max Referral Reward = (Customer LTV × Gross Margin) - Target CAC
```
**Example:**
- LTV: $1,200
- Gross margin: 70%
- Target CAC: $200
- Max reward: ($1,200 × 0.70) - $200 = $640
**Typical referral rewards:**
- B2C: $10-50 or 10-25% of first purchase
- B2B SaaS: $50-500 or 1-3 months free
- Enterprise: Higher, often custom
---
## Referral Program Examples
### Dropbox (Classic)
**Program:** Give 500MB storage, get 500MB storage
**Why it worked:**
- Reward directly tied to product value
- Low friction (just an email)
- Both parties benefit equally
- Gamified with progress tracking
### Uber/Lyft
**Program:** Give $10 ride credit, get $10 when they ride
**Why it worked:**
- Immediate, clear value
- Double-sided incentive
- Easy to share (code/link)
- Triggered at natural moments
### Morning Brew
**Program:** Tiered rewards for subscriber referrals
- 3 referrals: Newsletter stickers
- 5 referrals: T-shirt
- 10 referrals: Mug
- 25 referrals: Hoodie
**Why it worked:**
- Gamification drives ongoing engagement
- Physical rewards are shareable (more referrals)
- Low cost relative to subscriber value
- Built status/identity
### Notion
**Program:** $10 credit per referral (education)
**Why it worked:**
- Targeted high-sharing audience (students)
- Product naturally spreads in teams
- Credit keeps users engaged
---
## Affiliate Program Design
### Commission Structures
**Percentage of sale:**
- Standard: 10-30% of first sale or first year
- Works for: E-commerce, SaaS with clear pricing
- Example: "Earn 25% of every sale you refer"
**Flat fee per action:**
- Standard: $5-500 depending on value
- Works for: Lead gen, trials, freemium
- Example: "$50 for every qualified demo"
**Recurring commission:**
- Standard: 10-25% of recurring revenue
- Works for: Subscription products
- Example: "20% of subscription for 12 months"
**Tiered commission:**
- Works for: Motivating high performers
- Example: "20% for 1-10 sales, 25% for 11-25, 30% for 26+"
### Cookie Duration
How long after click does affiliate get credit?
| Duration | Use Case |
|----------|----------|
| 24 hours | High-volume, low-consideration purchases |
| 7-14 days | Standard e-commerce |
| 30 days | Standard SaaS/B2B |
| 60-90 days | Long sales cycles, enterprise |
| Lifetime | Premium affiliate relationships |
### Affiliate Recruitment
**Where to find affiliates:**
- Existing customers who create content
- Industry bloggers and reviewers
- YouTubers in your niche
- Newsletter writers
- Complementary tool companies
- Consultants and agencies
**Outreach template:**
```
Subject: Partnership opportunity — [Your Product]
Hi [Name],
I've been following your content on [topic] — particularly [specific piece] — and think there could be a great fit for a partnership.
[Your Product] helps [audience] [achieve outcome], and I think your audience would find it valuable.
We offer [commission structure] for partners, plus [additional benefits: early access, co-marketing, etc.].
Would you be open to learning more?
[Your name]
```
### Affiliate Enablement
Provide affiliates with:
- [ ] Unique tracking links/codes
- [ ] Product overview and key benefits
- [ ] Target audience description
- [ ] Comparison to competitors
- [ ] Creative assets (logos, banners, images)
- [ ] Sample copy and talking points
- [ ] Case studies and testimonials
- [ ] Demo access or free account
- [ ] FAQ and objection handling
- [ ] Payment terms and schedule
---
## Viral Coefficient & Modeling
### Key Metrics
**Viral coefficient (K-factor):**
```
K = Invitations × Conversion Rate
K > 1 = Viral growth (each user brings more than 1 new user)
K < 1 = Amplified growth (referrals supplement other acquisition)
```
**Example:**
- Average customer sends 3 invitations
- 15% of invitations convert
- K = 3 × 0.15 = 0.45
**Referral rate:**
```
Referral Rate = (Customers who refer) / (Total customers)
```
Benchmarks:
- Good: 10-25% of customers refer
- Great: 25-50%
- Exceptional: 50%+
**Referrals per referrer:**
```
How many successful referrals does each referring customer generate?
```
Benchmarks:
- Average: 1-2 referrals per referrer
- Good: 2-5
- Exceptional: 5+
### Calculating Referral Program ROI
```
Referral Program ROI = (Revenue from referred customers - Program costs) / Program costs
Program costs = Rewards paid + Tool costs + Management time
```
**Track separately:**
- Cost per referred customer (CAC via referral)
- LTV of referred customers (often higher than average)
- Payback period for referral rewards
--- ---
@@ -353,178 +106,42 @@ Program costs = Rewards paid + Tool costs + Management time
### Improving Referral Rate ### Improving Referral Rate
**If few customers are referring:** **If few customers are referring:**
- Ask at better moments (after wins, not randomly) - Ask at better moments
- Simplify the sharing process - Simplify sharing process
- Test different incentive types - Test different incentive types
- Make the referral prominent in product - Make referral prominent in product
- Remind via email campaigns
- Reduce friction in the flow
**If referrals aren't converting:** **If referrals aren't converting:**
- Improve the landing experience for referred users - Improve landing experience for referred users
- Strengthen the incentive for new users - Strengthen incentive for new users
- Test different messaging on referral pages - Ensure referrer's endorsement is visible
- Ensure the referrer's endorsement is visible
- Shorten the path to value
### A/B Tests to Run ### A/B Tests to Run
**Incentive tests:** **Incentive tests:** Amount, type, single vs. double-sided, timing
- Reward amount (10% higher, 20% higher)
- Reward type (credit vs. cash vs. free months)
- Single vs. double-sided
- Immediate vs. delayed reward
**Messaging tests:** **Messaging tests:** Program description, CTA copy, landing page copy
- How you describe the program
- CTA copy on share buttons
- Email subject lines for referral invites
- Landing page copy for referred users
**Placement tests:** **Placement tests:** Where and when the referral prompt appears
- Where the referral prompt appears
- When it appears (trigger timing)
- How prominent it is
- In-app vs. email prompts
### Common Problems & Fixes ### Common Problems & Fixes
| Problem | Likely Cause | Fix | | Problem | Fix |
|---------|--------------|-----| |---------|-----|
| Low awareness | Program not visible | Add prominent in-app prompts | | Low awareness | Add prominent in-app prompts |
| Low share rate | Too much friction | Simplify to one click | | Low share rate | Simplify to one click |
| Low conversion | Weak landing page | Optimize referred user experience | | Low conversion | Optimize referred user experience |
| Fraud/abuse | Gaming the system | Add verification, limits | | Fraud/abuse | Add verification, limits |
| One-time referrers | No ongoing motivation | Add tiered/gamified rewards | | One-time referrers | Add tiered/gamified rewards |
---
## Fraud Prevention
### Common Referral Fraud
- Self-referrals (creating fake accounts)
- Referral rings (groups referring each other)
- Coupon sites posting referral codes
- Fake email addresses
- VPN/device spoofing
### Prevention Measures
**Technical:**
- Email verification required
- Device fingerprinting
- IP address monitoring
- Delayed reward payout (after activation)
- Minimum activity threshold
**Policy:**
- Clear terms of service
- Maximum referrals per period
- Reward clawback for refunds/chargebacks
- Manual review for suspicious patterns
**Structural:**
- Require referred user to take meaningful action
- Cap lifetime rewards
- Pay rewards in product credit (less attractive to fraudsters)
---
## Tools & Platforms
### Referral Program Tools
**Full-featured platforms:**
- ReferralCandy — E-commerce focused
- Ambassador — Enterprise referral programs
- Friendbuy — E-commerce and subscription
- GrowSurf — SaaS and tech companies
- Viral Loops — Template-based campaigns
**Built-in options:**
- Stripe (basic referral tracking)
- HubSpot (CRM-integrated)
- Segment (tracking and analytics)
### Affiliate Program Tools
**Affiliate networks:**
- ShareASale — Large merchant network
- Impact — Enterprise partnerships
- PartnerStack — SaaS focused
- Tapfiliate — Simple SaaS affiliate tracking
- FirstPromoter — SaaS affiliate management
**Self-hosted:**
- Rewardful — Stripe-integrated affiliates
- Refersion — E-commerce affiliates
### Choosing a Tool
Consider:
- Integration with your payment system
- Fraud detection capabilities
- Payout management
- Reporting and analytics
- Customization options
- Price vs. program scale
---
## Email Sequences for Referral Programs
### Referral Program Launch
**Email 1: Announcement**
```
Subject: You can now earn [reward] for sharing [Product]
Body:
We just launched our referral program!
Share [Product] with friends and earn [reward] for each person who signs up. They get [their reward] too.
[Unique referral link]
Here's how it works:
1. Share your link
2. Friend signs up
3. You both get [reward]
[CTA: Share now]
```
### Referral Nurture Sequence
**After signup (if they haven't referred):**
- Day 7: Remind about referral program
- Day 30: "Know anyone who'd benefit?"
- Day 60: Success story + referral prompt
- After milestone: "You just [achievement] — know others who'd want this?"
### Re-engagement for Past Referrers
```
Subject: Your friends are loving [Product]
Body:
Remember when you referred [Name]? They've [achievement/milestone].
Know anyone else who'd benefit? You'll earn [reward] for each friend who joins.
[Referral link]
```
--- ---
## Measuring Success ## Measuring Success
### Dashboard Metrics ### Key Metrics
**Program health:** **Program health:**
- Active referrers (referred someone in last 30 days) - Active referrers (referred someone in last 30 days)
- Total referrals (invites sent)
- Referral conversion rate - Referral conversion rate
- Rewards earned/paid - Rewards earned/paid
@@ -534,15 +151,8 @@ Know anyone else who'd benefit? You'll earn [reward] for each friend who joins.
- LTV of referred customers - LTV of referred customers
- Referral program ROI - Referral program ROI
### Cohort Analysis ### Typical Findings
Track referred customers separately:
- Do they convert faster?
- Do they have higher LTV?
- Do they refer others at higher rates?
- Do they churn less?
Typical findings:
- Referred customers have 16-25% higher LTV - Referred customers have 16-25% higher LTV
- Referred customers have 18-37% lower churn - Referred customers have 18-37% lower churn
- Referred customers refer others at 2-3x rate - Referred customers refer others at 2-3x rate
@@ -552,46 +162,72 @@ Typical findings:
## Launch Checklist ## Launch Checklist
### Before Launch ### Before Launch
- [ ] Define program goals and success metrics - [ ] Define program goals and success metrics
- [ ] Design incentive structure - [ ] Design incentive structure
- [ ] Build or configure referral tool - [ ] Build or configure referral tool
- [ ] Create referral landing page - [ ] Create referral landing page
- [ ] Design email templates
- [ ] Set up tracking and attribution - [ ] Set up tracking and attribution
- [ ] Define fraud prevention rules - [ ] Define fraud prevention rules
- [ ] Create terms and conditions - [ ] Create terms and conditions
- [ ] Test complete referral flow - [ ] Test complete referral flow
- [ ] Plan launch announcement
### Launch ### Launch
- [ ] Announce to existing customers
- [ ] Announce to existing customers (email)
- [ ] Add in-app referral prompts - [ ] Add in-app referral prompts
- [ ] Update website with program details - [ ] Update website with program details
- [ ] Brief support team on program - [ ] Brief support team
- [ ] Monitor for fraud/issues
- [ ] Track initial metrics
### Post-Launch (First 30 Days) ### Post-Launch (First 30 Days)
- [ ] Review conversion funnel - [ ] Review conversion funnel
- [ ] Identify top referrers - [ ] Identify top referrers
- [ ] Gather feedback on program - [ ] Gather feedback
- [ ] Fix any friction points - [ ] Fix friction points
- [ ] Plan first optimizations
- [ ] Send reminder emails to non-referrers - [ ] Send reminder emails to non-referrers
--- ---
## Email Sequences
### Referral Program Launch
```
Subject: You can now earn [reward] for sharing [Product]
We just launched our referral program!
Share [Product] with friends and earn [reward] for each signup.
They get [their reward] too.
[Unique referral link]
1. Share your link
2. Friend signs up
3. You both get [reward]
```
### Referral Nurture Sequence
- Day 7: Remind about referral program
- Day 30: "Know anyone who'd benefit?"
- Day 60: Success story + referral prompt
- After milestone: "You achieved [X]—know others who'd want this?"
---
## Affiliate Programs
**For detailed affiliate program design, commission structures, recruitment, and tools**: See [references/affiliate-programs.md](references/affiliate-programs.md)
---
## Task-Specific Questions ## Task-Specific Questions
1. What type of program are you building (referral, affiliate, or both)? 1. What type of program (referral, affiliate, or both)?
2. What's your customer LTV and current CAC? 2. What's your customer LTV and current CAC?
3. Do you have an existing program, or starting from scratch? 3. Existing program or starting from scratch?
4. What tools/platforms are you using or considering? 4. What tools/platforms are you considering?
5. What's your budget for rewards/commissions? 5. What's your budget for rewards/commissions?
6. Is your product naturally shareable (involves others, visible results)? 6. Is your product naturally shareable?
--- ---
@@ -601,4 +237,3 @@ Typical findings:
- **email-sequence**: For referral nurture campaigns - **email-sequence**: For referral nurture campaigns
- **marketing-psychology**: For understanding referral motivation - **marketing-psychology**: For understanding referral motivation
- **analytics-tracking**: For tracking referral attribution - **analytics-tracking**: For tracking referral attribution
- **pricing-strategy**: For structuring rewards relative to LTV

155
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@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
# Affiliate Program Design
Detailed guidance for building and managing affiliate programs.
## Commission Structures
**Percentage of sale:**
- Standard: 10-30% of first sale or first year
- Works for: E-commerce, SaaS with clear pricing
- Example: "Earn 25% of every sale you refer"
**Flat fee per action:**
- Standard: $5-500 depending on value
- Works for: Lead gen, trials, freemium
- Example: "$50 for every qualified demo"
**Recurring commission:**
- Standard: 10-25% of recurring revenue
- Works for: Subscription products
- Example: "20% of subscription for 12 months"
**Tiered commission:**
- Works for: Motivating high performers
- Example: "20% for 1-10 sales, 25% for 11-25, 30% for 26+"
---
## Cookie Duration
How long after click does affiliate get credit?
| Duration | Use Case |
|----------|----------|
| 24 hours | High-volume, low-consideration purchases |
| 7-14 days | Standard e-commerce |
| 30 days | Standard SaaS/B2B |
| 60-90 days | Long sales cycles, enterprise |
| Lifetime | Premium affiliate relationships |
---
## Affiliate Recruitment
### Where to find affiliates:
- Existing customers who create content
- Industry bloggers and reviewers
- YouTubers in your niche
- Newsletter writers
- Complementary tool companies
- Consultants and agencies
### Outreach template:
```
Subject: Partnership opportunity — [Your Product]
Hi [Name],
I've been following your content on [topic] — particularly [specific piece] — and think there could be a great fit for a partnership.
[Your Product] helps [audience] [achieve outcome], and I think your audience would find it valuable.
We offer [commission structure] for partners, plus [additional benefits: early access, co-marketing, etc.].
Would you be open to learning more?
[Your name]
```
---
## Affiliate Enablement
Provide affiliates with:
- [ ] Unique tracking links/codes
- [ ] Product overview and key benefits
- [ ] Target audience description
- [ ] Comparison to competitors
- [ ] Creative assets (logos, banners, images)
- [ ] Sample copy and talking points
- [ ] Case studies and testimonials
- [ ] Demo access or free account
- [ ] FAQ and objection handling
- [ ] Payment terms and schedule
---
## Tools & Platforms
### Referral Program Tools
**Full-featured platforms:**
- ReferralCandy — E-commerce focused
- Ambassador — Enterprise referral programs
- Friendbuy — E-commerce and subscription
- GrowSurf — SaaS and tech companies
- Viral Loops — Template-based campaigns
**Built-in options:**
- Stripe (basic referral tracking)
- HubSpot (CRM-integrated)
- Segment (tracking and analytics)
### Affiliate Program Tools
**Affiliate networks:**
- ShareASale — Large merchant network
- Impact — Enterprise partnerships
- PartnerStack — SaaS focused
- Tapfiliate — Simple SaaS affiliate tracking
- FirstPromoter — SaaS affiliate management
**Self-hosted:**
- Rewardful — Stripe-integrated affiliates
- Refersion — E-commerce affiliates
### Choosing a Tool
Consider:
- Integration with your payment system
- Fraud detection capabilities
- Payout management
- Reporting and analytics
- Customization options
- Price vs. program scale
---
## Fraud Prevention
### Common Referral Fraud
- Self-referrals (creating fake accounts)
- Referral rings (groups referring each other)
- Coupon sites posting referral codes
- Fake email addresses
- VPN/device spoofing
### Prevention Measures
**Technical:**
- Email verification required
- Device fingerprinting
- IP address monitoring
- Delayed reward payout (after activation)
- Minimum activity threshold
**Policy:**
- Clear terms of service
- Maximum referrals per period
- Reward clawback for refunds/chargebacks
- Manual review for suspicious patterns
**Structural:**
- Require referred user to take meaningful action
- Cap lifetime rewards
- Pay rewards in product credit (less attractive to fraudsters)

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@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
# Referral Program Examples
Real-world examples of successful referral programs.
## Dropbox (Classic)
**Program:** Give 500MB storage, get 500MB storage
**Why it worked:**
- Reward directly tied to product value
- Low friction (just an email)
- Both parties benefit equally
- Gamified with progress tracking
---
## Uber/Lyft
**Program:** Give $10 ride credit, get $10 when they ride
**Why it worked:**
- Immediate, clear value
- Double-sided incentive
- Easy to share (code/link)
- Triggered at natural moments
---
## Morning Brew
**Program:** Tiered rewards for subscriber referrals
- 3 referrals: Newsletter stickers
- 5 referrals: T-shirt
- 10 referrals: Mug
- 25 referrals: Hoodie
**Why it worked:**
- Gamification drives ongoing engagement
- Physical rewards are shareable (more referrals)
- Low cost relative to subscriber value
- Built status/identity
---
## Notion
**Program:** $10 credit per referral (education)
**Why it worked:**
- Targeted high-sharing audience (students)
- Product naturally spreads in teams
- Credit keeps users engaged
---
## Incentive Types Comparison
| Type | Pros | Cons | Best For |
|------|------|------|----------|
| Cash/credit | Universally valued | Feels transactional | Marketplaces, fintech |
| Product credit | Drives usage | Only valuable if they'll use it | SaaS, subscriptions |
| Free months | Clear value | May attract freebie-seekers | Subscription products |
| Feature unlock | Low cost to you | Only works for gated features | Freemium products |
| Swag/gifts | Memorable, shareable | Logistics complexity | Brand-focused companies |
| Charity donation | Feel-good | Lower personal motivation | Mission-driven brands |
---
## Incentive Sizing Framework
**Calculate your maximum incentive:**
```
Max Referral Reward = (Customer LTV × Gross Margin) - Target CAC
```
**Example:**
- LTV: $1,200
- Gross margin: 70%
- Target CAC: $200
- Max reward: ($1,200 × 0.70) - $200 = $640
**Typical referral rewards:**
- B2C: $10-50 or 10-25% of first purchase
- B2B SaaS: $50-500 or 1-3 months free
- Enterprise: Higher, often custom
---
## Viral Coefficient & Metrics
### Key Metrics
**Viral coefficient (K-factor):**
```
K = Invitations × Conversion Rate
K > 1 = Viral growth (each user brings more than 1 new user)
K < 1 = Amplified growth (referrals supplement other acquisition)
```
**Example:**
- Average customer sends 3 invitations
- 15% of invitations convert
- K = 3 × 0.15 = 0.45
**Referral rate:**
```
Referral Rate = (Customers who refer) / (Total customers)
```
Benchmarks:
- Good: 10-25% of customers refer
- Great: 25-50%
- Exceptional: 50%+
**Referrals per referrer:**
Benchmarks:
- Average: 1-2 referrals per referrer
- Good: 2-5
- Exceptional: 5+
### Calculating Referral Program ROI
```
Referral Program ROI = (Revenue from referred customers - Program costs) / Program costs
Program costs = Rewards paid + Tool costs + Management time
```
**Track separately:**
- Cost per referred customer (CAC via referral)
- LTV of referred customers (often higher than average)
- Payback period for referral rewards

521
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@@ -14,19 +14,11 @@ If `.claude/product-marketing-context.md` exists, read it before asking question
Before implementing schema, understand: Before implementing schema, understand:
1. **Page Type** 1. **Page Type** - What kind of page? What's the primary content? What rich results are possible?
- What kind of page is this?
- What's the primary content?
- What rich results are possible?
2. **Current State** 2. **Current State** - Any existing schema? Errors in implementation? Which rich results already appearing?
- Any existing schema?
- Errors in current implementation?
- Which rich results are already appearing?
3. **Goals** 3. **Goals** - Which rich results are you targeting? What's the business value?
- Which rich results are you targeting?
- What's the business value?
--- ---
@@ -56,435 +48,56 @@ Before implementing schema, understand:
## Common Schema Types ## Common Schema Types
### Organization | Type | Use For | Required Properties |
**Use for**: Company/brand homepage or about page |------|---------|-------------------|
| Organization | Company homepage/about | name, url |
| WebSite | Homepage (search box) | name, url |
| Article | Blog posts, news | headline, image, datePublished, author |
| Product | Product pages | name, image, offers |
| SoftwareApplication | SaaS/app pages | name, offers |
| FAQPage | FAQ content | mainEntity (Q&A array) |
| HowTo | Tutorials | name, step |
| BreadcrumbList | Any page with breadcrumbs | itemListElement |
| LocalBusiness | Local business pages | name, address |
| Event | Events, webinars | name, startDate, location |
**Required properties**: **For complete JSON-LD examples**: See [references/schema-examples.md](references/schema-examples.md)
- name
- url
**Recommended properties**:
- logo
- sameAs (social profiles)
- contactPoint
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Example Company",
"url": "https://example.com",
"logo": "https://example.com/logo.png",
"sameAs": [
"https://twitter.com/example",
"https://linkedin.com/company/example",
"https://facebook.com/example"
],
"contactPoint": {
"@type": "ContactPoint",
"telephone": "+1-555-555-5555",
"contactType": "customer service"
}
}
```
### WebSite (with SearchAction)
**Use for**: Homepage, enables sitelinks search box
**Required properties**:
- name
- url
**For search box**:
- potentialAction with SearchAction
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "WebSite",
"name": "Example",
"url": "https://example.com",
"potentialAction": {
"@type": "SearchAction",
"target": {
"@type": "EntryPoint",
"urlTemplate": "https://example.com/search?q={search_term_string}"
},
"query-input": "required name=search_term_string"
}
}
```
### Article / BlogPosting
**Use for**: Blog posts, news articles
**Required properties**:
- headline
- image
- datePublished
- author
**Recommended properties**:
- dateModified
- publisher
- description
- mainEntityOfPage
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "How to Implement Schema Markup",
"image": "https://example.com/image.jpg",
"datePublished": "2024-01-15T08:00:00+00:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-20T10:00:00+00:00",
"author": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Jane Doe",
"url": "https://example.com/authors/jane"
},
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Example Company",
"logo": {
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url": "https://example.com/logo.png"
}
},
"description": "A complete guide to implementing schema markup...",
"mainEntityOfPage": {
"@type": "WebPage",
"@id": "https://example.com/schema-guide"
}
}
```
### Product
**Use for**: Product pages (e-commerce or SaaS)
**Required properties**:
- name
- image
- offers (with price and availability)
**Recommended properties**:
- description
- sku
- brand
- aggregateRating
- review
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Product",
"name": "Premium Widget",
"image": "https://example.com/widget.jpg",
"description": "Our best-selling widget for professionals",
"sku": "WIDGET-001",
"brand": {
"@type": "Brand",
"name": "Example Co"
},
"offers": {
"@type": "Offer",
"url": "https://example.com/products/widget",
"priceCurrency": "USD",
"price": "99.99",
"availability": "https://schema.org/InStock",
"priceValidUntil": "2024-12-31"
},
"aggregateRating": {
"@type": "AggregateRating",
"ratingValue": "4.8",
"reviewCount": "127"
}
}
```
### SoftwareApplication
**Use for**: SaaS product pages, app landing pages
**Required properties**:
- name
- offers (or free indicator)
**Recommended properties**:
- applicationCategory
- operatingSystem
- aggregateRating
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "SoftwareApplication",
"name": "Example App",
"applicationCategory": "BusinessApplication",
"operatingSystem": "Web, iOS, Android",
"offers": {
"@type": "Offer",
"price": "0",
"priceCurrency": "USD"
},
"aggregateRating": {
"@type": "AggregateRating",
"ratingValue": "4.6",
"ratingCount": "1250"
}
}
```
### FAQPage
**Use for**: Pages with frequently asked questions
**Required properties**:
- mainEntity (array of Question/Answer)
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "FAQPage",
"mainEntity": [
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "What is schema markup?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Schema markup is a structured data vocabulary that helps search engines understand your content..."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How do I implement schema?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "The recommended approach is to use JSON-LD format, placing the script in your page's head..."
}
}
]
}
```
### HowTo
**Use for**: Instructional content, tutorials
**Required properties**:
- name
- step (array of HowToStep)
**Recommended properties**:
- image
- totalTime
- estimatedCost
- supply/tool
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "HowTo",
"name": "How to Add Schema Markup to Your Website",
"description": "A step-by-step guide to implementing JSON-LD schema",
"totalTime": "PT15M",
"step": [
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"name": "Choose your schema type",
"text": "Identify the appropriate schema type for your page content...",
"url": "https://example.com/guide#step1"
},
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"name": "Write the JSON-LD",
"text": "Create the JSON-LD markup following schema.org specifications...",
"url": "https://example.com/guide#step2"
},
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"name": "Add to your page",
"text": "Insert the script tag in your page's head section...",
"url": "https://example.com/guide#step3"
}
]
}
```
### BreadcrumbList
**Use for**: Any page with breadcrumb navigation
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"name": "Home",
"item": "https://example.com"
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 2,
"name": "Blog",
"item": "https://example.com/blog"
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 3,
"name": "SEO Guide",
"item": "https://example.com/blog/seo-guide"
}
]
}
```
### LocalBusiness
**Use for**: Local business location pages
**Required properties**:
- name
- address
- (Various by business type)
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"name": "Example Coffee Shop",
"image": "https://example.com/shop.jpg",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "123 Main Street",
"addressLocality": "San Francisco",
"addressRegion": "CA",
"postalCode": "94102",
"addressCountry": "US"
},
"geo": {
"@type": "GeoCoordinates",
"latitude": "37.7749",
"longitude": "-122.4194"
},
"telephone": "+1-555-555-5555",
"openingHoursSpecification": [
{
"@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
"dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"],
"opens": "08:00",
"closes": "18:00"
}
],
"priceRange": "$$"
}
```
### Review / AggregateRating
**Use for**: Review pages or products with reviews
Note: Self-serving reviews (reviewing your own product) are against guidelines. Reviews must be from real customers.
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Product",
"name": "Example Product",
"aggregateRating": {
"@type": "AggregateRating",
"ratingValue": "4.5",
"bestRating": "5",
"worstRating": "1",
"ratingCount": "523"
},
"review": [
{
"@type": "Review",
"author": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "John Smith"
},
"datePublished": "2024-01-10",
"reviewRating": {
"@type": "Rating",
"ratingValue": "5"
},
"reviewBody": "Excellent product, exceeded my expectations..."
}
]
}
```
### Event
**Use for**: Event pages, webinars, conferences
**Required properties**:
- name
- startDate
- location (or eventAttendanceMode for online)
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Event",
"name": "Annual Marketing Conference",
"startDate": "2024-06-15T09:00:00-07:00",
"endDate": "2024-06-15T17:00:00-07:00",
"eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OnlineEventAttendanceMode",
"eventStatus": "https://schema.org/EventScheduled",
"location": {
"@type": "VirtualLocation",
"url": "https://example.com/conference"
},
"image": "https://example.com/conference.jpg",
"description": "Join us for our annual marketing conference...",
"offers": {
"@type": "Offer",
"url": "https://example.com/conference/tickets",
"price": "199",
"priceCurrency": "USD",
"availability": "https://schema.org/InStock",
"validFrom": "2024-01-01"
},
"performer": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Example Company"
},
"organizer": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Example Company",
"url": "https://example.com"
}
}
```
--- ---
## Multiple Schema Types on One Page ## Quick Reference
You can (and often should) have multiple schema types: ### Organization (Company Page)
Required: name, url
Recommended: logo, sameAs (social profiles), contactPoint
### Article/BlogPosting
Required: headline, image, datePublished, author
Recommended: dateModified, publisher, description
### Product
Required: name, image, offers (price + availability)
Recommended: sku, brand, aggregateRating, review
### FAQPage
Required: mainEntity (array of Question/Answer pairs)
### BreadcrumbList
Required: itemListElement (array with position, name, item)
---
## Multiple Schema Types
You can combine multiple schema types on one page using `@graph`:
```json ```json
{ {
"@context": "https://schema.org", "@context": "https://schema.org",
"@graph": [ "@graph": [
{ { "@type": "Organization", ... },
"@type": "Organization", { "@type": "WebSite", ... },
"@id": "https://example.com/#organization", { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", ... }
"name": "Example Company",
"url": "https://example.com"
},
{
"@type": "WebSite",
"@id": "https://example.com/#website",
"url": "https://example.com",
"name": "Example",
"publisher": {
"@id": "https://example.com/#organization"
}
},
{
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [...]
}
] ]
} }
``` ```
@@ -500,57 +113,25 @@ You can (and often should) have multiple schema types:
### Common Errors ### Common Errors
**Missing required properties** **Missing required properties** - Check Google's documentation for required fields
- Check Google's documentation for required fields
- Different from schema.org minimum requirements
**Invalid values** **Invalid values** - Dates must be ISO 8601, URLs fully qualified, enumerations exact
- Dates must be ISO 8601 format
- URLs must be fully qualified
- Enumerations must use exact values
**Mismatch with page content** **Mismatch with page content** - Schema doesn't match visible content
- Schema doesn't match visible content
- Ratings for products without reviews shown
- Prices that don't match displayed prices
--- ---
## Implementation Patterns ## Implementation
### Static Sites ### Static Sites
- Add JSON-LD directly in HTML template - Add JSON-LD directly in HTML template
- Use includes/partials for reusable schema - Use includes/partials for reusable schema
### Dynamic Sites (React, Next.js, etc.) ### Dynamic Sites (React, Next.js)
- Component that renders schema - Component that renders schema
- Server-side rendered for SEO - Server-side rendered for SEO
- Serialize data to JSON-LD - Serialize data to JSON-LD
```jsx
// Next.js example
export default function ProductPage({ product }) {
const schema = {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Product",
name: product.name,
// ... other properties
};
return (
<>
<Head>
<script
type="application/ld+json"
dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: JSON.stringify(schema) }}
/>
</Head>
{/* Page content */}
</>
);
}
```
### CMS / WordPress ### CMS / WordPress
- Plugins (Yoast, Rank Math, Schema Pro) - Plugins (Yoast, Rank Math, Schema Pro)
- Theme modifications - Theme modifications
@@ -570,9 +151,6 @@ export default function ProductPage({ product }) {
} }
``` ```
### Placement Instructions
Where to add the code and how
### Testing Checklist ### Testing Checklist
- [ ] Validates in Rich Results Test - [ ] Validates in Rich Results Test
- [ ] No errors or warnings - [ ] No errors or warnings
@@ -587,7 +165,7 @@ Where to add the code and how
2. What rich results are you hoping to achieve? 2. What rich results are you hoping to achieve?
3. What data is available to populate the schema? 3. What data is available to populate the schema?
4. Is there existing schema on the page? 4. Is there existing schema on the page?
5. What's your tech stack for implementation? 5. What's your tech stack?
--- ---
@@ -595,4 +173,3 @@ Where to add the code and how
- **seo-audit**: For overall SEO including schema review - **seo-audit**: For overall SEO including schema review
- **programmatic-seo**: For templated schema at scale - **programmatic-seo**: For templated schema at scale
- **analytics-tracking**: For measuring rich result impact

384
skills/schema-markup/references/schema-examples.md Normal file
View File

@@ -0,0 +1,384 @@
# Schema Markup Examples
Complete JSON-LD examples for common schema types.
## Organization
For company/brand homepage or about page.
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Example Company",
"url": "https://example.com",
"logo": "https://example.com/logo.png",
"sameAs": [
"https://twitter.com/example",
"https://linkedin.com/company/example",
"https://facebook.com/example"
],
"contactPoint": {
"@type": "ContactPoint",
"telephone": "+1-555-555-5555",
"contactType": "customer service"
}
}
```
---
## WebSite (with SearchAction)
For homepage, enables sitelinks search box.
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "WebSite",
"name": "Example",
"url": "https://example.com",
"potentialAction": {
"@type": "SearchAction",
"target": {
"@type": "EntryPoint",
"urlTemplate": "https://example.com/search?q={search_term_string}"
},
"query-input": "required name=search_term_string"
}
}
```
---
## Article / BlogPosting
For blog posts and news articles.
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "How to Implement Schema Markup",
"image": "https://example.com/image.jpg",
"datePublished": "2024-01-15T08:00:00+00:00",
"dateModified": "2024-01-20T10:00:00+00:00",
"author": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "Jane Doe",
"url": "https://example.com/authors/jane"
},
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Example Company",
"logo": {
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url": "https://example.com/logo.png"
}
},
"description": "A complete guide to implementing schema markup...",
"mainEntityOfPage": {
"@type": "WebPage",
"@id": "https://example.com/schema-guide"
}
}
```
---
## Product
For product pages (e-commerce or SaaS).
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Product",
"name": "Premium Widget",
"image": "https://example.com/widget.jpg",
"description": "Our best-selling widget for professionals",
"sku": "WIDGET-001",
"brand": {
"@type": "Brand",
"name": "Example Co"
},
"offers": {
"@type": "Offer",
"url": "https://example.com/products/widget",
"priceCurrency": "USD",
"price": "99.99",
"availability": "https://schema.org/InStock",
"priceValidUntil": "2024-12-31"
},
"aggregateRating": {
"@type": "AggregateRating",
"ratingValue": "4.8",
"reviewCount": "127"
}
}
```
---
## SoftwareApplication
For SaaS product pages and app landing pages.
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "SoftwareApplication",
"name": "Example App",
"applicationCategory": "BusinessApplication",
"operatingSystem": "Web, iOS, Android",
"offers": {
"@type": "Offer",
"price": "0",
"priceCurrency": "USD"
},
"aggregateRating": {
"@type": "AggregateRating",
"ratingValue": "4.6",
"ratingCount": "1250"
}
}
```
---
## FAQPage
For pages with frequently asked questions.
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "FAQPage",
"mainEntity": [
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "What is schema markup?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Schema markup is a structured data vocabulary that helps search engines understand your content..."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How do I implement schema?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "The recommended approach is to use JSON-LD format, placing the script in your page's head..."
}
}
]
}
```
---
## HowTo
For instructional content and tutorials.
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "HowTo",
"name": "How to Add Schema Markup to Your Website",
"description": "A step-by-step guide to implementing JSON-LD schema",
"totalTime": "PT15M",
"step": [
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"name": "Choose your schema type",
"text": "Identify the appropriate schema type for your page content...",
"url": "https://example.com/guide#step1"
},
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"name": "Write the JSON-LD",
"text": "Create the JSON-LD markup following schema.org specifications...",
"url": "https://example.com/guide#step2"
},
{
"@type": "HowToStep",
"name": "Add to your page",
"text": "Insert the script tag in your page's head section...",
"url": "https://example.com/guide#step3"
}
]
}
```
---
## BreadcrumbList
For any page with breadcrumb navigation.
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 1,
"name": "Home",
"item": "https://example.com"
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 2,
"name": "Blog",
"item": "https://example.com/blog"
},
{
"@type": "ListItem",
"position": 3,
"name": "SEO Guide",
"item": "https://example.com/blog/seo-guide"
}
]
}
```
---
## LocalBusiness
For local business location pages.
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"name": "Example Coffee Shop",
"image": "https://example.com/shop.jpg",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "123 Main Street",
"addressLocality": "San Francisco",
"addressRegion": "CA",
"postalCode": "94102",
"addressCountry": "US"
},
"geo": {
"@type": "GeoCoordinates",
"latitude": "37.7749",
"longitude": "-122.4194"
},
"telephone": "+1-555-555-5555",
"openingHoursSpecification": [
{
"@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
"dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"],
"opens": "08:00",
"closes": "18:00"
}
],
"priceRange": "$$"
}
```
---
## Event
For event pages, webinars, conferences.
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Event",
"name": "Annual Marketing Conference",
"startDate": "2024-06-15T09:00:00-07:00",
"endDate": "2024-06-15T17:00:00-07:00",
"eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OnlineEventAttendanceMode",
"eventStatus": "https://schema.org/EventScheduled",
"location": {
"@type": "VirtualLocation",
"url": "https://example.com/conference"
},
"image": "https://example.com/conference.jpg",
"description": "Join us for our annual marketing conference...",
"offers": {
"@type": "Offer",
"url": "https://example.com/conference/tickets",
"price": "199",
"priceCurrency": "USD",
"availability": "https://schema.org/InStock",
"validFrom": "2024-01-01"
},
"performer": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Example Company"
},
"organizer": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Example Company",
"url": "https://example.com"
}
}
```
---
## Multiple Schema Types
Combine multiple schema types using @graph.
```json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@graph": [
{
"@type": "Organization",
"@id": "https://example.com/#organization",
"name": "Example Company",
"url": "https://example.com"
},
{
"@type": "WebSite",
"@id": "https://example.com/#website",
"url": "https://example.com",
"name": "Example",
"publisher": {
"@id": "https://example.com/#organization"
}
},
{
"@type": "BreadcrumbList",
"itemListElement": [...]
}
]
}
```
---
## Implementation Example (Next.js)
```jsx
export default function ProductPage({ product }) {
const schema = {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Product",
name: product.name,
// ... other properties
};
return (
<>
<Head>
<script
type="application/ld+json"
dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: JSON.stringify(schema) }}
/>
</Head>
{/* Page content */}
</>
);
}
```

625
skills/social-content/SKILL.md
View File

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ description: "When the user wants help creating, scheduling, or optimizing socia
# Social Content # Social Content
You are an expert social media strategist with direct access to a scheduling platform that publishes to all major social networks. Your goal is to help create engaging content that builds audience, drives engagement, and supports business goals. You are an expert social media strategist. Your goal is to help create engaging content that builds audience, drives engagement, and supports business goals.
## Before Creating Content ## Before Creating Content
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ Gather this context (ask if not provided):
- Who are you trying to reach? - Who are you trying to reach?
- What platforms are they most active on? - What platforms are they most active on?
- What content do they engage with? - What content do they engage with?
- What problems do they have that you can address?
### 3. Brand Voice ### 3. Brand Voice
- What's your tone? (Professional, casual, witty, authoritative) - What's your tone? (Professional, casual, witty, authoritative)
@@ -32,143 +31,22 @@ Gather this context (ask if not provided):
### 4. Resources ### 4. Resources
- How much time can you dedicate to social? - How much time can you dedicate to social?
- Do you have existing content to repurpose (blog posts, podcasts, videos)? - Do you have existing content to repurpose?
- Can you create video content? - Can you create video content?
- Do you have customer stories or data to share?
--- ---
## Platform Strategy Guide ## Platform Quick Reference
### LinkedIn | Platform | Best For | Frequency | Key Format |
|----------|----------|-----------|------------|
| LinkedIn | B2B, thought leadership | 3-5x/week | Carousels, stories |
| Twitter/X | Tech, real-time, community | 3-10x/day | Threads, hot takes |
| Instagram | Visual brands, lifestyle | 1-2 posts + Stories daily | Reels, carousels |
| TikTok | Brand awareness, younger audiences | 1-4x/day | Short-form video |
| Facebook | Communities, local businesses | 1-2x/day | Groups, native video |
**Best for:** B2B, thought leadership, professional networking, recruiting **For detailed platform strategies**: See [references/platforms.md](references/platforms.md)
**Audience:** Professionals, decision-makers, job seekers
**Posting frequency:** 3-5x per week
**Best times:** Tuesday-Thursday, 7-8am, 12pm, 5-6pm
**What works:**
- Personal stories with business lessons
- Contrarian takes on industry topics
- Behind-the-scenes of building a company
- Data and original insights
- Carousel posts (document format)
- Polls that spark discussion
**What doesn't:**
- Overly promotional content
- Generic motivational quotes
- Links in the main post (kills reach)
- Corporate speak without personality
**Format tips:**
- First line is everything (hook before "see more")
- Use line breaks for readability
- 1,200-1,500 characters performs well
- Put links in comments, not post body
- Tag people sparingly and genuinely
### Twitter/X
**Best for:** Tech, media, real-time commentary, community building
**Audience:** Tech-savvy, news-oriented, niche communities
**Posting frequency:** 3-10x per day (including replies)
**Best times:** Varies by audience; test and measure
**What works:**
- Hot takes and opinions
- Threads that teach something
- Behind-the-scenes moments
- Engaging with others' content
- Memes and humor (if on-brand)
- Real-time commentary on events
**What doesn't:**
- Pure self-promotion
- Threads without a strong hook
- Ignoring replies and mentions
- Scheduling everything (no real-time presence)
**Format tips:**
- Tweets under 100 characters get more engagement
- Threads: Hook in tweet 1, promise value, deliver
- Quote tweets with added insight beat plain retweets
- Use visuals to stop the scroll
### Instagram
**Best for:** Visual brands, lifestyle, e-commerce, younger demographics
**Audience:** 18-44, visual-first consumers
**Posting frequency:** 1-2 feed posts per day, 3-10 Stories per day
**Best times:** 11am-1pm, 7-9pm
**What works:**
- High-quality visuals
- Behind-the-scenes Stories
- Reels (short-form video)
- Carousels with value
- User-generated content
- Interactive Stories (polls, questions)
**What doesn't:**
- Low-quality images
- Too much text in images
- Ignoring Stories and Reels
- Only promotional content
**Format tips:**
- Reels get 2x reach of static posts
- First frame of Reels must hook
- Carousels: 10 slides with educational content
- Use all Story features (polls, links, etc.)
### TikTok
**Best for:** Brand awareness, younger audiences, viral potential
**Audience:** 16-34, entertainment-focused
**Posting frequency:** 1-4x per day
**Best times:** 7-9am, 12-3pm, 7-11pm
**What works:**
- Native, unpolished content
- Trending sounds and formats
- Educational content in entertaining wrapper
- POV and day-in-the-life content
- Responding to comments with videos
- Duets and stitches
**What doesn't:**
- Overly produced content
- Ignoring trends
- Hard selling
- Repurposed horizontal video
**Format tips:**
- Hook in first 1-2 seconds
- Keep it under 30 seconds to start
- Vertical only (9:16)
- Use trending sounds
- Post consistently to train algorithm
### Facebook
**Best for:** Communities, local businesses, older demographics, groups
**Audience:** 25-55+, community-oriented
**Posting frequency:** 1-2x per day
**Best times:** 1-4pm weekdays
**What works:**
- Facebook Groups (community)
- Native video
- Live video
- Local content and events
- Discussion-prompting questions
**What doesn't:**
- Links to external sites (reach killer)
- Pure promotional content
- Ignoring comments
- Cross-posting from other platforms without adaptation
--- ---
@@ -197,171 +75,31 @@ For each pillar, ask:
--- ---
## Post Formats & Templates
### LinkedIn Post Templates
**The Story Post:**
```
[Hook: Unexpected outcome or lesson]
[Set the scene: When/where this happened]
[The challenge you faced]
[What you tried / what happened]
[The turning point]
[The result]
[The lesson for readers]
[Question to prompt engagement]
```
**The Contrarian Take:**
```
[Unpopular opinion stated boldly]
Here's why:
[Reason 1]
[Reason 2]
[Reason 3]
[What you recommend instead]
[Invite discussion: "Am I wrong?"]
```
**The List Post:**
```
[X things I learned about [topic] after [credibility builder]:
1. [Point] — [Brief explanation]
2. [Point] — [Brief explanation]
3. [Point] — [Brief explanation]
[Wrap-up insight]
Which resonates most with you?
```
**The How-To:**
```
How to [achieve outcome] in [timeframe]:
Step 1: [Action]
↳ [Why this matters]
Step 2: [Action]
↳ [Key detail]
Step 3: [Action]
↳ [Common mistake to avoid]
[Result you can expect]
[CTA or question]
```
### Twitter/X Thread Templates
**The Tutorial Thread:**
```
Tweet 1: [Hook + promise of value]
"Here's exactly how to [outcome] (step-by-step):"
Tweet 2-7: [One step per tweet with details]
Final tweet: [Summary + CTA]
"If this was helpful, follow me for more on [topic]"
```
**The Story Thread:**
```
Tweet 1: [Intriguing hook]
"[Time] ago, [unexpected thing happened]. Here's the full story:"
Tweet 2-6: [Story beats, building tension]
Tweet 7: [Resolution and lesson]
Final tweet: [Takeaway + engagement ask]
```
**The Breakdown Thread:**
```
Tweet 1: [Company/person] just [did thing].
Here's why it's genius (and what you can learn):
Tweet 2-6: [Analysis points]
Tweet 7: [Your key takeaway]
"[Related insight + follow CTA]"
```
### Instagram Caption Templates
**The Carousel Hook:**
```
[Slide 1: Bold statement or question]
[Slides 2-9: One point per slide, visual + text]
[Slide 10: Summary + CTA]
Caption: [Expand on the topic, add context, include CTA]
```
**The Reel Script:**
```
Hook (0-2 sec): [Pattern interrupt or bold claim]
Setup (2-5 sec): [Context for the tip]
Value (5-25 sec): [The actual advice/content]
CTA (25-30 sec): [Follow, comment, share, link]
```
---
## Hook Formulas ## Hook Formulas
The first line determines whether anyone reads the rest. Use these patterns: The first line determines whether anyone reads the rest.
### Curiosity Hooks ### Curiosity Hooks
- "I was wrong about [common belief]." - "I was wrong about [common belief]."
- "The real reason [outcome] happens isn't what you think." - "The real reason [outcome] happens isn't what you think."
- "[Impressive result] — and it only took [surprisingly short time]." - "[Impressive result] — and it only took [surprisingly short time]."
- "Nobody talks about [insider knowledge]."
### Story Hooks ### Story Hooks
- "Last week, [unexpected thing] happened." - "Last week, [unexpected thing] happened."
- "I almost [big mistake/failure]." - "I almost [big mistake/failure]."
- "3 years ago, I [past state]. Today, [current state]." - "3 years ago, I [past state]. Today, [current state]."
- "[Person] told me something I'll never forget."
### Value Hooks ### Value Hooks
- "How to [desirable outcome] (without [common pain]):" - "How to [desirable outcome] (without [common pain]):"
- "[Number] [things] that [outcome]:" - "[Number] [things] that [outcome]:"
- "The simplest way to [outcome]:"
- "Stop [common mistake]. Do this instead:" - "Stop [common mistake]. Do this instead:"
### Contrarian Hooks ### Contrarian Hooks
- "Unpopular opinion: [bold statement]" - "Unpopular opinion: [bold statement]"
- "[Common advice] is wrong. Here's why:" - "[Common advice] is wrong. Here's why:"
- "I stopped [common practice] and [positive result]." - "I stopped [common practice] and [positive result]."
- "Everyone says [X]. The truth is [Y]."
### Social Proof Hooks **For post templates and more hooks**: See [references/post-templates.md](references/post-templates.md)
- "We [achieved result] in [timeframe]. Here's how:"
- "[Number] people asked me about [topic]. Here's my answer:"
- "[Authority figure] taught me [lesson]."
--- ---
@@ -371,24 +109,13 @@ Turn one piece of content into many:
### Blog Post → Social Content ### Blog Post → Social Content
| Original | Platform | Format | | Platform | Format |
|----------|----------|--------| |----------|--------|
| Blog post | LinkedIn | Key insight + link in comments | | LinkedIn | Key insight + link in comments |
| Blog post | LinkedIn | Carousel of main points | | LinkedIn | Carousel of main points |
| Blog post | Twitter/X | Thread of key takeaways | | Twitter/X | Thread of key takeaways |
| Blog post | Twitter/X | Single tweet with hot take | | Instagram | Carousel with visuals |
| Blog post | Instagram | Carousel with visuals | | Instagram | Reel summarizing the post |
| Blog post | Instagram | Reel summarizing the post |
### Podcast/Video → Social Content
| Original | Platform | Format |
|----------|----------|--------|
| Interview | LinkedIn | Quote graphic + insight |
| Interview | Twitter/X | Thread of best quotes |
| Interview | Instagram | Clip as Reel |
| Interview | TikTok | Short clip with caption |
| Interview | YouTube | Shorts from best moments |
### Repurposing Workflow ### Repurposing Workflow
@@ -411,19 +138,9 @@ Turn one piece of content into many:
| Wed | Educational | Tips tweet | Reel | | Wed | Educational | Tips tweet | Reel |
| Thu | Story post | Thread | Educational | | Thu | Story post | Thread | Educational |
| Fri | Hot take | Engagement | Story | | Fri | Hot take | Engagement | Story |
| Sat | — | Curated RT | User content |
| Sun | — | Personal | Behind-scenes |
### Monthly Content Mix ### Batching Strategy (2-3 hours weekly)
- Week 1: Launch/announce something (if applicable)
- Week 2: Educational deep-dive
- Week 3: Community/engagement focus
- Week 4: Story/behind-the-scenes
### Batching Strategy
**Weekly batching (2-3 hours):**
1. Review content pillar topics 1. Review content pillar topics
2. Write 5 LinkedIn posts 2. Write 5 LinkedIn posts
3. Write 3 Twitter threads + daily tweets 3. Write 3 Twitter threads + daily tweets
@@ -435,17 +152,15 @@ Turn one piece of content into many:
## Engagement Strategy ## Engagement Strategy
### Proactive Engagement ### Daily Engagement Routine (30 min)
Engagement isn't just responding—it's actively participating:
**Daily engagement routine (30 min):**
1. Respond to all comments on your posts (5 min) 1. Respond to all comments on your posts (5 min)
2. Comment on 5-10 posts from target accounts (15 min) 2. Comment on 5-10 posts from target accounts (15 min)
3. Share/repost with added insight (5 min) 3. Share/repost with added insight (5 min)
4. Send 2-3 DMs to new connections (5 min) 4. Send 2-3 DMs to new connections (5 min)
**Quality comments:** ### Quality Comments
- Add new insight, not just "Great post!" - Add new insight, not just "Great post!"
- Share a related experience - Share a related experience
- Ask a thoughtful follow-up question - Ask a thoughtful follow-up question
@@ -458,118 +173,55 @@ Engagement isn't just responding—it's actively participating:
- Share their content with credit - Share their content with credit
- Eventually collaborate (podcasts, co-created content) - Eventually collaborate (podcasts, co-created content)
### Handling Negative Comments
- Respond calmly and professionally
- Don't get defensive
- Take legitimate criticism offline
- Block/mute trolls without engaging
- Let community defend you when appropriate
--- ---
## Analytics & Optimization ## Analytics & Optimization
### Metrics That Matter ### Metrics That Matter
**Awareness:** **Awareness:** Impressions, Reach, Follower growth rate
- Impressions
- Reach
- Follower growth rate
**Engagement:** **Engagement:** Engagement rate, Comments (higher value than likes), Shares/reposts, Saves
- Engagement rate (engagements / impressions)
- Comments (higher value than likes)
- Shares/reposts
- Saves (Instagram)
**Conversion:** **Conversion:** Link clicks, Profile visits, DMs received, Leads attributed
- Link clicks
- Profile visits
- DMs received
- Leads/conversions attributed
### What to Track Weekly ### Weekly Review
- [ ] Top 3 performing posts (why did they work?) - Top 3 performing posts (why did they work?)
- [ ] Bottom 3 posts (what can you learn?) - Bottom 3 posts (what can you learn?)
- [ ] Follower growth trend - Follower growth trend
- [ ] Engagement rate trend - Engagement rate trend
- [ ] Best posting times (from data) - Best posting times (from data)
- [ ] Content pillar performance
### Optimization Actions ### Optimization Actions
**If engagement is low:** **If engagement is low:**
- Test new hooks - Test new hooks
- Post at different times - Post at different times
- Try different formats (carousel vs. text) - Try different formats
- Increase native engagement with others - Increase engagement with others
- Check if content matches audience interest
**If reach is declining:** **If reach is declining:**
- Avoid external links in post body - Avoid external links in post body
- Increase posting frequency slightly - Increase posting frequency
- Engage more in comments - Engage more in comments
- Test video/visual content - Test video/visual content
- Check for algorithm changes
---
## Platform-Specific Tips
### LinkedIn Algorithm Tips
- First hour engagement matters most
- Comments > reactions > clicks
- Dwell time (people reading) signals quality
- No external links in post body
- Document posts (carousels) get strong reach
- Polls drive engagement but don't build authority
### Twitter/X Algorithm Tips
- Replies and quote tweets build authority
- Threads keep people on platform (rewarded)
- Images and video get more reach
- Engagement in first 30 min matters
- Twitter Blue/Premium may boost reach
### Instagram Algorithm Tips
- Reels heavily prioritized over static posts
- Saves and shares > likes
- Stories keep you top of feed
- Consistency matters more than perfection
- Use all features (polls, questions, etc.)
--- ---
## Content Ideas by Situation ## Content Ideas by Situation
### When You're Starting Out ### When You're Starting Out
- Document your journey - Document your journey
- Share what you're learning - Share what you're learning
- Curate and comment on industry content - Curate and comment on industry content
- Ask questions to your audience
- Engage heavily with established accounts - Engage heavily with established accounts
### When You're Established
- Share original data and insights
- Tell customer success stories
- Take stronger positions
- Create signature frameworks
- Collaborate with peers
### When You're Stuck ### When You're Stuck
- Repurpose old high-performing content - Repurpose old high-performing content
- Ask your audience what they want - Ask your audience what they want
- Comment on industry news - Comment on industry news
- Share a failure or lesson learned - Share a failure or lesson learned
- Interview someone and share insights
--- ---
@@ -577,17 +229,9 @@ Engagement isn't just responding—it's actively participating:
### When to Schedule vs. Post Live ### When to Schedule vs. Post Live
**Schedule:** **Schedule:** Core content posts, Threads, Carousels, Evergreen content
- Core content posts
- Threads
- Carousels
- Evergreen content
**Post live:** **Post live:** Real-time commentary, Responses to news/trends, Engagement with others
- Real-time commentary
- Responses to news/trends
- Engagement with others
- Anything requiring immediate interaction
### Queue Management ### Queue Management
@@ -600,193 +244,16 @@ Engagement isn't just responding—it's actively participating:
## Reverse Engineering Viral Content ## Reverse Engineering Viral Content
Instead of guessing what works, systematically analyze top-performing content in your niche and extract proven patterns. Instead of guessing, analyze what's working for top creators in your niche:
### The 6-Step Framework 1. **Find creators** — 10-20 accounts with high engagement
2. **Collect data** — 500+ posts for analysis
3. **Analyze patterns** — Hooks, formats, CTAs that work
4. **Codify playbook** — Document repeatable patterns
5. **Layer your voice** — Apply patterns with authenticity
6. **Convert** — Bridge attention to business results
#### 1. NICHE ID — Find Top Creators **For the complete framework**: See [references/reverse-engineering.md](references/reverse-engineering.md)
Identify 10-20 creators in your space who consistently get high engagement:
**Selection criteria:**
- Posting consistently (3+ times/week)
- High engagement rate relative to follower count
- Audience overlap with your target market
- Mix of established and rising creators
**Where to find them:**
- LinkedIn: Search by industry keywords, check "People also viewed"
- Twitter/X: Check who your target audience follows and engages with
- Use tools like SparkToro, Followerwonk, or manual research
- Look at who gets featured in industry newsletters
#### 2. SCRAPE — Collect Posts at Scale
Gather 500-1000+ posts from your identified creators for analysis:
**Tools:**
- **Apify** — LinkedIn scraper, Twitter scraper actors
- **Phantom Buster** — Multi-platform automation
- **Export tools** — Platform-specific export features
- **Manual collection** — For smaller datasets, copy/paste into spreadsheet
**Data to collect:**
- Post text/content
- Engagement metrics (likes, comments, shares, saves)
- Post format (text-only, carousel, video, image)
- Posting time/day
- Hook/first line
- CTA used
- Topic/theme
#### 3. ANALYZE — Extract What Actually Works
Sort and analyze the data to find patterns:
**Quantitative analysis:**
- Rank posts by engagement rate
- Identify top 10% performers
- Look for format patterns (do carousels outperform?)
- Check timing patterns (best days/times)
- Compare topic performance
**Qualitative analysis:**
- What hooks do top posts use?
- How long are high-performing posts?
- What emotional triggers appear?
- What formats repeat?
- What topics consistently perform?
**Questions to answer:**
- What's the average length of top posts?
- Which hook types appear most in top 10%?
- What CTAs drive most comments?
- What topics get saved/shared most?
#### 4. PLAYBOOK — Codify Patterns
Document repeatable patterns you can use:
**Hook patterns to codify:**
```
Pattern: "I [unexpected action] and [surprising result]"
Example: "I stopped posting daily and my engagement doubled"
Why it works: Curiosity gap + contrarian
Pattern: "[Specific number] [things] that [outcome]:"
Example: "7 pricing mistakes that cost me $50K:"
Why it works: Specificity + loss aversion
Pattern: "[Controversial take]"
Example: "Cold outreach is dead."
Why it works: Pattern interrupt + invites debate
```
**Format patterns:**
- Carousel: Hook slide → Problem → Solution steps → CTA
- Thread: Hook → Promise → Deliver → Recap → CTA
- Story post: Hook → Setup → Conflict → Resolution → Lesson
**CTA patterns:**
- Question: "What would you add?"
- Agreement: "Agree or disagree?"
- Share: "Tag someone who needs this"
- Save: "Save this for later"
#### 5. LAYER VOICE — Apply Direct Response Principles
Take proven patterns and make them yours with these voice principles:
**"Smart friend who figured something out"**
- Write like you're texting advice to a friend
- Share discoveries, not lectures
- Use "I found that..." not "You should..."
- Be helpful, not preachy
**Specific > Vague**
```
❌ "I made good revenue"
✅ "I made $47,329"
❌ "It took a while"
✅ "It took 47 days"
❌ "A lot of people"
✅ "2,847 people"
```
**Short. Breathe. Land.**
- One idea per sentence
- Use line breaks liberally
- Let important points stand alone
- Create rhythm: short, short, longer explanation
```
❌ "I spent three years building my business the wrong way before I finally realized that the key to success was focusing on fewer things and doing them exceptionally well."
✅ "I built wrong for 3 years.
Then I figured it out.
Focus on less.
Do it exceptionally well.
Everything changed."
```
**Write from emotion**
- Start with how you felt, not what you did
- Use emotional words: frustrated, excited, terrified, obsessed
- Show vulnerability when authentic
- Connect the feeling to the lesson
```
❌ "Here's what I learned about pricing"
✅ "I was terrified to raise my prices.
My hands were shaking when I sent the email.
Here's what happened..."
```
#### 6. CONVERT — Turn Attention into Action
Bridge from engagement to business results:
**Soft conversions:**
- Newsletter signups in bio/comments
- Free resource offers in follow-up comments
- DM triggers ("Comment X and I'll send you...")
- Profile visits → optimized profile with clear CTA
**Direct conversions:**
- Link in comments (not post body on LinkedIn)
- Contextual product mentions within valuable content
- Case study posts that naturally showcase your work
- "If you want help with this, DM me" (sparingly)
### Output: Proven Patterns + Right Voice = Performance
The formula:
```
1. Find what's already working (don't guess)
2. Extract the patterns (hooks, formats, CTAs)
3. Layer your authentic voice on top
4. Test and iterate based on your own data
```
### Reverse Engineering Checklist
- [ ] Identified 10-20 top creators in niche
- [ ] Collected 500+ posts for analysis
- [ ] Ranked by engagement rate
- [ ] Documented top 10 hook patterns
- [ ] Documented top 5 format patterns
- [ ] Documented top 5 CTA patterns
- [ ] Created voice guidelines (specificity, brevity, emotion)
- [ ] Built template library from patterns
- [ ] Set up tracking for your own content performance
--- ---

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@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
# Platform-Specific Strategy Guide
Detailed strategies for each major social platform.
## LinkedIn
**Best for:** B2B, thought leadership, professional networking, recruiting
**Audience:** Professionals, decision-makers, job seekers
**Posting frequency:** 3-5x per week
**Best times:** Tuesday-Thursday, 7-8am, 12pm, 5-6pm
**What works:**
- Personal stories with business lessons
- Contrarian takes on industry topics
- Behind-the-scenes of building a company
- Data and original insights
- Carousel posts (document format)
- Polls that spark discussion
**What doesn't:**
- Overly promotional content
- Generic motivational quotes
- Links in the main post (kills reach)
- Corporate speak without personality
**Format tips:**
- First line is everything (hook before "see more")
- Use line breaks for readability
- 1,200-1,500 characters performs well
- Put links in comments, not post body
- Tag people sparingly and genuinely
**Algorithm tips:**
- First hour engagement matters most
- Comments > reactions > clicks
- Dwell time (people reading) signals quality
- No external links in post body
- Document posts (carousels) get strong reach
- Polls drive engagement but don't build authority
---
## Twitter/X
**Best for:** Tech, media, real-time commentary, community building
**Audience:** Tech-savvy, news-oriented, niche communities
**Posting frequency:** 3-10x per day (including replies)
**Best times:** Varies by audience; test and measure
**What works:**
- Hot takes and opinions
- Threads that teach something
- Behind-the-scenes moments
- Engaging with others' content
- Memes and humor (if on-brand)
- Real-time commentary on events
**What doesn't:**
- Pure self-promotion
- Threads without a strong hook
- Ignoring replies and mentions
- Scheduling everything (no real-time presence)
**Format tips:**
- Tweets under 100 characters get more engagement
- Threads: Hook in tweet 1, promise value, deliver
- Quote tweets with added insight beat plain retweets
- Use visuals to stop the scroll
**Algorithm tips:**
- Replies and quote tweets build authority
- Threads keep people on platform (rewarded)
- Images and video get more reach
- Engagement in first 30 min matters
- Twitter Blue/Premium may boost reach
---
## Instagram
**Best for:** Visual brands, lifestyle, e-commerce, younger demographics
**Audience:** 18-44, visual-first consumers
**Posting frequency:** 1-2 feed posts per day, 3-10 Stories per day
**Best times:** 11am-1pm, 7-9pm
**What works:**
- High-quality visuals
- Behind-the-scenes Stories
- Reels (short-form video)
- Carousels with value
- User-generated content
- Interactive Stories (polls, questions)
**What doesn't:**
- Low-quality images
- Too much text in images
- Ignoring Stories and Reels
- Only promotional content
**Format tips:**
- Reels get 2x reach of static posts
- First frame of Reels must hook
- Carousels: 10 slides with educational content
- Use all Story features (polls, links, etc.)
**Algorithm tips:**
- Reels heavily prioritized over static posts
- Saves and shares > likes
- Stories keep you top of feed
- Consistency matters more than perfection
- Use all features (polls, questions, etc.)
---
## TikTok
**Best for:** Brand awareness, younger audiences, viral potential
**Audience:** 16-34, entertainment-focused
**Posting frequency:** 1-4x per day
**Best times:** 7-9am, 12-3pm, 7-11pm
**What works:**
- Native, unpolished content
- Trending sounds and formats
- Educational content in entertaining wrapper
- POV and day-in-the-life content
- Responding to comments with videos
- Duets and stitches
**What doesn't:**
- Overly produced content
- Ignoring trends
- Hard selling
- Repurposed horizontal video
**Format tips:**
- Hook in first 1-2 seconds
- Keep it under 30 seconds to start
- Vertical only (9:16)
- Use trending sounds
- Post consistently to train algorithm
---
## Facebook
**Best for:** Communities, local businesses, older demographics, groups
**Audience:** 25-55+, community-oriented
**Posting frequency:** 1-2x per day
**Best times:** 1-4pm weekdays
**What works:**
- Facebook Groups (community)
- Native video
- Live video
- Local content and events
- Discussion-prompting questions
**What doesn't:**
- Links to external sites (reach killer)
- Pure promotional content
- Ignoring comments
- Cross-posting from other platforms without adaptation

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# Post Format Templates
Ready-to-use templates for different platforms and content types.
## LinkedIn Post Templates
### The Story Post
```
[Hook: Unexpected outcome or lesson]
[Set the scene: When/where this happened]
[The challenge you faced]
[What you tried / what happened]
[The turning point]
[The result]
[The lesson for readers]
[Question to prompt engagement]
```
### The Contrarian Take
```
[Unpopular opinion stated boldly]
Here's why:
[Reason 1]
[Reason 2]
[Reason 3]
[What you recommend instead]
[Invite discussion: "Am I wrong?"]
```
### The List Post
```
[X things I learned about [topic] after [credibility builder]:
1. [Point] — [Brief explanation]
2. [Point] — [Brief explanation]
3. [Point] — [Brief explanation]
[Wrap-up insight]
Which resonates most with you?
```
### The How-To
```
How to [achieve outcome] in [timeframe]:
Step 1: [Action]
↳ [Why this matters]
Step 2: [Action]
↳ [Key detail]
Step 3: [Action]
↳ [Common mistake to avoid]
[Result you can expect]
[CTA or question]
```
---
## Twitter/X Thread Templates
### The Tutorial Thread
```
Tweet 1: [Hook + promise of value]
"Here's exactly how to [outcome] (step-by-step):"
Tweet 2-7: [One step per tweet with details]
Final tweet: [Summary + CTA]
"If this was helpful, follow me for more on [topic]"
```
### The Story Thread
```
Tweet 1: [Intriguing hook]
"[Time] ago, [unexpected thing happened]. Here's the full story:"
Tweet 2-6: [Story beats, building tension]
Tweet 7: [Resolution and lesson]
Final tweet: [Takeaway + engagement ask]
```
### The Breakdown Thread
```
Tweet 1: [Company/person] just [did thing].
Here's why it's genius (and what you can learn):
Tweet 2-6: [Analysis points]
Tweet 7: [Your key takeaway]
"[Related insight + follow CTA]"
```
---
## Instagram Templates
### The Carousel Hook
```
[Slide 1: Bold statement or question]
[Slides 2-9: One point per slide, visual + text]
[Slide 10: Summary + CTA]
Caption: [Expand on the topic, add context, include CTA]
```
### The Reel Script
```
Hook (0-2 sec): [Pattern interrupt or bold claim]
Setup (2-5 sec): [Context for the tip]
Value (5-25 sec): [The actual advice/content]
CTA (25-30 sec): [Follow, comment, share, link]
```
---
## Hook Formulas
The first line determines whether anyone reads the rest.
### Curiosity Hooks
- "I was wrong about [common belief]."
- "The real reason [outcome] happens isn't what you think."
- "[Impressive result] — and it only took [surprisingly short time]."
- "Nobody talks about [insider knowledge]."
### Story Hooks
- "Last week, [unexpected thing] happened."
- "I almost [big mistake/failure]."
- "3 years ago, I [past state]. Today, [current state]."
- "[Person] told me something I'll never forget."
### Value Hooks
- "How to [desirable outcome] (without [common pain]):"
- "[Number] [things] that [outcome]:"
- "The simplest way to [outcome]:"
- "Stop [common mistake]. Do this instead:"
### Contrarian Hooks
- "Unpopular opinion: [bold statement]"
- "[Common advice] is wrong. Here's why:"
- "I stopped [common practice] and [positive result]."
- "Everyone says [X]. The truth is [Y]."
### Social Proof Hooks
- "We [achieved result] in [timeframe]. Here's the full story:"
- "[Number] people asked me about [topic]. Here's my answer:"
- "[Authority figure] taught me [lesson]."

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# Reverse Engineering Viral Content
Instead of guessing what works, systematically analyze top-performing content in your niche and extract proven patterns.
## The 6-Step Framework
### 1. NICHE ID — Find Top Creators
Identify 10-20 creators in your space who consistently get high engagement:
**Selection criteria:**
- Posting consistently (3+ times/week)
- High engagement rate relative to follower count
- Audience overlap with your target market
- Mix of established and rising creators
**Where to find them:**
- LinkedIn: Search by industry keywords, check "People also viewed"
- Twitter/X: Check who your target audience follows and engages with
- Use tools like SparkToro, Followerwonk, or manual research
- Look at who gets featured in industry newsletters
### 2. SCRAPE — Collect Posts at Scale
Gather 500-1000+ posts from your identified creators for analysis:
**Tools:**
- **Apify** — LinkedIn scraper, Twitter scraper actors
- **Phantom Buster** — Multi-platform automation
- **Export tools** — Platform-specific export features
- **Manual collection** — For smaller datasets, copy/paste into spreadsheet
**Data to collect:**
- Post text/content
- Engagement metrics (likes, comments, shares, saves)
- Post format (text-only, carousel, video, image)
- Posting time/day
- Hook/first line
- CTA used
- Topic/theme
### 3. ANALYZE — Extract What Actually Works
Sort and analyze the data to find patterns:
**Quantitative analysis:**
- Rank posts by engagement rate
- Identify top 10% performers
- Look for format patterns (do carousels outperform?)
- Check timing patterns (best days/times)
- Compare topic performance
**Qualitative analysis:**
- What hooks do top posts use?
- How long are high-performing posts?
- What emotional triggers appear?
- What formats repeat?
- What topics consistently perform?
**Questions to answer:**
- What's the average length of top posts?
- Which hook types appear most in top 10%?
- What CTAs drive most comments?
- What topics get saved/shared most?
### 4. PLAYBOOK — Codify Patterns
Document repeatable patterns you can use:
**Hook patterns to codify:**
```
Pattern: "I [unexpected action] and [surprising result]"
Example: "I stopped posting daily and my engagement doubled"
Why it works: Curiosity gap + contrarian
Pattern: "[Specific number] [things] that [outcome]:"
Example: "7 pricing mistakes that cost me $50K:"
Why it works: Specificity + loss aversion
Pattern: "[Controversial take]"
Example: "Cold outreach is dead."
Why it works: Pattern interrupt + invites debate
```
**Format patterns:**
- Carousel: Hook slide → Problem → Solution steps → CTA
- Thread: Hook → Promise → Deliver → Recap → CTA
- Story post: Hook → Setup → Conflict → Resolution → Lesson
**CTA patterns:**
- Question: "What would you add?"
- Agreement: "Agree or disagree?"
- Share: "Tag someone who needs this"
- Save: "Save this for later"
### 5. LAYER VOICE — Apply Direct Response Principles
Take proven patterns and make them yours with these voice principles:
**"Smart friend who figured something out"**
- Write like you're texting advice to a friend
- Share discoveries, not lectures
- Use "I found that..." not "You should..."
- Be helpful, not preachy
**Specific > Vague**
```
❌ "I made good revenue"
✅ "I made $47,329"
❌ "It took a while"
✅ "It took 47 days"
❌ "A lot of people"
✅ "2,847 people"
```
**Short. Breathe. Land.**
- One idea per sentence
- Use line breaks liberally
- Let important points stand alone
- Create rhythm: short, short, longer explanation
```
❌ "I spent three years building my business the wrong way before I finally realized that the key to success was focusing on fewer things and doing them exceptionally well."
✅ "I built wrong for 3 years.
Then I figured it out.
Focus on less.
Do it exceptionally well.
Everything changed."
```
**Write from emotion**
- Start with how you felt, not what you did
- Use emotional words: frustrated, excited, terrified, obsessed
- Show vulnerability when authentic
- Connect the feeling to the lesson
```
❌ "Here's what I learned about pricing"
✅ "I was terrified to raise my prices.
My hands were shaking when I sent the email.
Here's what happened..."
```
### 6. CONVERT — Turn Attention into Action
Bridge from engagement to business results:
**Soft conversions:**
- Newsletter signups in bio/comments
- Free resource offers in follow-up comments
- DM triggers ("Comment X and I'll send you...")
- Profile visits → optimized profile with clear CTA
**Direct conversions:**
- Link in comments (not post body on LinkedIn)
- Contextual product mentions within valuable content
- Case study posts that naturally showcase your work
- "If you want help with this, DM me" (sparingly)
---
## The Formula
```
1. Find what's already working (don't guess)
2. Extract the patterns (hooks, formats, CTAs)
3. Layer your authentic voice on top
4. Test and iterate based on your own data
```
## Reverse Engineering Checklist
- [ ] Identified 10-20 top creators in niche
- [ ] Collected 500+ posts for analysis
- [ ] Ranked by engagement rate
- [ ] Documented top 10 hook patterns
- [ ] Documented top 5 format patterns
- [ ] Documented top 5 CTA patterns
- [ ] Created voice guidelines (specificity, brevity, emotion)
- [ ] Built template library from patterns
- [ ] Set up tracking for your own content performance