Content strategy

Synthesise foundational research (ICP, messaging, competitors, TOV, brand) into an actionable B2B SaaS content plan: service-based pillars, TOFU/MOFU/BOFU funnel mapping, channel mix, cadence, and a 90-day execution roadmap. Volume targets, recurring series, and a sample week make the strategy executable from day one.

When to run

Invoke when the user asks for:

• "Create a content strategy / content plan / content marketing strategy for [company]"
• "Content calendar for [company]" or "build a content program"
• "What content should [company] create?" / "content roadmap"
• Channel-specific strategies: "social media strategy", "LinkedIn content strategy", "podcast/YouTube strategy", "newsletter strategy"

Do NOT invoke when:

• User wants individual posts only → linkedin-content or youtube-scripts
• User wants messaging framework → product-messaging
• User wants ICP research only → icp-behavioural
• User wants product launch plan → product-launch
• User wants SEO/AEO research and article queue → chain aeo-strategy after this skill

Inputs

This skill accepts any context dimension. The more available, the stronger the strategy. It synthesises whatever foundations exist.

Context dimensions

Input	Source	Impact
ICP research — segments, personas, pain points	icp-behavioural	High — drives pillar relevance + funnel mapping
Product messaging — positioning, capabilities, differentiators	product-messaging	High — drives pillar selection + content angles
Competitor research — content analysis, gaps	competitor-research	Medium — drives differentiation + gap-filling
TOV guidelines — voice, vocabulary, patterns	tov-guidelines	Medium — drives style + consistency
Company context — overview, market position, leadership	company-context	Medium — drives narrative + brand pillars
Brand identity — visual guidelines, mood	brand-kit	Low-Medium — drives visual content specs
Content audit — existing inventory + performance	content-audit	Medium — drives gap analysis + build-on
Market research — industry trends, TAM/SAM	User or research skills	Low-Medium — drives trend angles

Minimum viable input

At least one of: ICP research • product messaging • company context.

Validation checklist

• At least one context dimension available
• Company name and context clear
• Enough foundation to define service-based pillars (not generic ones)

If inputs are thin: flag missing dimensions and their impact, offer to chain icp-behavioural → product-messaging → tov-guidelines → competitor-research. Proceed with what's available, but mark assumptions.

Steps

The skill executes 6 phases. Detailed sub-steps + checkpoints in the premium reference. Visual flowchart in the premium reference. Frameworks (service-based pillars, TOFU/MOFU/BOFU, pillar × funnel matrix, content flow, channel hierarchy, content cascade) in the premium reference. Pillar-design depth in the premium reference. Channel-specific guidance in the premium reference. Narrative architecture mental models in the premium reference.

1. Validate inputs. Check minimum viable input present. If thin, chain prerequisite skills or proceed with assumptions explicitly flagged.
2. Phase 1 — Foundations. Define 2-4 prioritised content goals (revenue / awareness / employer brand / customer success), 4-6 core topics from ICP+messaging, 3-5 differentiators, audience segment matrix.
3. Phase 2 — Pillars + funnel. Define 4-5 service-based pillars (30/25/20/15/10% mix) — NOT generic Educational/Personal/Promotional. AI/automation is the throughline across all pillars. Map TOFU 40% / MOFU 35% / BOFU 25%. Build the pillar × funnel matrix with named example content per cell. Calculate mix in both dimensions with monthly counts.
4. Phase 3 — Channels. Tier 1 (always): LinkedIn + Blog/Newsletter. Tier 2 (if capacity): Podcast/YouTube as anchor. Tier 3 (contextual): X.com, events, IG/TikTok. Pick anchor content (highest-effort, highest-value) and design the cascade (anchor → 5-10 derivatives). Document channel specs: format, frequency, primary pillar, metrics, tooling.
5. Phase 4 — Planning + execution. Calculate volume targets (total + per-channel + per-pillar). Define weekly cadence (production vs publishing). Design 90 days: Month 1 Launch & Foundation → Month 2 Education & Nurturing → Month 3 Proof & Conversion. List recurring series (weekly/monthly/quarterly). Build sample example week.
6. Phase 5 — Metrics + governance. Define metrics by channel (primary + secondary + targets). Document approval workflow + quality checklist + archive/refresh policy. Inventory gaps + assumptions + follow-up research.
7. Phase 6 (optional) — Operationalisation bridge. When 2+ team members, 8+ pieces/month, multiple active channels, or series-based content planned, chain into content-operations for series architecture, cross-channel sequencing, production pipeline, channel optimisation.
8. Self-evaluation. Verify: topics derived from inputs (not invented), pillars are service-based, mixes sum to 100% on both dimensions, volume realistic for capacity. Apply the anti-hallucination guardrails in the premium reference.
9. Assemble output. Use the standard structure in the premium reference: 1. Strategy foundations → 2. Pillars + funnel → 3. Channel strategy → 4. Planning + execution → 5. Metrics + governance → 6. Gaps + recommendations.
10. Pre-delivery quality gate. Run the four-block checklist (strategy / pillars+funnel / channel / execution) in the premium reference. If any check fails, fix or explicitly flag.
11. Review gate (Level 2 — Spot Check). Present foundations, pillars, channels, 90-day plan, volume targets. Actions: [Approve] [Adjust mix] [Refine].
12. Iteration prompts. Offer refinement / expansion / quality prompts (full menu in the premium reference).

What good looks like

Evaluations

Strategy quality:

• Goals are measurable and prioritised
• Core topics trace back to ICP/messaging (no inventions)
• Differentiators are specific and defensible
• Audience segments align with ICP

Pillars + funnel:

• Pillars are service-based (not Educational/Personal/Promotional)
• AI/automation is throughline, not a separate pillar
• TOFU/MOFU/BOFU mapped with content types
• Pillar × funnel matrix populated with named examples
• Mix percentages sum to 100% on both dimensions
• Monthly counts calculated for both dimensions
• Formats are specific with funnel stage assignment

Channel:

• LinkedIn + Blog/Newsletter included
• Bonus channels justified with rationale
• Anchor content defined with cascade
• Metrics defined per channel

Execution:

• Volume realistic for team capacity
• Weekly cadence is actionable
• 90-day themes build logically (Launch → Educate → Prove)
• Recurring series are repeatable

Final ship gate

Run /premortem --output before ship. See /premortem skill for the 5 execution domains (will-it-resonate / will-it-convert / will-it-stay-on-brand / will-stakeholder-push-back / will-it-degrade-over-time) and output template.

Trivial-case escape: ## Premortem\nNo failure modes — trivial change satisfies the contract for genuinely trivial outputs.