Social Captions

/social-captions — Algorithm-Optimized Social Media Captions (v2)

The user sends material (text, image, script, competitor post, screenshot, or description of content). You analyze it and immediately generate captions for ALL 7 platforms in English.

No questions. No menus. Just analyze and deliver.

WORKFLOW

STEP 1: Analyze the Input

Read/view whatever the user sent:

• If it's text/script — extract the core topic, key message, niche, and tone
• If it's an image/screenshot — describe what you see, identify the niche and key message
• If it's a competitor post — analyze their approach, then write BETTER captions
• If it's a brief description — expand it into full captions

Write a short (2-3 sentence) analysis:

**Topic:** [what this is about]
**Niche:** [industry/category]
**Key message:** [the core idea to communicate]

STEP 2: Generate Captions for ALL Platforms

Generate captions for all 7 formats below. Each caption must use a DIFFERENT formula. All captions in English only.

Output in this exact format:

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1. INSTAGRAM REELS

[Ready to copy-paste caption text]

[3-5 hashtags]

> Formula: [name] | Hook: [type] | CTA: [type] | Optimizes for: [signal]

---

2. INSTAGRAM CAROUSEL

[Ready to copy-paste caption text]

[3-5 hashtags]

> Formula: [name] | Hook: [type] | CTA: [type] | Optimizes for: [signal]

---

3. TIKTOK

[Ready to copy-paste caption text]

[3-5 hashtags]

> Formula: [name] | Hook: [type] | CTA: [type] | Optimizes for: [signal]

---

4. THREADS

[Ready to copy-paste caption text]

[1 topic tag]

> Formula: [name] | Hook: [type] | CTA: [type] | Optimizes for: [signal]

---

5. FACEBOOK (Page/Personal)

[Ready to copy-paste caption text]

> Formula: [name] | Hook: [type] | CTA: [type] | Optimizes for: [signal]

---

6. FACEBOOK GROUP

[Ready to copy-paste caption text]

> Formula: [name] | Hook: [type] | CTA: [type] | Optimizes for: [signal]

---

7. YOUTUBE SHORTS

Title:

[Ready to copy-paste title — max 100 characters]

Description:

[Ready to copy-paste description]

[3-5 hashtags]

> Formula: [name] | Hook: [type] | CTA: [type] | Optimizes for: [signal]

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STEP 3: End with

"Want me to adjust any of these? I can change the tone, try different formulas, make them more provocative/friendly/expert, or regenerate for a specific platform."

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PLATFORM RULES (CRITICAL — follow exactly)

INSTAGRAM REELS

• Length: 80-200 characters. Short hook = video title
• Structure: Hook (first 125 chars before truncation) → 1-2 sentences max → CTA
• Hook: Must stop the scroll in 5-10 words. Use: conflict, transformation, curiosity gap, bold statement, or shocking stat
• CTA: Optimize for DM shares ("send to a friend who...") or saves ("save for later") — 10x more valuable than likes
• Hashtags: 3-5 niche hashtags IN the caption. Never #fyp, #viral, #instagood, #like4like
• SEO: Primary keyword in first 2 sentences
• NO: Engagement bait, emoji in first line, generic phrases

INSTAGRAM CAROUSEL

• Length: 300-900 characters. Longer captions work — users are already engaged
• Structure: Hook → Expanded value complementing slides → Save CTA
• CTA: Always optimize for saves. Carousels with save CTA get +68% saves
• Body: Lists, step-by-step, checklists. Structure with emoji-bullets or numbers

TIKTOK

• Length: 100-300 characters. First 80-100 visible before truncation
• Structure: Hook (80 chars) → 1-2 short sentences → CTA + 3-5 emoji (+33% engagement)
• SEO: voiceover > on-screen text > caption > hashtags in importance
• Keywords: Primary keyword in first 80 characters
• Hashtags: 3-5 MAX. Formula: 1 niche + 1 thematic + 1 trending. NEVER #fyp, #foryou, #viral
• Completion rate: 70%+ needed for viral. Caption should tease "watch till end"
• CTA: Questions get +44% comments

THREADS

• Length: 100-280 characters optimal (max 500)
• Structure: One clear idea. Conversational tone, like a group chat
• Tags: Only 1 topic tag per post. Can be multi-word. Niche > broad
• Engagement: Replies are #1 signal. Provoke conversation
• Links: +17% better with links now
• NO: Engagement bait, copy-paste from other platforms

FACEBOOK (Page/Personal)

• Length: 40-80 characters for max reach
• Structure: Ultra-short hook → value → discussion question
• Hashtags: 0-2 max or none
• AVOID trigger words: "buy now", "limited time", "FREE" (caps), "click here", "money", "income", "contest", "giveaway"
• SAFE replacements: "available today", "complimentary", "no cost", "learn more"
• Trigger word impact: 1-2 words = -20-30% reach, 3-5 = -40-60%, 6+ = -70-95%

FACEBOOK GROUP

• Length: 200-500 characters. Longer, contextual
• Reach: 30-50% of members (vs 1-2% for Pages)
• Style: Community language ("who else has experienced...", "curious what you all think about...")
• CTA: Open discussion questions

YOUTUBE SHORTS

• Title length: 40-70 characters optimal (max 100). Title is the #1 SEO signal — treat it like a search headline
• Title structure: Primary keyword first → benefit or curiosity gap → NO clickbait that misleads (YouTube penalizes)
• Title formulas: "[Keyword]: [what viewer gets]" / "How to [result] in [time]" / "[Number] [topic] secrets" / "Why [common belief] is wrong"
• Description length: 150-300 characters. First 100 chars visible before "Show more" — front-load the hook
• Description structure: Hook sentence (repeats/expands title) → 1-2 sentences of value → CTA → hashtags
• Hashtags: 3-5 MAX, placed at the end of description. 1 broad category + 1-2 niche + 1 topic-specific. NEVER #shorts as the only tag
• SEO: YouTube is a search engine. Match exact phrases people type: "how to use Claude", "AI productivity tips", "Claude tutorial"
• CTA: Subscribe prompt or "watch [linked video] for more" — channel growth > likes for Shorts
• Completion rate: Critical metric. Title must match video content exactly or retention tanks
• NO: Misleading titles, keyword stuffing, #shorts #viral #fyp as primary tags

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CAPTION FORMULAS (use different ones for each platform)

For REACH:

1. Trend-Hook + Benefit: "[Trend]: [benefit] for [audience]"
2. Curiosity X vs Y: "[A] vs [B]: which works better for [situation]?"
3. Myth Buster: "Myth: [belief]. Fact: [rebuttal]"
4. Data Teaser: "[Number] → [result] in [timeframe]"
5. What Works Now: "What works in [niche] right now: [1], [2], [3]"
6. Watch Time Promise: "In [time] you'll get [result]. Watch till end for [bonus]"
7. Beginner's Path: "New to [field]: [step 1] → [step 2] → [step 3]"

For ENGAGEMENT:

1. Micro-Decision: "Are you [A] or [B]? And why?"
2. Hot Take: "Unpopular opinion: [thesis]. Agree or disagree?"
3. Rate These 3: "Rank by importance: [1], [2], [3]"
4. This or That: "[A] or [B] for [situation]? Your pick?"
5. Fill in the Blank: "Complete: 'The best advice about [topic] was...'"

For SALES:

1. POOPC: "Struggling with [pain]? [Result] in [time] with [product]"
2. Objection Destroyer: "Think '[objection]'? Actually, [counter]"
3. Social Proof Lead: "'[Client quote]'. Here's how:"

For GROWTH:

1. Series: "Day [1/N] of [topic]. Follow for the rest"
2. Lead Magnet: "Free [resource] on [topic]. Comment '[word]'"
3. Cliffhanger: "10 lessons from [experience]. Today — first 3. Rest for followers"

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HOOK LIBRARY

Provocation:

• "Stop [doing X] — here's why"
• "Nobody talks about this [topic] hack"
• "You're doing [X] wrong"

Curiosity:

• "Here's what no one tells you about [topic]"
• "Mistake #1 that kills your [metric]"
• "I tested [N] methods. These [N] destroyed the rest"

Value:

• "Save this for when [situation]"
• "[N] things I wish I knew before [X]"
• "In [time] I [result]. Here's how:"

Emotion:

• "Honest truth about [topic]"
• "One change flipped everything"
• "Unpopular opinion: [bold claim]"

TikTok-specific:

• "Stop scrolling if you [situation]"
• "POV: you just discovered [thing]"
• "I spent [money/time] so you don't have to"

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ANTI-PATTERNS (NEVER do these)

Engagement bait (-50-90% reach on ALL platforms):

• "Like if you agree" / "Comment YES" / "Tag 3 friends"
• "Share before they delete this" / "React with [emoji] if..."

Shadow ban triggers:

• Violence words (even in innocent context)
• Adult content words
• Financial promises: "guaranteed income", "get rich quick"
• Letter substitution does NOT help — algorithms detect it

Format crimes:

• Same hashtags on every post (spam flag)
• More than 5 hashtags (limit since late 2025)
• Wall of text without line breaks
• #fyp, #foryou, #viral — useless and harmful

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POWER WORDS (use 2-3 per caption)

| Category | Words | |----------|-------| | Urgency | Now, Today, Limited, Last chance | | Trust | Proven, Tested, Research-backed, Results | | Exclusivity | Secret, Hidden, Insider, Behind-the-scenes | | Emotion | Shocking, Surprising, Honest, Raw, Real | | Action | Discover, Unlock, Transform, Master, Grab | | Value | Free, Bonus, Cheat sheet, Blueprint, Toolkit |

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SIGNAL HIERARCHY (all platforms, 2025-2026)

1. Shares/DM sends — strongest (~10x a like)
2. Saves — very strong, especially Instagram
3. Comments — strong, especially meaningful ones
4. Watch time / Completion rate — dominant for video (70%+ for viral)
5. Likes — weakest, "vanity metric"

QUALITY CHECKLIST (verify before presenting)

• [ ] Hook in first 80-125 characters
• [ ] 1-3 SEO keywords naturally integrated
• [ ] ONE clear CTA per caption
• [ ] 2-3 power words (not more)
• [ ] 3-5 niche hashtags (not generic) where applicable
• [ ] Zero engagement bait
• [ ] Zero shadow ban triggers
• [ ] Zero Facebook trigger words (for FB captions)
• [ ] Short paragraphs with line breaks
• [ ] Different formula for each platform

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: rediumvex
• Source: rediumvex/social-media-caption-generator-claude
• License: MIT
• Homepage: https://www.instagram.com/roman.knox/

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.