From automation-skills
Generates "Top N Best [Category]" listicle articles for affiliate marketing with mini-reviews, pricing, pros/cons, and CTAs per entry. Triggers on requests for roundups, comparisons, or best-of lists.
How this skill is triggered — by the user, by Claude, or both
Slash command
/automation-skills:listicle-generatorThe summary Claude sees in its skill listing — used to decide when to auto-load this skill
Write "Top N Best [Category]" roundup articles that rank on Google, capture featured snippets, and drive affiliate conversions across multiple products. Each list entry is a self-contained mini-review with features, pricing, pros/cons, audience fit, and a CTA. The article is structured to win both the featured snippet and the "People Also Ask" box.
Write "Top N Best [Category]" roundup articles that rank on Google, capture featured snippets, and drive affiliate conversions across multiple products. Each list entry is a self-contained mini-review with features, pricing, pros/cons, audience fit, and a CTA. The article is structured to win both the featured snippet and the "People Also Ask" box.
Parse the user's request for:
If no affiliate product is specified:
Use web_search to build the product list:
"best [category] tools [year]" site:g2.com OR site:capterra.com OR site:trustradius.com"best [category]" — check autocomplete for common phrasings"[category] affiliate program" — identify which products offer commissionsFor each candidate product, gather:
Affiliate prioritization rules:
Map out every section before writing:
Article structure:
Per-entry structure (400-600 words each):
[Rank]. [Product Name] — [One-line Value Prop][Try [Product] free →](url)Title formula: [N] Best [Category] Tools in [Year] (Ranked and Reviewed)
Alternative: Best [Category] Software: Top [N] Picks for [Year]
Introduction (150-200 words):
"At a Glance" Table (immediately after intro, captures featured snippet):
| Tool | Best For | Starting Price | Free Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Product 1] | [Use case] | $X/mo | ✅ |
| [Product 2] | [Use case] | $Y/mo | ❌ |
Evaluation Criteria (H2, before the list): List the 4-6 criteria used to rank products. This builds credibility and explains why your #1 pick is #1. Example criteria: ease of use, feature depth, pricing value, customer support quality, integration ecosystem, scalability.
Individual Product Entries: Write each entry following the per-entry structure above. Vary the opening sentence — don't start every entry the same way. Include specific, verifiable details (actual feature names, real pricing tiers, concrete limitations) — not generic praise.
Master Comparison Table: After all product entries, include a comprehensive feature matrix:
| Feature | [P1] | [P2] | [P3] | [P4] | [P5] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ⚠️ | ✅ |
| [Key feature] | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| [Key feature] | ⭐ Best | Good | Limited | Good | Basic |
| Starting price | $X | $Y | $Z | $A | Free |
How to Choose (H2, 300-400 words): A decision framework for readers who are still unsure after reading the list:
FAQ Section (5-7 questions):
Final Recommendation (H2):
**Start with [Product] — it's free to try.** [Get started →](affiliate_url)Part 1: SEO Metadata
---
SEO METADATA
---
Title: [title with year and number]
Slug: best-[category-slug]-tools
Meta Description: [150-160 chars, include number + year + top product name]
Target Keyword: best [category] tools
Secondary Keywords: [category] software, [product 1] review, [product 2] alternatives, top [category] [year]
Word Count: [actual]
Format: listicle
Products: [N]
---
Part 2: Full Article Complete markdown ready to publish.
Part 3: Supplementary Data
category: # REQUIRED — product category to cover
name: string # e.g., "AI video generators", "email marketing platforms"
tags: string[] # Optional — helps with research targeting
primary_product: # OPTIONAL but recommended — the affiliate product to feature at #1
name: string
description: string
reward_value: string
url: string # Affiliate link
reward_type: string
cookie_days: number
tags: string[]
additional_affiliates: # OPTIONAL — other affiliate products to include in the list
- name: string
url: string
reward_value: string
list_size: number # OPTIONAL — how many products (5-12). Default: auto-select.
target_audience: string # OPTIONAL — "beginners" | "enterprise" | "freelancers" | "agencies"
# Default: inferred from category
year: number # OPTIONAL — year for title/freshness. Default: current year.
target_keyword: string # OPTIONAL — override default keyword
tone: string # OPTIONAL — "conversational" | "professional". Default: "conversational"
Before presenting output, verify:
If any check fails, fix the output before delivering. Do not flag the checklist to the user — just ensure the output passes.
output_schema_version: "1.0.0" # Semver — bump major on breaking changes
article:
title: string
slug: string
meta_description: string
target_keyword: string
format: "listicle"
content: string
word_count: number
product_count: number
products_featured:
- name: string
url: string
rank: number # Position in the list (1 = top)
role: string # "affiliate-primary" | "affiliate-secondary" | "editorial"
reward_value: string
seo:
secondary_keywords: string[]
at_a_glance_table: string # Markdown table — can be extracted for featured snippet
faq_questions:
- question: string
answer: string
image_suggestions:
- description: string
alt_text: string
placement: string
update_schedule:
recommended_frequency: string # "every 6 months" for most categories
items_to_check: string[] # What to verify on next update
Present as three sections:
Target word count: 3,000-5,000 words depending on list size (aim for 400-500 words per product entry plus structural sections).
Example 1: Standard category listicle User: "Write a top 10 best AI video tools article" Action: category="AI video generators", list_size=10, research top tools, position user's affiliate at #1, write 4,500-word listicle targeting "best ai video tools [year]".
Example 2: Niche with specific audience User: "Best email marketing tools for e-commerce, I'm promoting Klaviyo" Action: category="email marketing for e-commerce", primary_product=Klaviyo, target_audience="e-commerce store owners", list_size=7, write article with Klaviyo at #1.
Example 3: Alternatives format User: "Write a 'best alternatives to Mailchimp' article" Action: Treat as listicle where Mailchimp is the incumbent being replaced. Title: "7 Best Mailchimp Alternatives in [Year] (Cheaper + More Powerful)". Position user's affiliate at #1 as top alternative.
Example 4: Chained from S1 User: "Now write a roundup post for the category" Context: S1 returned Semrush in the SEO tools category Action: category=SEO tools, primary_product=Semrush, auto-select list_size=8, write "Best SEO Tools [year]" with Semrush at #1.
shared/references/ftc-compliance.md — FTC disclosure text. Read before Step 4.shared/references/affiliate-glossary.md — Terminology reference.shared/references/flywheel-connections.md — master flywheel connection maplanding-page-creator (S4) — featured products for landing pagescontent-pillar-atomizer (S2) — listicle as pillar content to atomizeinternal-linking-optimizer (S6) — new listicle needs internal linksaffiliate-program-search (S1) — recommended_program as primary productkeyword-cluster-architect (S3) — commercial intent clusters for listicle topicsseo-audit (S6) tracks listicle rankings → identify which list formats and sizes rank bestBefore delivering output, verify:
Any NO → rewrite before delivering.
chain_metadata:
skill_slug: "listicle-generator"
stage: "blog"
timestamp: string
suggested_next:
- "landing-page-creator"
- "content-pillar-atomizer"
- "internal-linking-optimizer"
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