−# X & LinkedIn Social Draft
+X & LinkedIn Social Draft
Platform-optimized drafting craft for X and LinkedIn. Write posts that sound like a builder sharing real work, not a content marketer optimizing engagement bait.
+Recent signals (Apr 2026)
+- LinkedIn feed ranking moved to LLM-powered retrieval and now emphasizes dwell time and content-quality signals while actively downranking obvious engagement-bait and recycled/low-value posts (analysis: ALM Corp, Mar 14 2026). URL: https://almcorp.com/blog/linkedin-feed-algorithm-update-llm-2026/
+- X (Twitter) ranking increasingly integrates Grok AI and operates a pay-centric reach model; subscription/verification signals and very early engagement materially affect distribution (analysis: Sprout Social, 2026). URL: https://sproutsocial.com/insights/twitter-algorithm/
+- Show HN remains a curated, trial-first space; follow the official Show HN guidelines (HN). URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/showhn.html
−## When to use
+- Product Hunt launch best practices and official checklist are available in the Product Hunt Launch Guide (added as tracked source). URL: https://www.producthunt.com/launch
+When to use
- You have a content idea scored and ready to draft (ideally from the Content OS backlog)
−- You need to write an X thread, single tweet, or LinkedIn post
+- You need to write an X thread, single X post, or LinkedIn post
- You want to adapt a single idea for both X and LinkedIn
- You need help calibrating tone between platforms
- You are drafting a recurring series post (build log, link drop, deep dive)
−## When NOT to use
+When NOT to use
−
- You need content strategy or pillar planning — use social-content-os
- You are writing long-form blog posts or documentation — this is social-native copy
- You need video scripts — see video-specific skills
- You are drafting email newsletters — use newsletter-craft
- The post has no connection to real work, opinions, or proof
−## Core concepts
+Core concepts
+The hook
+- The first line is the entire post for the majority of readers. It must earn the click to expand.
+- Hook patterns that work for builders: Contrarian claim; Metric lead; Before/after; Direct how-to; Question hook; Story opener.
−### The hook
+- Anti-patterns: "I'm excited to announce…"; "Thread 🧵"; filler openers ("So…", "Alright…"); humble-brag framing.
+Platform signals update and what to change in practice
+- LinkedIn: prioritize dwell time and genuine discussion. Longer narrative, carousels (PDF posts) and comment-driven discussion increase dwell. Avoid obvious engagement-bait ask-for-comments posts — the new ranking deprioritizes them (see ALM Corp analysis).
−The first line is the entire post for 90% of readers. It must earn the click to expand.
+- X: prioritize early engagement in the first 30–60 minutes and craft posts that invite quick reactions. Account subscription/verification status is an important signal; pay-centric distribution means organic reach is smaller for non-subscribers (see Sprout Social).
+X drafting rules (updated)
+- Single post (short-form): keep it tight. Many readers still prefer compact posts; avoid filler. Note: X supports longer posts, but shorter first-line clarity wins attention.
+- Early-engagement rule: the first 30–60 minutes of reactions (likes, replies, reposts) strongly influence distribution. Arrange a small, genuine cohort to engage early if appropriate.
+- Thread (3–12 posts):
+ 1. Post 1 (hook): standalone insight or claim
+ 2. Posts 2–N: one idea per post, each readable in isolation
+ 3. Final post: actionable takeaway or CTA
+ 4. Line breaks between sentences; readers scan
+ 5. Use numbering only when order matters
+- Thread length caution: reader completion drops fast after ~6–8 posts. If you need more, split into a series and label it.
−**Hook patterns that work for builders:**
+- Hashtags: use sparingly and only when they are semantically relevant to discovery.
−| Pattern | Example | Why it works |
+Thread pacing template (unchanged)
−|---------|---------|-------------|
−| Contrarian claim | "Most RAG implementations are over-engineered. Here's proof." | Creates tension, promises evidence |
−| Metric lead | "Cut our API latency from 2.3s to 180ms. The fix was embarrassing." | Specificity + curiosity gap |
−| Before/after | "Before: 400 lines of glue code. After: 50 lines of raw SDK." | Visual contrast, implies a lesson |
−| Direct how-to | "How to set up evals for your AI agent in 30 minutes." | Clear value proposition, specific time |
−| Question hook | "Why do most AI startups ignore evals until it's too late?" | Engages reader's own experience |
−| Story opener | "Last Tuesday our production agent hallucinated a customer's name. Here's what we did." | Narrative pull, vulnerability |
−
−**Anti-patterns:**
−
−- "I'm excited to announce…" — nobody cares about your excitement, lead with the thing
−- "Thread 🧵" — the reader can see it is a thread, do not waste the hook
−- Starting with "So…" or "Alright…" — filler words burn the most valuable real estate
−- Humble-brag framing — "I can't believe this happened…" — just state the result
−
−### X drafting rules
−
−**Single post (≤280 chars):**
−- One idea, one sentence, one punch
−- End with a perspective, not a question (questions get ignored on X unless you have >10K followers)
−- No hashtags unless they are genuinely part of the sentence
−
−**Thread (3–12 posts):**
−1. **Post 1 (hook):** standalone insight or claim that makes sense without the thread
−2. **Posts 2–N:** one idea per post, each readable in isolation
−3. **Final post:** actionable takeaway, CTA (follow, bookmark, reply), or the single most important sentence restated
−4. Use line breaks between sentences — X readers scan, they do not read
−5. Number posts only if the order is sequential and matters (steps, timelines)
−
−**Thread pacing template:**
−
−\`\`\`
Post 1: Hook — the bold claim or result
+Post 2: Context — the problem
−Post 2: Context — what problem existed
+Post 3: What we tried first (why it failed)
−Post 3: What we tried first (and why it failed)
Post 4: The actual solution (with specifics)
Post 5: Result — metrics, before/after, proof
−Post 6: Takeaway — the generalizable lesson
+Post 6: Takeaway — the lesson
Post 7: CTA — what the reader should do next
−\`\`\`
+LinkedIn drafting rules (updated)
+- Format: lead with a strong hook line, then a line break (LinkedIn truncates early). Short paragraphs, aggressive white space.
+- Tone: more narrative than X. Vulnerability works; show a learning arc.
+- Proof and dwell: include metric + narrative + an embedded artifact (screenshot, carousel) to increase dwell time and comment depth.
+- Engagement: end with a question or explicit, contextual CTA. Avoid low-value ask-for-comments prompts; the ranking now favors authentic discussion.
−### LinkedIn drafting rules
+- Link handling: LinkedIn deprioritizes external links in the body. Put external links in the first comment, or include a clear CTA to follow the profile for the link.
+LinkedIn-specific formats that perform (updated)
+- Listicle: "7 things I learned building [X]" + numbered list
+- Carousel (PDF): 6–12 slides, 1 idea per slide — increases dwell and is favored under the new ranking
+- Story arc: Setup → Conflict → Resolution → Takeaway
−**Format:**
+- Hot take + context: Bold claim → reasoning → "Agree or disagree?"
−- Lead with a hook line, then a line break (LinkedIn truncates after ~3 lines)
−- Short paragraphs (1–3 sentences max)
−- Use white space aggressively — LinkedIn is a mobile-first feed
−- Bold or caps for one key phrase per post, not more
