Pre-publish Post Assistant Skill

Purpose

This skill helps prepare blog posts for publication by providing intelligent suggestions for:

1. Categories - From existing site categories, with distribution awareness
2. Tags - From existing tags, avoiding tag pollution
3. SEO Metadata - Title, meta description, and focus keyphrase

All suggestions include rationale explaining the reasoning.

When to Use This Skill

• User says "classify this post" or "suggest categories/tags"
• User asks to "prepare this post for publishing"
• User wants "SEO suggestions" for a draft
• User provides a draft post and asks for taxonomy suggestions
• User mentions "new blog post" and needs categorization help

Key Principles

Category Selection

• Limit to 1-2 categories per post (primary + optional secondary)
• Prefer categories with moderate post counts (avoid over/under-populated)
• Match content theme, not just keywords
• Consider category hierarchy if applicable

Tag Selection

• Limit to 3-5 tags per post
• Only use existing tags (no new tag creation unless explicitly requested)
• Avoid tag pollution (tags with only 1-2 posts are low value)
• Prefer tags that group related content meaningfully
• Consider tag search potential

SEO Metadata

• Title: 50-60 characters, include primary keyword, compelling
• Meta Description: 150-160 characters, summarize value proposition, include CTA
• Focus Keyphrase: 2-4 words, searchable, relevant to content

Input Formats

The skill accepts draft content in multiple formats:

# File path
"Classify this post: /path/to/draft.md"

# URL (for already-published posts needing optimization)
"Suggest tags for https://example.com/my-post/"

# Inline text
"Here's my draft: [content]... What categories fit?"

Data Sources

Categories and Tags

Can be retrieved from:

1. WordPress GraphQL - Live data from WP
2. Static dist folder - Parse from built site (/category/, /tag/ pages)
3. Cached taxonomy file - Pre-generated taxonomy.json

Distribution Data

For balanced suggestions, the skill needs post counts per category/tag:

• Categories: Aim for even distribution, flag if category would become oversized
• Tags: Prefer tags with 5+ posts, warn about orphan tags

Output Format

markdown
## Suggested Categories

| Category | Post Count | Confidence | Rationale |
|----------|------------|------------|-----------|
| personal-development | 245 | High | Core theme matches self-improvement focus |
| productivity-effectiveness | 89 | Medium | Secondary theme around habits and routines |

**Recommendation**: Use "personal-development" as primary category.

---

## Suggested Tags

| Tag | Post Count | Confidence | Rationale |
|-----|------------|------------|-----------|
| habits | 45 | High | Central topic of the post |
| productivity | 67 | High | Directly discussed |
| morning-routine | 12 | Medium | Specific example in content |

**Recommendation**: Use all 3 tags. Avoid creating new tags.

---

## SEO Metadata

**Title** (58 chars):
> How to Build Morning Habits That Actually Stick | Your Blog

**Meta Description** (156 chars):
> Discover the science-backed approach to building morning habits that last. Learn the 3-step framework used by high performers. Start your transformation today.

**Focus Keyphrase**:
> morning habits

**Rationale**:
- "morning habits" has good search volume and matches user intent
- Title includes keyphrase naturally at the beginning
- Description creates urgency and promises specific value

Workflow

1. Analyze Content

• Extract main themes and topics
• Identify key concepts and terminology
• Determine content type (how-to, opinion, review, etc.)

2. Load Taxonomy

• Fetch existing categories with post counts
• Fetch existing tags with post counts
• Identify distribution patterns

3. Match & Score

• Score each category/tag by relevance
• Consider distribution balance
• Flag potential issues (orphan tags, oversized categories)

4. Generate SEO

• Craft title with primary keyword
• Write compelling meta description
• Suggest focus keyphrase

5. Present with Rationale

• Show recommendations in table format
• Explain reasoning for each suggestion
• Highlight any concerns or alternatives

Configuration

json
{
  "taxonomy_source": "graphql|dist|file",
  "dist_path": "./dist",
  "taxonomy_file": "./taxonomy.json",
  "graphql_endpoint": "https://wp.example.com/graphql",
  "limits": {
    "max_categories": 2,
    "max_tags": 5,
    "min_tag_posts": 3
  },
  "seo": {
    "title_max_length": 60,
    "description_max_length": 160,
    "site_name": "Your Blog"
  }
}

Example Usage

Basic Classification

User: "Classify this post for me: /content/drafts/morning-routine-guide.md"

Claude: [Reads file, analyzes content, fetches taxonomy]
        [Presents category/tag suggestions with rationale]
        [Generates SEO metadata]

Quick Tag Check

User: "What tags should I use for a post about Bitcoin ETFs and institutional adoption?"

Claude: [Analyzes topic, checks existing tags]
        "Based on your existing tags, I recommend:
        - bitcoin (89 posts) - primary topic
        - cryptocurrency (45 posts) - broader category
        - investing (23 posts) - relevant angle

        Avoid creating new tags like 'etf' or 'institutional' unless you plan
        to write more content on these specific topics."

SEO Focus

User: "Generate SEO metadata for my post about productivity apps for remote workers"

Claude: [Analyzes topic and search intent]

        Title: "Best Productivity Apps for Remote Workers in 2025 | Your Blog"

        Description: "Discover the top productivity apps that remote workers
        swear by. From task management to focus tools, find the perfect
        stack for your home office."

        Focus Keyphrase: "productivity apps remote workers"

Best Practices Enforced

1. No tag pollution - Won't suggest creating new tags unless justified
2. Balanced distribution - Warns if category is becoming oversized
3. SEO compliance - Enforces character limits and keyword placement
4. Existing taxonomy - Always checks against actual site data
5. Transparent reasoning - Every suggestion includes rationale