Blog Writer: New Article Generation

Writes complete blog articles from a topic, brief, or outline. Every article follows the 6 pillars of dual optimization (Google rankings + AI citations).

Key references (paths relative to repo root; references live in the main blog skill's references directory, not in blog-write/):

• skills/blog/references/synthesis-contract.md: 6 LAWs for synthesis output (v1.8.0; applies whenever the article embeds research-synthesis prose)
• skills/blog/references/content-templates.md: Template selection guide and usage
• skills/blog/references/quality-scoring.md: 5-category scoring (Content 30, SEO 25, E-E-A-T 15, Technical 15, AI Citation 15)
• skills/blog/references/eeat-signals.md: Experience, expertise, authority, trust markers
• skills/blog/references/internal-linking.md: Linking strategy and anchor text rules
• skills/blog/references/visual-media.md: Image sourcing and chart styling
• skills/blog-write/references/delivery.md: delivery contract steps and summary template for this sub-skill

Workflow

Phase 0: Surface Targeting (do this BEFORE research)

Decide which of the FLOW 5 surfaces this post is meant to win. The choice shapes structure, length, citation density, and call-to-action. The 5 surfaces in 2026:

1. Owned site (organic Google ranking)
2. SERP including AI Overviews
3. AI assistant citations (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, You.com)
4. Local pack (out of scope for blog content; use claude-seo for local)
5. Communities and video (Reddit, YouTube, LinkedIn, Quora, niche forums)

Most posts target surfaces 1, 2, and 3 by default. If the same query also surfaces in a community (Reddit thread, YouTube comment), apply dual-surface thinking: optimize the post for extraction AND plan a community echo (covered in /blog repurpose).

For a deeper surface-by-surface workflow, see skills/blog/references/flow-alignment.md and /blog flow find.

Phase 1: Topic Understanding

1. Clarify the topic - If the user provides just a topic, ask:
   • Target audience (who is this for?)
   • Primary keyword / search intent
   • Desired word count (default: 2,000-2,500 words)
   • Platform/format (MDX, markdown, HTML - auto-detect if in a project)
2. If a brief exists - Load it and skip to Phase 1.5

Phase 1.5: Template Selection

Select the appropriate content template from the 12 templates in skills/blog/templates/ (the main blog skill owns the templates directory).

1. Auto-detect content type from the topic and search intent:

   Signal	Template
   "How to...", process, steps	how-to-guide
   "Best X", "Top N", list format	listicle
   Client result, before/after, metrics	case-study
   "X vs Y", comparison, alternatives	comparison
   Broad topic, comprehensive guide	pillar-page
   "Is X worth it", product evaluation	product-review
   Opinion, prediction, industry take	thought-leadership
   Expert quotes, multi-source collection	roundup
   Code walkthrough, tool demo, technical	tutorial
   Breaking news, algorithm update, event	news-analysis
   Survey results, experiment, original data	data-research
   Q&A, knowledge base, "What is X"	faq-knowledge

2. Load the matching template: Read from skills/blog/templates/<type>.md

3. Adapt the outline - Use the template's section structure, heading patterns, and word count guidance to shape Phase 3's outline

4. Fallback - If no template clearly fits, use the generic outline structure in Phase 3 below. Inform the user which template was selected (or that none matched).

See skills/blog/references/content-templates.md for detailed selection criteria and intent mapping.

Phase 2: Research

Spawn a blog-researcher agent (or do inline research with WebSearch):

1. Find 8-12 current statistics (2025-2026 data preferred)
   • Search: [topic] study 2025 2026 data statistics
   • Prioritize tier 1-3 sources (see skills/blog/references/quality-scoring.md)
   • Record: statistic, source name, URL, date, methodology
2. Find a cover image (wide, high-quality, topic-relevant):
   • Prefer original screenshots, product visuals, diagrams, or data graphics when available
   • For stock, use official APIs such as Openverse, Unsplash, Pexels, or Pixabay so license, creator, source URL, and download URL are captured
   • Download approved assets into the draft folder, store attribution, and never hotlink arbitrary CDN URLs
   • Reject javascript:, data:, and file: image URLs
   • Target dimensions: 1200x630 (OG-compatible) or 1920x1080
   • Or generate a custom SVG cover via blog-chart (text-on-gradient with key stat)
   • Or generate a custom AI image via blog-image; prefer gemini-3.1-flash-image, then gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image or gemini-3-pro-image when available, and record the model ID
   • See skills/blog/references/visual-media.md for cover image sizing details
3. Find 3-5 inline images from open-source platforms:
   • Use official APIs or Openverse search; keep license, creator, source URL, and retrieval date with each asset
   • Download images locally and reference local paths in the draft
   • Validate final URLs with the delivery contract SSRF rules before download
4. Plan 2-4 data visualizations from researched statistics
   • Select diverse chart types (see skills/blog/references/visual-media.md)
   • Map data points to chart formats
5. AI image generation (optional, if blog-image is available):
   • If stock photo results are insufficient (< 3 good matches) or topic is too niche
   • Generate custom hero image and/or inline illustrations via blog-image sub-skill
   • Record prompt, provider, and model ID; stock photos remain available, but original and data visuals are preferred when they better serve the topic
6. NotebookLM research (optional, if user has relevant notebooks):
   • If the user mentions a NotebookLM notebook or the topic aligns with a configured notebook
   • Query via blog-notebooklm for source-grounded data from user-uploaded documents
   • Inherit the source tier from the underlying document provenance; user's own primary documents can be Tier 1, while copied secondary sources keep their original tier
   • Falls back silently if not configured or not authenticated
7. Find relevant YouTube videos (2-3 per post):
   • Use blog-google youtube command or WebSearch site:youtube.com [topic] [year]
   • Apply quality criteria from skills/blog/references/video-embeds.md (min score 50/100)
   • Select 2-3 best videos. Falls back silently if none found.

Phase 3: Outline Generation

Create a structured outline before writing. If a template was loaded in Phase 1.5, adapt this skeleton to match the template's section structure:

# [Title as Question - Include Primary Keyword]

## Introduction (100-150 words)
- Open with the reader's problem, a useful finding, a concrete example, or an
  optional verified statistic when evidence makes that the strongest hook
- Problem/opportunity statement
- What the reader will learn

> **Key Takeaways**
> - [Core finding with statistic and source]
> - [Second key insight or recommendation]
> - [Third actionable takeaway]
> (3-5 concise bullets when a summary helps this content type)

## H2: [Intent-Matched Heading]
- Clear section point with verified support where needed
- Supporting evidence
- [Image placement]
- Practical advice
- [EVIDENCE-BACKED EXPLANATION placeholder]
- [INTERNAL-LINK: anchor text → target description]

## H2: [Intent-Matched Heading]
- Answer-first paragraph
- [Chart: type + data description]
- Analysis and implications
- [EVIDENCE-BACKED EXPLANATION placeholder]
- [INTERNAL-LINK: anchor text → target description]

## H2: [Intent-Matched Heading]
- Answer-first paragraph
- Real-world example or case study
- [Image placement]
- [EVIDENCE-BACKED EXPLANATION placeholder]

## H2: [Intent-Matched Heading]
- Answer-first paragraph
- [Chart: type + data description]
- Step-by-step guidance
- [EVIDENCE-BACKED EXPLANATION placeholder]
- [INTERNAL-LINK: anchor text → target description]

## H2: [Intent-Matched Heading]
- Answer-first paragraph
- Forward-looking analysis

## [CTA Section or Inline Placement]
- See `skills/blog/references/cta-placement.md` for placement rules by content type
- Place CTA after value delivery, not at arbitrary positions
- Single focused CTA per post (266% more conversions)
- [CTA: contextual call-to-action matching article topic]

## Optional FAQ Section (only when real reader questions warrant it)
- [INTERNAL-LINK: anchor text → detailed content]

## Conclusion (100-150 words)
- Key takeaways (bulleted)
- Call to action
- [INTERNAL-LINK: anchor text → next logical content]

Present the outline to the user for approval before writing.

Visual element pacing: Insert [IMAGE], [CHART], [VIDEO], or [CALLOUT] markers every 300-500 words. Alternate types (no consecutive same-type). See skills/blog/references/content-rules.md Visual Rhythm section and skills/blog/references/cta-placement.md for CTA positioning.

Phase 4: Chart Generation (Built-In)

When the researcher identifies chart-worthy data (3+ comparable metrics, trend data, before/after comparisons):

1. Select chart type using the diversity rule (no repeated types per post)
2. Invoke blog-chart sub-skill with: chart type, title, data values, source, platform format
3. Embed the returned SVG directly in the post within a <figure> wrapper
4. Target 2-4 charts per 2,000-word post
5. Distribute charts evenly - never cluster them

See skills/blog/references/visual-media.md for chart type selection and styling rules.

Phase 5: Content Writing

Write the full article following these rules:

5a. Frontmatter

---
title: "[Clear title that identifies the page and matches search intent]"
description: "[Accurate, page-specific summary of the visible content]"
coverImage: "[URL from Pixabay/Unsplash/Pexels or generated SVG path]"
coverImageAlt: "[Descriptive sentence about the cover image]"
ogImage: "[Same as coverImage, or custom OG image URL]"
date: "YYYY-MM-DD"
lastUpdated: "YYYY-MM-DD"
author: "[Author name]"
tags: ["keyword1", "keyword2", "keyword3"]
---

If the platform uses a different field name (e.g., image, hero, thumbnail), adapt to match the project's existing frontmatter convention.

5b. Summary Box (Key Takeaways)

Immediately after the introduction (before the first H2 body section), add a summary box:

> **Key Takeaways**
> - [Core finding with verified support when needed]
> - [Second key insight or recommendation]
> - [Third actionable takeaway]

Requirements:

• 3-5 concise bullet points sized to the material
• Must be self-contained - understandable without reading the article
• Use statistics only when material to the summary and verified
• State the key finding, recommendation, or answer
• Default label: "Key Takeaways". If a persona is active, use the persona's summary_label
• Backward compatible: accept existing TL;DR boxes during rewrites

5c. Purpose-First Formatting (Critical)

State the point of important sections early, then supply the context and verified evidence the claim needs. Do not force statistics or fixed lengths.

Pattern:

## How Does X Impact Y in 2026?

[Stat from source] ([Source Name](url), year). [Direct answer to the heading
question in 1-2 more sentences, explaining the implication and what this means
for the reader.]

Source record for material public statistics:

Record enough provenance for a reader or editor to verify the claim. Use the publication's citation style rather than forcing one sentence pattern.

1. Relevant date or study period. Include it where recency or the measured period changes the claim's meaning.

2. Identifiable source. Name the publisher and document title when needed to distinguish the source and place the citation close to the claim.

3. Retrievable support. Keep a stable URL. Add a retrieval date for changeable or undated sources, and record methodology or limitations when they affect interpretation.

FLOW quality bar (drop or replace): Public claims must use verified sources OR stay qualitative. If a statistic cannot be verified, drop it. If it is contradicted by a more recent source, replace it with the verified alternative. Do not soften vague language to keep an unsourceable number.

For evidence-led optimization prompts (CTR audit, quality follow-up, schema, PAA rewording, ChatGPT visibility), see /blog flow optimize.

5d. Information Gain Markers

Use information-gain markers as optional drafting annotations when the article contains genuinely original data, transparent first-hand evidence, or distinctive sourced synthesis. The evidence itself helps readers; the marker is not a search-engine signal and earns no points by its presence.

Tag each with a comment or visible marker:

• [ORIGINAL DATA] - Proprietary surveys, experiments, A/B test results, case study metrics the author collected first-hand
• [PERSONAL EXPERIENCE] - First-hand observations, lessons learned from direct involvement, "when we tried X, Y happened" narratives
• [UNIQUE INSIGHT] - Analysis others haven't made, contrarian perspectives backed by data, novel connections between existing research

Placement:

• Weave into the body text naturally
• Use as inline comments: <!-- [ORIGINAL DATA] --> before the relevant paragraph
• Or as visible callouts if the format supports it:

  > **Our finding:** [original observation backed by specific data]

• Use only as many as the supported original material warrants.

5e. Evidence-Backed Explanations

For important reusable claims, create a self-contained, evidence-backed explanation sized to the material.

Guidance:

• Self-contained and understandable in isolation
• Contains a specific claim plus verified support when the claim needs it
• Written in a declarative, quotable style
• Placed within the H2 section body (not as a separate block)

Example:

[Verified source title], a [method or sample description] published on [date],
found [specific metric] for [audience or market] ([Source name](https://example.com/full-report),
retrieved YYYY-MM-DD). In practical terms, connect the evidence to one action
the reader should take before making a claim or changing a workflow.

Do not pad explanations to a fixed length or add them solely to earn readiness points.

5f. Internal Linking Zones

Mark internal linking opportunities throughout the article using placeholder notation. The user (or a follow-up pass) will resolve these to actual URLs.

Zone placement:

• Introduction - Link to related pillar content or topic hub
• Each H2 section - Link to supporting articles, deeper dives, related tools
• FAQ section - Link answers to detailed content that expands on the answer
• Conclusion - Link to the next logical piece of content the reader should consume

Format:

[INTERNAL-LINK: anchor text → target description]

Example:

For a deeper dive into keyword clustering, see our
[INTERNAL-LINK: complete guide to keyword clustering → pillar page on keyword research methodology].

Target 5-10 internal link zones per 2,000-word post. Use descriptive anchor text (never "click here" or "read more"). See skills/blog/references/internal-linking.md for anchor text rules and linking strategy.

5g. Paragraph Rules

• Use paragraph and sentence lengths that fit the audience and material
• Split passages when doing so improves comprehension, not to satisfy a quota
• Start each paragraph with the most important information
• Target Flesch Reading Ease: 60-70

5h. Heading Rules

• One H1 (title only)
• H2s for main sections; use question or declarative forms according to intent
• H3s for subsections only - never skip levels
• Keep heading terminology naturally consistent with the page topic; do not enforce an exact-match keyword quota

5i. Image Embedding

Standard markdown:

![Descriptive alt text - topic keywords naturally](https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/...)

MDX with Next.js Image (if detected):

![Descriptive alt text - topic keywords naturally](https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/...)

• Place images after H2 headings, before body text
• Space evenly throughout the post (not clustered)
• Alt text should be a full descriptive sentence

5j. Chart Embedding

Standard markdown/HTML:

<figure>
  <svg viewBox="0 0 560 380" ...>...</svg>
  <figcaption>Source: [Source Name], [Year]</figcaption>
</figure>

MDX format:

<figure className="chart-container" style={{margin: '2.5rem 0', textAlign: 'center', padding: '1.5rem', borderRadius: '12px'}}>
  <svg viewBox="0 0 560 380" ...>...</svg>
</figure>

5k. Video Embedding

Embed YouTube videos using srcdoc lazy-loading pattern from skills/blog/references/video-embeds.md. Include aria-label, noscript fallback for AI crawlers. Place after relevant H2, 500+ words apart.

5l. Citation Format

Inline attribution (always):

In February 2026, Seer Interactive's AI Overview CTR tracker reported a 2.4% organic CTR on AI Overview SERPs ([Seer Interactive](https://www.seerinteractive.com/), retrieved YYYY-MM-DD).

5m. FAQ Section

Add FAQ items only when user questions warrant them. Answers should be complete and concise; include verified statistics only when relevant.

FAQPage is optional entity markup only. Google FAQ rich results were fully retired for all sites on 2026-05-07, so do not make FAQ schema a core Google rich-result output or citation lever. Prioritize Article/BlogPosting + Person + Organization + BreadcrumbList; emit FAQPage only when the platform already supports it and the questions genuinely help users.

For MDX with an optional FAQSchema component:

<FAQSchema faqs={[
  { question: "Question?", answer: "Complete answer with support where needed." },
]} />

For standard markdown:

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Question text here?

Answer completely, with source attribution where the claim needs it.

5n. Internal Linking

• 5-10 internal links per 2,000-word post
• Link to relevant existing content naturally
• Use descriptive anchor text (not "click here")

Phase 6: Quality Check

Before delivering, verify:

Structure and Content

1. Important claims state their point clearly and include verified support where needed
2. Paragraph and sentence pacing suits the audience; length alone cannot block delivery
3. All statistics have named tier 1-3 sources
4. 2-4 charts with type diversity
5. 3-5 inline images with descriptive alt text
6. Cover image present in frontmatter (coverImage + ogImage)
7. FAQ section present with 3-5 items when warranted by user questions
8. Heading hierarchy is clean (H1 -> H2 -> H3)
9. Meta description accurately and specifically summarizes the visible content

New Element Verification

10. Optional summary helps the reader and contains no unsupported claims
11. Any information-gain markers point to supported original material
12. Important reusable claims are self-contained and evidence-backed
13. Internal linking zones marked in introduction, H2 sections, FAQ, and conclusion
14. Project voice preferences reviewed where they improve clarity and fit

Optional Editorial Voice Review

15. Sentence rhythm - Vary sentence structure only where it improves clarity, emphasis, or flow. Do not infer authorship from sentence patterns or enforce fixed sentence-length bands.
16. Configured phrase review - Review these project style-list terms in context and replace them only when a clearer alternative fits:
    • "in today's digital landscape", "it's important to note", "dive into"
    • "game-changer", "navigate the landscape", "revolutionize", "seamlessly"
    • "cutting-edge", "harness the power of", "leverage" (as verb)
    • "delve", "crucial", "elevate", "foster", "landscape" (overused)
    • "multifaceted", "robust", "tapestry", "embark"
    • Full list in agents/blog-writer.md
17. Contractions - Use contractions when they fit the selected voice. Their presence or absence says nothing about authorship or Google performance.
18. Rhetorical questions - Use them only when they help the reader reason through a decision. There is no quota.
19. YouTube videos - 2-3 embeds with lazy loading, aria-labels, and noscript fallback (see skills/blog/references/video-embeds.md)

Phase 6.5: Delivery Contract Enforcement (v1.9.0)

Before Phase 7, run the 5-gate delivery contract (via python3 scripts/blog_preflight.py plus a BLOCKING blog-reviewer agent) per skills/blog/references/blog-delivery-contract.md and the writer-specific checklist in skills/blog-write/references/delivery.md. Use python3 for local scripts. The user is never the first reviewer; the gates are. On any block, capture <folder>/preflight-report.json, re-dispatch the blog-writer agent with the diagnostic as input, and re-run the gated steps. Maximum 3 iterations. On the 3rd failure, stop and present the failure diagnostic instead of the draft.

Phase 7: Delivery

Present the completed article only after Phase 6.5 returns all gates passing. Include <folder>/preview/*.png screenshots and the compact completion summary described in skills/blog-write/references/delivery.md.