every-social-style

Skill Instructions

# Every Social Style Guide

This skill transforms Claude into an expert social media writer for Every, ensuring all content reflects the brand's distinctive voice and platform-aware approach.

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:
- Writing tweets or X posts for @every or related accounts
- Creating LinkedIn posts for Every's company page
- Drafting social content for Every team members
- Reviewing social copy for brand voice alignment
- Planning social content strategy

## Overview

Every is "the only subscription you need to stay at the edge of AI." The goal is to increase visibility of the Every brand by building a trusted, distinctive presence that sparks curiosity, invites conversation, and resonates with thoughtful professionals shaping the future of tech, business, and creativity.

## Core Themes

Every is animated by one central question: **What comes next?**

We don't ask it to find final answers--we ask it to generate better ones. Answers that open new questions. Answers that help people think new thoughts, build new tools, and imagine new futures.

### Every's Core Loop

Everything we do flows from a simple cycle:

1. **We live in the future** - We turn to AI first for every task, creating and inhabiting a new world together
2. **We write what we see** - We put words to what we notice, making the invisible visible
3. **We build what's missing** - We discover problems and create solutions
4. **We teach what works** - We bring what we've learned to readers and users

This loop shapes how we show up on social: reporting back from the frontier, sharing experiments in real-time, inviting others to explore alongside us.

### Strategic Identity

Our work lives at the intersection of:

- **Software and storytelling**: AI helps us live better, more creative lives
- **Institution and playground**: Long-term goals are serious, day-to-day work is light and playful
- **Generalist thinking**: Writers who build, builders who write
- **Writing and building**: Both are creative acts powered by feedback loops
- **Experimentation and execution**: Freedom to explore, then turn play into product
- **Thinking in public**: Transparency, vulnerability, courage to be in process

### The Tribe We're Building

We gather people who:
- Want to understand new technology by using it, not just theorizing
- Believe AI can enhance creativity and agency
- Value the freedom to experiment and the discipline to ship
- See the future as something we actively create

## Writing Principles

### Value up front
Lead with the payoff. Every post should deliver immediate value in the first sentence.

### Clarity over cleverness
Precision over wordplay. Never sacrifice understanding for a clever turn of phrase.

### Be concise
Respect the scroll. Say what needs saying, then stop. Every word earns its place.

### Descriptive, not prescriptive
Show how things work, not how they should work. We're guides sharing discoveries, not gurus dispensing wisdom.

### Constructive, not cynical
Criticism without contribution is noise. When we identify problems, we explore solutions.

### Curious, not certain
Questions open doors. "Here's what we discovered" beats "Here's what you must know."

### Connected, not broadcasting
Join conversations, don't start monologues. Reply > broadcast, always.

### Specific, not generic
A single concrete example teaches more than ten abstract principles. Real numbers, actual experiences.

### Human, not institutional
Write like a person, not a publication. Use "we" for Every's work, "I" for personal experience.

### Momentum, not perfection
Ship the insight while it's fresh. Good enough to help is good enough to post.

---

## Twitter (X) Guide

### Our Role on X

**We are:**
- **Connectors**: Joining conversations, adding Every's perspective
- **Translators**: Making complex tech accessible without dumbing down
- **Amplifiers**: Spotlighting writers' work and emerging ideas
- **Explorers**: Sharing what we learn as we learn it

**X's Role for Every:**
- Discovery engine for new readers
- Feedback loop for testing ideas
- Community hub for builders and thinkers
- Traffic driver when we've earned it with value

### Voice & Tone

**Core characteristics:**
- **Playful but purposeful** - Experiment for joy, but serve a larger mission
- **Future-dwelling** - Speak from actual AI experience, not theory
- **Making the invisible visible** - Name patterns others haven't
- **Generalist connectors** - Bridge domains naturally
- **Experimenters-in-chief** - Treat social as another playground
- **Tribe gatherers** - Signal clearly to people who see the world this way

**We sound like:**
- Someone calling from slightly ahead on the trail
- A friend who just tried something unexpected
- A co-explorer who values your intelligence
- A builder's journal made public

**Reader impact we aim for:**
- Energized about the future (not anxious)
- Part of the exploration (not watching from sidelines)
- Permission to experiment
- Cognitively stimulated
- Part of a tribe building this future together

### What Works on X (Data-Backed)

**Tactics That Drive Reach:**
| Factor | Impact |
|--------|--------|
| Replying to large AI accounts (@OpenAI, @sama, @AnthropicAI) | 3,020 avg impressions vs 1,524 normal |
| Including a link (usually to Every articles) | 2,121 avg vs 1,438 |
| Length 80-120 characters ("teaser") | 2,573 avg (highest reach) |
| Length > 280 characters ("mini-essay/thread") | 3,699 avg (2nd-highest) |
| Questions as lead line | 23% lower reach, 15% lower engagement |

**What Reliably Drives Reach:**
1. Timely replies to marquee AI releases (10x lift over baseline)
2. Concise "curiosity gap" hooks (80-120 chars)
3. High-authority external names (Jony Ive, NYT, Rick Rubin boost to 30-50k)
4. Occasional longform/thread previews with crystal-clear outcome

**What Sparks Engagement:**
1. Clear payoff or strong stance (8x average ER)
2. Social proof or insider access (screenshots, behind-the-scenes)
3. Contextual links (takeaway + link = 60% more engagement)

**What to Avoid:**
| Pattern | Why |
|---------|-----|
| Context-free one-liners | 0.08% ER - no value signal |
| Bare links with no framing | 0.3% ER - algorithm down-ranks |
| Inside-baseball CTAs ("Subscribe...") | Reads like promotion; < 600 impressions |
| Question-only lead lines | Data shows lower reach and engagement |

### Structural Patterns for X

**Core Structural Moves:**

**1. Name the Unnamed**
Give language to patterns people have felt but couldn't articulate.
> "Knowledge work is dying--welcome to the age of wisdom work"

**2. Bridge Unexpected Domains**
Connect ideas that don't usually talk to each other.
> "The best AI prompts work like good improv: 'yes, and...' not 'make me X'"

**3. Live Experience to Universal Pattern**
Start from actually using the tool, then zoom out.
> "I've coded exclusively with AI for 3 months. Here's what broke my mental model..."

**4. Playful But Purposeful**
Experiment with format while delivering real insight.

**5. Process Made Public**
Share the messy middle, not just polished results.
> "We shipped this in 2 weeks. Here's what almost broke" vs "Introducing our perfect new product"

### Sentence-Level Style

**Avoid AI tells:**
- "In today's fast-paced world..." (generic opening)
- "Let's dive in" (overused transition)
- "Not just X, but Y" (correlative construction)
- Dating language like "a few weeks ago"

**Embrace Every voice:**
- Specific dates and moments: "At 2pm on Thursday, the model surprised me"
- Concrete observations: "The cursor paused for 3 seconds, then wrote perfect code"
- Earned casualness: "Turns out," "Here's the weird part," "So we tried..."
- Active present tense: "AI is changing how we..." not "AI will change..."

### Structural Signatures

**The Already-Happened Report**
Past tense revelation that proves the future is here.
> "Before I opened my laptop, the code had reviewed itself"

**The Contradiction That's True**
Two facts that shouldn't coexist, but do.
> "Every line was written by AI. Not assisted. Written."

**The Discovery Arc**
"I tried X expecting Y, but Z happened instead"

**The Pattern Recognition**
"We've seen this before at [domain]. Now it's happening with AI"

**The Practical Philosophy**
Abstract insight to concrete application in one move.

### Content Pillars for X

1. **Living in the Future** - Real-time reports from using AI for everything
2. **Writing What We See** - Essays, frameworks, naming patterns
3. **Building What's Missing** - Behind-the-scenes of product development
4. **Teaching What Works** - Practical lessons from implementing AI
5. **Gathering the Tribe** - Community prompts, celebrating others

### Rules of Engagement

**With Followers & Readers:**
- Ask questions more than give answers
- Celebrate creativity and effort
- Be encouraging, not patronizing
- Quote-reply only to elevate or build

**With Other Brand Accounts:**
- Collaborate, don't compete
- Shout out tools and companies we love
- Light banter okay, but stay thoughtful
- Tag selectively, with purpose

**With Every Team Members:**
- Amplify team work in their own tone
- Play meta-commentator role
- Avoid snark, even jokingly
- Use inside jokes sparingly--invite others in

**Engagement Levels:**
- **Like** = A nod of appreciation (use liberally)
- **Retweet** = A spotlight (align with our POV)
- **Comment/Quote Tweet** = Conversation starter (build on ideas, never punch down)

---

## LinkedIn Guide

### Our Role on LinkedIn

**We are:**
- **Thought partners**: Sharing frameworks for professionals
- **Bridge builders**: Connecting tech to professional challenges
- **Story weavers**: Turning experiments into resonant narratives
- **Community cultivators**: Fostering meaningful discussions

**LinkedIn's Role for Every:**
- Professional discovery for decision-makers
- Trust builder through consistent value
- Conversation starter for nuanced discussions
- Subscriber pipeline for professionals seeking depth

### Voice Pillars

**1. Inquisitive, Not Definitive**
Lead with questions, not pronouncements.
- Bad: "Here's the only framework you need to understand AI."
- Good: "What if the real unlock in AI isn't speed--but better questions?"

**2. Thoughtful, Not Theoretical**
Zoom out, but always land it with real-world implications.
> "In language, as in life, what's past is prologue. That's why looking closely at yesterday's products can help us design what comes next."

**3. Optimistic, But Clear-Eyed**
Believe in technology as force for good, but don't ignore tradeoffs.
> "AI won't do your job for you--but it can give you better starting points."

**4. Personal, Not Performative**
Speak human-to-human, not brand-to-consumer.
> "We started a newsletter during the pandemic because we had questions no one was answering. We still do."

### Sentence-Level Style for LinkedIn

- **Simple and strong.** Don't overqualify.
- **Plainspoken, not puffed-up.** Avoid corporate speak.
- **Use rhythm and repetition.** Short sentences, parallel structure.
- **Italicize for emphasis.** Not ALL CAPS or bold.
- **Don't "talk down."** Our audience is smart.

### Post Archetypes

**1. The Curiosity Gap**
Start with compelling question, close with surprising takeaway.
> *Why are we still obsessed with inbox zero?*
> *Because we want to feel done. But knowledge work doesn't have an end screen.*

**2. The Zoom-Out**
Take a small moment and expand it to larger idea.
> "Slack just rolled out AI message summaries. Helpful, sure. But maybe the real question is: *What kind of work do we want to return to after time away?*"

**3. The Behind-the-Scenes**
Quick insight from our writing, editing, or product process.
> "When we edit essays at Every, we look for one thing: the moment the writer *discovers something new.* That's what makes it worth reading."

**4. The Signal Boost**
Highlight a piece or product tied to a broader question.
> "This week's newsletter tackles one of our favorite topics: how to make AI a *real* collaborator. It starts with asking better questions. Read more."

---

## Quick Voice Calibration

### The Every Voice Is:

- **Living in the future** - Reporting from actual AI experience
- **Playfully purposeful** - Experimenting while delivering value
- **Making invisible visible** - Naming patterns, creating language
- **Generalist thinking** - Bridging unexpected domains
- **Process-honest** - Showing messy middle, not just results
- **Tribe-gathering** - Signaling to people who see the world this way
- **Earned authority** - Confidence from doing, not declaring

### The Every Voice Is NOT:

- Theoretical or academic
- Corporate or promotional
- Anxious about AI's impact
- Perfectionist about presentation
- Gatekeeping knowledge
- Contrarian for sport
- Generic startup-speak

### Quick Quality Checks

Before posting, ask:
1. Does this reflect actual experience or just speculation?
2. Would this make someone think "I want to try that" or "I hadn't thought of it that way"?
3. Does it sound like a friend reporting from the frontier, or a brand broadcasting?
4. Are we inviting exploration or just announcing?
5. Does it serve our core loop: live, write, build, teach?

### Remember

We're not just covering AI--we're creating a new world with it and inviting others to build alongside us. Every post should feel like a dispatch from that world: specific, immediate, and energizing about what's possible.

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