Pre-publish Post Assistant Skill

Purpose

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

• Categories - From existing site categories, with distribution awareness

• Tags - From existing tags, avoiding tag pollution

• 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:

• WordPress GraphQL - Live data from WP

• Static dist folder - Parse from built site (/category/ , /tag/ pages)

• 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

Suggested Categories

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

Suggested Tags

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

{ "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

• No tag pollution - Won't suggest creating new tags unless justified

• Balanced distribution - Warns if category is becoming oversized

• SEO compliance - Enforces character limits and keyword placement

• Existing taxonomy - Always checks against actual site data

• Transparent reasoning - Every suggestion includes rationale