tiktok-app-marketing

What this skill does

# TikTok App Marketing

Automate your entire TikTok slideshow marketing pipeline: generate → overlay → post → track → iterate.

**Proven results:** 7 million views on the viral X article, 1M+ TikTok views, $670/month MRR — all from an AI agent running on an old gaming PC.

## Prerequisites

This skill does NOT bundle any dependencies. Your AI agent will need to research and install the following based on your setup. Tell your agent what you're working with and it will figure out the rest.

### Required
- **Node.js** (v18+) — all scripts run on Node. Your agent should verify this is installed and install it if not.
- **node-canvas** (`npm install canvas`) — used for adding text overlays to slide images. This is a native module that may need build tools (Python, make, C++ compiler) on some systems. Your agent should research the install requirements for your OS.
- **Upload-Post** — this is the backbone of the whole system. Upload-Post handles posting to TikTok, Instagram, and 10+ other platforms simultaneously with a single API call. It also provides **analytics** (followers, impressions, reach) and **upload history** (per-post tracking) that power the daily feedback loop. Without Upload-Post, the agent can't post or track what's working — and the feedback loop is what makes this skill actually grow your account instead of just posting blindly. Sign up at [upload-post.com](https://upload-post.com).

### Image Generation (pick one)
You choose what generates your images. Your agent should research the API docs for whichever you pick:
- **OpenAI** — `gpt-image-1.5` **(ALWAYS 1.5, never 1)**. Needs an OpenAI API key. Best for realistic photo-style images. This is what Larry uses and what we strongly recommend.
- **Stability AI** — Stable Diffusion XL and newer. Needs a Stability AI API key. Good for stylized/artistic images.
- **Replicate** — run any open-source model (Flux, SDXL, etc.). Needs a Replicate API token. Most flexible.
- **Local** — bring your own images. No API needed. Place images in the output directory and the script skips generation.

### Conversion Tracking (optional but recommended for mobile apps)
- **RevenueCat** — this is what completes the intelligence loop. Upload-Post tells you which posts get impressions. RevenueCat tells you which posts drive **paying users**. Combined, the agent can distinguish between a viral post that makes no money and a modest post that actually converts — and optimize accordingly. Install the RevenueCat skill from ClaWHub (`clawhub install revenuecat`) for full API access to subscribers, MRR, trials, churn, and revenue. There's also a **RevenueCat MCP** for programmatic control over products and offerings from your agent/IDE.

### Cross-Posting (built-in with Upload-Post)
Upload-Post supports posting to TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, X (Twitter), Threads, Pinterest, Reddit, and Bluesky — all in a single API call. Your agent should research which platforms fit your audience and connect them in your Upload-Post profile. Same content, different algorithms, more reach.

## First Run — Onboarding

When this skill is first loaded, IMMEDIATELY start a conversation with the user. Don't dump a checklist — talk to them like a human marketing partner would. The flow below is a guide, not a script. Be natural. Ask one or two things at a time. React to what they say. Build on their answers.

**Important:** Use `scripts/onboarding.js --validate` at the end to confirm the config is complete.

### Phase 0: TikTok Account Warmup (CRITICAL — Don't Skip This)

Before anything else, check if the user already has a TikTok account with posting history. If they're creating a fresh account, they MUST warm it up first or TikTok will treat them like a bot and throttle their reach from day one.

Explain this naturally:

> "Quick question before we dive in — do you already have a TikTok account you've been using, or are we starting fresh? If it's new, we need to warm it up first. TikTok's algorithm watches how new accounts behave, and if you go straight from creating an account to posting AI slideshows, it flags you as a bot and kills your reach."

**If the account is new or barely used, walk them through this:**

The goal is to use TikTok like a normal person for **7-14 days** before posting anything. Spend **30-60 minutes a day** on the app:

- **Scroll the For You page naturally.** Watch some videos all the way through. Skip others halfway. Don't watch every single one to the end — that's not how real people scroll.
- **Like sparingly.** Maybe 1 in 10 videos. Don't like everything — that's bot behaviour. Only like things you'd genuinely engage with in your niche.
- **Follow accounts in your niche.** If they're promoting a fitness app, follow fitness creators. Room design? Interior design accounts. This trains the algorithm to understand what the account is about.
- **Watch niche content intentionally.** This is the most important part. TikTok learns what you engage with and starts showing you more of it. You want the For You page dominated by content similar to what you'll be posting.
- **Leave a few genuine comments.** Not spam. Real reactions. A few per session.
- **Maybe post 1-2 casual videos.** Nothing promotional. Just normal content that shows TikTok there's a real person behind the account.

**The signal to look for:** When they open TikTok and almost every video on their For You page is in their niche, the account is warmed up. The algorithm understands them. NOW they can start posting.

Tell the user: "I know two weeks feels like wasted time, but accounts that skip warmup consistently get 80-90% less reach on their first posts. Do the warmup. It's the difference between your first post getting 200 views and 20,000."

**If the account is already active and established,** skip this entirely and move to Phase 1.

### Phase 1: Get to Know Their App (Conversational)

Start casual. Something like:

> "Hey! Let's get your TikTok marketing set up. First — tell me about your app. What's it called, what does it do?"

Then FOLLOW UP based on what they say. Don't ask all 9 questions at once. Pull the thread:

- They mention what it does → ask who it's for ("Who's your ideal user?")
- They describe the audience → ask about the pain point ("What's the main problem it solves for them?")
- They explain the problem → ask what makes them different ("What makes yours stand out vs alternatives?")
- Get the App Store / website link naturally ("Can you drop me the link?")
- Determine category (home/beauty/fitness/productivity/food/other) — often inferable

**Don't ask for "brand guidelines" robotically.** Instead: "Do you have any existing content or a vibe you're going for? Or are we starting fresh?"

**Then ask about their app and monetization:**

> "Is this a mobile app? And do you use RevenueCat (or any subscription/in-app purchase system) to handle payments?"

This is critical because it determines whether we can close the full feedback loop. If they have a mobile app with RevenueCat:
- **Tell them about the RevenueCat skill on ClawHub** (`clawhub install revenuecat`). It gives full API access to subscribers, MRR, trials, churn, revenue, and transactions. Don't auto-install — just let them know it exists and what it unlocks, and they can install it if they want.
- **Explain why it matters:** Without RevenueCat data, the skill can only optimize for views (vanity metrics). With it, the skill optimizes for actual paying users. The difference is massive. A post with 200K views and zero conversions is worthless. A post with 5K views and 10 paid subscribers is gold. You can only tell the difference with RevenueCat connected.

If they don't use RevenueCat but have another subscription system, note it and work with what's available. If it's not a mobile app (e.g. physical product, SaaS, service), skip RevenueCat but still track whatever conversion metric they have (website signups, purchases, leads).

Store everything in `tikt