how-to-tutorial-writer

What this skill does

# How-To Tutorial Writer

Write practical, step-by-step tutorial blog posts that solve a real reader problem and naturally recommend affiliate products as the best tool for the job. Uses the "problem → solution → tool" pattern: establish what the reader wants to do, show them exactly how to do it, and position the affiliate product as the right instrument for each step.

## When to Use

- User wants to create educational content that drives affiliate conversions indirectly
- User says "how to", "tutorial", "guide", "walkthrough", "step by step"
- User wants to rank for "how to [task]" keywords (high traffic, lower competition than "best" keywords)
- User has a product that is best understood through demonstration, not just description
- User wants to build authority and trust in a niche before making a sale

## Workflow

### Step 1: Define the Tutorial Goal

Parse the request to identify:
- **The task**: what the reader wants to accomplish (e.g., "create AI videos for YouTube")
- **The tool**: which affiliate product enables the task (e.g., HeyGen)
- **The audience**: who is asking this question (beginner / intermediate / advanced)
- **The end state**: what the reader will have built or achieved by the end

If the task is vague ("write a tutorial about HeyGen"), default to the most popular use case for that tool — search for it: `"[product name] tutorial" OR "how to use [product name]"` — pick the highest-traffic query.

**Tutorial types** — detect from user's phrasing:
| Signal | Type | Format |
|---|---|---|
| "How to get started", "beginners guide", "first time" | `quickstart` | 5-8 steps, 1,500-2,000 words |
| "Step by step", "complete guide", "full tutorial" | `deep-dive` | 8-15 steps, 2,500-3,500 words |
| "How to [specific feature]" | `feature-focus` | 5-8 steps on one feature, 1,500-2,000 words |
| "How to [goal] without [product]" → redirect to product | `problem-solution` | 6-10 steps, 2,000-2,500 words |

### Step 2: Research the Tutorial Content

Use `web_search` to gather:
1. The actual step-by-step process for accomplishing the task
2. Common mistakes or gotchas beginners encounter
3. Official documentation or help articles for the product
4. What the top-ranking tutorials already cover (identify gaps)

Search queries:
- `"how to [task] with [product]"` — understand existing guides
- `"[product] tutorial [year]"` — find current instructions
- `"[product] [feature] settings"` — get accurate step names
- `"[task] mistakes beginners make"` — find pain points to address

**Content accuracy rule**: Never invent product UI details. If unsure about a specific button name or menu path, describe the action generically ("navigate to the settings section") rather than naming something that may be wrong.

### Step 3: Plan the Tutorial Structure

Map every section before writing. A well-structured tutorial follows this flow:

**What readers need before starting (Prerequisites):**
- Account requirements (free plan vs. paid tier needed for tutorial steps)
- Technical requirements
- Assets they should have ready (images, scripts, data)

**The steps themselves:**
- Each step = one atomic action (not a cluster of actions)
- Steps should be numbered, not just bulleted
- Each step has: action verb headline + explanation + expected result
- Decision points get callout boxes: "If you see X, do Y instead"

**Affiliate integration points** (natural, not forced):
1. In the Prerequisites section: "You'll need a [Product] account. [Sign up free here →](url)"
2. At the step where the product's key feature is used: contextual CTA
3. After showing the final result: "You just did X with [Product]. Here's what else it can do: [affiliate CTA]"
4. In the "Next Steps" section at the end

**Rule**: Never interrupt a step sequence with a hard sell. CTAs belong at natural pause points — before the reader starts, after they finish a major phase, and at the very end.

### Step 4: Write the Full Tutorial

**Title formula:**
- `How to [Task] with [Product]: Step-by-Step Guide ([Year])`
- `How to [Task]: A Beginner's Guide Using [Product]`
- `[Goal]: How to [Task] in [N] Steps (Even If You're New to [Topic])`

**Introduction (150-200 words):**
- Open with the reader's problem/desire (not with "In this tutorial...")
- State the end result: "By the end, you'll have [specific output]"
- Mention how long it takes and what level of experience is needed
- One-sentence product intro: "[Product] is what makes this possible — here's how to use it."
- Affiliate CTA if they need to sign up before starting

**Prerequisites section:**
```
**What you need before starting:**
- A [Product] account (free plan works / Pro plan required for [specific feature])
  → [Create your free account →](affiliate_url)
- [Any other required tool/asset/knowledge]
- Estimated time: [X minutes]
```

**Step-by-Step Section:**
Write each step as:
```
## Step [N]: [Action Verb] + [What You're Doing]

[2-4 sentence explanation of what this step does and why it matters]

1. [Specific sub-action with exact UI element names where known]
2. [Next sub-action]
3. [Continue...]

**You should see:** [description of what the expected result looks like]

> **Note:** [Optional callout for a common mistake or alternative path]
```

**Result/Output Section:**
After all steps, show what the reader has built:
- Describe the final output in concrete terms
- Include what they can do with it now
- Contextual affiliate CTA: "Now that you've [achieved X], you can use [Product]'s [feature] to take it further."

**Troubleshooting Section** (optional, high SEO value):
3-5 common issues readers might hit:
- "Error: [X]" → "This usually means [Y]. Fix it by [Z]."
- "Step 4 doesn't work if [condition]" → "Instead, try [alternative]."

**Next Steps Section:**
- What to do with the result
- Related features of the product to explore next
- Related tutorials (if user has other content)
- Final strong affiliate CTA

**FAQ Section (4-6 questions):**
- "Do I need a paid plan for [product] to follow this tutorial?"
- "How long does [task] take?"
- "Can I do this without [product]?"
- "Is [product] free to use for [task]?"
- "What should I do if [common problem]?"

### Step 5: Format Output

**Part 1: SEO Metadata**
```
---
SEO METADATA
---
Title: [title]
Slug: how-to-[task-slug]
Meta Description: [150-160 chars — include "how to", the task, and product name]
Target Keyword: how to [task] with [product]
Secondary Keywords: [product] tutorial, [task] guide, how to [task] [year], [product] for beginners
Word Count: [actual]
Format: how-to
Steps: [N]
---
```

**Part 2: Full Article**
Complete markdown ready to publish.

**Part 3: Supplementary Data**
- FAQ schema questions/answers
- Screenshot suggestions (one per major step)
- Products featured with affiliate URLs
- Video script outline (optional — if user wants to turn this into a YouTube tutorial)

## Input Schema

```yaml
task:                       # REQUIRED — what the reader wants to accomplish
  description: string       # e.g., "create an AI avatar video for YouTube"
  goal: string              # The end state — "a published YouTube video with AI avatar"

product:                    # REQUIRED — the affiliate tool that enables the task
  name: string
  description: string
  reward_value: string
  url: string               # Affiliate link
  reward_type: string
  cookie_days: number
  tags: string[]

tutorial_type: string       # OPTIONAL — "quickstart" | "deep-dive" | "feature-focus" | "problem-solution"
                            # Default: auto-detected from task complexity

audience_level: string      # OPTIONAL — "beginner" | "intermediate" | "advanced"
                            # Default: "beginner" (wider audience)

supporting_tools: object[]  # OPTIONAL — other tools used alongside the primary product
  - name: string
    url: string
    purpose: string         # What role this tool plays in the tutorial

target_keyword: string      # OPTIONAL — override default "how to [task]" ke