How To Tutorial Writer

What the source does

• FilesystemNone observedNo reads or writes in the source
• NetworkNone observedNo outbound calls in the source
• ShellNone observedNo commands run in the source
• DependenciesPinnedNothing floats
• SecretsNone foundNo keys in source

Five audit layers

Gates applied: no behavioural pass.

Audit 0.4.1 · source sha 2515ce9634da · 15 Oct 2026Report an issue or request a re-scan

• PublisherAffitor GitHub organizationOwner of the repository this skill is read from
• Source folderAffitor/affiliate-skills/skills/blog/how-to-tutorial-writerThe exact folder we audited
• LicenceMITAs the repository states it
• Commit pinned for this verdict2515ce9634daA new audit runs when the source changes
• Repository statusNot archivedLast push 2 days ago
• Sandboxed runNot runSkills are read, not executed; layer L4 is skipped

Its description: Write how-to guides and tutorials that naturally integrate affiliate product recommendations. Triggers on: "write a how-to guide", "tutorial for [task]", "step by step guide to [goal]", "how to [verb] with [product]",…

---
name: how-to-tutorial-writer
description: >
  Write how-to guides and tutorials that naturally integrate affiliate product recommendations.
  Triggers on: "write a how-to guide", "tutorial for [task]", "step by step guide to [goal]",
  "how to [verb] with [product]", "write a tutorial blog post", "guide on how to [task]",
  "beginner guide to [topic]", "walkthrough for [product]", "write an educational article",
  "how do I [task] blog post", "write a tutorial that promotes [product]".
license: MIT
version: "1.0.0"
tags: ["affiliate-marketing", "blogging", "seo", "content-writing", "tutorial", "how-to"]
compatibility: "Claude Code, ChatGPT, Gemini CLI, Cursor, Windsurf, OpenClaw, any AI agent"
metadata:
  author: affitor
  version: "1.0"
  stage: S3-Blog
---

# 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

Excerpt, first 6,000 characters of SKILL.md, verbatim from the audited commit. It is text from someone else’s repository, quoted so you can judge it before your agent reads it.

1. 2026-10-15
   ✓SAFE B 89 / 100

   first audit · source 2515ce9634da

Questions about How To Tutorial Writer

• github.com/Affitor/affiliate-skills/tree/main/skills/blog/how-to — the audited source at commit 2515ce9634da and every finding aboveObserved · 15 Oct 2026

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