Monitor Competitor Content & Auto-Alert with Slack Integration

Analyze competitor content across YouTube, TikTok, Substack & blogs to extract engagement metrics, posting patterns, and monetization strategies. Use when the user needs competitive intelligence, content benchmarking, or reverse-engineering viral hooks for their niche.

ncreighton@ncreighton

Install

openclaw skills install @ncreighton/competitor-content-intelligence-extractor

Overview

Competitor Content Intelligence Extractor automates the extraction and analysis of competitor content performance data across multiple platforms. Instead of manually tracking 10-15 competitors weekly (5+ hours of tedious work), this skill surfaces what's actually working in your niche: hook patterns, optimal posting times, audience sentiment, engagement velocity, and monetization signals.

Why This Matters

Content creators and digital marketers waste enormous time on manual competitor research. This skill:

Eliminates guesswork: Extract real engagement metrics (likes, comments, shares, audience retention)
Identifies patterns: Discover hook formulas, content length sweet spots, and posting cadences that win
Speeds up strategy: Get weekly competitive briefings in minutes, not hours
Integrates with your workflow: Export data to Slack, Google Sheets, Notion, or your CMS
Tracks monetization: Identify sponsorship patterns, affiliate links, product mentions, and revenue signals

Supported Platforms

YouTube: Video metadata, comment sentiment, subscriber growth, watch time patterns
TikTok: Viral hooks, sound usage, hashtag performance, engagement velocity
Substack: Newsletter open rates, subscriber growth, content themes, reader engagement
Blogs: SEO performance, backlink profiles, content clusters, social signals
Twitter/X: Thread performance, reply patterns, audience growth tactics

Quick Start

Copy and paste these prompts directly to get started:

Example 1: YouTube Competitor Analysis

text

Analyze the top 5 YouTube creators in the "AI tools for marketing" niche.
Extract: video titles (hook analysis), upload frequency, average view counts,
comment sentiment, audience retention patterns, and monetization signals
(sponsorships, affiliate links). Return as a CSV with competitor name,
content themes, optimal posting day, and engagement rate.

Example 2: TikTok Viral Pattern Detection

text

Find the 10 most-viewed TikToks in #ContentCreator from the last 30 days.
Extract hook patterns (first 3 seconds), sound usage, hashtag strategy,
caption length, CTA patterns, and engagement velocity (likes per hour).
Identify 3 recurring hook formulas and provide examples. Format as a
structured JSON with "hook_formula", "sound_name", "avg_engagement_rate".

Example 3: Substack Newsletter Competitive Briefing

text

Track 6 Substack newsletters in the "productivity" vertical. Extract:
- Newsletter name, subscriber count, publish frequency
- Open rate patterns, average word count, content themes
- Reader engagement (reply rate), sponsor mentions, growth rate
Output as a Slack message with top 3 insights and recommendations.

Example 4: Content Gap Analysis

text

Compare my blog (example.com) against 8 competitors in "financial planning".
Extract: top 10 content pieces by traffic, keyword targets, content length,
backlink count, internal linking strategy. Identify content gaps where
competitors rank but I don't. Return a prioritized roadmap.

Example 5: Monetization Strategy Deep-Dive

text

Analyze how 5 creators in "productivity" monetize. Extract: product mentions,
affiliate links (Amazon, Gumroad, ConvertKit), sponsorship frequency,
pricing patterns, checkout CTAs. Identify which monetization methods appear
in top-performing content. Format as a comparison table.

Capabilities

1. Engagement Metrics Extraction

Automatically collect and normalize metrics across platforms:

View/subscriber growth (YouTube, TikTok, Substack, Twitter)
Engagement rates (likes, comments, shares, replies)
Engagement velocity (growth speed in first 24-48 hours)
Audience demographics (inferred from language, topics, engagement patterns)
Comment sentiment analysis (positive/negative/neutral distribution)

Usage Example:

text

Extract engagement metrics for [competitor_channel] over the last 90 days.
Show: average views per video, engagement rate trend, top 3 performing videos,
audience growth rate. Alert me if any metrics spike or drop by >20%.

2. Content Pattern Analysis

Identify what makes competitor content sticky:

Hook formulas (opening lines, visual hooks, curiosity gaps)
Optimal content length (word count for blogs, video duration, newsletter length)
Posting frequency & timing (best days/times for audience engagement)
Content structure (intro pattern, body, CTA format)
Keyword strategy (topics, LSI keywords, search intent alignment)

Usage Example:

text

Analyze content structure patterns for [competitor]. Extract: opening hooks
(first 10 words), content length distribution, CTA patterns, keyword targets.
Provide 5 hook templates I can adapt for my content.

3. Monetization Strategy Mapping

Surface how competitors convert audiences into revenue:

Product mentions (frequency, placement, context)
Affiliate links (networks, products promoted, link placement)
Sponsorship patterns (sponsor types, frequency, disclosure style)
Upsells (lead magnets, email sequences, paid products)
Revenue signals (estimated earning potential based on engagement)

Usage Example:

text

Show all monetization touchpoints in [competitor's] top 10 videos.
List products mentioned, affiliate links, sponsorship deals, and pricing CTAs.
Estimate annual revenue based on engagement rates. Format as a pipeline.

4. Audience & Community Intelligence

Understand audience behavior and preferences:

Comment themes (frequently asked questions, objections, praise)
Audience questions (content gaps your competitor hasn't addressed)
Community sentiment (satisfaction, complaints, feature requests)
Engagement patterns (when/how audience interacts, reply rate)
Audience growth drivers (which content types attract subscribers)

Usage Example:

text

Extract the top 50 comments from [competitor's] 5 most-viewed videos.
Identify: recurring questions, objections, compliments. Summarize audience
pain points and desires. Provide 5 content ideas based on unmet needs.

5. Posting Schedule & Frequency Optimization

Discover the cadence that drives visibility:

Posting calendar (days/times content is published)
Frequency analysis (optimal posting rate for the niche)
Seasonal patterns (content spikes around events/seasons)
Platform-specific timing (when YouTube, TikTok, Substack audiences are most active)
Gap identification (days/hours when no content is published)

Usage Example:

text

Map [competitor's] publishing schedule for the last 180 days. Show: posting
frequency, day-of-week pattern, time-of-day pattern, any seasonal changes.
Recommend optimal posting schedule for maximum reach in this niche.

6. SEO & Backlink Competitive Analysis

Track search visibility and link authority:

Keyword rankings (which keywords competitors rank for)
Organic traffic estimates (from ranking keywords)
Backlink profile (top referring domains, anchor text patterns)
Content gap analysis (keywords competitors rank for, you don't)
Link opportunities (sites linking to competitors)

Usage Example:

text

Analyze [competitor.com]'s SEO profile. Extract: top 20 ranking keywords,
estimated organic traffic, backlink sources, anchor text patterns. Identify
20 keywords I should target but competitors currently dominate. Export as CSV.

Configuration

Required Environment Variables

Set these in your environment before using the skill:

bash

# YouTube Data API v3 (for video metrics, comments)
export YOUTUBE_API_KEY="your_youtube_api_key_here"

# TikTok Research API (for video performance, sounds, hashtags)
export TIKTOK_API_KEY="your_tiktok_api_key_here"

# NewsAPI (for blog tracking, article discovery)
export NEWSAPI_KEY="your_newsapi_key_here"

# Serper API (for SEO, backlink, keyword data)
export SERPER_API_KEY="your_serper_api_key_here"

# Optional: Slack integration for automated briefings
export SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL="https://hooks.slack.com/services/YOUR/WEBHOOK/URL"

# Optional: Google Sheets API for exporting reports
export GOOGLE_SHEETS_API_KEY="your_google_sheets_api_key"

Setup Instructions

Get YouTube API Key:
- Go to Google Cloud Console
- Create a new project
- Enable "YouTube Data API v3"
- Create OAuth 2.0 credentials (service account)
- Copy API key to YOUTUBE_API_KEY
Get TikTok Research API Access:
- Apply for TikTok Research API at TikTok Developers
- Request approval (24-48 hours)
- Add API key to TIKTOK_API_KEY
Get NewsAPI Key:
- Sign up at NewsAPI.org
- Copy API key to NEWSAPI_KEY
Get Serper API Key:
- Sign up at Serper.dev
- Copy API key to SERPER_API_KEY
Enable Slack Integration (Optional):
- Create a Slack incoming webhook: Slack Apps
- Copy webhook URL to SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL

Configuration Options

yaml

# competitor-config.yaml
analysis:
  platforms:
    - youtube
    - tiktok
    - substack
    - blogs
    - twitter
  
  lookback_period: 90  # days
  competitor_count: 10  # number of competitors to analyze
  
  metrics:
    extract_engagement: true
    extract_patterns: true
    extract_monetization: true
    extract_audience_sentiment: true
    extract_seo_data: true
  
  export:
    format: csv  # csv, json, google_sheets, slack
    destination: ./reports/
    schedule: weekly  # one-time, daily, weekly, monthly

Example Outputs

Output 1: YouTube Competitive Analysis CSV

text

Competitor,Channel,Subscribers,Avg Views,Eng Rate,Top Hook,Upload Freq,Monetization
"Creator A","AI Daily",145K,8.2K,5.2%,"3 ways to...","2x weekly","Sponsorships + Affiliate"
"Creator B","Tech Weekly",89K,4.1K,3.8%,"You missed...","Weekly","AdSense + Products"
"Creator C","AI Explained",52K,12.5K,7.1%,"Here's what...","3x weekly","Patreon + Sponsorships"

Output 2: TikTok Hook Formula JSON

json

{
  "analysis_date": "2024-01-15",
  "platform": "tiktok",
  "niche": "content-creation",
  "hook_formulas": [
    {
      "formula_id": 1,
      "pattern": "Contrarian statement + pattern interrupt",
      "examples": [
        "Everyone's doing it wrong...",
        "Stop wasting time on..."
      ],
      "avg_engagement_rate": 8.3,
      "viral_rate": 34,
      "sound_usage": ["trending_audio_xyz"],
      "hashtags": ["#ContentCreator", "#CreatorTips"]
    },
    {
      "formula_id": 2,
      "pattern": "Question + reveal",
      "examples": [
        "Guess how much I made?",
        "Can you spot the difference?"
      ],
      "avg_engagement_rate": 6.9,
      "viral_rate": 28,
      "sound_usage": ["viral_sound_abc"]
    }
  ],
  "best_posting_times": ["2pm-4pm EST", "7pm-9pm EST"],
  "content_length_optimal": "45-60 seconds"
}

Output 3: Substack Briefing Slack Message

text

📊 **Weekly Newsletter Competitive Briefing**
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

🏆 **Top Performer**: The Productivity Pod (8.2K subscribers, +340/week)
  • Open rate: 47% (↑5% vs last week)
  • Content theme: AI productivity hacks
  • Publish day: Tuesday, 9am EST
  • Avg word count: 1,240

💡 **Emerging Insight**: Newsletter sponsorships spiked 40% among top 5
  • New sponsor types: AI tools, productivity apps
  • Avg sponsorship placement: 2x per issue
  • Estimated CPM: $50-75

⚠️ **Opportunity Gap**: No one covers "productivity budgeting"
  • Your competitors: 0 articles
  • Reader mentions: 23 in comments
  • Suggested post: "The $0 Productivity Stack for Bootstrappers"

📈 **This Week's Recommendation**: Publish Tuesday 9am with productivity angle

Output 4: SEO Gap Analysis Table

text

Keyword,Monthly Volume,Difficulty,Competitor1,Competitor2,Me,Opportunity
"AI tools for writing",8500,42,#1,#3,#12,HIGH
"best ChatGPT prompts",12000,68,#2,#4,#18,MEDIUM
"productivity hacks 2024",4200,35,#1,#2,#8,HIGH
"how to use Claude API",2100,28,#3,#5,NR,VERY HIGH
"content calendar templates",3800,31,#2,#6,#14,HIGH

Tips & Best Practices

1. Narrow Your Competitor Set

Don't analyze 50 competitors. Do pick 5-8 direct competitors and 2-3 aspirational ones.

Direct competitors: Similar audience, format, niche
Aspirational: Larger audience, advanced monetization strategies
Analyze with 90-day rolling window for trend detection

2. Focus on Patterns, Not Individual Videos

One viral video is noise. 10 videos with the same hook formula is a signal.

Extract top 20-30 performing pieces per competitor
Identify 3-5 recurring patterns
Test those patterns in your own content

3. Combine Multiple Data Signals

Don't rely solely on views. Combine:

Engagement rate (comments, shares relative to views)
Audience retention (for YouTube)
Comment sentiment (loyalty signals)
Monetization indicators (sponsorships, upsells)

4. Track Changes Over Time

Set up weekly scans of your competitor set:

Did their posting frequency change?
Did audience engagement shift?
New monetization method appearing?
New content theme emerging?

Best Practice: Create a Slack channel that receives automated briefings every Monday morning.

5. Extract Actionable Hooks

When you find a winning hook pattern, don't copy it—adapt it:

Original: "5 productivity hacks nobody talks about"
Your version: "5 productivity hacks for [your_audience]" or "5 productivity hacks in [your_niche]"

6. Map Monetization Progression

Understand the creator's revenue funnel:

Phase 1: AdSense/platform revenue only
Phase 2: Add sponsorships + affiliate links
Phase 3: Launch own products/community
Phase 4: Multiple revenue streams (courses, coaching, software)

Use this to predict your own monetization timeline.

Monitor Competitor Content & Auto-Alert with Slack Integration

Install

Overview

Why This Matters

Supported Platforms

Quick Start

Example 1: YouTube Competitor Analysis

Example 2: TikTok Viral Pattern Detection

Example 3: Substack Newsletter Competitive Briefing

Example 4: Content Gap Analysis

Example 5: Monetization Strategy Deep-Dive

Capabilities

1. Engagement Metrics Extraction

2. Content Pattern Analysis

3. Monetization Strategy Mapping

4. Audience & Community Intelligence

5. Posting Schedule & Frequency Optimization

6. SEO & Backlink Competitive Analysis

Configuration

Required Environment Variables

Setup Instructions

Configuration Options

Example Outputs

Output 1: YouTube Competitive Analysis CSV

Output 2: TikTok Hook Formula JSON

Output 3: Substack Briefing Slack Message

Output 4: SEO Gap Analysis Table

Tips & Best Practices

1. Narrow Your Competitor Set

2. Focus on Patterns, Not Individual Videos

3. Combine Multiple Data Signals

4. Track Changes Over Time

5. Extract Actionable Hooks

6. Map Monetization Progression

7. Segment by Content Performance