Tiktok Photo Mode

The TikTok Photo Mode format-execution skill. Use when someone wants a "TikTok photo carousel," "photo mode," "TikTok slideshow," "swipeable TikTok post," or to publish a multi-image TikTok post via WoopSocial (postType PHOTO). Builds a TikTok-native carousel that wins on completion rate — hook slide 1, progressive reveal with cliffhangers, reward + one CTA — AND sets the exact WoopSocial PHOTO publish config (privacy, comments, music, truthful disclosure flags). Uses the SWIPE framework. Reads brand-profile + goals-and-kpis first. The agent writes the slide plan + overlay copy + caption + config; the IMAGES are made by a human/image skill, not WoopSocial; WoopSocial publishes the native PHOTO post; metrics never fabricated and photo mode is never promised as a reach hack. Distinct from tiktok-script (VIDEO) and carousel-writer (cross-platform copy).

A format-execution skill — produce a TikTok-native Photo Mode carousel (craft for completion) and the exact WoopSocial PHOTO publish config. The agent writes the plan + overlay copy + caption + config; the images are made by a human or an image skill; WoopSocial publishes the native PHOTO post.

The POV: win completion, don't chase a reach hack

TikTok treats Photo Mode like video and ranks it on completion rate — what % swipe to slide 2+ and through the end. So every choice serves "make them swipe to the end": a slide-1 hook that promises a payoff, one idea per slide with cliffhangers, a reward + one CTA at the end. But be honest: photo mode is a high-ceiling, niche-dependent format, still outnumbered ~5:1 by video with declining average per-post performance as it saturates — it can punch far above its weight for the right content type, and underperforms video when forced. Never promise virality. Design 9:16 (1080×1920), not Instagram's square, and publish it as a native PHOTO post (not an MP4 slideshow).

Read these first

1. brand-profile — niche + voice (does a swipeable format fit?).
2. goals-and-kpis — the goal (saves / comments / follows / reach).

The framework: SWIPE

(Depth: references/the-swipe-framework.md.)

• S — Stop the scroll on slide 1: the thumbnail hook (bold visual + overlay question/claim) that promises a payoff.
• W — Win the niche fit: pick a swipeable type (listicle / before-after / tutorial / hot take / photo dump / story / myth-bust); don't force it — photo mode is niche-dependent.
• I — Itemize for completion: one idea per slide, progressive reveal, cliffhangers; 5–7 slides (max 35); 9:16 1080×1920, content centred in the safe zone.
• P — Pay off + prompt: reward on the final slide + one CTA; question in the caption; don't beg for likes.
• E — Equip the publish config: postType=PHOTO, privacyLevel (from platform-inputs), allowComment, autoAddMusic (applies to PHOTO), truthful isYourBrand/isBrandedContent, DIRECT_POST vs MEDIA_UPLOAD; 1–2 hashtags + overlay keywords (TikTok SEO); validate before publish.

The reality (verify-quarterly)

The honest performance tension (high-ceiling vs video-dominance + declining averages); completion rate as the primary signal; 9:16 1080×1920 + safe zone; 5–7 slides; hook / progressive reveal / cliffhanger / reward; sound (autoAddMusic) + text overlays as TikTok SEO; 1–2 hashtags; native-vs-MP4; winning content types + engagement tactics: references/photo-mode-2026-reality.md. Content-type menu, slide blueprint, the full PHOTO publish-config block + worked examples: references/carousel-recipes-and-publish.md.

Honest scope (never violate)

• The agent writes the slide plan + overlay copy + caption + publish config. The images are produced by a human or an image skill (image-prompt/ideogram/nano-banana) — WoopSocial doesn't generate images.
• WoopSocial publishes the native PHOTO post (postType=PHOTO, raw-bytes upload) and auto-discloses AI on TikTok. No update endpoint → edit = delete + recreate (only while NOT_STARTED).
• Disclosure flags set truthfully (isBrandedContent when paid/gifted; isYourBrand for own-brand promo) — never falsely "organic." Never promise virality / a "5×"; never fabricate metrics (native analytics only). (Scope, distinctions + connections: references/scope-and-connections.md.)

Distinct from its siblings (route correctly)

tiktok-photo-mode (this) = the TikTok-native PHOTO carousel (completion craft + the WoopSocial PHOTO publish config) · tiktok-script = the TikTok VIDEO script (duet/stitch/cover live there) · carousel-writer = cross-platform carousel copy craft · reels-script/youtube-shorts = video · caption-writer/hook-writer = the caption + overlay lines this skill arranges.

Where this connects

Reads first: brand-profile, goals-and-kpis. Copy: hook-writer, caption-writer. Images (external to WoopSocial): image-prompt/ideogram/nano-banana, carousel-writer (adapt down to 9:16). Publish: scheduling-and-queue → WoopSocial (native PHOTO), platform-specs-and-validation (validate + postType/field rules), content-calendar. Reuse/measure: content-recycling (→ IG/ Pinterest), analytics-and-reporting (completion/saves), experimentation-and-ab-testing (A/B the first slide). Images stay external.

Definition of done

A swipeable content type matched to the niche and goal; a slide-1 hook that promises a payoff; a 5–7 slide progressive reveal with cliffhangers, one idea per slide, designed 9:16 1080×1920 with content in the safe zone; a final-slide reward + one CTA and a caption question (not a like-beg); 1–2 hashtags + overlay keywords for TikTok SEO; the complete WoopSocial PHOTO publish config (postType PHOTO, privacyLevel, allowComment, autoAddMusic, truthful isYourBrand/isBrandedContent, postMode) validated before publish; images produced externally, WoopSocial publishing the native PHOTO post with AI auto-disclosure, edits via delete+recreate, nothing fabricated and no promised virality; correctly distinguished from tiktok-script and carousel-writer.