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Making content that wins

Last week, I showed you how to reverse-engineer content that wins.
Today, we flip the switch, from research to results.

Here’s what changed when I built this system:

→ A decent AI thread → 19.2% list growth
→ A fuzzy lead magnet idea → 3X more conversions
→ 0 to 4.1M impressions—in 90 days

Same topics. Same niche.
But I stopped winging it and built a machine

And it’s not just me.

Here’s a new creator we started working with 60 days ago.

Now it’s your turn.

The Execution Gap

Too many creators/brands have the strategy backwards.

They spend 10% of their time on research. 90% of their time on execution.

But smart creators flip this:

→ 30% research (what you did last week)
→ 70% systematic execution (what we're covering today)

Because when you know what works, you can systematically make it work better.

Your Execution Playbook

Today's deep dive covers Steps 5-8:

Step

What You’re Doing

5. Idea Upgrade

Develop angle, sharpen hook, strengthen story

6. Atomic Draft

Write with clarity that makes confusion impossible

7. Visual Alignment

Design that amplifies your message (not distracts from it)

8. Relentless Reps

The compound system that took me from 0 to 4.1M impressions

And here’s a quick refresher on steps 1-4:

Step

What You’re Doing

1. IVA Lock-In

Define your Ideal Viewer Avatar

2. Winner Sweep

Find creators winning with your audience

3. Outlier Audit

Identify high-performing posts

4. Gap Scan

Break content into LEGO bricks, spot weaknesses

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Step 5: Idea Upgrade

This is where you build the version that should’ve gone viral.

If you followed steps 1-4 (from last week), you’ve diagnosed what worked. You’ve spotted what didn’t.

Now it’s time to rebuild it stronger.

What “Upgrading” Really Means

Component

How to Upgrade

Impact Level

💡 Idea

Add bold new lens: outcomes vs features, timeline urgency, or stakes escalation

🔥 High

🎣 Hook

Inject contrast, clarity, curiosity (“Wait, what?” moment)

🔥 High

📖 Story

Embed re-hooks, examples, emotional tension, social proof

⚡ Medium

🎨 Visuals

Source rare screenshots, original charts, cleaner formatting

⚡ Medium

Often one small upgrade can level up the whole thing.

The 3-Angle Framework

Every idea should be tested from 3 angles:

🔴 Contrast Angle → “While everyone does X, smart people do Y”
🟠 Urgency Angle → “This window closes in [timeframe]”
🟡 Identity Angle → “Here’s how [specific type of person] thinks about this”

Example seed: “AI tools save time”

🔴 Contrast: “While agencies hire more people, smart founders hire more AI”
🟠 Urgency: “AI adoption window closes in 12 months for most agencies”
🟡 Identity: “Here’s how $10M agency owners think about AI vs $1M owners”

Pick the angle with the strongest audience reaction.

Your Upgrade Workflow (Takes ~25 min)

  1. Pick the idea → Use your Gap Scan output.

  2. Run it through the 3-angle test

  3. Pick the strongest and research stats, examples, visuals

  4. Write 3 hooks (one for each angle)

  5. Save the winner to dev.md → ready for the Atomic Draft

Step 6: Atomic Draft

You’ve got a validated, upgraded idea.

Now it’s time to write the damn thing.

The Atomic Writing Rule

One idea per sentence. No ambiguity. Every line earns its place.

This works because it: Maximizes comprehension, retention, and conversion.

Atomic Structure (Works Everywhere)

Every high-performing post I’ve written follows this format:

  1. Hook → Curiosity, contrast, or specificity

  2. Value → Clear insight or takeaway every 2-3 lines

  3. Proof → Stat, visual, or example for every claim

  4. CTA → Soft nudge tied to the content (not a hard pitch)

Platform adaptations:

Platform

Format

Key Elements

X Threads

Hook + value drops + CTA

~ 10 -14 tweets max, clear transitions

LinkedIn

Headline + story + takeaway

Professional but approachable tone, industry proof

Newsletters

Subject + curiosity + value + story + CTA

Longer form, multiple hooks

TikTok/Reels

Pattern interrupt + quick value + visual

Verbal + visual clarity

Example: Before vs After

Original opener:
“Most founders suck at free tools. Here’s how to do it better.”

Problem: Vague. Judgy. No clear promise.

Atomic rewrite:
“This free tool helped me grow my list 19.2% in 4 weeks.
Here’s how to build lead magnets that work while you sleep. 🧵👇”

→ Specific result
→ Timeframe
→ Emotional payoff
→ Clear promise

Your Draft Workflow (Fast + Repeatable)

  1. Start with upgraded idea (from Step 5)

  2. Write first draft → One sentence = one thought

  3. Run the clarity checklist:

    • Would a 10-year-old understand this?

    • Can I cut this sentence in half?

    • Would I say this out loud?

    • Does every word earn its spot?

  4. Add one soft CTA → Don’t push, invite

Step 7: Visual Alignment

Design isn’t decoration. It’s comprehension.

Most people think visuals are for style points.
Wrong. They’re for speed.

Your content should be processed in seconds, not minutes.
And your visuals should do one thing only:

Make the message easier to understand.

🧠 Matt’s Rule: Focus = Flow

Your viewer can only look at one thing at a time.
If the eye doesn’t know where to go, the brain tunes out.

That means:

  • No busy backgrounds

  • No layered overlays

  • No competing focal points

Every frame = one job.

🧰 Visual Alignment Framework

1. Visual-Message Sync
→ Image matches what you’re saying, exactly when you’re saying it.

2. Eye Flow Design
→ Layout guides the eye smoothly—left to right, top to bottom, no bounce.

3. Strategic Emphasis
→ Bold the stat. Zoom the screenshot. Frame the result.

4. Purposeful Motion (for video)
→ Movement pulls attention to the message—not away from it.

5. Minimal Formatting
→ Bold, bullets, spacing = for pacing. Not flair.

Common Mistakes

  • Generic stock photos that say nothing

  • Carousels with 6 concepts on 1 slide

  • Video overlays covering the actual point

  • Animations that distract from the message

  • Repeating text in the image and caption

When in doubt, subtract.

Platform-Specific Standards

Platform

Visual Rules

Common Mistakes

LinkedIn Carousels

One concept per slide, bold headlines

Text overload, weak hierarchy

X Thread Images

Screenshots + simple graphics

Generic stock photos

Reels/Shorts

Clear overlays, minimal text

Too much on-screen text

YouTube Graphics

Support the narrative flow

Distracting animations

Email Layout

Scannable structure, strategic breaks

Wall of text, no emphasis

Step 8: Relentless Reps

This is where the system compounds.

Here’s the part nobody wants to hear:

It takes 50+ reps before this system really kicks in.

Not because it’s slow.
But because you get sharper every time.

  • Hooks tighten

  • Angles get braver

  • Data gets richer

  • Audience gets trained

You stop guessing and start compounding.

📈 The Rep Formula

Volume × Consistency × Analysis

You don’t need to post more.
You need to post systematically.

Cadence Type

Frequency

Focus

Short-form

5–7x/week

Threads, reels, carousels

Long-form

1x/week

Newsletters, deep dives, videos

Analysis

Weekly retro

What hit, what flopped, what to remix

6–12 months of this cadence = outperforming 95% of your niche.

Because most people quit after Rep #10. You're here for Rep #200.

Run A Weekly Review (15 minutes, every Friday)

1. Performance Review
→ What doubled your average engagement?
→ What flopped? Why?
→ Which format won the week?

2. Pattern Recognition
→ What kind of hook stopped the scroll?
→ What story made them stay?
→ Which CTA actually drove action?

3. Next Week Planning
→ Remix best performer with a new angle
→ Kill what didn’t work
→ Test 1 new thing (format, platform, topic)

Consistency isn’t sexy. But it scales.

Matt’s Example: 0 to 4.1M

January: Started posting with Dickie-style breakdowns
March: First viral hit
June: 4.1M impressions in 30 days

What made the difference?

→ Weekly reviews
→ AI workflows (Apify, n8n, Postiz, Claude)
→ Relentless remixing

Biggest lesson: Winning is a straight line, but a roller coaster of compounding effort.

Your 90-Day Challenge

Week 1-2: Foundation
□ Complete IVA framework
□ Find 10 creators using Winner Sweep
□ Audit 5 outliers, identify 3 opportunities

Week 3-8: Momentum
□ Maintain consistent posting schedule
□ Weekly Friday retros
□ A/B test hooks, formats, CTAs

Week 9-12: Optimization
□ Double down on top performers
□ Remix best posts with new angles
□ Build winning format templates

Success Metric: 2X better engagement by week 8.

The Final Truth

You now have the complete system that separates content engines from content creators.

The reality:

  • Most will read this and do nothing

  • Some will try once and quit

  • Few will implement systematically

The few who implement systematically will outperform 95% of their industry.

Because momentum isn't magic, it's manufactured.

What's Your First Move?

Reply and tell me: What's the first piece of content you're upgrading?

I read every response and love seeing this system in action.

The framework is proven.
The tools are available.
The only variable left is your execution.

Need a hand? Hit the button below to book a strategy call.

If this newsletter lit a fire under you, forward it to one person who would benefit.

🎁 Get rewarded for sharing! My team grew NEW accounts to over 50 million views in just a few months. We made an AI viral hook generator so you can follow the same hook frameworks that we do.

Invite your friends to join, and when they sign up, you’ll unlock our AI Viral Hook Generator—the ultimate tool for creating scroll-stopping content.

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