postgenerator/.planning/research/FEATURES.md

Feature Research

Domain: Social media content automation / Instagram carousel bulk generator (B2B) Researched: 2026-03-07 Confidence: MEDIUM-HIGH (ecosystem surveyed, product is novel niche — partial direct comparisons)

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Context

PostGenerator is not a generic social media scheduler or a simple AI writer. It sits at the intersection of three product categories:

1. Bulk content generation tools (PostNitro, aiCarousels, Templated) — generate individual carousels
2. Editorial calendar / content planning tools (CoSchedule, StoryChief, SocialPilot) — plan and schedule
3. LLM prompt management systems (Agenta, PromptHub, PromptLayer) — manage AI generation

No direct competitor was found that combines all three with strategic frameworks (Schwartz levels, Persuasion Nurturing, narrative formats) and Canva Bulk Create CSV output. This is a purpose-built tool, so feature categorization is based on user expectation from adjacent tools plus the project's specific domain logic.

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Feature Landscape

Table Stakes (Users Expect These)

Features that, if missing, make the tool feel broken or incomplete. These are non-negotiable for v1.

Feature	Why Expected	Complexity	Notes
Generate a 13-post editorial cycle	Core value proposition — the entire reason the tool exists	HIGH	Orchestrates all strategic layers: Persuasion Nurturing distribution, Schwartz levels, narrative formats, niches. The central "one-click calendar" function.
Canva-compatible CSV export	Without this, the tool has no usable output	MEDIUM	Header must exactly match Canva Bulk Create schema. Each row = one carousel. 8 slide columns per carousel. Metadata columns included for analysis.
LLM content generation per slide	Users expect AI to produce actual copy, not just metadata	HIGH	Claude API integration. JSON-structured output per carousel with all 8 slides. Prompt must produce consistent slide structure.
Format selector (tipo_contenuto x schwartz → formato)	Core strategic logic — wrong format selection breaks campaign coherence	MEDIUM	Mapping table: content type + awareness level → narrative format (PAS, AIDA, BAB, etc.). Can be rules-based initially, no ML needed.
Niche rotation (B2B verticals)	Content must feel relevant to different target audiences	LOW	50% generic PMI, 50% rotating through dentists/lawyers/ecommerce/local/agencies. Simple round-robin or weighted random.
Topic generation (auto + manual override)	Users need starting points; experts need control	MEDIUM	LLM generates topic suggestions per niche/type; user can override before generation. Hybrid model prevents "blank page" paralysis.
Web UI (not CLI)	Modern tool expectation; Michele explicitly chose Web UI	HIGH	FastAPI backend + React frontend. Minimum: calendar view, generate button, output review, CSV download.
Prompt editor (file-based, editable via UI)	Content quality depends on prompt quality; prompts must be tweakable	MEDIUM	Prompts stored as files; UI renders and allows editing without code. One prompt per combination (tipo x formato).
Generation output review before export	Users must see what was generated before committing to CSV	MEDIUM	Per-carousel preview: show all slide content, metadata tags, image keywords. Allow re-generation of individual carousels.
Campaign phase tagging	Metadata in CSV must include attira/cattura/coinvolgi/converti phase	LOW	Assigned during cycle planning, not AI-generated. Rules-based mapping from content type.
Suggested publish dates	Calendar output needs dates, even if publishing is manual	LOW	Auto-assign based on cycle start date + post index. Two carousels per week = 6-7 week cycle for 13 posts.

Differentiators (Competitive Advantage)

Features that no generic tool offers. This is where PostGenerator earns its existence.

Feature	Value Proposition	Complexity	Notes
Persuasion Nurturing cycle orchestration	Ensures the 13-post mix is always strategically balanced (4 valore, 2 storytelling, 2 news, 3 riprova, 1 coinvolgimento, 1 promozione)	MEDIUM	The generator enforces mix rules, not the user. Output is never an ad-hoc list of posts — it's a coherent 2-week nurturing arc.
Schwartz awareness level assignment	Each post targets the right audience mindset for that funnel stage	MEDIUM	L5→L1 mapping integrated into prompt selection. Most tools ignore where the audience is in their buyer journey.
7 narrative format library	PAS, AIDA, BAB, Listicle, Storytelling/Eroe, Dato+Implicazione, Obiezione+Risposta — all optimized for carousel format	HIGH	Each format needs its own prompt structure because slide decomposition differs. PAS has 3-act structure; Listicle has variable item count.
8-slide carousel structure enforcement	Structured 8-slide schema (Cover, Problema, Contesto, Sviluppo A/B/C, Sintesi, CTA) ensures design-ready output	MEDIUM	Claude must output content fitting exactly the 8-slide structure. CSV columns are pre-mapped to slide positions. Canva template slots match exactly.
B2B niche-aware copy	Same topic, different framing for dentists vs. lawyers vs. ecommerce. Dramatically increases perceived relevance	MEDIUM	Niche injected into prompt context. Each niche has distinct pain points, vocabulary, and objections.
Swipe File for idea capture	Quick capture of external inspiration (ads, posts, headlines) that can influence future topic generation	LOW	Simple CRUD for saving ideas, snippets, references. Optional tagging by format or niche. Feed into topic selection as context.
Image keyword generation per slide	Every slide gets 1-2 search keywords for stock photo sourcing in Canva	LOW	Extracted by LLM during content generation. Optionally resolved to actual URLs via Unsplash API (when key available).
Copywriting rules enforcement	Built-in guardrails: "cosa fare" not "come farlo", tono diretto-provocatorio, nessun gergo, focus su imprenditori italiani	MEDIUM	Encoded in system prompt and per-format templates. Not user-configurable (by design — this is the brand voice).
Single-post generation mode	Generate one carousel on demand with full parameter control (tipo, formato, nicchia, livello Schwartz)	MEDIUM	Useful for ad-hoc content, testing, or filling gaps in an existing calendar. Reuses same generation engine as bulk mode.
Campaign naming and grouping	Each 13-post cycle is a named campaign with its own output folder and CSV	LOW	Enables history browsing: "Campagna Marzo settimana 1", "Campagna Aprile dentisti". Simple folder/file naming convention.

Anti-Features (Things to Deliberately NOT Build)

Features that seem valuable but would undermine the product's purpose, add disproportionate complexity, or belong in Phase 2+ only.

Feature	Why Requested	Why Problematic	Alternative
Direct Instagram publishing	"Why download a CSV if I can post directly?"	Requires Instagram Business API + Meta App Review + OAuth. Adds compliance surface. Publishing quality control (visual review) is critical and belongs in Canva — that's the whole point.	Keep the Canva workflow. The CSV+Canva+manual-publish chain is deliberate, not a limitation. Document this clearly.
Automatic scheduling calendar	Every content tool has a scheduler	Scheduling is a solved problem (Buffer, Later, Metricool). Building it duplicates commodity software. Also: Canva doesn't support scheduling carousels via its own API in all cases.	Suggest publish dates in CSV. Let user paste into their preferred scheduler.
Analytics / performance tracking	"Show me which posts performed best"	Requires Instagram Insights API, engagement data storage, attribution logic. This is an entirely separate product domain. Premature before content engine is validated.	Out of scope per PROJECT.md. Phase 2 if content engine proves valuable.
Multi-user / team collaboration	"Share with my VA"	Adds authentication, role management, permission systems, conflict resolution. High complexity for a personal tool.	Single-user by design. If team use is needed later, add basic HTTP auth first.
Real-time LLM streaming	"Show text appearing as it's generated"	Adds websocket/SSE complexity to backend. For batch generation of 13 posts, streaming UX is confusing (13 parallel streams?).	Generate all, show loading state, display results. Simpler and actually better UX for batch workflows.
Automatic A/B testing of prompts	"Which prompt version performs better?"	Requires performance data linkage back from Instagram (see Analytics above). Without actual engagement data, A/B testing is cosmetic.	Let user manually edit prompts and observe output quality. Add versioning if needed.
Brand voice training / fine-tuning	"Make it sound more like me"	Fine-tuning Claude is not available via API. RAG-based voice imitation adds significant complexity. Claude with well-engineered prompts in Italian is already adequate.	Encode brand voice in system prompt. Offer prompt editor for adjustments.
Image generation (AI)	"Generate images instead of keywords"	AI image generation (DALL-E, Midjourney) produces generic or uncanny results for B2B professional content. Adds cost and quality uncertainty. Canva has its own image tools.	Generate Unsplash keywords. Let Canva handle image sourcing with its built-in library.
Relational database	"Use PostgreSQL for scalability"	No multi-user, no concurrent writes, no complex queries. File system is simpler, version-controllable, and inspectable. Premature optimization for a personal tool.	File system: prompts/ outputs/ data/ per PROJECT.md decision. Revisit only if scale demands it.

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Feature Dependencies

[Calendar Generator]
    ├──requires──> [Format Selector]
    │                  └──requires──> [Persuasion Nurturing Rules]
    │                  └──requires──> [Schwartz Level Mapping]
    │                  └──requires──> [Narrative Format Library]
    ├──requires──> [LLM Content Generation]
    │                  └──requires──> [Prompt Editor / File Store]
    │                  └──requires──> [Niche Context Injection]
    ├──requires──> [CSV Builder]
    │                  └──requires──> [Canva Header Schema]
    │                  └──requires──> [Image Keyword Generator]
    └──requires──> [Output Review UI]

[Single Post Generator]
    └──requires──> [LLM Content Generation]  (reuses same engine)
    └──requires──> [Format Selector]         (reuses same logic)

[Swipe File]
    └──enhances──> [Topic Generation]        (swipe items can inform topic context)

[Image Keyword Generator]
    └──enhances──> [Unsplash API Fetch]      (optional, only if API key present)

[Output Review UI]
    └──requires──> [Generation History]      (per-campaign output storage)

[Prompt Editor]
    └──conflicts──> [Copywriting Rules Enforcement]
    (user can break rules via prompt edits — document that editing overrides guardrails)

Dependency Notes

• Calendar Generator requires Format Selector: Without the mapping logic (tipo x schwartz → formato), the generator cannot assign narrative formats to each of the 13 posts in the cycle.
• LLM Content Generation requires Prompt Editor: Prompts are the intelligence layer. If prompts are hardcoded and not editable, output quality cannot be improved without code changes.
• CSV Builder requires Canva Header Schema: The CSV header must match Canva's template placeholders exactly. This schema is fixed upfront and determines the entire data model.
• Single Post Generator reuses Calendar engine: Build once, expose in two modes. Do not create a separate code path for single-post — it creates drift.
• Swipe File enhances Topic Generation: Swipe items can be passed as context to the LLM when generating topics, but the dependency is loose (topic gen works without swipe file).
• Image Keyword Generator enhances Unsplash Fetch: Keywords are always generated. Unsplash fetch is an optional enrichment step gated on API key availability.

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MVP Definition

Launch With (v1)

Minimum set to validate the core content engine. Everything below must work together for a usable output.

• Calendar Generator — Produces 13-post cycle with correct Persuasion Nurturing distribution
• Format Selector — Maps tipo_contenuto x schwartz_level → narrative_format deterministically
• LLM Content Generation — Claude API generates all 8 slides per carousel as structured JSON
• Prompt File Store + Editor — Prompts editable via UI without code deployment
• Image Keyword Generation — At least 1-2 keywords per slide (no Unsplash fetch in v1)
• CSV Builder — Output matches Canva Bulk Create header exactly, downloads as file
• Output Review UI — Show generated carousels before export; allow regenerating individual posts
• Single Post Generator — On-demand generation with parameter override (useful for testing)
• Swipe File — Capture and retrieve inspiration items (simple CRUD, no LLM integration in v1)
• Campaign History — Named output folders; browse and re-download past generations

Add After Validation (v1.x)

Add once the content engine is proven and output quality is validated through actual use.

• Unsplash Integration — Resolve image keywords to actual URLs when API key is present; trigger: Michele obtains Unsplash API key
• Swipe File → Topic Context — Pass swipe items to LLM during topic generation; trigger: swipe file in regular use
• Campaign performance notes — Free-text notes per campaign ("this cycle performed well for dentists"); trigger: after first real publishing cycle
• Bulk topic input — Paste multiple topics, generate entire calendar per topic; trigger: workflow bottleneck identified

Future Consideration (v2+)

Defer until product-market fit confirmed and use patterns established.

• Analytics linkage — Import engagement data from Instagram Insights; defer: requires platform API + post-publishing data
• Multi-campaign comparison — Compare content mixes across campaigns; defer: needs history depth
• Team / shared access — Basic auth for sharing with VA or client; defer: personal tool for now
• LinkedIn adaptation — Repurpose carousel content for LinkedIn carousel format; defer: different platform mechanics

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Feature Prioritization Matrix

Feature	User Value	Implementation Cost	Priority
Calendar Generator (13-post cycle)	HIGH	HIGH	P1
LLM Content Generation (8 slides/carousel)	HIGH	HIGH	P1
CSV Builder (Canva-compatible)	HIGH	MEDIUM	P1
Format Selector (tipo x schwartz → formato)	HIGH	LOW	P1
Prompt File Store + Editor	HIGH	MEDIUM	P1
Output Review UI	HIGH	MEDIUM	P1
Niche rotation (B2B verticals)	HIGH	LOW	P1
Image Keyword Generation	MEDIUM	LOW	P1
Single Post Generator	MEDIUM	LOW	P1
Swipe File (CRUD)	MEDIUM	LOW	P1
Campaign History / naming	MEDIUM	LOW	P1
Unsplash API fetch	MEDIUM	LOW	P2
Swipe File → Topic context injection	MEDIUM	MEDIUM	P2
Campaign performance notes	LOW	LOW	P2
Bulk topic input	LOW	MEDIUM	P3
Analytics linkage	HIGH	HIGH	P3

Priority key:

• P1: Must have for launch
• P2: Should have, add when possible
• P3: Nice to have, future consideration

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Competitor Feature Analysis

No direct competitor found that matches PostGenerator's specific combination. Closest adjacent tools:

Feature	PostNitro	aiCarousels	StoryChief	PostGenerator (ours)
Carousel generation	Yes (AI)	Yes (AI)	No	Yes (AI via Claude)
Bulk generation (batch 13+)	No	No	Partial	Yes (core feature)
Canva CSV export	No	No	No	Yes (primary output)
Strategic framework (Schwartz/Nurturing)	No	No	No	Yes (differentiator)
Editorial calendar	No	No	Yes	Yes (13-post cycle)
Narrative format library	No	No	No	Yes (7 formats)
Niche rotation	No	No	No	Yes (B2B verticals)
Prompt editor	No	No	No	Yes (file-based)
Multi-platform scheduling	Yes	Yes	Yes	No (deliberately)
Direct publishing	Yes	No	Yes	No (deliberately)
Analytics	Yes	No	Yes	No (deliberately)
Team collaboration	Yes	Yes	Yes	No (single user by design)

Conclusion: PostGenerator wins on strategic depth and Canva-workflow integration. It loses (deliberately) on scheduling, publishing, and analytics. This is correct positioning for a personal B2B content engine — not a generic social media management platform.

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Sources

• PostNitro feature analysis: https://postnitro.ai/ (WebFetch, 2026-03-07)
• aiCarousels feature analysis: https://www.aicarousels.com/ (WebFetch, 2026-03-07)
• Canva Bulk Create documentation: https://www.canva.com/help/bulk-create/ (WebSearch, 2026-03-07)
• Canva Bulk Create CSV workflow: https://dreamina.capcut.com/resource/canva-bulk-create (WebSearch, 2026-03-07)
• B2B content marketing automation trends: https://reliqus.com/b2b-content-marketing-automation-strategy-2025/ (WebSearch, 2026-03-07)
• Social media content automation pitfalls: https://metricool.com/biggest-social-media-mistakes/ (WebSearch, 2026-03-07)
• AI content pitfalls 2025: https://www.wisedigitalpartners.com/learn/blog/strategy/ai-content-creation-2025-promise-pitfalls-path (WebSearch, 2026-03-07)
• LLM prompt management features: https://mirascope.com/blog/prompt-management-system (WebSearch, 2026-03-07)
• Editorial calendar B2B tools: https://storychief.io/blog/best-content-calendar-tools (WebSearch, 2026-03-07)
• Instagram carousel B2B strategy: https://alliedinsight.com/resources/b2b-instagram-2025-algorithm-guide/ (WebSearch, 2026-03-07)
• PostGenerator PROJECT.md: .planning/PROJECT.md (primary source for domain logic)

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Feature research for: Instagram carousel automation / B2B content generation (PostGenerator) Researched: 2026-03-07