Audit and improve the target skill for discovery, search recall, and click-through across skill directories.
Prioritize ClawHub and skills.sh. Treat OpenClaw, Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor as compatibility constraints, not primary optimization surfaces.
Quick Start#
Use this workflow when you need a fast audit before publication:
- Run
python3 {baseDir}/scripts/analyze_skill_seo.py <skill-path>.
- Read the target skill's
name, description, first screen, and example prompts.
- Check whether the skill is easy to understand on a listing page in under 10 seconds.
- Rewrite the highest-impact metadata and first-screen copy first.
- Re-run the analyzer and compare the result against the baseline.
When to Use This Skill#
Use this skill when the goal is to make a skill easier to discover, understand, and trust on ClawHub, skills.sh, or similar directories.
Typical use cases:
- Rewrite
name, slug, or description for better search recall
- Improve
SKILL.md first-screen copy for higher click-through
- Expand keyword, synonym, and user-intent coverage before publication
- Audit whether a skill is ready for ClawHub or skills.sh submission
- Compare a listing against directory ranking signals and identify weak spots
When Not to Use This Skill#
Do not use this skill when the problem is primarily implementation quality rather than listing discoverability.
Use a different workflow when you need to:
- Debug runtime failures inside the target skill
- Test whether the skill actually works end-to-end
- Add new product capabilities unrelated to discovery or listing quality
- Build platform-specific adapters unless the user explicitly asks for them
If the Audit Is Inconclusive#
If the static audit is not enough, say exactly what is still uncertain and what evidence is missing.
Common next steps:
- Read the target skill's full references and scripts for hidden terminology
- Inspect the public listing page to compare displayed copy against the local
SKILL.md
- Ask for real search terms, target audience, or competitor listings
- Run a follow-up quality pass with
skill-test if the issue may be implementation rather than SEO
Example Prompts#
Audit this skill for ClawHub search visibility and rewrite the description for better recall.
Why is this skill hard to discover on skills.sh, and what copy should I change first?
Optimize this new skill's slug, name, and top-of-file wording before I publish it.
Compare this skill against ClawHub and skills.sh ranking signals and give me a prioritized fix list.
Audit Checklist#
Review the target skill against this checklist before making changes:
- Is the slug literal, searchable, and stable?
- Does the frontmatter
description state the job, object, outcome, and Use when ... trigger?
- Does the first screen show realistic example prompts early?
- Are exact task phrases, synonyms, and user-intent phrases all present?
- Are prerequisites, constraints, and trust signals visible?
- Does the skill look credible and maintained rather than generic or template-like?
- Does the copy still match the actual capability boundary of the skill?
- Are any optional extras, such as
eval.yaml or UI metadata, actually relevant to the user's goal before recommending them?
Workflow#
- Identify the target skill folder and inspect
SKILL.md first.
- Run
python3 {baseDir}/scripts/analyze_skill_seo.py <skill-path> to get a baseline report.
- Read references/platform-signals.md and references/optimization-patterns.md before making recommendations.
- If present, inspect
README.md, example files, and any public listing metadata that affects display.
- Separate recommendations by platform:
ClawHub: prioritize semantic recall, exact slug or name matches, examples, and popularity signals.
skills.sh: prioritize clear category fit, high-conversion listing copy, trust signals, and install-friendly presentation.
- Check that the skill remains broadly usable in OpenClaw, Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor without adding platform-specific optimization unless the user asks for it.
- Rewrite only what improves discovery or trigger quality. Preserve the skill's actual capability boundaries.
- If the user asks for implementation, edit the target skill and re-run the analyzer to confirm improvement.
Definition of Done#
- The analyzer has run and a baseline report exists.
- All
high severity findings have been addressed or explicitly justified.
- The
description covers at least 3 query classes: exact task phrase, synonyms, and user-intent language.
- Example prompts in SKILL.md reflect realistic user phrasing.
- Target platform compatibility status is explicit:
verified where evidence exists, otherwise unverified.
- Re-running the analyzer shows improvement over the baseline.
Output Requirements#
Produce a concise report with:
- Current strengths and weaknesses
- Platform-specific findings for
ClawHub and skills.sh
- Compatibility notes for
OpenClaw, Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor using verified / unverified language only when relevant
- Missing keywords, synonyms, and user-phrased queries
- Recommended rewrites for
name, slug, description, and first-screen content
- Trust and conversion gaps such as missing prerequisites, examples, screenshots, badges, stars, or install guidance
- A prioritized action list with
high, medium, and low impact items
Optimization Heuristics#
- Prefer concrete, searchable names over abstract brand names.
- Put the problem, object, and action into the first 1 to 2 sentences.
- Include realistic user phrasings and close synonyms in
description and the top of SKILL.md.
- Make the skill's boundary explicit so retrieval stays precise.
- Keep frontmatter concise but query-dense.
- Put examples near the top; examples improve both semantic recall and click-through.
- Add references only when they deepen a repeated workflow or expose non-obvious domain language.
- Avoid generic filler such as "powerful", "seamless", or "all-in-one" unless backed by specifics.
- Treat
eval.yaml and UI metadata as optional enhancements, not baseline listing requirements.
Use this pattern when rewriting a weak listing:
<Action> <object/system> for <outcome>. Use when you need to <job 1>, <job 2>, <job 3>, or when the user asks about <common phrasing>.
Then reinforce it with:
- 3 to 5 example prompts using realistic user language
- A first-screen summary that repeats the main task phrase once
- One or two trust signals such as prerequisites, constraints, or costs
Competitor Comparison#
When a user asks for a market-aware rewrite:
- Identify 2 or 3 comparable skills on the same directory.
- Compare names, descriptions, example prompts, and first-screen structure.
- Note what the target skill is missing, not just what competitors include.
- Recommend changes that improve clarity and trust without copying competitors' wording.
Anti-Patterns#
Do not do any of the following:
- Suggest fake installs, fake stars, fake usage, or other manipulative ranking tactics
- Recommend version bumps or metadata churn without a real content change
- State platform behavior as a guaranteed fact when it is only an observed heuristic
- Stuff unrelated keywords into the description or examples
- Broaden a skill's positioning beyond what the implementation can actually do
- Flag missing
eval.yaml or agents/openai.yaml as if they were mandatory for ClawHub or skills.sh publication
When Editing a Skill#
- Preserve the existing capability surface unless the user asks to expand it.
- Prefer improving
description, top-of-file wording, and usage examples before adding large new references.
- If the folder name is weak for search, recommend a slug rename explicitly instead of renaming silently.
- If the target platform has already indexed the old name, explain the migration tradeoff.
Resources#
- Platform ranking and retrieval notes: references/platform-signals.md
- Rewrite patterns and keyword coverage rules: references/optimization-patterns.md
Commands#
sh
# Audit a skill folder with default heuristics
python3 {baseDir}/scripts/analyze_skill_seo.py /path/to/skill
# Audit with explicit target keywords
python3 {baseDir}/scripts/analyze_skill_seo.py /path/to/skill --keywords "postgres backup, disaster recovery, wal archiving"
# Emit JSON for downstream processing
python3 {baseDir}/scripts/analyze_skill_seo.py /path/to/skill --json