From kostja94-marketing-skills-5
Generates, optimizes, or audits in-page HowTo sections: ordered steps blocks with optional Schema.org HowTo JSON-LD for articles, docs, and tools pages.
npx claudepluginhub joshuarweaver/cascade-data-analytics --plugin kostja94-marketing-skills-5This skill uses the workspace's default tool permissions.
Guides **HowTo as an in-page section**: a block of **ordered steps** (and optional **HowTo** JSON-LD) embedded **inside** article, documentation, tool, or landing pages. **Not** a standalone page type—parent page structure and templates come from **article-page-generator**, **docs-page-generator**, **tools-page-generator**, **landing-page-generator**, etc. Distinct from **FAQ** (Q&A → FAQPage) ...
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Guides HowTo as an in-page section: a block of ordered steps (and optional HowTo JSON-LD) embedded inside article, documentation, tool, or landing pages. Not a standalone page type—parent page structure and templates come from article-page-generator, docs-page-generator, tools-page-generator, landing-page-generator, etc. Distinct from FAQ (Q&A → FAQPage) and from full article body drafting alone (article-content). schema-markup remains the source for exhaustive Schema.org property rules and type-wide tables; this skill owns section-level placement, copy, HTML, and HowTo-vs-FAQ decisions.
When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.
| Dimension | HowTo section | FAQ section |
|---|---|---|
| Intent | User follows ordered steps to complete a task | User reads Q&A pairs for doubts |
| Structure | Steps (1→2→3), optional tools/time/supplies | Question → answer per item |
| Schema | HowTo (Schema.org) | FAQPage |
| UI | Often horizontal tabs for steps; or numbered list in flow | Often vertical accordion |
| Skill | howto-section-generator (this) | faq-page-generator |
Do not mark FAQ content as HowTo or vice versa; schema must match visible content.
This section is always part of a larger page. Typical positions:
| Location | When |
|---|---|
| After intro (and optional TL;DR / Key Takeaways) | Article: context first, then solution = steps |
| As the main middle of the page | Tutorial-heavy article where the HowTo block carries most of the value |
| After product/tool context | Tool or LP: short context → How to use steps → FAQ/CTA |
Narrative: Align with PAS for how-to articles—Problem in intro; Agitation in brief context; Solution = the HowTo section. Answer-first still applies per step (see below).
Parent page vs URL split: Whether the parent is one article URL or a separate doc/tool URL is decided by content-strategy, article-page-generator, docs-page-generator, or tools-page-generator. This skill only defines the HowTo block; if each tab were a different ranking topic, use separate URLs (pillar/cluster). If all steps are one task, keep one page with one HowTo section (or multiple sections only if clearly separated).
Headings should describe the topic or purpose (WCAG 2.4.6)—not just decorate. Prefer one primary H2 for the procedure; match page type and search intent.
| Pattern | Best for | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Outcome / task (default) | Blog posts, guides, most informational “how to …” queries | “How to [verb] [outcome]”, “[Task] step by step” |
| Product or tool | Tool pages, LP blocks after hero | “How to use [Product]”, “Using [Tool]” |
| Quick start / walkthrough | Docs, onboarding | “Quick start”, “Walkthrough”, “Get started with [X]” |
| Numbered hook (“In 3 steps …”, “3 simple steps to …”) | Short LP/tool copy when simplicity is the message | Use only if the visible <ol> (and HowTo JSON-LD step list) has exactly that many steps |
Rules
Avoid a bare “Steps” or “Instructions” as the only H2 text when you can name the outcome—screen reader and scan users lose context.
Count in the title: If you use “3 steps” / “In 4 steps” in the H2, tabs, or subheads, the on-page list and HowTo schema must show the same number of steps (no extra steps only in JSON-LD).
Volatile UIs: If step count may change with releases, prefer non-count titles (“How to …”) and put “three main steps” in body copy if needed.
Language: Mirror the query (e.g. “How to …” for EN informational intent); localized pages: same intent in inLanguage as the visible heading.
Steps: Use semantic ordered list <ol> with <li> per step; bold the step title inside the <li> if needed.
Sub-steps: Nested <ol> or H3 under a step when the step is long.
Avoid: Fake lists built only with <div>—hurts extraction and accessibility.
| Format | Role |
|---|---|
| List snippet (~19% of snippet formats) | How-to, steps, options—use <ol> / <ul> |
| Schema | FAQPage, HowTo, Article support identifying extractable blocks; not required for Featured Snippets |
| HowTo ↔ snippet | HowTo maps to list-style position-zero; desktop support historically stronger; mobile may be limited |
See featured-snippet, serp-features.
Use case: Tutorials, procedural guides, visible step sequences in this section.
Principles (detail in schema-markup):
<script type="application/ld+json">; properties must match visible content—no hidden-only steps.Where the section lives (parent page type)
| Parent page type | Typical embedding |
|---|---|
| Blog / guide | HowTo section inside the article body |
| Documentation | Guides/tutorials—often TechArticle + HowTo per docs-page-generator |
| Free tool / calculator | SoftwareApplication + HowTo for “how to use” per tools-page-generator |
Multilingual: inLanguage on HowTo (and related types) aligned with hreflang; localize step text in JSON-LD. See schema-markup.
Validation: Rich Results Test, Schema.org Validator.
| Pattern | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Horizontal tabs | Good for Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 when all steps are one topic; see tab-accordion |
| DOM | All step content must be in the initial HTML—no AJAX load on tab click |
| Default open | First tab or first step visible by default |
| Primary vs secondary | If the HowTo is the page’s main value, avoid burying all steps in low-priority hidden UI; crawlers index hidden content, but primary intent should be clear |
Vertical accordion for steps is less common than for FAQ; if used, same rules: server-rendered, first item expanded, content in DOM at load (rendering-strategies).
<ol> length and HowTo step items<ol> steps with concise, answer-first lines per steptotalTime / tool / supply if shown on page)inLanguage