# How to Contribute to the Marketingskills Project: A Step-by-Step Guide > Learn how to contribute to the Marketingskills project. Follow our step-by-step guide to fork the repo, add a new skill, and submit your pull request to the coreyhaines31/marketingskills repository. - Repository: [Corey Haines/marketingskills](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-04-24 --- **Yes, you can contribute to the marketingskills project by forking the repository, creating a new skill in the `skills/` directory, validating it with the provided script, and opening a pull request.** The marketingskills repository is an open-source collection of Markdown-based Agent Skills that enable AI agents to perform marketing tasks like CRO, copywriting, and SEO optimization. According to the project's README, contributions are explicitly welcomed, and the codebase in `coreyhaines31/marketingskills` provides clear architectural guidelines and automated validation to ensure every submission meets quality standards. ## Understanding the Repository Structure Before you contribute to the marketingskills project, familiarize yourself with the core architecture defined in [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/AGENTS.md) and [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md). ### Core Components The repository organizes content into specific directories: - **`skills/`** — Contains individual skill subdirectories (e.g., `skill-name/`), each requiring a mandatory [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/SKILL.md) file following the Agent Skills specification - **[`tools/REGISTRY.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/tools/REGISTRY.md)** — Central index of zero-dependency CLI tools and third-party integrations - **`tools/integrations/*.md`** — Documentation for external API integrations (GA4, Stripe, etc.) - **[`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/AGENTS.md)** — Specifications for naming conventions, front-matter validation, and Git workflow - **[`VERSIONS.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/VERSIONS.md)** — Tracks version numbers for each skill to notify users of updates - **[`validate-skills.sh`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/validate-skills.sh)** — Local lint script that enforces YAML validity, naming rules, and the 500-line limit ## Setting Up Your Contribution Follow the Git workflow outlined in [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/AGENTS.md) to prepare your local environment. ### Fork and Clone Start by forking the repository on GitHub, then clone your copy: ```bash git clone https://github.com//marketingskills.git cd marketingskills ``` The upstream repository remains `coreyhaines31/marketingskills`, while your fork serves as the origin for your feature branches. ### Create a Feature Branch Use the branch naming convention specified in [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/AGENTS.md): ```bash git checkout -b feature/ ``` Replace `` with a lowercase, hyphenated description of your contribution (e.g., `feature/lead-magnet-wizard`). ## Creating or Improving Skills Each skill in the marketingskills project follows a strict structural format defined in [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md). ### Directory Layout Create a new skill directory under `skills/`: ```bash mkdir -p skills/your-skill-name ``` Inside this directory, create a [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/SKILL.md) file with mandatory front-matter: ```yaml --- name: your-skill-name description: When the user wants to... (include trigger phrases describing the marketing task) --- ``` ### Content Requirements The [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/SKILL.md) file must adhere to constraints defined in [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/AGENTS.md): - **Line limit**: Maximum 500 lines per skill - **Front-matter `name`**: Must match the directory name exactly (lowercase, hyphens only) - **Naming rules**: No consecutive hyphens (`--`), maximum 64 characters - **Description**: Maximum 1024 characters, must include trigger phrases for AI agent recognition ### Example Skill Structure Here is a minimal example for a fictional "lead-magnet-wizard" skill: ```markdown --- name: lead-magnet-wizard description: Generate high-conversion lead magnets (e-books, checklists) for SaaS products. --- # Lead Magnet Wizard 1. Ask the user for the target audience and primary value proposition. 2. Draft a short outline of the magnet's sections. 3. Generate a polished draft using the built-in copywriting patterns. **Usage** ```text /create lead-magnet-wizard ``` ``` ## Testing and Validation Before submitting your contribution to the marketingskills project, you must run the validation script to ensure compliance. ### Running Local Checks Execute the lint script from the repository root: ```bash ./validate-skills.sh ``` This script validates: - YAML front-matter syntax - Directory name alignment with the `name` field - Line count limits (≤ 500 lines) - Description length (≤ 1024 characters) Resolve all warnings before committing. For example, output might show: ```text ✅ skill lead-magnet-wizard: front-matter OK ⚠️ skill copywriting: description exceeds 1024 characters ``` ### Alternative: Using the CLI Generator The repository includes a zero-dependency Node.js CLI at [`tools/clis/skill.js`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/tools/clis/skill.js) that scaffolds skills automatically: ```bash npx skills add coreyhaines31/marketingskills --skill lead-magnet-wizard ``` This command creates the folder structure, starter [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/SKILL.md) with valid front-matter, and updates [`tools/REGISTRY.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/tools/REGISTRY.md). ## Submitting Your Contribution Once validation passes, prepare your submission following the project's Git standards. ### Commit Standards Use **Conventional Commits** style as specified in [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/AGENTS.md): ```bash git add skills/your-skill-name git commit -m "feat: add lead-magnet-wizard skill" git push origin feature/your-skill-name ``` ### Pull Request Process Open a pull request against the `main` branch using the template located at [`.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/new-skill.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE/new-skill.md). The template enforces the checklist from [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md), including: - Front-matter matches directory name - Description is clear and contains trigger phrases - No secrets or credentials exposed Maintain the registry manually if not using the CLI by adding an entry to [`tools/REGISTRY.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/tools/REGISTRY.md): ```markdown | Skill | Description | |----------------------|-------------| | [lead-magnet-wizard](skills/lead-magnet-wizard/) | Generate high-conversion lead magnets for SaaS products. | ``` Project maintainers will run CI validation (the same [`validate-skills.sh`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/validate-skills.sh) script) and merge approved contributions into `main`. ## Summary - **Yes, contributions are welcome** to the marketingskills project via GitHub pull requests - All skills reside in `skills//SKILL.md` with strict front-matter requirements (name, description ≤ 1024 chars) - Files must be ≤ 500 lines and directory names must match the front-matter `name` field exactly - Run [`./validate-skills.sh`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/./validate-skills.sh) locally before submitting to check YAML syntax and naming compliance - Use the `feature/` branch convention and Conventional Commits format - Reference [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md), [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/AGENTS.md), and [`tools/REGISTRY.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/tools/REGISTRY.md) for detailed specifications ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Do I need programming experience to contribute to the marketingskills project? No advanced programming is required. Skills are written in Markdown with YAML front-matter. You only need to understand the front-matter structure defined in [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/AGENTS.md) and follow the 500-line limit. The [`validate-skills.sh`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/validate-skills.sh) script handles technical validation automatically. ### What happens if my skill description is too long? If your description exceeds 1024 characters or lacks trigger phrases, the [`./validate-skills.sh`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/./validate-skills.sh) script will flag an error. You must shorten the description and ensure it includes actionable trigger phrases (e.g., "When the user wants to...") so AI agents can recognize when to invoke the skill. ### Can I update an existing skill instead of creating a new one? Yes, improvements to existing skills are welcome. Follow the same branch naming convention (`feature/`), modify the relevant `skills//SKILL.md` file, and bump the version in [`VERSIONS.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/VERSIONS.md) if the change constitutes a major update. Run the validation script before submitting your pull request. ### Is there a specific format for commit messages? Yes, the project requires **Conventional Commits** format as documented in [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/blob/main/AGENTS.md). Use prefixes like `feat:` for new skills, `fix:` for corrections, or `docs:` for documentation updates. This standardizes the commit history and enables automated changelog generation.