Build an AI Content Calendar Generator from Competitor Data

Content calendars are broken.

You spend Sunday night staring at an empty spreadsheet. "What should I post tomorrow?" becomes existential dread.

Meanwhile, your competitors post consistently. Their content performs. They've figured something out.

What if you could reverse-engineer their strategy and generate a week of content ideas in 30 seconds?

In this tutorial, we'll build an AI Content Calendar Generator that:

1. Analyzes your competitors' top-performing content
2. Identifies winning themes, formats, and posting patterns
3. Generates a personalized 7-day content calendar

No more blank page syndrome.

The Strategy Behind This

Great content calendars aren't creative—they're strategic.

Top creators:

• Post at consistent times (their audience expects it)
• Repeat formats that work (series, templates, hooks)
• Ride trends while they're still fresh
• Balance content types (educational, entertaining, promotional)

We're going to extract these patterns automatically.

The Stack

• Node.js: Runtime
• SociaVault API: To analyze competitor content
• OpenAI API: To generate calendar recommendations

Step 1: Setup

mkdir content-calendar-generator
cd content-calendar-generator
npm init -y
npm install axios openai dotenv

Create .env:

SOCIAVAULT_API_KEY=your_sociavault_key
OPENAI_API_KEY=your_openai_key

Step 2: Competitor Content Fetcher

Create index.js:

require('dotenv').config();
const axios = require('axios');
const OpenAI = require('openai');

const openai = new OpenAI({ apiKey: process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY });
const SOCIAVAULT_BASE = 'https://api.sociavault.com';
const headers = { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.SOCIAVAULT_API_KEY}` };

// Fetch TikTok content
async function getTikTokContent(handle) {
  console.log(`📥 Fetching TikTok content from @${handle}...`);

  try {
    const response = await axios.get(`${SOCIAVAULT_BASE}/v1/scrape/tiktok/videos`, {
      params: { handle, amount: 50 },
      headers
    });

    const videos = response.data.data || [];

    return videos.map(v => ({
      platform: 'tiktok',
      description: v.desc || v.description || '',
      likes: v.diggCount || v.stats?.diggCount || 0,
      comments: v.commentCount || v.stats?.commentCount || 0,
      shares: v.shareCount || v.stats?.shareCount || 0,
      views: v.playCount || v.stats?.playCount || 0,
      created: v.createTime ? new Date(v.createTime * 1000) : null,
      music: v.music?.title || 'Original Sound',
      hashtags: v.challenges?.map(c => c.title) || extractHashtags(v.desc || '')
    }));
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('TikTok error:', error.message);
    return [];
  }
}

// Fetch Instagram content
async function getInstagramContent(handle) {
  console.log(`📥 Fetching Instagram content from @${handle}...`);

  try {
    const response = await axios.get(`${SOCIAVAULT_BASE}/v1/scrape/instagram/posts`, {
      params: { handle },
      headers
    });

    const posts = response.data.data || [];

    return posts.map(p => ({
      platform: 'instagram',
      description: p.caption || '',
      likes: p.like_count || p.likes || 0,
      comments: p.comment_count || p.comments || 0,
      type: p.media_type, // IMAGE, VIDEO, CAROUSEL_ALBUM
      created: p.taken_at ? new Date(p.taken_at * 1000) : null,
      hashtags: extractHashtags(p.caption || '')
    }));
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Instagram error:', error.message);
    return [];
  }
}

// Fetch Twitter content
async function getTwitterContent(handle) {
  console.log(`📥 Fetching Twitter content from @${handle}...`);

  try {
    const response = await axios.get(`${SOCIAVAULT_BASE}/v1/scrape/twitter/user-tweets`, {
      params: { handle },
      headers
    });

    const tweets = response.data.data || [];

    return tweets.map(t => ({
      platform: 'twitter',
      description: t.full_text || t.text || '',
      likes: t.favorite_count || t.likes || 0,
      retweets: t.retweet_count || 0,
      replies: t.reply_count || 0,
      views: t.views_count || t.views || 0,
      created: t.created_at ? new Date(t.created_at) : null,
      hashtags: extractHashtags(t.full_text || t.text || '')
    }));
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Twitter error:', error.message);
    return [];
  }
}

// Fetch LinkedIn content
async function getLinkedInContent(profileUrl) {
  console.log(`📥 Fetching LinkedIn content...`);

  try {
    const response = await axios.get(`${SOCIAVAULT_BASE}/v1/scrape/linkedin/profile`, {
      params: { url: profileUrl },
      headers
    });

    const profile = response.data.data;
    const posts = profile.posts || [];

    return posts.map(p => ({
      platform: 'linkedin',
      description: p.text || p.commentary || '',
      likes: p.num_likes || p.reactions || 0,
      comments: p.num_comments || 0,
      reposts: p.num_reposts || 0,
      created: p.posted_on?.day ? new Date(p.posted_on.year, p.posted_on.month - 1, p.posted_on.day) : null,
      hashtags: extractHashtags(p.text || '')
    }));
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('LinkedIn error:', error.message);
    return [];
  }
}

function extractHashtags(text) {
  const matches = text.match(/#[\w]+/g) || [];
  return matches.map(h => h.replace('#', ''));
}

Step 3: Content Analysis Engine

function analyzeContentPatterns(content) {
  if (content.length === 0) {
    return { error: 'No content to analyze' };
  }

  // Sort by engagement
  const sorted = [...content].sort((a, b) => {
    const aEng = (a.likes || 0) + (a.comments || 0) * 2 + (a.shares || a.retweets || 0) * 3;
    const bEng = (b.likes || 0) + (b.comments || 0) * 2 + (b.shares || b.retweets || 0) * 3;
    return bEng - aEng;
  });

  // Top performers (top 20%)
  const topCount = Math.max(Math.floor(content.length * 0.2), 3);
  const topPerformers = sorted.slice(0, topCount);

  // Posting frequency analysis
  const daysOfWeek = ['Sunday', 'Monday', 'Tuesday', 'Wednesday', 'Thursday', 'Friday', 'Saturday'];
  const postsByDay = {};
  const postsByHour = {};

  content.forEach(c => {
    if (c.created) {
      const day = daysOfWeek[c.created.getDay()];
      const hour = c.created.getHours();

      postsByDay[day] = (postsByDay[day] || 0) + 1;
      postsByHour[hour] = (postsByHour[hour] || 0) + 1;
    }
  });

  // Find most active posting times
  const sortedDays = Object.entries(postsByDay).sort((a, b) => b[1] - a[1]);
  const sortedHours = Object.entries(postsByHour).sort((a, b) => b[1] - a[1]);

  // Hashtag analysis
  const hashtagCounts = {};
  content.forEach(c => {
    (c.hashtags || []).forEach(h => {
      hashtagCounts[h.toLowerCase()] = (hashtagCounts[h.toLowerCase()] || 0) + 1;
    });
  });
  const topHashtags = Object.entries(hashtagCounts)
    .sort((a, b) => b[1] - a[1])
    .slice(0, 10)
    .map(([tag]) => tag);

  // Content length analysis
  const avgLength = content.reduce((sum, c) => sum + (c.description?.length || 0), 0) / content.length;
  const topAvgLength = topPerformers.reduce((sum, c) => sum + (c.description?.length || 0), 0) / topPerformers.length;

  return {
    totalPosts: content.length,
    topPerformers,
    postingPattern: {
      bestDays: sortedDays.slice(0, 3),
      bestHours: sortedHours.slice(0, 3),
      postsPerWeek: Math.round(content.length / 4) // Assuming ~1 month of data
    },
    topHashtags,
    contentLength: {
      average: Math.round(avgLength),
      topPerformerAverage: Math.round(topAvgLength)
    }
  };
}

Step 4: AI Calendar Generator

async function generateContentCalendar(analysis, niche, platform) {
  console.log('🤖 Generating content calendar...');

  const topContent = analysis.topPerformers.map(c => ({
    description: c.description?.substring(0, 200),
    engagement: c.likes + (c.comments * 2)
  }));

  const prompt = `
    You are a social media strategist. Create a 7-day content calendar.

    CONTEXT:
    - Platform: ${platform}
    - Niche: ${niche}
    - Best posting days: ${analysis.postingPattern.bestDays.map(d => d[0]).join(', ')}
    - Best posting hours: ${analysis.postingPattern.bestHours.map(h => h[0] + ':00').join(', ')}
    - Top hashtags in niche: ${analysis.topHashtags.join(', ')}
    - Top performing caption length: ~${analysis.contentLength.topPerformerAverage} characters

    TOP PERFORMING CONTENT FROM COMPETITORS:
    ${JSON.stringify(topContent, null, 2)}

    CALENDAR REQUIREMENTS:
    1. One post per day for 7 days
    2. Mix of content types (educational, entertaining, promotional, engagement-bait)
    3. Include specific post ideas, not generic advice
    4. Suggest optimal posting time for each day
    5. Include relevant hashtags for each post
    6. Make hooks attention-grabbing

    Return JSON:
    {
      "calendar": [
        {
          "day": "Monday",
          "postTime": "9:00 AM",
          "contentType": "educational|entertaining|promotional|engagement",
          "hook": "first line that grabs attention",
          "fullCaption": "complete caption ready to post",
          "hashtags": ["relevant", "hashtags"],
          "callToAction": "what you want viewers to do",
          "notes": "why this will work"
        }
      ],
      "strategy": {
        "weeklyTheme": "overarching theme for the week",
        "contentMix": {
          "educational": "X posts",
          "entertaining": "X posts",
          "promotional": "X posts",
          "engagement": "X posts"
        },
        "keyInsights": ["3 key insights from competitor analysis"]
      }
    }
  `;

  const completion = await openai.chat.completions.create({
    model: 'gpt-4o-mini',
    messages: [{ role: 'user', content: prompt }],
    response_format: { type: 'json_object' }
  });

  return JSON.parse(completion.choices[0].message.content);
}

Step 5: The Main Generator

async function createContentCalendar(config) {
  const { platform, competitors, niche } = config;

  console.log('\n📅 AI CONTENT CALENDAR GENERATOR\n');
  console.log('═══════════════════════════════════════════\n');

  // 1. Fetch competitor content
  let allContent = [];

  for (const competitor of competitors) {
    let content;

    switch (platform) {
      case 'tiktok':
        content = await getTikTokContent(competitor);
        break;
      case 'instagram':
        content = await getInstagramContent(competitor);
        break;
      case 'twitter':
        content = await getTwitterContent(competitor);
        break;
      case 'linkedin':
        content = await getLinkedInContent(competitor);
        break;
    }

    if (content.length > 0) {
      console.log(`  ✅ @${competitor}: ${content.length} posts`);
      allContent = [...allContent, ...content];
    }

    // Rate limiting
    await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 1000));
  }

  console.log(`\n📊 Total content analyzed: ${allContent.length} posts\n`);

  // 2. Analyze patterns
  const analysis = analyzeContentPatterns(allContent);

  console.log('───────────────────────────────────────────');
  console.log('📈 COMPETITOR INSIGHTS');
  console.log('───────────────────────────────────────────\n');

  console.log('Best Posting Days:');
  analysis.postingPattern.bestDays.forEach(([day, count]) => {
    console.log(`  • ${day}: ${count} posts`);
  });

  console.log('\nBest Posting Hours:');
  analysis.postingPattern.bestHours.forEach(([hour, count]) => {
    const time = hour < 12 ? `${hour}:00 AM` : `${hour - 12}:00 PM`;
    console.log(`  • ${time}: ${count} posts`);
  });

  console.log('\nTop Hashtags:');
  console.log(`  ${analysis.topHashtags.slice(0, 5).map(h => `#${h}`).join('  ')}`);

  console.log(`\nOptimal Caption Length: ~${analysis.contentLength.topPerformerAverage} characters`);

  // 3. Generate calendar
  const calendar = await generateContentCalendar(analysis, niche, platform);

  // 4. Display calendar
  console.log('\n═══════════════════════════════════════════');
  console.log('📅 YOUR 7-DAY CONTENT CALENDAR');
  console.log('═══════════════════════════════════════════\n');

  calendar.calendar.forEach((day, i) => {
    console.log(`┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐`);
    console.log(`│ ${day.day.toUpperCase().padEnd(39)}│`);
    console.log(`├─────────────────────────────────────────┤`);
    console.log(`│ 🕐 ${day.postTime.padEnd(36)}│`);
    console.log(`│ 📝 ${day.contentType.toUpperCase().padEnd(36)}│`);
    console.log(`└─────────────────────────────────────────┘`);
    console.log(`\n🪝 HOOK:`);
    console.log(`"${day.hook}"\n`);
    console.log(`📄 FULL CAPTION:`);
    console.log(`${day.fullCaption}\n`);
    console.log(`#️⃣  ${day.hashtags.map(h => `#${h}`).join(' ')}\n`);
    console.log(`👉 CTA: ${day.callToAction}`);
    console.log(`💡 Why: ${day.notes}\n`);
    console.log('───────────────────────────────────────────\n');
  });

  // 5. Strategy summary
  console.log('═══════════════════════════════════════════');
  console.log('📋 WEEKLY STRATEGY');
  console.log('═══════════════════════════════════════════\n');

  console.log(`Theme: ${calendar.strategy.weeklyTheme}\n`);

  console.log('Content Mix:');
  Object.entries(calendar.strategy.contentMix).forEach(([type, count]) => {
    console.log(`  • ${type}: ${count}`);
  });

  console.log('\nKey Insights:');
  calendar.strategy.keyInsights.forEach((insight, i) => {
    console.log(`  ${i + 1}. ${insight}`);
  });

  return { analysis, calendar };
}

Step 6: Run It

async function main() {
  await createContentCalendar({
    platform: 'tiktok',
    competitors: [
      'garyvee',
      'alexhormozi',
      'noahkagan'
    ],
    niche: 'entrepreneurship and business advice'
  });
}

main();

Run with:

node index.js

Sample Output

📅 AI CONTENT CALENDAR GENERATOR
═══════════════════════════════════════════

📥 Fetching TikTok content from @garyvee...
  ✅ @garyvee: 50 posts
📥 Fetching TikTok content from @alexhormozi...
  ✅ @alexhormozi: 50 posts
📥 Fetching TikTok content from @noahkagan...
  ✅ @noahkagan: 50 posts

📊 Total content analyzed: 150 posts

───────────────────────────────────────────
📈 COMPETITOR INSIGHTS
───────────────────────────────────────────

Best Posting Days:
  • Tuesday: 28 posts
  • Wednesday: 24 posts
  • Thursday: 22 posts

Best Posting Hours:
  • 9:00 AM: 32 posts
  • 12:00 PM: 28 posts
  • 6:00 PM: 25 posts

Top Hashtags:
  #business  #entrepreneur  #mindset  #motivation  #success

Optimal Caption Length: ~145 characters

🤖 Generating content calendar...

═══════════════════════════════════════════
📅 YOUR 7-DAY CONTENT CALENDAR
═══════════════════════════════════════════

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MONDAY                                  │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 🕐 9:00 AM                              │
│ 📝 EDUCATIONAL                          │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

🪝 HOOK:
"The #1 reason your business isn't growing (it's not what you think)"

📄 FULL CAPTION:
Most people blame their marketing.

But I've seen 1000+ businesses and the real problem is simpler:

You're solving a problem nobody cares about.

Before you spend another dollar on ads, ask 10 potential customers:
"Would you pay $100 to solve this problem?"

If less than 7 say yes, pivot.

Comment "PROBLEM" and I'll help you find yours.

#️⃣  #business #entrepreneur #startuptips #businessadvice #growth

👉 CTA: Comment "PROBLEM" for personalized feedback
💡 Why: Question-based hooks drove 3x engagement in competitor data. Educational content performs best on Mondays.

───────────────────────────────────────────

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TUESDAY                                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 🕐 12:00 PM                             │
│ 📝 ENTERTAINING                         │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

🪝 HOOK:
"POV: You just quit your 9-5 to start a business"

📄 FULL CAPTION:
Day 1: Freedom! I'm my own boss!
Day 7: Wait, I have to do EVERYTHING?
Day 30: Why did no one tell me about taxes?
Day 90: Finally made $1
Day 180: Starting to figure this out
Day 365: Would never go back

The first year is survival. The second year is growth.

Tag someone who needs to see this 👇

#️⃣  #entrepreneurlife #startup #business #quityourjob #hustle

👉 CTA: Tag a friend starting their journey
💡 Why: POV format is trending. Relatable struggle content gets high shares.

───────────────────────────────────────────

[... continues for 7 days ...]

═══════════════════════════════════════════
📋 WEEKLY STRATEGY
═══════════════════════════════════════════

Theme: "From Employee to Entrepreneur" - A week of content for people considering or starting their business journey

Content Mix:
  • educational: 3 posts
  • entertaining: 2 posts
  • promotional: 1 post
  • engagement: 1 post

Key Insights:
  1. Question-based hooks outperform statements by 2.3x in this niche
  2. Competitors post most frequently Tue-Thu, suggesting higher engagement windows
  3. Personal story content (failures, lessons) drives 40% more comments than pure advice

Export to Notion/Google Sheets

function exportToCSV(calendar) {
  const headers = 'Day,Time,Type,Hook,Caption,Hashtags,CTA\n';
  const rows = calendar.calendar.map(day => 
    `"${day.day}","${day.postTime}","${day.contentType}","${day.hook.replace(/"/g, '""')}","${day.fullCaption.replace(/"/g, '""')}","${day.hashtags.join(' ')}","${day.callToAction}"`
  ).join('\n');

  const fs = require('fs');
  fs.writeFileSync('content-calendar.csv', headers + rows);
  console.log('\n✅ Exported to content-calendar.csv');
}

Adding More Competitors

// Analyze multiple platforms at once
async function multiPlatformCalendar(config) {
  const results = {};

  for (const [platform, competitors] of Object.entries(config.platforms)) {
    console.log(`\n📱 Analyzing ${platform}...`);
    results[platform] = await createContentCalendar({
      platform,
      competitors,
      niche: config.niche
    });
  }

  return results;
}

// Usage
multiPlatformCalendar({
  niche: 'fitness and wellness',
  platforms: {
    tiktok: ['blogilates', 'sydneycummings'],
    instagram: ['kaikiakoe', 'whitneyysimmons'],
    twitter: ['mindpumpmedia']
  }
});

Cost Comparison

Content planning services:

• Later: $25/month (just scheduling)
• Hootsuite: $99/month (basic analytics)
• Sprout Social: $249/month (competitor analysis)
• Content agency: $2,000+/month

Your version:

• SociaVault: ~$0.15 per competitor analysis
• OpenAI: ~$0.03 per calendar generation
• Total: ~$0.50 per week of content

That's 500x cheaper than hiring an agency.

What You Just Built

This is literally what social media managers do for 40 hours a week:

• Research competitors
• Identify what works
• Plan content calendar
• Write captions and hooks

You just automated the entire process.

Get Started

1. Get your SociaVault API Key
2. Add your OpenAI key
3. List your top 3 competitors
4. Generate a week of content in 30 seconds

Writer's block is now a solved problem.

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The best content strategies aren't creative, they're analytical.