Using CoGen to Create Posts Automatically
Switch on CoGen, CoPost's automated content engine, to plan, write, illustrate and queue on-brand posts for you every week.
CoGen is CoPost's automated content engine. Once it's switched on, it works in the background every week. It plans topics based on your brand and what's been performing well, writes the captions, creates matching images, and adds the finished posts to your queue.
You can let it run on its own, or review everything before it goes out.
ℹ️ CoGen is included on the Creator, Creator Pro and Teams plans.
Before you start
CoGen needs two things set up in Settings > Brand Voice first:
- Your Brand Voice, so it knows what to write about and how you sound
- Your Image Spec, so its images match your brand
See Setting up your Brand Voice for both. It's also worth adding some Caption Themes in the Brand Voice tab, because CoGen uses them to decide what each post is about.
You'll also need at least one social account connected.
Finding CoGen
CoGen lives on your Dashboard. Its card shows what state it's in:
| State | What it means |
|---|---|
| CoGen Setup Required | Your Brand Voice or Image Spec isn't set up yet. Use Create Brand Voice or Create Image Spec on the card. |
| CoGen Ready to Activate | Everything's set up. You just need to switch it on. |
| CoGen Active | CoGen is running and shows what it has lined up next. |
Switching CoGen on
- On the Dashboard, open the CoGen card and click the on switch (or open CoGen Settings).
- Choose how CoGen should add posts to your queue:
- Scheduled: posts go out automatically at their scheduled time.
- Scheduled Draft: posts are scheduled but won't publish until you approve them. Choose this if you want to check each post first.
- Choose the Language CoGen writes in. It's suggested from your timezone, and you can search to change it.
- Click Save Changes.
You'll see "CoGen has been successfully turned on". CoGen starts creating your first posts, and they appear on the card as soon as they're ready.
To switch CoGen off, open CoGen Settings and turn it off. Posts it has already created stay in your queue.
How CoGen's week works
CoGen runs on a weekly rhythm:
- Planning topics. Every Wednesday, CoGen reviews what's been performing well and plans topics for the following week. They appear under Next topics on the CoGen card, with a note on Why these topics were picked.
- Your chance to adjust. Before the topics are used, you can review them. Click Adjust plan to chat with CoGen and reshape the plan, for example "swap topic 3 for something about pricing", "make them more light-hearted" or "why did you pick the networking one?". Click Done when you're happy.
- Creating posts. On the date shown on the card, CoGen writes the captions, generates an image for each post and schedules them.
How many posts
CoGen makes 5 posts a week for each Brand Space on the Creator plan, and 7 a week on Creator Pro and Teams. They're spread one a day at 10:00 in your timezone, so 5 posts go out Monday to Friday and 7 go out every day. If you switch CoGen on part way through a week, it fills the rest of that week straight away.
Which accounts
CoGen picks the best platforms for each topic from the accounts connected to your Brand Space. If none of its picks are connected, the post goes to all your connected accounts.
The top of the card always tells you what's Up next.
Where the posts go
CoGen creates its own slot collection and adds posts to it. You'll see it on the Slots page, marked as a CoGen slot collection. It's managed by CoGen, so you can't edit or delete it.
CoGen's posts also appear on your Calendar, Planner and Content page like any other post, with the CoGen label.
Reviewing CoGen's posts
The CoGen card lists your upcoming CoGen posts. For each one you can:
- Preview it
- Edit it in Composer, to change the caption, image or anything else
- Change its status, for example move a Scheduled Draft to Scheduled once you're happy with it
If you chose Scheduled Draft, nothing goes out until you approve it. Check the card or the Scheduled Draft tab on the Content page regularly.
Extra features
Blog ideas
CoGen can also suggest blog posts for your brand. Switch on Blog ideas in CoGen Settings, under Extra features.
Through the week, CoGen suggests blog post ideas under Blog ideas on the card, with a note on why it chose them. Pick one and CoGen writes it in full. Finished posts appear under Blog drafts, where you can read them and click Copy to paste them into your website.
CoGen activity
CoGen activity shows a log of what CoGen has been doing, such as plans made and posts created. A badge shows how many updates you haven't seen yet.
Frequently asked questions
CoGen says "All caught up". Is it working? Yes. It means CoGen has created everything planned for now. New posts arrive on its next run.
Can I write my own posts as well? Of course. CoGen's posts sit alongside anything you create in Composer. If you don't want to wait for CoGen, click Create with CoWriter on the card.
The posts don't sound like us. Improve your Brand Voice and Caption Themes in Settings > Brand Voice. CoGen uses the latest version on its next run. You can also use Adjust plan to steer the next week's topics.
The images don't look like our brand. Review your Image Spec in Settings > Brand Voice > Image Spec. You can also add a Brand Face if your brand has a person behind it.
We are always here to help, so please reach out to [email protected] with any questions!