How to Use Content Pillars
Overview of what this article will cover:
Understand content pillars
Why content pillars are important in your content marketing
How to create content pillars for your business
How to integrate content pillars in your content marketing
Understanding Content Pillars
Think of content pillars as the main themes or topics your small business uses in content marketing. They give structure, guiding purposeful content creation and offering a consistent direction for your audience. You've probably come across content pillars without even knowing. For example, a travel account might feature cool videos and pictures of different spots, but if you look closer, you'll see recurring themes like travel tips, places to visit, and maybe gear suggestions. Similarly, following a favorite restaurant might show videos and pictures of their business, focusing on top dishes and events, building community through customer experiences, and showcasing their menu in tempting close-ups. The key is that successful accounts have focus and purpose. Content pillars help keep your content in line with what's important to you and your audience.
Why Content Pillars are Crucial for Small Business
You might be thinking, "I'm a ______, not a content creator!" and that's precisely the point. Your expertise is in the services or product you offer, but having a robust content strategy is what will elevate your business above what your peers are doing. When potential customers or clients search online for answers to their problems, they should find you providing clear, informative solutions.
Without a defined content strategy, your marketing efforts can feel scattered and unfocused. Content pillars help guide your creation process, giving you a compass that always points back to what your business is truly about.
Content pillars are like having a solid game plan instead of going all over the place. While random content can leave people scratching their heads, content pillars keep things on track with a flow of relevant and connected material that speaks to your main message. By focusing on specific themes, you add depth to what you know best. Plus, content pillars help you plan ahead and manage time better, making sure your content marketing is well-balanced and on point.
Why Content Pillars Matter for Small Businesses
Small businesses sometimes don't realize how important their online presence is. Content pillars help make sure your content aligns with your business goals, instead of just being random or opportunistic.
The Role of Content Pillars in Building Brand Consistency
Your online presence is an extension of your brand, and inconsistency can diminish your credibility, break trust, and dilute the impact of your message. Content pillars keep you—and your team if you have one—on track, ensuring that every piece of content, whether it's a blog post, video, or social media update, maintains a consistent narrative that reflects your core business values.
Impact on Audience Engagement and Trust
In today's world, where authenticity and storytelling are valued, content pillars are crucial for establishing a personal connection with your audience. Imagine your business as a person and your brand as its unique personality. Just as you expect a person to have a certain appearance, behavior, and set of values, your audience expects consistency from your brand. This trust is built on the understanding that the brand will remain true to its core themes.
If a person suddenly shifts interests from science to pop culture, it can be disorienting. Similarly, if a business jumps from topic to topic online, it risks confusing its audience. To maintain clarity and build trust, businesses should focus on their core topics consistently. By doing so, they become a reliable source of information, enhancing trust and credibility with customers.
Applying Content Pillars to Your Business
Now that we know why content pillars are essential, how do you go about applying them to your small business? Here are the steps you need to take to create and implement your content pillars.
Identify Your Business's Key Themes and Topics
The first step to setting up content pillars is to really understand what your business is all about. What are the main themes that keep popping up in your services, mission, and values? These themes will become your content pillars. For example, if you own a hair salon, your content pillars could focus on style trends, hair health, and recommending the best products for your clients. Another example could be if you run a non-profit organization that supports military veterans. Your content pillars might include educating your audience on services and initiatives, sharing success stories, or building a sense of community. If you're a portrait photographer, you could concentrate on building trust by showcasing your creative process, sharing client testimonials, or guiding potential clients through the entire session process from booking to delivery.
Choose and Align Content Pillars With Your Brand Identity and Goals
Each piece of content you create should resonate with your brand identity and further your business goals. Whether it's to raise awareness, educate, or convert, ensure that your content directly aligns with your content pillars.
Imagine planning a week's worth of content for a hair salon. Let's say you aim to post four times during the week. Your content strategy revolves around four pillars: education, promotion, connection, and trust. Here's how each pillar can benefit your business:
Education: Offer valuable insights into hair care, styling techniques, and trends to engage your audience.
Promotion: Share announcements, discounts, and special offers to entice your customers.
Connection: Take your audience behind the scenes with glimpses of your salon and share client stories to foster a sense of community.
Trust: Build credibility by showcasing client testimonials, before-and-after transformations, and highlighting your stylists' expertise.
Example: Map out your week by day and assign a content pillar to focus on.
Day 1: Education
Day 2: Promotion
Day 3: Connection
Day 4: Trust
The next step is to focus on each day. Think of one thing you want to communicate.
Day 1: Education
Top hair styles for those with _____ type of hair or active lifestyle or thinner/thicker hair or long/short hair.Day 2: Promotion
Open appointments for the week.Day 3: Connection
Highlight a client story who was in desperate need of your help to correct a DIY hair coloring.Day 4: Trust
Spotlight a stylist and their experience.
With our week planned out using content pillars and concepts, it's time to start creating the content. A good practice is to let your copywriting lead the visual elements. Feel free to follow what works best for you. In this scenario, we'll begin by drafting the copywriting for each day before designing the visual content. For the purpose of this exercise, let's assume you're focusing on Instagram.
Map out what type of post will be the best to showcase the content:
Day 1: Education- Reel
Top hair styles for those with _____ type of hair or active lifestyle or thinner/thicker hair or long/short hair.Day 2: Promotion- Carousel
Open appointments for the week.Day 3: Connection- Reel
Highlight a client story who was in desperate need of your help to correct a DIY hair coloring.Day 4: Trust- Reel
Spotlight a stylist and their experience.
Having identified the post type, we now possess a clearer understanding of the content required for creation.
What we know:
Day one will be a reel with a focus on education. We will be educating our audience on hairstyles for people with long hair. Planning the content, we will do a video montage of different long hairstyles with both a voiceover and on screen text.
Repeat for each day.
Actionable Steps for Small Business Owners
It's time to roll up your sleeves and craft your content pillars. Here are the steps you need to take to get started.
Assess Your Current Content Strategy (If Any)
Start by taking an honest look at your current content. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? How well does it align with your business goals and brand identity? Use this assessment as a launching pad for change and improvement.Identifying and Choosing Your Content Pillars
To figure out your content pillars, think about the main topics that cover most of your content. Keep in mind that these pillars should connect well with your business goals and values. Pick the ones that matter most to your audience and match your long-term business goals.Creating a Content Calendar Based on Pillars
Once you have your content pillars, the next step is to create a content calendar. A calendar helps you plan and organize your content creation, ensuring that you have a consistent stream of content that addresses each of your pillars.Tools and Resources for Small Business Owners
Thankfully, there are plenty of tools and resources that can make things easier. Whether it's using editorial calendars or content management systems, the digital world has a variety of helpers for each stage of creating content.
Tips for Solo Entrepreneurs and Small Teams
If you’re a one-person show or operating with a small team, don’t despair. You can still manage content pillars effectively.
How to Manage Content Creation Without a Dedicated Marketing Team
The key here is to work smarter and not harder. Leverage your existing resources, such as customer feedback and your team’s collective knowledge. Engage with your customers or community to gain insights that can lead to valuable content.Time-Saving Strategies for Consistent Content Production
Batching content, repurposing, and leveraging user-generated content are all time-saving strategies that maximize your efforts. If you can create similar types of content in one sitting, you’ll save time in the long run.Balancing Quality and Quantity
While consistency is crucial, you should never sacrifice quality for quantity. Your content should always serve a purpose and be valuable to your audience. Find the right balance that works for your business and your resources.
Conclusion
Content pillars are key parts of a successful content marketing plan for businesses of all sizes. If you're a small business owner, putting effort into shaping a content strategy can really boost how your marketing and messages come across. This article has given you a good grasp of what a content pillar is, why it matters in your business's content marketing, and a clear example of how to create content while sticking to your pillars. It might seem time-consuming at first, but like anything valuable, progress can start slow. Stick with it, and you'll see it gets easier and more natural. You'll start thinking strategically, making sure each piece of content has a specific goal. By being intentional and goal-oriented in our messaging, we can build better connections with our audience.
Ready to forge a stronger online presence for your small business? Join our newsletter to receive free content strategy resources and templates that will help you build your content pillars and elevate your brand to new heights. Need help with your content marketing? Reach out and schedule a consultation. I'd love to work with you.