What are Social Media Content Pillars?

One of the best ways to maintain a content schedule is to create your own set of content pillars.

What are content pillars?

Content pillars are subcategories of content that align with your brand and business. As a small business owner, you want to put out the best content possible so that people are excited to shop with your brand.

In order to do that, your content needs to speak to your audience and make them feel like they have a true connection with you and what your brand values are. Content Creation is important because it carries so much weight and responsibility and that’s why it has to be taken seriously.

There are many moving parts go into creating an amazing piece of content and one of those moving pieces is content pillars.

An example of basic content pillars are:

• Informative Content
• Engaging Content
• Inspiring Content
• Promotional Content
• Entertaining Content

All of your content will be fit under one of those categories to help you better plan what type of content you should be posting.

Why are content pillars important?

Because if you are serious about growing online, your content posting has to be strategic and consistent. You cannot just throw out random content all day and expect people to want to buy with you. Content pillars help you stay on track and schedule so that you are able to hit your revenue goals.

If content creation is a struggle for you, it’s probably because you’re doing it without a plan. Your content strategy should also include content pillars that you can break down into a certain amount of posts.

While the content pillars I provided above are very generic, they can help you get your foot in the door. Below, I have some examples of how you can incorporate these content pillars into your content strategy. (If you want to know what else to include in a content strategy plan, I wrote a blog about it here)

If you’re a fashion brand, your informative content would look like posting about the materials used in your pieces, how to style a product or your thoughts on a current trend.

If you’re a skincare brand, your engaging content would look like asking your followers how many steps are in their skincare routine.

If you’re a candle brand, your inspiring content would look like you talking about how candles can be part of your self-care routine due to aromatherapy and that people should start taking care of themselves.

If you’re a jewelry brand, your promotional content would look like you talking about your latest piece and how a potential customer will not have to worry about a boring outfit ever again.

If you’re a soap brand, your entertaining content would look like you posting a meme about how annoying it is when someone else is using your soap.

Once you’ve gotten comfortable with these content pillars, you can make more brand-specific ones that will help you create content consistently.

To come up with your content pillars, there are a few things you need to consider.

First, what are your goals when it comes to your content? In other words, what do you want people to think, feel, and do after they have consumed your content? Of course, there are going to be multiple emotions, thoughts, and actions you want them to do which is where the multiple content pillars come in.

On average, you want to have 5–6 content pillars so that you have a pretty deep arsenal of content ideas. (If you’re low on content ideas, check out this blog where I provide you with over 50 content ideas) When coming up with your content pillars, you don’t want to over-specify them, but you also don’t want to be too generic.

Good Content pillar: Natural Skincare Tips

Too specific: Skincare Tips for Acne-Prone Skin

Natural Skincare Tips can cover so many things, including what products to use, what products to avoid, food to eat to help your skin, and more.

Skincare Tips for Acne-Prone Skin limits you to one skin type, which limits the amount of content you can produce about it. The best way to set it up would be to have skincare tips for certain skin types under skincare tips.

Now that you have your content pillars, it’s time to pick out the topics that will fall under each one. Like the example mentioned above, this is where you get specific with the type of content you are going to post.

Under skincare tips, you’re going to decide what kind of tips you are going to share and for what kind of skin type. Then repeat this process for each content pillar.

Once you’re done, you’ll have an overview of the type of content that you need to create for your business, thus making content creation a little easier for you.

These strategies, tactics, tips, and more is what I share with my clients in my coaching program. If you are an e-commerce brand that sells fashion, beauty, or home fragrance products, you are my ideal client.