When it comes to social media (and media in general), content is key. But, without structure and direction, it’s challenging to know just what to post to get the most from social media.
That’s where content pillars come to the rescue!
What are content pillars?
Simply put, content pillars are a set of topics that you and your brand can use to create content. These themes must reflect your brand and your audience. These topics can then be broken down and used for almost anything – from social media posts, advertising, to blogs – all working together to grow your business.
Focusing on a few core content pillars is essential in focusing your social media output to better target your audience – all while still offering variety.
Why are content pillars crucial for social media?
There can be a lot of pressure to create content when using social media for your business. Content pillars ensure that each piece of social media content you post is as relevant to your audience as possible. Without these pillars, it can become easy to lose focus, creating an inconsistent and non-cohesive social media presence.
This may make your content hard to follow and prevent you from growing an audience compatible with your business.
What are the right content pillars for you?
The most effective content pillars will depend on your business and its goals. However, there are several ways to figure out the perfect approach.
Who is your audience?
Understanding your audience is an essential part of any effective communication. Without this fundamental step, it can be impossible to know what direction to take. There are several aspects to consider:
- The platform(s) your audience use
- Your audience’s values and motivations
- The problems they may have that you have the solutions for
- The demographics of your audience.
Each of these aspects must be taken into consideration when creating the content pillars for your business.
What’s your competition doing?
Another way to better understand your market is to take a look at your direct competitors. It’s a good idea to list your top competitors and examine their social media.
Be sure to note any of the topics of posts that do exceptionally well, as well as identify any gaps in their content strategy. Use these gaps in content to help formulate your content pillars.
What are you already doing? What works? What doesn’t?
There’s certainly something to be said for looking inward. When trying to figure out the best content pillars, it can be handy to take a deeper look into your existing strategy. This can help to spot trends in customer engagement.
Once you understand your current situation, you can better understand the content pillars perfect for you.
About Focus SME
Focus SME provides social media marketing services to B2B or service-based businesses. Whether it just be helping you set up your social media profiles, managing your entire social media presence, or helping you find other ways to engage with your audience, our solutions will support you in growing your business. If you’re looking for a reliable and experienced social media team, contact us HERE.