Having content pillars will level up your content marketing ; Here is how.

Ever had those moments when you literally have no idea what you want to post and you seem to be having a mini panic attack?

This is where content pillars come in to save the day. Let's call it the back up plan that should not have been a backup plan, to begin with.

What is a content pillar?

A content pillar is a cluster of topics or themes that your brand can use as a guide to creating content. They can range anywhere between 3-5 content pillars which are then subdivided into subtopics of content that can be used throughout an intended period of time.

Why are content pillars important?

Content pillars help you acquire a sense of clarity on what your niche is all about. For instance, you might be a tech influencer, your content pillars may revolve around sharing knowledge about the topic, inspiration for those who wish to join the industry, a bit of entertaining content to help people develop a personal connection to you and your brand.

For example ;

Nicole Young is a software engineer , whose content pillars revolve around motivation , sharing her journey as a female entrepreneur while also sharing her journey as a woman in STEM.

As mentioned earlier, there are days when coming up with content is quite a daunting process, and in order to avoid subpar work going back to your pillars will serve to your advantage. Why do I say this? Well after you are clear on what you want your brand to revolve around , brainstorming ideas and planning becomes easier for you to do. In additon to this , creating a content calendar makes a whole lot of sense because you are aware of what type of content you will be putting out .

For example you may want to have topics under your educational content pillar every Tuesday , while keeping this in mind you will create subtopics under this pillar .

Matcha Union is a perfect example, in this case, one of their content pillars is education and they dive into topics such as mental health, self-care, menstrual cycle, etc. They are educating while still advocating for the use of their matcha.

Ever heard the quote consistency is key ? Having content pillars will help you achieve consistency with your brand which in turn will create a strong brand identity.

Onyi has done a really good job when it comes to carving out a brand identity because when you think of her you think of vintage and luxury.

What should you understand before creating content pillars

First thing is understanding your brand , what is your purpose and how do you want others to perceive you. Visualize this and get clear.

Next is finding your sweet spot . This means figuring what plaforms work for your long form and short-form content. It might be a youtube channel or blog for long form content and instagram for your short form content.

Ask yourself who your target audience is , what they are interested in and what values do they have ( this is essential because gen z mindsets are completely different from a millennial and you need to adapt accordingly )

Last but certainly not least ask yourself how your content will address your audiences pain points.

How to create content pillars

You may opt to create a digital version or a handwritten one , the choice is yours . In adition o this you can opt to use a project management system such as clickup to create a folder that holds your various content pillars and within those pillars you can brainstorm your subtopics .

The other alternative would be creating a spreadsheet that holds your information .

Create time to brainstorm and conduct research on the pain point you wish to address. You can take this opportunity to use your resources such as pinterest , youtube , google and ofcourse your personal opinions.

Update your content calendar to fit your topics accordingly . This can be again a physical calendar or a digital calendar.

Create content around those topics , It may be video content ,photos , blog posts or graphics depending on you and schedule them if you want to save time and energy using platforms such as later , planoly . For blogs and youtube videos you can schedule them on the platforms themselves.

Review and analyze accordingly and if the need to tweak your pillars arises don't shy away from making those changes.

Due to the fact that it is the end of the year , it is the perfect time to plan your content pillars for 2022 so that when the new year rolls in, you are at advantage.

A GOOD PLAN IS LIKE A ROAD MAP: IT SHOWS THE FINAL DESTINATION AND IS USUALLY THE BEST WAY TO GET THERE.