Content Pillars: How to Categorize Your Brand’s Social Media Content
Content creation for social media, websites, and other digital channels requires planning, research, and strategy. Because this is a process, it takes time and consistency to create content that performs well. Though creating content on a whim is the easiest approach to social media marketing, it helps to have a clear guide for the type of content you create and what this content intends to do for your brand.
The solution is content pillars, or buckets. This method of content categorization helps you keep track of what topics, trends, and areas matter the most to your brand’s online audience. Let’s explore what content pillars are, how they function, and how to tailor them according to your brand’s needs:
What Are Content Pillars?
Content pillars are categories or buckets of information used to organize a brand’s content. Separating content according to its type or nature helps you maximize your content ideas and get a bigger picture for content to come.
Why Use Content Pillars?
The truth is that content without strategic direction can lead your brand nowhere. Content pillars provide a guide to creating content that promotes your audience’s values, interests, and means for being a customer to the business. When this is absent, content is more likely to fall flat, lack variety, and prove to be ineffective. Organizing your social media and digital content into content pillars puts your material into a strategic perspective, making it easier for each content piece to connect to overall objectives and goals.
Content Pillar Examples
The great thing about content pillars is that there is no definite way to create them. The pillars you choose can be any type of content that your audience finds relevant. Here are some common content pillars that can be shared across many industries:
How-Tos
How-to posts are the perfect tactic to give your audience informational content. These guides provide a step-by-step process for how to complete a task or take an action.
Example: How to sign up for early voter registration.
Example: How to enter the virtual raffle.
Example: How to use a coupon code.
Behind the Scenes
The Behind The Scenes (BTS) content pillar gives your audience a peak at how things really work for your business. Whether demonstrating how you prepare a product or how your team works together around the office, in the kitchen, or behind the counter, there are plenty of ways to let your audience in on the magic.
Example: Opening/closing the store
Example: Conferences and outings
Example: Office Life
Education
Aside from the ‘How To’ pillar, other education methods can keep your audience connected. Whether industry-related or specific to your brand, seizing the opportunity to educate your audience will establish a trusting relationship between them and the brand. Build a reputation for having knowledge and specific information that can only be found from your brand.
Example: 5 Reasons to Buy a VIP Summer Pass
Example: Most Trusted Beauty Brands
Example: Common Cold/Flu Symptoms
User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is original content created by customers, clients, and admirers of your brand. This content is published on social media channels such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and FacebookDepending on the size of your audience and their responsiveness to your brand, user-generated content acts as one of the best tactics for connecting customers to your business.
Example: Positive Yelp review
Example: Enthusiastic Instagram comment
Example: TikTok video testimonial
Product
At the end of the day, you always have your product and core business. Keep customers abreast of what your product, what its features are all about, and how it solves the needs and problems of customers. ,
Example: Highlight current products and services
Example: Tease and introduce new products and services
Example: Suggest how products can be used in a variety of ways (i.e. cocktails or recipes)
Content is the foundation of social media strategy, and content pillars ensure that content aligns with your brand’s audience. Pillars give you an organized guide that simplifies the process as a whole. Whether you’re thinking broadly or aiming to be specific, content pillars are tailored to meet audience needs and brand goals. With this flexibility, it’s time to take advantage of content pillars for your next social media campaign
