A sneak peek into our content pillar strategy!

Keeping your content relevant, relatable and, unique is the biggest challenge that many brands deal with when owning or marketing their business. Depending on what your niche is, you may think, “There’s only so many things I can post every week.” but the beauty of social media is, the possibilities are endless. When batching content, there’s more to it than just changing the design aspect; you always want to keep your audience interested in what you’re going to post next. You can grow in many ways, keep your audience engaged, and scale when you use content pillars! Our biggest not-so-secret to help our clients succeed is using content pillars to stay organized, consistent and create high-quality content that converts so our audience won’t even think twice about hitting the unfollow button!

What is a content pillar?

A content pillar is a key topic or thematic groupings to focus your content or campaigns around. These key topics are often called categories, but essentially they mean the same thing. So when you define these sub-categories in your digital platforms, content pillars can help you, and your audience gets a clear picture of what you do and what people can expect you to do. In addition, some businesses use their services to guide them through these content pillars.

At RAVEN + CO., we’re a full-fledged agency and, our expertise lies in various marketing aspects. Our services are spread out into different categories. We always ensure that our audience gets knowledge in all these categories to help tackle a wide range of challenges that cater to diverse individuals! Once you have a clear understanding of the topics you want to elaborate on, ensure that you can convey the messaging of these pillars on all social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Linked In, and most importantly, your blog. 

Why should I utilize content pillars?

Content pillars go hand in hand with your SEO strategy and keywords. The number one way a prospect seeks assistance for a challenge their facing is to simply type in their problem into a search engine search bar. Now, you may not be the first link that might pop on a search engine unless you’ve paid for keywords but having content pillars makes it easier for prospects or search engines to navigate the content in your niche. In the ever-growing online marketplace and a world overflowing with information and content, it’s often difficult for users to find what they need and when they need it. Hashtags can also narrow down content pillars on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. A quick tip: Ensure to define your content pillars are also apparent in your hashtags! 

Here is top of mind examples of businesses that may utilize content pillars: 

• A small fashion business content pillar could be Self-love, empowerment, beauty, and mindset. 

• A virtual yoga instructor can focus on Health eating habits, wellness, and mental health. 

• An independent coffee shop can focus on Food pairings, coffee picks of the month and, book recommendations that go well with drinking coffee. 

As we mentioned, the possibilities are endless. The themes can be specific to your brand but can encompass multiple themes that keep your audience engaged! 

Now how can you create content pillars of your own, and how can it help you when you’re unsure of what to post next? We got you covered; here’s our process! 

1. Define and establish content for your pillars! 

At RAVEN + CO., we set aside time every month to establish content under our pillars. Open up a document and write down your content pillars. This document will be your content bank and bible; it can help you develop ideas to write for a blog post, a copy, or even a blog post! Remember, when it comes to your content pillars, don’t create too many that might confuse your audience. Less is more because you can continually expand your content pillars into many different content formats. There’s no need to overthink it - write down all the ideas that come to mind under each category. 

2. Stay updated with industry trends and social listening. 

As a content creator or business owner, it’s essential to keep up with industry trends on any given platform where you’re deciding to publish your content. Are there new formats that content creators in your niche are utilizing? For example, a local bookshop has noticed a surge in “#Bookstagrams” book Instagram communities where readers can share their reviews and latest picks. With this information, perhaps the local bookshop can pivot their platform for users to engage more with the latest titles or products that they’re selling?  Get proactive in your search for inspiration for the pillars that you’ve chosen. We utilize fantastic tools or platforms, Pinterest, Google Trends, and even hashtag searches within our niche to see what our target audience is interested in, what they’re talking about, and what our competitors are doing. 

3. It all starts with your audience and what they’re feeling. 

When establishing your content pillars, you’re not just creating content to fill up your calendar with material that you want to see. The ultimate goal is to reach out to your target audience and convert; this isn’t all possible without knowing your audience’s wants. Whether you have a substantial online following or a small one, it all starts somewhere. Look into your direct messages or the engagement in your comment section. Are there frequently asked questions that you found yourself answering consistently? Are there similar keywords in your comment section that need addressing? Listening to your audience’s responses and comments humanizes your brand and let your audience know that your content is made specifically for them. Get deeper into those emotions by reading our blog post on defining your customer pain points here:  You can use this as a guide to creating content under your content pillars. 

4. Take a look at your analytics!

There is no rule in social media about recycling content themes, especially when it comes to previous high-performing posts. It always comes down to the numbers! Your analytics define what’s working and what doesn’t work for your platforms. After all, it’s what your audience wants. Use your analytics as a guide to creating consistency in your future content, are there specific templates or formats that your audience is drawn to? What information do they find the most beneficial to them, and what information do they want to learn more about? Narrow your high-performing posts, open up your content pillar document, and incorporate your findings into the content pillar topics you plan to publish. 

5. Create and plan your content calendar! 

Now that you have some knowledge on content pillars, once you’ve established these pillars and sub-topics, organize these ideas into a content calendar. Content calendars help you see a clear overview of what you’re planning to post, whether or not you’re overlapping topics, and can save you from sounding repetitive. It’s all about being cohesive and aligning with your branding. Batching your content ahead of time based on your content pillars will keep you from running out of range to craft and publish at RAVEN + CO. when we create and plot our content, we always make sure to keep in mind of: 

• Special occasions or dates that our audience may be looking forward to. Whether it’s your brand’s anniversary, a product launch, or a holiday your content pillars can still fall under these themes. 

• Formats! It’s always great to alternate your posts to give your audience something different per week. If you have a carousel on Monday, you’re not going to want to post a carousel post on Tuesday; maybe you’ll think of switching the format under your content pillar to an IG Reel or video. Even though your content pillar follows a theme, different formatting ensures variations that your audience will anticipate! If you have a macro post such as a blog post, start posting it once a week as they require more time to create. 

• Microcontent, As a business owner or content creator, you still want to make it known to your audience about the product or your niche. Ensure to plot in quick and straightforward micro-posts that give your audience knowledge of what your brand is all about. 

Every business has different strategies for their content marketing strategy; at RAVEN + CO., we’re all about guiding you through more straightforward approaches that will help you feel confident about your ability to be a leader in your niche industry! After all, your product or service is your baby, and you should be able to expand in any digital space. 

Are you still stuck on the content pillars that go hand in hand with your specific product, service, or personal branding? We’re here to guide you through the process and enhance your big ideas. Jump on a discovery session with our brand experts, and we’ll show you through our killer strategy that will help you post on any given platform like its second nature. Book a complimentary discovery session here: www.ravenandcompany.com/consultation