An easy DIY guide for setting up your content pillars within your marketing strategy

Marketing on social media is far from just posting up something.

It's not, very far from it actually...and today I am going to show you the right way you should be doing it, and how you should be planning your content pillars, and WHAT are content pillars. I will give an example of each so that it will help you to understand how you can use each one in your business.

'Just posting'....it just doesn't work like that, and if you are paying someone or an agency to do that on your behalf just to 'tick a box' because you have been told (or you believe) that's what marketing is, you may as well be trowing your money down the drain yourself.

Creating a solid marketing strategy based on solid content pillars and understanding WHY you you should be going about it the way you need to is essential for growth.

Too many business owners or those making the decisions about the marketing in their business unfortunately believe it is JUST a post. Make the picture pretty and push a button, then see how many likes you get because that apparently equals success.

This blog post will explore these strategies to help you enhance your marketing efforts effectively.

So, to start with, what are content pillars?

Content pillars are fundamental topics or themes that define your brand's content strategy.

They support various content pieces across your marketing channels, ensuring consistency and relevance. They help to better meet audience needs and drive business growth.

It categorises your content. Today, I am going to show you 3 easy categories you can section your content into, and how much of each section you should be using.

Implementing your content pillar strategy

Creating a successful content strategy using pillars requires thoughtful planning and execution.

Start by identifying the key themes that align with your brand values and audience interests. Plan your content calendar around these pillars, ensuring a balanced mix that guides your audience through the marketing funnel.

How to start building your content pillars and measure their success

1. Top of the Funnel: Educational content

This is where you want to generate demand for your product or service.

Approximately 60-70% of content should be educational and packed with emotional appeal. This content should establish the brand's voice and authenticity, engaging the audience without directly prompting sales.

Give your point of view, show your voice, share solutions. You're not asking for anything from your audience, no call to action.

The primary goal here is to build trust and inform the audience, and here is also where you bring in new traffic and reach a new fresh audience who have yet to purchase from you.

An example would be to talk about a problem you see in your niche all the time and how you would overcome that. Or even a latest trend that is happening in your niche and give your opinion/spin on it on how you would utilise that trend.

How you can measure if this is working (as we are not asking for a sale here....)

• Shares of the content
• Follows
• Reach
• Engagement generated

2. Middle of the Funnel: Conversion content

This type of content should convert demand.

About 15-20% of content here should focus on conversions.

This content should highlight unique value propositions and include clear calls to action, such as prompting viewers to follow a link in a bio or make a purchase. Your content here will be offer focussed, talk about what sets you apart from the competition, what is your unique value proposition? What can you do that no one else can on the market?

The aim is to transform the initial audience interest into tangible business metrics like clicks and sales. Your offer needs to be clickable or drive them to take an action if the platform you are on does not support links (like Instagram or TikTok).

An example would be a current offer, but even though it is a sales pitch, try not to make it look spammy. I would still start with a solution to a problem then show them how exactly you would solve that problem using your product or service, and if they want to know a little more about how to get started, to get in touch etc.

How you can measure if this is working -

• Leads
• Sales
• Click throughs
• Traffic to your store/landing page
• Saves - those who are saving your post

3. Bottom of the Funnel: Brand persona

This content should be analytical but still emotional.

Use around 15-20% of this type of content.

This content focuses on deepening relationships with existing customers. It should reflect the brand's mission, values, and the people behind it.

This segment is crucial for nurturing long-term customer loyalty and encouraging repeat business. The bottom funnel's success is measured by customer retention rates and the longevity of customer relationships.

You want to show your people, your team, your inner most thoughts and even go as far as vulnerability. It's about loyalty, retaining your customers, keeping that longevity with your exisiting customers.

Retaining your exisiting audience base and keeping the trust there.

An example would be hearing from your team or owner, showing behind the scenes, a day in the life. I call this 'lifestyle' content. Showing your dog that you bought into work, milestone moments in the business, the hard times, share the vulnerable side, 'get ready with us', 'pack an order with us', 'a day in the life' - people LOVE seeing a day in the life! This works really well.

How you can measure if this is working -

• Comments
• Increase in average order value
• Retaining lifelong customers/repeat orders or business

Setting up content pillars is not just about organising your marketing strategy, it's about creating a foundation that supports sustainable growth and engagement, brings in new leads but also nurtures your existing audience. It is a way that not only brings in new business but also retains your exisiting audience.

It's an evergreen loop.

Rinse and repeat.

By focusing on educational content, conversion-driven materials, and deepening brand identity, you can build a strategy that not only attracts but also retains customers.

For more information on consulting or done for you social media management, get in touch with us today at [email protected]

Thanks for stopping by! Melissa