What are Content Pillars and Why Do I Need Them?

July 11, 2023

Social media = endless doom scrolling. This means there is a constant stream of content uploaded to the web by the minute. The pressure is real to stand out in the content sea and to reach your audience, connect authentically, and grow your business. An important tactic to make every post content is establishing your Content Pillar Strategy.

This blog post will explore what content pillars are, how they can help you build your platforms, and the key benefits they offer.


Table of Contents


What are Content Pillars?

Content pillars are the foundational topics or themes that shape your content strategy. They act as guideposts, enabling you to create relevant, valuable, and consistent content that aligns with your brand goals and resonates with your target audience. While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to creating content pillars, a good starting point is asking yourself essential questions about your platform’s purpose and your audience’s needs.

How to Establish Your Content Pillars:

When determining your content pillars, consider your business goals and the frequently asked questions in your industry. These pillars should strike a balance between fulfilling your audience’s major needs and keeping your content interesting.

While there’s no fixed number of content pillars, we recommend narrowing them down to five primary content pillars. We recommend a range from 3-6 content pillars for simplicity and consistency without overwhelming your content creation process. These content pillars will make generating content easier, keep you focused on your goals, and help you maintain a cohesive strategy.

Examples: Content Pillars in Real Estate

To illustrate the concept, let’s explore hypothetical content pillars for the real estate industry:

  1. Home buying and selling tips
  2. Neighborhood spotlights
  3. Home maintenance and improvement
  4. Market Insights
  5. Real estate industry updates
  6. Real estate investment and property management

Content pillars are broad categories that provide ample room for creativity and growth. By thoughtfully rotating through topics, you can maintain a dynamic and engaging media plan.

Top Benefits of Content Pillars:

Now that we understand content pillars, let’s explore why they are a valuable tool for any individual, business, or organization with a media platform. Here are the top five benefits:

  1. Focus: Content pillars provide a clear direction for your content, ensuring that you stay on track and avoid posting irrelevant material. Having a well-defined focus makes content generation more straightforward and facilitates increased audience engagement.
  2. Consistency: Content pillars establish a level of consistency across your platforms, giving your brand a professional appearance and enabling your audience to know what to expect. Strong pillars keep your content true to your brand and desired image.
  3. Relevance: Meeting your target audience’s needs is crucial for successful content planning. Content pillars help ensure that your content remains relevant and resonates with your audience, preventing disengagement caused by unwanted or unnecessary material.
  4. Organized Content Library: Content pillars contribute to an organized and unified feed, presenting your content professionally and intentionally. This organization benefits both you and your audience by making it easier to access older content. It also demonstrates your professionalism and commitment to delivering valuable content.
  5. Measurable Success: Analytics and engagement tracking are essential in the media world. Content pillars make it easier to measure your success, allowing for data-driven decisions when it comes to improving your content and media strategy.

Creating content pillars may require initial research, brainstorming, and analysis of your target audience. However, the benefits they offer far outweigh the effort invested.

Start small, identify your content pillars, and unlock the power of this tool to level up your media game.

For additional help, follow @freebirdcommunications on Instagram for the best content tips!

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