You might have a logo, website and marketing strategy, but if you are questioning what the heck brand pillars and content pillars are, then there is some work to be done. Building a successful business relies on a well-organized foundation of these pillars, which help you maintain a consistent voice and ensure you create content that is focused and effective.
But what are brand pillars anyways? And are they really different from content pillars?
In short, yes. These two parts of your business are different, but overlap in a lot of important ways. To break it down:
Brand Pillars: Your company’s core values and characteristics. They define your brand’s identity and personality and serve as the foundation for all marketing efforts, helping you maintain a consistent voice threaded throughout your message.
Content Pillars: Broad, core themes you will cover in your marketing content. They provide a framework that makes it easy to organize said content and focus your efforts. For instance, if you are a wellness-based business, you may have content pillars such as recipes, success stories and personalized workouts.
An even easier way to think about it: Your brand pillars are your “why.” Your content pillars are your “what” when it comes to marketing strategy.
Why do you need them?
Have you ever felt overwhelmed, wondering what content you will post to keep up engagement in your online communities? What about the need to keep things fresh and interesting? It’s easy to get bogged down in the mires of social media (and other forms of digital and print marketing), but having a strong foundation will help your brand withstand the test of time.
Brand pillars will guide you and your team when you are considering what your target market is looking for when it comes to your brand’s voice and personality. Content pillars will help you easily organize your content so that you can create calendars, work on batching and use other time-saving skills.
Okay, so how do we create these and fold them into a marketing strategy?
Brand pillars should come first, after you have done considerable target market research. You will also want to look into what your competitors are doing. Understand the psychographics and demographics of your market so that you can speak to them with honesty, authority and in a way that will build trust. From here, find where your brand and your target market intersect. Why are you going into business? What are your values? How do you want your audience to see you?
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Content pillars also rely on solid target market research to be successful. With that as a background, and a thorough understanding of your brand pillars, you can begin to flesh out the content offerings that would resonate with your audience. Understanding trends on social media as well as within your industry is crucial here. You will also want to run a social media audit as you go, to see what resonates most with your audience. Keep up with those measurables and track your brand’s progress!
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Aim for considering about 4-5 pillars each under both branding and content. By laying a sturdy foundation, you will help your business grow its engagement at a steady pace without relying solely on luck or the algorithm. And remember, it will take consistent efforts by you and your team to grow and nurture your online communities, customer relationships and leads generated through strategic and effective marketing.
