Nailing Content Pillars for Your Creative Biz

Ever feel like the content you post on social media is scattered?

Like you don't know what to post next, or what to post to attract actual clients instead of just other artists/designers?

There's an easy fix—choosing & aligning to your brand's content pillars.

Let’s break down what that means, and how to choose the right ones for your business.

What are content pillars?

Content pillars guide the themes and topics you talk about in your content. They keep your message focused so that it’s super clear what your business is all about.

By choosing a few content pillars (I recommend 3-5), it’ll make it easier for your audience to understand what kind of products and services you provide, as well as what your brand values are.

And bonus! It makes it much easier to create content.

When you have defined themes to align with, you’re not scrambling wondering what to post every day. You’re crystal clear on what topics will support your message and move people closer to a sale.

How do I choose content pillars?

Remember that your content isn’t about YOU, it’s about serving your audience.

So resist the temptation to make one of your pillars the same as a product or service you offer—that’s very YOU-centric.

Audience-centric pillars, on the other hand, will still allow you to promote your offerings, but do so in a way that appeals to your audience instead of coming across as extra salesy.

To build audience-centric pillars, try asking yourself these 3 questions:

👉🏼 What am I an expert in?

The answer(s) to this question can become content pillars in which you create educational content to teach your audience how to do something, or teach your audience about the value you provide in your services.

👉🏼 What is my community interested in?

Relatability is key to building trust with your audience. Learn more about what your audience wants to know or talk about, and develop a pillar where you can really connect with them on that topic.

👉🏼 What do I love/what am I passionate about?

Infusing your brand with your personality not only helps you stand out, but also helps build deeper connection with your audience. This one doesn’t have to be directly tied to something you sell—it can just be a hobby, interest, or personal cause you’re passionate about to help your audience get to know you and your values better.

What does this look like in practice?

Let’s look at how this might break down for a hand lettering artist who sells art prints and home goods, with a focus on bold styles and colors. Her 5 pillars might look like this:

1️⃣ Lettering in Procreate (Expertise pillar)

  • Why it works: Demonstrates her expertise and authority in her craft, building trust with potential clients

  • What it looks like: Process videos, tutorials, tips & tricks

2️⃣ Creating Products (Expertise pillar)

  • Why it works: Shows authority in running her business, and may be helpful to other artists aspiring to create a product-based biz

  • What it looks like: Behind the scenes of the systems, tools, resources, and processes used to get her designs on products and in stores

3️⃣ Bold Color Inspo (Community Interest pillar)

  • Why it works: Her ideal customer loves bold colors and design, since that’s the style of her artwork

  • What it looks like: Inspo for bold color palettes, pics of bold colors seen IRL

4️⃣ Interior Design (Personal Passion pillar)

  • Why it works: Gives insight into her passions besides lettering, and also could show examples of how to incorporate art/goods like hers into one’s home

  • What it looks like: Sharing interior design inspo, behind the scenes of her own home reno or remodels, ideas for incorporating art into your home decor

Not only do these pillars give you a TON more ideas for content to post beyond just new artwork or products, but they’ll help you promote your products or services through the lens of what your audience cares about—which is crucial to landing more sales.

Selling will feel more organic and focused on your audience’s needs, rather than your own.

💥 Based on this breakdown, what content pillars are you using right now? Which types of pillars are you missing?

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