Creating quality content ain’t easy!
Any seasoned marketer who’s been in the game long enough will tell you that developing a well-thought-out content marketing strategy is hard work. Successful content requires a strong sense of purpose. Between content ideation, creation, and execution, you’re likely to be a very busy bee – especially if you’re a one-man team working for a small business or non-profit.
So, how can you concentrate your efforts, create consistency and structure your existing strategy?
Two words; content pillars.
Content pillars help your business create content that produces measurable results instead of aimlessly creating media that doesn’t bring you new business.
In this brief guide, we’ll explore the how and why behind content pillars, so you can feel confident creating your own in no time.
What are Content Pillars?
Content Pillars are a novel type of content strategy framework that serve a fundamental purpose: they provide a comprehensive, authoritative exploration of a topic that a reader can get everything they need on that subject, all within one place. They involve the creation and tactical interlinking of related pieces of content designed to increase a website’s search engine rankings. Think of them as 3-5 ‘buckets’ of content topics that your brand discusses frequently through your social channels like Instagram, blogs, and email marketing.
Sounds pretty straightforward, right? While this concept is not necessarily new, it’s one that commonly creates challenges because businesses are unsure of how to address the full scope of questions, problems or solutions they ultimately seek to deliver.
In fact, you’ve actually worked with content pillar pages on a simple level in real life. Think about your favorite cookbook and you’ll get a perfect feel for how pillar pages work. Most cookbooks are categorized into different sections: appetizers, breads, main dishes, desserts, etc. Within these sections (pillars), you can have every type of bread under the category within your cookbook, but you’ll never find any of them under the Main Dishes category. Content pillars on your website work in the same fashion, and in their own way, the results are just as sweet.
Honey Hack: If you’ve been in the biz for a while, review your most successful posts or campaigns to gain insight on what worked well!
How Do I Determine a Content Pillar?
It’s about highlighting why your audience would find continued interest in your brand and what would speak to their mindset—not just your services or product itself. That’s it. That’s your content pillar!
Try the formula:
Your Audience Mindset + Your Brand’s Appeal = Content Pillar
Using the formula above, let’s pretend we’re figuring out content pillars for a shampoo brand for curly hair
Mindset + Appeal of the Shampoo
Not Enough Time + Speeds up the Morning Hair Routine = Time Saving
Your turn!
Analyze your brand’s appeal to your target audience to determine your content pillars. Why do they need you?!
Benefits of Employing Content Pillars
When you truly take the time to put in the effort of planning and creating a content pillar, content becomes something that catapults you forward instead of holding you back. Here are a few of our favorite benefits that this approach to content provides:
1. Content Pillars Draw in More Visitors AND Makes Them Stay
It’s not uncommon for visitors to immediately leave your site after visiting a piece of content if they feel the post has nothing substantial to offer. With content pillars, high bounce rates are less of a concern because you’re essentially creating more informative, focused content that draws attention and convinces people to stay.
Let’s say you’re planning on releasing an article about non-profit organizations providing aid to marginalized sectors. In that case, content pillars will have you focusing on one specific marginalized sector instead of several in one post.
By focusing on one sector, such as the homeless population, you get the opportunity to offer more precise recommendations and delve deeper into the topic.
2. Content Pillars Encourage User Sharing
Sharing is widely considered one of the best ways to market your business online. For one, it gives your business a visibility boost, which is something no organization can complain about!
Secondly, it encourages engagement with a specific post, which improves your online presence and helps you rank higher in the search engines.
Since content pillars present a more detailed view of a topic, sharing with friends, relatives, or colleagues is easier. You don’t have to worry about them not getting the gist of the content or taking time to read an entire blog post.
3. Content Pillars Create Better SEO
Profit and non-profit marketing value SEO since it assures better visibility online. For non-profit organizations, better visibility could very well mean more volunteers or higher success rates for fundraisers.
Since content pillars contain a focused yet comprehensive list of information, they’re easier to put together and, as a result, rank higher in search engines.
Content pillars boost SEO performance and make your site achieve a higher ranking in SERPs, helping your organization reach more people online.
Are Content Pillars Worth Using for Non-Profit Marketing?
Content pillars are a good way of consolidating ideas and presenting them in a comprehensible way. Additionally, non-profit organizations can benefit significantly from using content pillars since they help create better content, encourage user sharing, and improve SEO.
So, how can you concentrate your efforts, create consistency and structure your existing strategy?
Two words; content pillars.
Content pillars help your business create content that produces measurable results instead of aimlessly creating media that doesn’t bring you new business.
In this brief guide, we’ll explore the how and why behind content pillars, so you can feel confident creating your own in no time.
What are Content Pillars?
Content Pillars are a novel type of content strategy framework that serve a fundamental purpose: they provide a comprehensive, authoritative exploration of a topic that a reader can get everything they need on that subject, all within one place. They involve the creation and tactical interlinking of related pieces of content designed to increase a website’s search engine rankings. Think of them as 3-5 ‘buckets’ of content topics that your brand discusses frequently through your social channels like Instagram, blogs, and email marketing.
Sounds pretty straightforward, right? While this concept is not necessarily new, it’s one that commonly creates challenges because businesses are unsure of how to address the full scope of questions, problems or solutions they ultimately seek to deliver.
In fact, you’ve actually worked with content pillar pages on a simple level in real life. Think about your favorite cookbook and you’ll get a perfect feel for how pillar pages work. Most cookbooks are categorized into different sections: appetizers, breads, main dishes, desserts, etc. Within these sections (pillars), you can have every type of bread under the category within your cookbook, but you’ll never find any of them under the Main Dishes category. Content pillars on your website work in the same fashion, and in their own way, the results are just as sweet. 😉
Honey Hack: If you’ve been in the biz for a while, review your most successful posts or campaigns to gain insight on what worked well!
How Do I Determine a Content Pillar?
It’s about highlighting why your audience would find continued interest in your brand and what would speak to their mindset—not just your services or product itself. That’s it. That’s your content pillar!
Try the formula:
Your Audience Mindset + Your Brand’s Appeal = Content Pillar
Using the formula above, let’s pretend we’re figuring out content pillars for a shampoo brand for curly hair
Mindset + Appeal of the Shampoo
Not Enough Time + Speeds up the Morning Hair Routine = Time Saving
Your turn!
Analyze your brand’s appeal to your target audience to determine your content pillars. Why do they need you?!
Benefits of Employing Content Pillars
When you truly take the time to put in the effort of planning and creating a content pillar, content becomes something that catapults you forward instead of holding you back. Here are a few of our favorite benefits that this approach to content provides:
1. Content Pillars Draw in More Visitors AND Makes Them Stay
It’s not uncommon for visitors to immediately leave your site after visiting a piece of content if they feel the post has nothing substantial to offer. With content pillars, high bounce rates are less of a concern because you’re essentially creating more informative, focused content that draws attention and convinces people to stay.
Let’s say you’re planning on releasing an article about non-profit organizations providing aid to marginalized sectors. In that case, content pillars will have you focusing on one specific marginalized sector instead of several in one post.
By focusing on one sector, such as the homeless population, you get the opportunity to offer more precise recommendations and delve deeper into the topic.
2. Content Pillars Encourage User Sharing
Sharing is widely considered one of the best ways to market your business online. For one, it gives your business a visibility boost, which is something no organization can complain about!
Secondly, it encourages engagement with a specific post, which improves your online presence and helps you rank higher in the search engines.
Since content pillars present a more detailed view of a topic, sharing with friends, relatives, or colleagues is easier. You don’t have to worry about them not getting the gist of the content or taking time to read an entire blog post.
3. Content Pillars Create Better SEO
Profit and non-profit marketing value SEO since it assures better visibility online. For non-profit organizations, better visibility could very well mean more volunteers or higher success rates for fundraisers.
Since content pillars contain a focused yet comprehensive list of information, they’re easier to put together and, as a result, rank higher in search engines.
Content pillars boost SEO performance and make your site achieve a higher ranking in SERPs, helping your organization reach more people online.
Are Content Pillars Worth Using for Non-Profit Marketing?
Content pillars are a good way of consolidating ideas and presenting them in a comprehensible way. Additionally, non-profit organizations can benefit significantly from using content pillars since they help create better content, encourage user sharing, and improve SEO.
Contact Honey Creative today if you’re looking for a creative marketing agency that offers marketing for non-profits. Our services cater to non-profit organizations and mission-minded small businesses, so you won’t need to worry about investing in things that won’t help your organization in the long run.
