The Ultimate Guide to Building a Content Pillars Framework for Small Businesses
For small businesses, creating a thoughtful content strategy is crucial for reaching customers online. Yet many struggle to develop cohesive messaging and content across platforms. That's where building a content pillars framework comes in.
Content pillars provide an organized structure for planning and aligning content to business goals. They ensure consistency across channels while allowing flexibility to adapt tone and topics for different audiences.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how small businesses can leverage content pillars to amplify their messaging and connect with customers. You’ll learn:
Whether just starting out or looking to improve an existing content plan, this guide will provide actionable steps for small businesses to build a content pillars model from the ground up.
Content pillars are the core themes and topics that all your content aligns with. They ensure consistency across channels while providing flexibility within each pillar.
For example, a small consulting firm may have pillars like “Leadership Strategies,” “Organizational Development,” and “Team Performance.” Within the Leadership Strategies pillar, they can produce content on communication, decision-making, negotiation, and more — all tied back to the central theme.
Content pillars act as the framework that content strategy is built on top of. They:
With clearly defined pillars in place, it’s easier to plan content that reinforces core messaging. And when creating content, there's a guiding structure to pull from while still having creative freedom.
Follow these key steps to build out content pillars for your small business:
Start by clarifying what your business cares about and what you want to communicate. Get clear on your core focus, mission, values, and unique positioning in the market.
For a business coach, it may be empowering female entrepreneurs. For a boutique fitness studio, it could be building community through movement. Your pillars should clearly reflect what sets you apart.
Next, dive into understanding your audience segments and their interests. Look at existing content and identify gaps to inform pillar development.
A buyer persona exercise can uncover what different groups care about and need help with. An audit can reveal missing content opportunities.
For example, a wedding photographer may realize they have beautiful galleries but lack resources for budgeting and logistics planning.
With your focus, values, and audience insights, start brainstorming potential pillar topics. Ideally aim for 3-7 pillars.
Consider using workshop techniques like affinity mapping to organize ideas. Look for overlaps and patterns in what your business provides and what audiences want to know.
Example pillars could include Photography Tips, Wedding Planning Resources, Venue Guides, etc. for a wedding photographer.
Once you've brainstormed, refine the pillars into their final forms. Name each to clearly summarize the theme.
Check that pillars fully align with your business mission and value proposition. Make sure each is distinct and provides content opportunities.
A workshop with your team can help clarify and finalize the pillars.
With your pillars set, start listing specific content types and topics under each one.
A pillar like “Healthy Living” for a naturopath may include content on meal plans, environmental wellness, sleep hygiene, and more.
This flushes out what content fits into which bucket while revealing gaps to fill.
Your content pillars provide an ongoing framework for content creation. Follow these tips for optimizing the pillars over time:
Set time every quarter to review pillars and see if any updates are needed based on new products/services, changing buyer needs, etc.
Don’t fill every pillar completely. Leave room for new trends and related topics over time.
You can keep the same pillars but adapt wording and tone for different audience segments.
When creating content, reference and link to other relevant pieces across pillars to reinforce connections.
Involve Sales, Customer Success and other teams to optimize pillars for what they’re hearing from prospects and customers.
HubSpot uses pillar themes like "Attract", "Convert", “Engage” and "Delight" to organize their huge content library for inbound marketing.
The accounting software FreshBooks structures content across pillars like “Running My Business” and “Accounting Basics” with topics tailored to solo entrepreneurs.
Squarespace’s Designer Blog leverages pillars focused on visual topics like “Design Trends” “UX” and “Photography” so content stays on-brand.
These examples demonstrate how different businesses apply the pillars concept aligned to their specific focus, audience, and goals.
Developing a structured content pillar framework ensures your business always has relevant topics to create content around. And it leads to more cohesive messaging across channels.
The process does take time and effort upfront. But the long-term benefits make it a smart investment for small businesses looking to improve their content strategy and marketing results.
Use the steps and advice in this guide to begin brainstorming and building out content pillars tailored to your small business. With thoughtful pillars in place, you’ll be set up for content marketing success.
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