April 21, 2025 • 28 mins
Still wondering what to post on Instagram? You might be missing this one crucial step.
In this episode of The Creative Bodega, I’m breaking down the exact process I use (and teach!) to define your content pillars — aka the foundation that will simplify your content creation and bring consistency, clarity, and connection to your brand.
No more guessing games or posting random tips that don’t lead to sales. When your pillars are locked in, your messaging becomes sharper, your audience knows what to expect from you, and your content starts doing the heavy lifting for you.
If content feels scattered, inconsistent, or just plain exhausting, this episode is your starting line. Let’s define your pillars once and for all.
👉 Check out the full show notes for this episode HERE.
Things I cover inside the episode:
✨ What content pillars really are (and what they’re not — spoiler: "educate, inspire, entertain" is not it).
✨ 5 simple steps to define your content pillars so you never sit down and wonder what to post again.
✨ How to use your pillars to create consistency and build trust with your audience.
✨ Real examples of effective content pillars (and why vague, cute ones won’t work).
✨ The difference between your business pillars and your personal pillar — and why you need both.
✨ What to do when your pillars evolve or your content starts to feel stale.
✨ The common mistakes solopreneurs make when choosing or skipping their pillars.
Resources & Links Mentioned in this episode:
🔗 Content Analytics Tracker
🔗 FREE Content Pillar Training
Connect with me:
🫶🏼 Follow me on Instagram for daily insights
🫶🏼 Join my 321 Create Newsletter for weekly content tips
🫶🏼 Check out The Content Coven Membership
Be sure to hit "Subscribe" or "Follow" so you never miss an episode!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Once I got super clear on mypillars, everything changed for
(00:03):
me.
My messaging became sharper.
My content ideas flow faster,and my audience knows exactly
what to expect from me.
It was no longer like, whatshould I post today?
Ugh.
I hate that feeling in thatquestion.
When you have.
Just nothing.
Instead, I'm like, huh, whatpillar should I lean into today
for this post that I know I'msupposed to make today?
(00:25):
Although I'm never posting theday of.
So you're not gonna hear mesaying that I batch my stuff
ahead of time.
'cause that's what keeps mesane.
Welcome to the Creative Bodega,a podcast about content
marketing, Instagram growth andpersonal branding for female
service-based solopreneurs whowanna grow their business
without letting it take overtheir lives.
(00:46):
I'm your host, EM Connors, andeach week I'll share actionable
tips, expert advice, andunfiltered truths to help you
create engaging content, connectauthentically with your
audience, and turn followersinto loyal customers, all
without the burnout.
If you're ready to simplify yourcontent creation, navigate the
ever, ever-changing trends andbuild a business that works for
(01:08):
you while staying sane in this.
Crazy season of life, thenyou're in the right place.
So you probably keep hearing theterm content pillars or brand
pillars tossed around onInstagram and in every single
course or marketing video, butyou're maybe not a hundred
percent sure what that evenmeans or how to choose yours.
(01:32):
You are super far from alone.
In fact, it shocks me when I'minside of my signature course,
the Insta Canva collective.
The first week is when we naildown our brand pillars and the
amount of analysis paralysis andimposter syndrome that happens.
It still shocks me because I'mlike, this is your business.
(01:52):
This is your life.
You're not sure what you wannateach or be known for anyways.
At this point, you know, threeyears into running that
signature course, I realize it'snot something everybody just.
You know, understands, and itdoesn't click for everybody.
So most solopreneurs either skipthis step altogether or they
overthink it so much.
(02:15):
That they don't ever take thetime to really nail it down.
And the truth is that when youdefine your pillars clearly,
your content creation's gonnabecome so much easier.
It gives you that direction andclarity and consistency that
really helps you attract theright followers.
(02:35):
Who fingers crossed, turned intobuying raving fans.
So in today's episode, I wannabreak down the five simple steps
so that you can walk away withyour content pillars fully
defined and figured out.
No fluff, no random vagueadvice.
I just wanna give you an honestto God step-by-step plan to help
(02:57):
you feel super confident aboutwhat the heck to post day in and
day out and why it matters.
So this is the foundation forbuilding a brand that really
sticks, right?
It connects and it convertswithout completely.
Burning you out.
And before I dive into thesesteps and what content pillars
(03:21):
even are, please remember thatyou will be able to find the
full show notes for this episodeon my website.
That's the creativebodega.com/blog/.
12.
Alright, so let's dive in.
What are content pillars forsmall business owners?
Right?
What are they?
What aren't they?
I actually was just listening toa podcast today and somebody was
(03:45):
like, I don't have contentpillars.
I don't rotate through, educate,entertain.
And I was like, Ugh.
Those are not content pillars.
So, you know, maybe it's finethat you don't have them, but
here's what they are.
Content pillars are your corebrand topics or themes that you
want to be known for.
That you consistently createcontent around and that all
(04:08):
relate back to your offer.
So I'm not going to be postingabout how to tie dye skirts if
that's not something I offer ortalk about or wanna be known
for.
Okay?
Yes.
I could talk about tie dyeingskirts in my stories.
Hey, here's this fun thing I didthis weekend with my kids.
Or I could talk about it in mynewsletter if I wanted to.
(04:31):
Maybe as one of the things I'mloving, like, oh, I did this
with my kids this weekend.
Check it out.
Sure.
But it's not gonna be showing upon my feed.
My feed is that polishedstorefront where when somebody
comes across something Icreated, whether it's from.
Another lovely follower of minesharing it in their stories, or
they found me on the explorepage.
(04:52):
I want it to be so clear whatthey're gonna get from me.
And how I'm gonna solve aproblem for them by reading my
bio and just glancing at thefirst, you know, nine to 12
lines of my feed.
So these are these foundationalcategories.
Pillars, topics, whatever youwanna call them, that are gonna
(05:14):
support your business goals andconnect with your ideal client.
And again, it's gonna makeplanning your content so much
easier.
I would not come up with aposting schedule before you have
content pillars.
It goes content pillars.
Then posting schedule, right?
Because everything within yourposting schedule should relate
back to your pillars.
(05:35):
So I want you to think of themas quite broad buckets.
So that's kind of the otherthing that I think people get
wrong.
They get really specific withtheir content pillars.
It's like.
Instead of Canva being a pillar,it's how to create a digital
product in Canva.
Like you are pigeonholingyourself so much, and there's
(05:56):
probably only so much contentyou can come up with about how
to create a digital product inCanva.
But if it's just Canva and youcan talk about a lot of things
inside of Canva, new features,shortcuts, how you get
organized, like all that.
If you're gonna have a lot moreoptions, so every one of your
posts should fall under one ofyour pillars.
So some real life pillarexamples.
(06:19):
So for me, maybe Instagramstrategy, Canva tips, visual
branding.
Brand messaging, emailmarketing, confidence on camera,
systems and workflows, mindsetand burnouts behind the scenes
of building a six figurebusiness.
So these are just examples ofones that I could use, right?
(06:41):
Again, topics around where Iwanna build trust, where I wanna
serve my audience.
How I wanna sell my offers.
Content pillars are not the goalor the format of your post.
So many creators confuse contentgoals with content pillars.
So saying that your contentpillars are educate, inspire,
(07:02):
entertain, thought, leadership.
This is like saying your brandis to help people.
Like it's too vague.
It doesn't actually tell youwhat to post and educate,
inspire and entertain are notcontent pillars.
They're content intentions orcontent goals.
And you can and shouldabsolutely vary the type of
(07:23):
content you're putting out asfar as the goals are concerned.
You should have some educate.
You should have some inspire,you should have some entertain,
right?
And.
But those are not the contentpillars, right?
They're actually like the topicsor the goals for your audience
to recognize and connect to.
So that's what content pillarsare and are not.
(07:45):
Why do content pillars matterfor growth?
They're gonna create consistencyand they're gonna make you super
memorable in the eyes of yourfollowers.
They help you attract the rightpeople, not just random ones.
And this is why I say like forthe love of all that's holy,
like do not copy a viral realsituation that has nothing to do
(08:06):
with what you offer.
'cause the last thing you wannado is go viral.
For something that you don'toffer or talk about or wanna be
known for, it's not good.
Okay?
So save that stuff for yourpersonal account.
Save it for doing in yourstories, but don't put that on
your feed, okay?
It's just gonna confuse people.
'cause if you are a dog trainingexpert and you follow a real
(08:29):
trend where you're talking abouthow overwhelmed you are as a mom
or something, or mom guilt orwhatever, people are gonna think
you're like a.
Parent coach or something, andthey're gonna come to your feed
and be super confused when theysee a whole bunch of dog
pictures, right?
So.
Content pillars matter becausethey're gonna guide your
content, your captions, yourvisuals, your freebies, and your
(08:52):
offers.
So it's truly like the firststep, that foundational piece,
which is why in my signaturecourse, it is one of the very
first things we do because Ican't move on until I know what
your brand pillars are.
Now, am I saying that you cannever change them, or once you
tell me what your three to fiveare like, they're, that's it
(09:13):
Forever.
Absolutely not like mine evolve.
Mine have changed.
Mine have shifted, and that'sokay.
Like as entrepreneurs, I thinkwe all have pretty large
interests and a lot of differentthings, and I think it's natural
for our pillars to evolve andthat's totally fine.
But when your content's all overthe place.
(09:35):
Your audience doesn't know whatyou do or why they should even
stick around, right?
But when your pillars are clearand consistent and people know
what to expect from you, andthey're following you for one
reason, and they're getting thevalue that they were seeking,
they're gonna start to see youas the go-to person for fill in
(09:56):
the blank.
So when anybody tells me like,you are my Canva go-to, or
You're my Instagram, you know,fairy godmother, whatever, I'm
like, yes.
I love that.
Like the first, you know,instinct you have when you come
across a struggle or a problemwith either of those platforms.
I wanna be the one to pop intoyour head, right?
(10:16):
So common struggles.
Most people, most solopreneursjump into content creation
without gaining clarity aroundthese brand pillars or their
brand messaging.
That's a whole other podcastepisode.
If your posts feel all over theplace or you really struggle to
stay consistent, or you struggleon what to post about.
It's probably because yourcontent pillars are not well
(10:39):
defined.
The pillars are gonna be thiskey to building trust, saving
time, and showing up withpurpose on Instagram, not
throwing spaghetti at the walland seeing if it sticks.
So what happens if you skip thiscrucial part of nailing down
your brand pillars?
You're posting content that'sgonna be random and doesn't
really lead people anywhere, oryou're attracting followers.
(11:02):
Who aren't really meant to bethere and don't end up engaging
with you or certainly notconverting.
And you also probably feeloverwhelmed every time you sit
down to create content.
And that's like the worstfeeling in the world if you ask
me.
So I'm really hoping thisepisode shifts you from, I don't
know what to post.
I don't know what kind ofcontent I need to show up for my
(11:25):
ideal client.
I don't know what my contentpillars are to.
I've got this.
I have a clear goal in mind.
All my content pillars relateback to my content, relate back
to my freebies, relate back tomy offers.
I know exactly what I wanna beknown for, and that clarity is
just gonna bring you so muchpeace of mind.
(11:46):
So let's dive into the fivesteps to defining your content
pillars.
I wanna remind you.
Either A, you can grab a pen andpencil, or if you're like me,
you listen to podcasts whenyou're doing something else,
like walking or working out,that all these notes and all
this breakdown is gonna be overon my website, the created
bodega.com/blog/twelve.
(12:08):
Okay, so step one in the fivesteps to defining your content
pillars, identify what you wannabe known for.
I want you to ask yourself, whatdo I want my audience to
immediately associate with me?
Okay, choose one to two coreareas of expertise, not 10, not
15.
(12:29):
I want you to stay quite focusedexamples, and for me, branding,
content strategy mindset forsolopreneurs, like those are big
ones for me, and it is what Iwant people to think of me for
when they think of the creativebodega or they think of m
Connors.
Step number two, consider whatyour ideal client needs from
you.
(12:49):
What problem or problems are youtrying to solve for them?
What transformation do you helpthem achieve?
So for me, I'm trying to helpwomen.
I.
Not feel so overwhelmed bycontent creation to actually
have a little fun with it, tomake it more simple and just
(13:10):
make it a part of their processand their business to sit down
and batch content that'sactually gonna get them results
every month.
The transformation is thatyou're gonna go from
overwhelmed, frustrated,confused.
Two, really confident andfeeling really good about how
you're showing up and how yougot the content there in the
(13:32):
first place.
So your pillars should reallyreflect your zone of genius and
your ideal client's struggles,right?
So S number three.
Look at the content you'vealready created.
So hopefully if you're listeningto this, you've already started
creating content.
I want you to pull up yourInstagram analytics and look at
(13:53):
what got the most comments, whatgot the most saves, what got the
most shares?
What themes are you seeingnaturally showing up?
What kind of content gets themost.
Engagement overall.
Hi.
I have an amazing analytictracker that you could grab.
I'll put it in the show notes.
It's$19 and I look at it, Idon't wanna say every day, but I
(14:17):
certainly look at it everysingle month when I am going to
create content.
'cause I'm not reinventing thewheel.
My content pillars are sobuttoned up.
I have thousands of pieces ofcontent at this point that I can
rely upon.
I can either, A, just use itagain, or B, create it in a new
format or repurpose it some way.
(14:37):
Right?
I.
So use the data plus yourintuition to get that pillar
clarity.
So step number four is you aregoing to pick three to five
pillars and give them clear.
Relatable names.
Okay, so three is the sweetspot, in my opinion.
(15:00):
I have four.
So if, if there's four to fiveand they're very connected and
they make sense for you, let's,let's go for it.
I trust you.
But make sure your audiencereally understands like what
they are and what they mean.
So don't call a pillar, like bizvibes or something like that,
right?
Like.
(15:21):
Clarity is gonna win every time.
Clear over cute.
I want you to define them superclearly, like Instagram growth,
email marketing, Canva, designtips, content mindset, like
super clear terms.
And heck, even if you want, youcan throw a verb.
In front of them to make themeven more clear or after them.
(15:45):
Um, so that's something I'll dosometimes to just make it a
little more actionable.
And step number five is justtest them, tweak them, use them
consistently, right?
They're flexible, like I saidbefore, they can evolve just as
you can evolve as a solopreneur.
So use them as a filter.
Always ask yourself, does thispost fit into one of my content
(16:07):
pillars?
Again, I have a daily postingschedule, and that's something
else we do in IXCC is once wehave our brand pillars, we come
up with a daily postingschedule.
I am not the kind of person thatlikes to be pigeonholed into
each day of the week.
I talk about one of my pillarsthat's a little too specific for
me, and I feel a little boxedin.
(16:28):
I have some days that yes, myonly thing I'm doing is talking
about one content pillar.
Like Monday, my Canva, how toreel.
I always wanna talk about CanvaOn Mondays.
I love Canva and I love sharingthe how to videos.
But on Tuesday I do a carouselpost, and it can be related to
Canva, but it could also berelated to mindset, or it could
be related to content creationin general, or systems and
(16:51):
workflows, right?
So I like to batch my content.
By my daily post type.
So if I'm doing Canva, how tworeels on Mondays, I like to sit
down and botch four to five ofthose in a row.
Completely create them andschedule them.
Then I move on to Tuesday, whichis a carousel.
I'm gonna hop into Canva.
(17:12):
I have my reusable templatesright there pinned at the top of
my folders, and I like to createbased on my pillars, and kind of
rotate through those few that Ijust mentioned for that carousel
on Wednesday.
It's more of a personal.
Post or thought leadership ormindset, and I'll explain a
(17:32):
little bit more about that whenwe talk about some pillar posts,
but I like to really stick withmy content pillars.
I would recommend that you stickwith your content pillars for at
least 60 to 90 days before youreassess.
I think you really need to giveit a solid amount of time before
you go tweaking things orthinking that it's not working
(17:52):
right.
I also wanna say that there arecertain types of posts and
certain pillars I post aboutthat are gonna get a lot more
traction than others, and that'sperfectly fine.
Not every post of mine's meantto blow outta the water.
Each one is doing its job behindthe scenes and you really have
to.
Take it with a grain of salt,how it performs for the most
(18:13):
part.
It just depends on so manyfactors.
So I just don't want youthrowing pillars to the wayside
because you tried to post aboutit for three weeks and you
didn't get the results that youwere looking for, right?
Don't do that.
So just to recap the five stepsto defining your content
pillars, really identify whatyou wanna be known for.
Consider what your ideal clientneeds from you is number two.
(18:37):
Step number three, look at thecontent you've already created
and figure out what themes arenaturally showing up.
Step number four, pick three tofive pillars and give them very
clear, relatable names.
Step number five is test, tweakand use them consistently before
(18:57):
abandoning them.
Okay, so I did wanna put alittle portion, dedicate some
time on this podcast to talkingabout personal pillars.
So inside IXCC, I tell all mystudents, I'm like, yes, I want
you to have three to fivebusiness related pillars, but
then I just want you to haveone.
Personal pillar bucket, whereyou just list things that make
(19:21):
you you, that make you differentfrom Sally next door, who is
also posting about Instagramconsistently or Canva
consistently.
Right?
What sets me and Sally apart,it's not gonna be our content.
It's going to be ourpersonalities and what we bring
to the table and how we teachit, and how we approach it, and
(19:42):
the frameworks we develop aroundit, right?
So.
Before we wrap up this pillarconvo, I just wanna say this
clearly, storytelling andpersonal connection should be a
pillar for everyone.
There's some people whose feedsI end up on and it's just like
teaching and preaching andteaching and preaching and
teaching and preaching, orthere's accounts I end up on and
(20:05):
it's literally just like, I'minspiring you, I'm inspiring
you, I'm inspiring you, and I'mlike.
Where's the meat and potatoes?
Like, what am I getting out ofthis?
So I think that both of thoseare wonderful.
I think everyone should teachand preach at some point, and I
think everybody should try toinspire once in a while.
But I love those personalconnections, storytelling posts
(20:26):
where I'm really getting to knowthe person.
I see their face, I hear themtalking, or I see them smiling,
and it's just a photo of them,or it's them talking in a reel
to the camera.
So your audience needs to feelthat connection with you just as
much as they feel a connectionto your expertise and their
desire for your expertise.
(20:47):
So no, it doesn't mean that yourwhole grid has to turn into like
a diary, and I'm not trying tohave you air your dirty laundry,
but it does mean weaving contentin that shows us.
The human side of your brand,right?
So this is where maybe a simplephoto with a really beautiful
(21:08):
storytelling caption works andyou're like, here's how I got
here.
Here's why this is important tome.
Here was my experience ortransformation with this.
Right?
Or it's a talking head reelwhere you're sharing something
about your life to just buildthat connection.
You had a tough morning.
Your kids said this.
Here's what it made you realize.
You know, and I do think in thefeed it's important to kind of
(21:31):
weave it back to business orjust you as a business owner.
That's where your stories inyour newsletter can become a
really powerful tool forbuilding loyalty and trust when
it comes to sort of like themore day-to-day ins and outs of
your life.
Right?
So that's where, in my stories,in my newsletter, I'll say
things like.
(21:52):
Here's what I meal prepped forlunch today, and like, why I am
obsessed with it.
Here's the recipe.
Grab the link.
You have to try it, right?
I'm not a nutrition coach, I'mnot a macro coach.
Like I'm, I, I, I was at onepoint, and it's why I still, you
know, have always taken aninterest in food and batching
food ahead of time.
But I just wanna help myaudience and if this meal was
(22:14):
easy for me to make as a busymom who's working from home
like.
Maybe it'll be helpful for you,right?
Or I'll be like, look at thisoutfit, or look at this
sweatshirt that I got fromAmazon, or Madewell or whatever.
Zara, I'm gonna show you thelink with you.
You have to buy it.
It's the most comfortable thingI've ever worn.
I like fashion.
I worked in fashion for 10 yearsin New York City.
(22:36):
That does weave itself into mystories and inside of my
newsletter.
And the two things I'm loving,it's typically a piece of
clothing, much to my husband'sdismay.
Or I'll talk about my wild, mywild ass rescue pit bull blitz,
who's just so psychotic, but solovable and follows me
everywhere I go.
And he's my little office buddyand he's always curled up in a
(22:59):
tiny ball next to me, dreamingand making noises.
And I love him so much and I'lltalk about him and then people
will be like, oh my God, I havea rescue pit bull.
Or, I used to, and they used todo this, and.
And then people will be like, ohmy God, I got that sweatshirt
too.
And what color did you get?
It's my favorite.
Or they'll be like.
I made that recipe you sharedlast week.
(23:19):
Again, these are not my contentpillars for my business, but
they're what make me me, right?
I'll talk about the latestromantic books I'm reading, like
I'm a huge romance fantasy bookreader.
I read all the series.
I love them so much, and it'show I unwind and I read every
single night for.
Probably an hour instead ofwatching tv.
(23:41):
So judge me if you must.
Yes, I like the steamy stuff,you know, whatever.
But people love that.
I, I know who my like romanticbook readers are in my audience.
Again, these are the things thatjust make you human.
Do they need to show up on yourfeed, on your grid?
No.
Can they show up in your storiesor inside your newsletter?
(24:02):
Absolutely.
Yes.
Or heck, even on your podcast,right?
So it just reminds your audiencethat you're.
A human being, a real person,and there's a real life behind
this feed and grid, right?
It's the connection stuff.
And I love connecting with myaudience on random things, and
it doesn't make them unfollowme.
If I'm talking about a recipe orI'm talking about a sweatshirt,
(24:24):
or I'm talking about a steamyromance book.
People don't unfollow me becauseI'm talking about that stuff.
They'll just skip past it,right?
If it's not for them, they knowwhy they're there.
They know the value I'm bringingevery week in my grid.
They don't, you know, they'renot gonna unfollow you because
they don't like that one thingyou shared that makes you a
human, right?
So whether you're sprinkling itinto your captions or you're
(24:46):
showing it inside your stories,or inside your weekly email
newsletter.
That personal storytelling isreally a non-negotiable pillar
that's gonna help you buildbrand loyalty and trust.
Okay?
And no one's buying Jack.
You know what from you?
If you don't have that brandloyalty and trust, I hate to
(25:07):
break it to you.
Once I got super clear on mypillars, everything changed for
me.
My messaging became sharper.
My content ideas flow faster.
And my audience knows exactlywhat to expect from me.
Okay?
It was no longer like, whatshould I post today?
Ugh.
I hate that feeling and thatquestion when you have just
(25:28):
nothing.
Instead I'm like, huh, whatpillar should I lean into today
for this post that I know I'msupposed to make today?
Although I'm never posting theday of, so you're not gonna hear
me saying that, but I batch mystuff ahead of time.
'cause that's what keeps mesane.
So some.
Closing thoughts.
Here's your homework.
I want you to sit down and writeout your three to five content
(25:50):
pillars using the steps insidethis episode.
I want you to write down justlike a brain dump of personal
things that make you, you.
Do you walk in yourneighborhood?
Do you have a crazy rescue pitbull?
Do you have kids who areelementary school age practicing
on their recorder and making youwanna tear your hair out?
(26:10):
That's me right now with mythird grader.
Talk about them.
Post them on a sticky note nearyour desk or inside your content
calendar, and really, you know,let them out.
Let, let, let your audience knowmore about you behind the
content creator, right?
And then as far as your contentpillars that are related to your
(26:31):
business, let them guide yourposts, your emails, your
podcasts, your pins onPinterest.
Let them guide that from here onout.
Bonus tip, go back through yourlast 15 posts.
Assign each one to a the pillaror a pillar, and this will help
you spot the gaps in thepatterns and also help you
realize what you think you wannabe known for and you're not
(26:54):
posting about at all.
That's probably.
One of my faults if I have to besuper honest.
So DM me on Instagram at theCreate bodega, and tell me what
your content pillars are.
I love hearing what you land on,and if you need any more
support, planning, batching,aligning your content with your
brand.
Come join me inside the contentcoven, my beautiful, amazing
(27:15):
community where I actually havea full on robust curriculum just
waiting for you to go through tohelp nail down that brand
foundation that is so important.
You don't have to figure thisall out alone.
I would be so honored to help.
Guide you.
All right.
I'm em.
You know where to find me.
I hope you have a wonderful day.
(27:39):
Thanks so much for hanging outwith me on the Creative Bodega
Podcast.
If you love this episode, pleasebe sure to share it with a
fellow solopreneur.
Who could use a little contentcreation inspiration.
And hey, don't forget to checkout the show notes for any
resources I mentioned on theepisode to help you create
content that feels easy andactually gets you results.
(28:01):
If you want even more Canva andcontent tips, head over to my
website, the creativebodega.com, or find me on
Instagram under the same name.
Until next time, keep creating,keep showing up, and most
importantly, try and have alittle fun with your content.
I'll see you on the nextepisode.
Once I got super clear on mypillars, everything changed for
(00:03):
me.
My messaging became sharper.
My content ideas flow faster,and my audience knows exactly
what to expect from me.
It was no longer like, whatshould I post today?
Ugh.
I hate that feeling in thatquestion.
When you have.
Just nothing.
Instead, I'm like, huh, whatpillar should I lean into today
for this post that I know I'msupposed to make today?
(00:25):
Although I'm never posting theday of.
So you're not gonna hear mesaying that I batch my stuff
ahead of time.
'cause that's what keeps mesane.
Welcome to the Creative Bodega,a podcast about content
marketing, Instagram growth andpersonal branding for female
service-based solopreneurs whowanna grow their business
without letting it take overtheir lives.
(00:46):
I'm your host, EM Connors, andeach week I'll share actionable
tips, expert advice, andunfiltered truths to help you
create engaging content, connectauthentically with your
audience, and turn followersinto loyal customers, all
without the burnout.
If you're ready to simplify yourcontent creation, navigate the
ever, ever-changing trends andbuild a business that works for
(01:08):
you while staying sane in this.
Crazy season of life, thenyou're in the right place.
So you probably keep hearing theterm content pillars or brand
pillars tossed around onInstagram and in every single
course or marketing video, butyou're maybe not a hundred
percent sure what that evenmeans or how to choose yours.
(01:32):
You are super far from alone.
In fact, it shocks me when I'minside of my signature course,
the Insta Canva collective.
The first week is when we naildown our brand pillars and the
amount of analysis paralysis andimposter syndrome that happens.
It still shocks me because I'mlike, this is your business.
(01:52):
This is your life.
You're not sure what you wannateach or be known for anyways.
At this point, you know, threeyears into running that
signature course, I realize it'snot something everybody just.
You know, understands, and itdoesn't click for everybody.
So most solopreneurs either skipthis step altogether or they
overthink it so much.
(02:15):
That they don't ever take thetime to really nail it down.
And the truth is that when youdefine your pillars clearly,
your content creation's gonnabecome so much easier.
It gives you that direction andclarity and consistency that
really helps you attract theright followers.
(02:35):
Who fingers crossed, turned intobuying raving fans.
So in today's episode, I wannabreak down the five simple steps
so that you can walk away withyour content pillars fully
defined and figured out.
No fluff, no random vagueadvice.
I just wanna give you an honestto God step-by-step plan to help
(02:57):
you feel super confident aboutwhat the heck to post day in and
day out and why it matters.
So this is the foundation forbuilding a brand that really
sticks, right?
It connects and it convertswithout completely.
Burning you out.
And before I dive into thesesteps and what content pillars
(03:21):
even are, please remember thatyou will be able to find the
full show notes for this episodeon my website.
That's the creativebodega.com/blog/.
12.
Alright, so let's dive in.
What are content pillars forsmall business owners?
Right?
What are they?
What aren't they?
I actually was just listening toa podcast today and somebody was
(03:45):
like, I don't have contentpillars.
I don't rotate through, educate,entertain.
And I was like, Ugh.
Those are not content pillars.
So, you know, maybe it's finethat you don't have them, but
here's what they are.
Content pillars are your corebrand topics or themes that you
want to be known for.
That you consistently createcontent around and that all
(04:08):
relate back to your offer.
So I'm not going to be postingabout how to tie dye skirts if
that's not something I offer ortalk about or wanna be known
for.
Okay?
Yes.
I could talk about tie dyeingskirts in my stories.
Hey, here's this fun thing I didthis weekend with my kids.
Or I could talk about it in mynewsletter if I wanted to.
(04:31):
Maybe as one of the things I'mloving, like, oh, I did this
with my kids this weekend.
Check it out.
Sure.
But it's not gonna be showing upon my feed.
My feed is that polishedstorefront where when somebody
comes across something Icreated, whether it's from.
Another lovely follower of minesharing it in their stories, or
they found me on the explorepage.
(04:52):
I want it to be so clear whatthey're gonna get from me.
And how I'm gonna solve aproblem for them by reading my
bio and just glancing at thefirst, you know, nine to 12
lines of my feed.
So these are these foundationalcategories.
Pillars, topics, whatever youwanna call them, that are gonna
(05:14):
support your business goals andconnect with your ideal client.
And again, it's gonna makeplanning your content so much
easier.
I would not come up with aposting schedule before you have
content pillars.
It goes content pillars.
Then posting schedule, right?
Because everything within yourposting schedule should relate
back to your pillars.
(05:35):
So I want you to think of themas quite broad buckets.
So that's kind of the otherthing that I think people get
wrong.
They get really specific withtheir content pillars.
It's like.
Instead of Canva being a pillar,it's how to create a digital
product in Canva.
Like you are pigeonholingyourself so much, and there's
(05:56):
probably only so much contentyou can come up with about how
to create a digital product inCanva.
But if it's just Canva and youcan talk about a lot of things
inside of Canva, new features,shortcuts, how you get
organized, like all that.
If you're gonna have a lot moreoptions, so every one of your
posts should fall under one ofyour pillars.
So some real life pillarexamples.
(06:19):
So for me, maybe Instagramstrategy, Canva tips, visual
branding.
Brand messaging, emailmarketing, confidence on camera,
systems and workflows, mindsetand burnouts behind the scenes
of building a six figurebusiness.
So these are just examples ofones that I could use, right?
(06:41):
Again, topics around where Iwanna build trust, where I wanna
serve my audience.
How I wanna sell my offers.
Content pillars are not the goalor the format of your post.
So many creators confuse contentgoals with content pillars.
So saying that your contentpillars are educate, inspire,
(07:02):
entertain, thought, leadership.
This is like saying your brandis to help people.
Like it's too vague.
It doesn't actually tell youwhat to post and educate,
inspire and entertain are notcontent pillars.
They're content intentions orcontent goals.
And you can and shouldabsolutely vary the type of
(07:23):
content you're putting out asfar as the goals are concerned.
You should have some educate.
You should have some inspire,you should have some entertain,
right?
And.
But those are not the contentpillars, right?
They're actually like the topicsor the goals for your audience
to recognize and connect to.
So that's what content pillarsare and are not.
(07:45):
Why do content pillars matterfor growth?
They're gonna create consistencyand they're gonna make you super
memorable in the eyes of yourfollowers.
They help you attract the rightpeople, not just random ones.
And this is why I say like forthe love of all that's holy,
like do not copy a viral realsituation that has nothing to do
(08:06):
with what you offer.
'cause the last thing you wannado is go viral.
For something that you don'toffer or talk about or wanna be
known for, it's not good.
Okay?
So save that stuff for yourpersonal account.
Save it for doing in yourstories, but don't put that on
your feed, okay?
It's just gonna confuse people.
'cause if you are a dog trainingexpert and you follow a real
(08:29):
trend where you're talking abouthow overwhelmed you are as a mom
or something, or mom guilt orwhatever, people are gonna think
you're like a.
Parent coach or something, andthey're gonna come to your feed
and be super confused when theysee a whole bunch of dog
pictures, right?
So.
Content pillars matter becausethey're gonna guide your
content, your captions, yourvisuals, your freebies, and your
(08:52):
offers.
So it's truly like the firststep, that foundational piece,
which is why in my signaturecourse, it is one of the very
first things we do because Ican't move on until I know what
your brand pillars are.
Now, am I saying that you cannever change them, or once you
tell me what your three to fiveare like, they're, that's it
(09:13):
Forever.
Absolutely not like mine evolve.
Mine have changed.
Mine have shifted, and that'sokay.
Like as entrepreneurs, I thinkwe all have pretty large
interests and a lot of differentthings, and I think it's natural
for our pillars to evolve andthat's totally fine.
But when your content's all overthe place.
(09:35):
Your audience doesn't know whatyou do or why they should even
stick around, right?
But when your pillars are clearand consistent and people know
what to expect from you, andthey're following you for one
reason, and they're getting thevalue that they were seeking,
they're gonna start to see youas the go-to person for fill in
(09:56):
the blank.
So when anybody tells me like,you are my Canva go-to, or
You're my Instagram, you know,fairy godmother, whatever, I'm
like, yes.
I love that.
Like the first, you know,instinct you have when you come
across a struggle or a problemwith either of those platforms.
I wanna be the one to pop intoyour head, right?
(10:16):
So common struggles.
Most people, most solopreneursjump into content creation
without gaining clarity aroundthese brand pillars or their
brand messaging.
That's a whole other podcastepisode.
If your posts feel all over theplace or you really struggle to
stay consistent, or you struggleon what to post about.
It's probably because yourcontent pillars are not well
(10:39):
defined.
The pillars are gonna be thiskey to building trust, saving
time, and showing up withpurpose on Instagram, not
throwing spaghetti at the walland seeing if it sticks.
So what happens if you skip thiscrucial part of nailing down
your brand pillars?
You're posting content that'sgonna be random and doesn't
really lead people anywhere, oryou're attracting followers.
(11:02):
Who aren't really meant to bethere and don't end up engaging
with you or certainly notconverting.
And you also probably feeloverwhelmed every time you sit
down to create content.
And that's like the worstfeeling in the world if you ask
me.
So I'm really hoping thisepisode shifts you from, I don't
know what to post.
I don't know what kind ofcontent I need to show up for my
(11:25):
ideal client.
I don't know what my contentpillars are to.
I've got this.
I have a clear goal in mind.
All my content pillars relateback to my content, relate back
to my freebies, relate back tomy offers.
I know exactly what I wanna beknown for, and that clarity is
just gonna bring you so muchpeace of mind.
(11:46):
So let's dive into the fivesteps to defining your content
pillars.
I wanna remind you.
Either A, you can grab a pen andpencil, or if you're like me,
you listen to podcasts whenyou're doing something else,
like walking or working out,that all these notes and all
this breakdown is gonna be overon my website, the created
bodega.com/blog/twelve.
(12:08):
Okay, so step one in the fivesteps to defining your content
pillars, identify what you wannabe known for.
I want you to ask yourself, whatdo I want my audience to
immediately associate with me?
Okay, choose one to two coreareas of expertise, not 10, not
15.
(12:29):
I want you to stay quite focusedexamples, and for me, branding,
content strategy mindset forsolopreneurs, like those are big
ones for me, and it is what Iwant people to think of me for
when they think of the creativebodega or they think of m
Connors.
Step number two, consider whatyour ideal client needs from
you.
(12:49):
What problem or problems are youtrying to solve for them?
What transformation do you helpthem achieve?
So for me, I'm trying to helpwomen.
I.
Not feel so overwhelmed bycontent creation to actually
have a little fun with it, tomake it more simple and just
(13:10):
make it a part of their processand their business to sit down
and batch content that'sactually gonna get them results
every month.
The transformation is thatyou're gonna go from
overwhelmed, frustrated,confused.
Two, really confident andfeeling really good about how
you're showing up and how yougot the content there in the
(13:32):
first place.
So your pillars should reallyreflect your zone of genius and
your ideal client's struggles,right?
So S number three.
Look at the content you'vealready created.
So hopefully if you're listeningto this, you've already started
creating content.
I want you to pull up yourInstagram analytics and look at
(13:53):
what got the most comments, whatgot the most saves, what got the
most shares?
What themes are you seeingnaturally showing up?
What kind of content gets themost.
Engagement overall.
Hi.
I have an amazing analytictracker that you could grab.
I'll put it in the show notes.
It's$19 and I look at it, Idon't wanna say every day, but I
(14:17):
certainly look at it everysingle month when I am going to
create content.
'cause I'm not reinventing thewheel.
My content pillars are sobuttoned up.
I have thousands of pieces ofcontent at this point that I can
rely upon.
I can either, A, just use itagain, or B, create it in a new
format or repurpose it some way.
(14:37):
Right?
I.
So use the data plus yourintuition to get that pillar
clarity.
So step number four is you aregoing to pick three to five
pillars and give them clear.
Relatable names.
Okay, so three is the sweetspot, in my opinion.
(15:00):
I have four.
So if, if there's four to fiveand they're very connected and
they make sense for you, let's,let's go for it.
I trust you.
But make sure your audiencereally understands like what
they are and what they mean.
So don't call a pillar, like bizvibes or something like that,
right?
Like.
(15:21):
Clarity is gonna win every time.
Clear over cute.
I want you to define them superclearly, like Instagram growth,
email marketing, Canva, designtips, content mindset, like
super clear terms.
And heck, even if you want, youcan throw a verb.
In front of them to make themeven more clear or after them.
(15:45):
Um, so that's something I'll dosometimes to just make it a
little more actionable.
And step number five is justtest them, tweak them, use them
consistently, right?
They're flexible, like I saidbefore, they can evolve just as
you can evolve as a solopreneur.
So use them as a filter.
Always ask yourself, does thispost fit into one of my content
(16:07):
pillars?
Again, I have a daily postingschedule, and that's something
else we do in IXCC is once wehave our brand pillars, we come
up with a daily postingschedule.
I am not the kind of person thatlikes to be pigeonholed into
each day of the week.
I talk about one of my pillarsthat's a little too specific for
me, and I feel a little boxedin.
(16:28):
I have some days that yes, myonly thing I'm doing is talking
about one content pillar.
Like Monday, my Canva, how toreel.
I always wanna talk about CanvaOn Mondays.
I love Canva and I love sharingthe how to videos.
But on Tuesday I do a carouselpost, and it can be related to
Canva, but it could also berelated to mindset, or it could
be related to content creationin general, or systems and
(16:51):
workflows, right?
So I like to batch my content.
By my daily post type.
So if I'm doing Canva, how tworeels on Mondays, I like to sit
down and botch four to five ofthose in a row.
Completely create them andschedule them.
Then I move on to Tuesday, whichis a carousel.
I'm gonna hop into Canva.
(17:12):
I have my reusable templatesright there pinned at the top of
my folders, and I like to createbased on my pillars, and kind of
rotate through those few that Ijust mentioned for that carousel
on Wednesday.
It's more of a personal.
Post or thought leadership ormindset, and I'll explain a
(17:32):
little bit more about that whenwe talk about some pillar posts,
but I like to really stick withmy content pillars.
I would recommend that you stickwith your content pillars for at
least 60 to 90 days before youreassess.
I think you really need to giveit a solid amount of time before
you go tweaking things orthinking that it's not working
(17:52):
right.
I also wanna say that there arecertain types of posts and
certain pillars I post aboutthat are gonna get a lot more
traction than others, and that'sperfectly fine.
Not every post of mine's meantto blow outta the water.
Each one is doing its job behindthe scenes and you really have
to.
Take it with a grain of salt,how it performs for the most
(18:13):
part.
It just depends on so manyfactors.
So I just don't want youthrowing pillars to the wayside
because you tried to post aboutit for three weeks and you
didn't get the results that youwere looking for, right?
Don't do that.
So just to recap the five stepsto defining your content
pillars, really identify whatyou wanna be known for.
Consider what your ideal clientneeds from you is number two.
(18:37):
Step number three, look at thecontent you've already created
and figure out what themes arenaturally showing up.
Step number four, pick three tofive pillars and give them very
clear, relatable names.
Step number five is test, tweakand use them consistently before
(18:57):
abandoning them.
Okay, so I did wanna put alittle portion, dedicate some
time on this podcast to talkingabout personal pillars.
So inside IXCC, I tell all mystudents, I'm like, yes, I want
you to have three to fivebusiness related pillars, but
then I just want you to haveone.
Personal pillar bucket, whereyou just list things that make
(19:21):
you you, that make you differentfrom Sally next door, who is
also posting about Instagramconsistently or Canva
consistently.
Right?
What sets me and Sally apart,it's not gonna be our content.
It's going to be ourpersonalities and what we bring
to the table and how we teachit, and how we approach it, and
(19:42):
the frameworks we develop aroundit, right?
So.
Before we wrap up this pillarconvo, I just wanna say this
clearly, storytelling andpersonal connection should be a
pillar for everyone.
There's some people whose feedsI end up on and it's just like
teaching and preaching andteaching and preaching and
teaching and preaching, orthere's accounts I end up on and
(20:05):
it's literally just like, I'minspiring you, I'm inspiring
you, I'm inspiring you, and I'mlike.
Where's the meat and potatoes?
Like, what am I getting out ofthis?
So I think that both of thoseare wonderful.
I think everyone should teachand preach at some point, and I
think everybody should try toinspire once in a while.
But I love those personalconnections, storytelling posts
(20:26):
where I'm really getting to knowthe person.
I see their face, I hear themtalking, or I see them smiling,
and it's just a photo of them,or it's them talking in a reel
to the camera.
So your audience needs to feelthat connection with you just as
much as they feel a connectionto your expertise and their
desire for your expertise.
(20:47):
So no, it doesn't mean that yourwhole grid has to turn into like
a diary, and I'm not trying tohave you air your dirty laundry,
but it does mean weaving contentin that shows us.
The human side of your brand,right?
So this is where maybe a simplephoto with a really beautiful
(21:08):
storytelling caption works andyou're like, here's how I got
here.
Here's why this is important tome.
Here was my experience ortransformation with this.
Right?
Or it's a talking head reelwhere you're sharing something
about your life to just buildthat connection.
You had a tough morning.
Your kids said this.
Here's what it made you realize.
You know, and I do think in thefeed it's important to kind of
(21:31):
weave it back to business orjust you as a business owner.
That's where your stories inyour newsletter can become a
really powerful tool forbuilding loyalty and trust when
it comes to sort of like themore day-to-day ins and outs of
your life.
Right?
So that's where, in my stories,in my newsletter, I'll say
things like.
(21:52):
Here's what I meal prepped forlunch today, and like, why I am
obsessed with it.
Here's the recipe.
Grab the link.
You have to try it, right?
I'm not a nutrition coach, I'mnot a macro coach.
Like I'm, I, I, I was at onepoint, and it's why I still, you
know, have always taken aninterest in food and batching
food ahead of time.
But I just wanna help myaudience and if this meal was
(22:14):
easy for me to make as a busymom who's working from home
like.
Maybe it'll be helpful for you,right?
Or I'll be like, look at thisoutfit, or look at this
sweatshirt that I got fromAmazon, or Madewell or whatever.
Zara, I'm gonna show you thelink with you.
You have to buy it.
It's the most comfortable thingI've ever worn.
I like fashion.
I worked in fashion for 10 yearsin New York City.
(22:36):
That does weave itself into mystories and inside of my
newsletter.
And the two things I'm loving,it's typically a piece of
clothing, much to my husband'sdismay.
Or I'll talk about my wild, mywild ass rescue pit bull blitz,
who's just so psychotic, but solovable and follows me
everywhere I go.
And he's my little office buddyand he's always curled up in a
(22:59):
tiny ball next to me, dreamingand making noises.
And I love him so much and I'lltalk about him and then people
will be like, oh my God, I havea rescue pit bull.
Or, I used to, and they used todo this, and.
And then people will be like, ohmy God, I got that sweatshirt
too.
And what color did you get?
It's my favorite.
Or they'll be like.
I made that recipe you sharedlast week.
(23:19):
Again, these are not my contentpillars for my business, but
they're what make me me, right?
I'll talk about the latestromantic books I'm reading, like
I'm a huge romance fantasy bookreader.
I read all the series.
I love them so much, and it'show I unwind and I read every
single night for.
Probably an hour instead ofwatching tv.
(23:41):
So judge me if you must.
Yes, I like the steamy stuff,you know, whatever.
But people love that.
I, I know who my like romanticbook readers are in my audience.
Again, these are the things thatjust make you human.
Do they need to show up on yourfeed, on your grid?
No.
Can they show up in your storiesor inside your newsletter?
(24:02):
Absolutely.
Yes.
Or heck, even on your podcast,right?
So it just reminds your audiencethat you're.
A human being, a real person,and there's a real life behind
this feed and grid, right?
It's the connection stuff.
And I love connecting with myaudience on random things, and
it doesn't make them unfollowme.
If I'm talking about a recipe orI'm talking about a sweatshirt,
(24:24):
or I'm talking about a steamyromance book.
People don't unfollow me becauseI'm talking about that stuff.
They'll just skip past it,right?
If it's not for them, they knowwhy they're there.
They know the value I'm bringingevery week in my grid.
They don't, you know, they'renot gonna unfollow you because
they don't like that one thingyou shared that makes you a
human, right?
So whether you're sprinkling itinto your captions or you're
(24:46):
showing it inside your stories,or inside your weekly email
newsletter.
That personal storytelling isreally a non-negotiable pillar
that's gonna help you buildbrand loyalty and trust.
Okay?
And no one's buying Jack.
You know what from you?
If you don't have that brandloyalty and trust, I hate to
(25:07):
break it to you.
Once I got super clear on mypillars, everything changed for
me.
My messaging became sharper.
My content ideas flow faster.
And my audience knows exactlywhat to expect from me.
Okay?
It was no longer like, whatshould I post today?
Ugh.
I hate that feeling and thatquestion when you have just
(25:28):
nothing.
Instead I'm like, huh, whatpillar should I lean into today
for this post that I know I'msupposed to make today?
Although I'm never posting theday of, so you're not gonna hear
me saying that, but I batch mystuff ahead of time.
'cause that's what keeps mesane.
So some.
Closing thoughts.
Here's your homework.
I want you to sit down and writeout your three to five content
(25:50):
pillars using the steps insidethis episode.
I want you to write down justlike a brain dump of personal
things that make you, you.
Do you walk in yourneighborhood?
Do you have a crazy rescue pitbull?
Do you have kids who areelementary school age practicing
on their recorder and making youwanna tear your hair out?
(26:10):
That's me right now with mythird grader.
Talk about them.
Post them on a sticky note nearyour desk or inside your content
calendar, and really, you know,let them out.
Let, let, let your audience knowmore about you behind the
content creator, right?
And then as far as your contentpillars that are related to your
(26:31):
business, let them guide yourposts, your emails, your
podcasts, your pins onPinterest.
Let them guide that from here onout.
Bonus tip, go back through yourlast 15 posts.
Assign each one to a the pillaror a pillar, and this will help
you spot the gaps in thepatterns and also help you
realize what you think you wannabe known for and you're not
(26:54):
posting about at all.
That's probably.
One of my faults if I have to besuper honest.
So DM me on Instagram at theCreate bodega, and tell me what
your content pillars are.
I love hearing what you land on,and if you need any more
support, planning, batching,aligning your content with your
brand.
Come join me inside the contentcoven, my beautiful, amazing
(27:15):
community where I actually havea full on robust curriculum just
waiting for you to go through tohelp nail down that brand
foundation that is so important.
You don't have to figure thisall out alone.
I would be so honored to help.
Guide you.
All right.
I'm em.
You know where to find me.
I hope you have a wonderful day.
(27:39):
Thanks so much for hanging outwith me on the Creative Bodega
Podcast.
If you love this episode, pleasebe sure to share it with a
fellow solopreneur.
Who could use a little contentcreation inspiration.
And hey, don't forget to checkout the show notes for any
resources I mentioned on theepisode to help you create
content that feels easy andactually gets you results.
(28:01):
If you want even more Canva andcontent tips, head over to my
website, the creativebodega.com, or find me on
Instagram under the same name.
Until next time, keep creating,keep showing up, and most
importantly, try and have alittle fun with your content.
I'll see you on the nextepisode.
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Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.