5 Steps to Creating Your Social Media Content Pillars

Make posting easier, faster, and more on-brand.

Let’s be real—coming up with fresh, on-brand social media content every single week can be exhausting. You sit down to post and suddenly your brain goes blank… What do I share? Is this even on brand? Do I sound like a robot?

Enter: content pillars—aka your social media lifesavers.

Content pillars are 3–5 main topics your brand consistently talks about online. They give your social media strategy structure, help your audience understand what you’re all about, and make planning posts 100x easier. At Meraki Marketing, we use content pillars with all of our clients, and today we’re sharing how to create your own in five simple steps.

1. Start with Your Goals

Before you create a single post, think about what you’re actually trying to do with your content.

Are you trying to:

• Get more leads or clients?

• Drive traffic to your website?

• Educate your audience?

• Build trust and brand awareness?

Knowing your main goals helps shape the why behind your content—and keeps you from posting random stuff just for the sake of being active.

2. Know Your Audience

Who are you trying to reach, and what do they care about?

Think about your ideal client or customer. What questions do they have? What problems are they trying to solve? What type of content do they engage with—funny reels, helpful tips, behind-the-scenes peeks?

The more you understand your audience, the easier it is to create content that speaks directly to them.

3. Brainstorm Topics You Can Talk About All Day

This is the fun part—make a list of things you love talking about, things your clients ask you all the time, and things you want to be known for.

Some prompts to get you started:

• What are 3–5 things my business is known for?

• What problems do I solve?

• What stories or values do I want to share?

For example, a real estate agent might choose:

1. Local market tips

2. Homebuyer/seller education

3. Neighborhood highlights

4. Client wins

5. Real estate behind-the-scenes

Those are your content pillars!

4. Narrow It Down to 3–5 Pillars

Look over your brainstormed list and pick 3–5 core categories you can rotate through regularly. These should align with your goals, highlight your expertise, and be topics you won’t get tired of talking about.

Pro tip: You can absolutely sprinkle in a few “wild card” posts here and there—life updates, funny memes, trending sounds—but your core content should consistently fall within your pillars.

5. Create a Posting System

Now that you have your pillars, use them to plan out your weekly or monthly content.

Try this simple format:

• Monday: Tip or tutorial (pillar 1)

• Wednesday: Client story or testimonial (pillar 2)

• Friday: Behind-the-scenes or personal touch (pillar 3)

You don’t have to post every day—just be consistent and intentional.

And if you’re still struggling with planning or posting, that’s where we come in! At Meraki Marketing, we help small businesses build easy-to-follow strategies that actually feel like them (and actually get seen).

Final Thoughts

Creating content pillars is like giving your brand a clear voice and direction online. It keeps your message focused, helps your audience connect with you, and makes posting feel way less overwhelming.

Need help building your brand’s content strategy or figuring out what to post? Let’s chat.

We’ll help you show up with confidence, consistency, and maybe even a little fun.