If you’re a solopreneur looking for a way to gain more leads, strengthen your current client relationships, and increase awareness of who you are, then this blog is for you.
Marketing can be complicated, especially content marketing, with the range of content types, platforms, channels, and mediums that you have access to. That’s why we’re here to break it down for you into easy-to-follow “content pillars” aka content categories. Let’s talk about why content marketing even matters, what content pillars you should be using, and how to improve your content marketing strategy to grow your business.
Why Does Content Marketing Matter For Solopreneurs?
Every solopreneur should implement a content marketing strategy. When you’re a one-person show, leveraging your thought leadership becomes essential.
Most solopreneurs don’t have a ton of money or resources to be able to invest in marketing in a big way, but that’s the beauty of a content marketing approach.
It is one of the most affordable forms of marketing that you can use while simultaneously being one of the most effective. The ROI is pretty significant on content marketing as well, making it an ideal approach for solopreneurs and business owners who have just a couple of employees or are completely on their own.
By creating a content marketing strategy, you open yourself and your brand up to a whole new world of opportunities. Even if you don’t think marketing has room in your budget yet, content marketing will be accessible to you.
What are Content Pillars?
Content pillars are a way of organizing the type of content you use in a content marketing strategy. They are categories that ensure content isn’t just being posted haphazardly but in a structured and strategic way. Content pillars are unique to every content marketing strategy, however, there is a basic formula that solopreneurs can follow to get great results. The different types of content pillars used depend on the brand, platforms, channels, marketing budget, etc.
If you have been wanting to create consistent content, but haven’t known where or how to begin, the simple content pillar structure we break down below will be a helpful guide to get started.
Which Content Pillars Should I Be Using?
1. Educational
At its core, the educational content pillar should inform and enlighten your audience. This type of content is built on facts, figures, studies, and data-driven insights to really educate your audience on different aspects of the industry, and niche, either yours or their own depending on the goal.
For example, at Breezy, we might share a stat like:
“Content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing efforts.”
This is a stat about our industry and niche, but is helpful for business owners to understand the power of content marketing.
However, we also could speak into facts or figures around small business ownership as we target this audience a lot.
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It’s important to note that this type of content doesn’t have an opinion associated with it. It’s purely a knowledge-share.
By offering your audience valuable information like this, you position yourself and your brand as a knowledgeable and reliable source in your industry and you cut through the noise. The key here is to dive deep into topics that matter to your audience, so they walk away feeling like they learned something and can use that information to their advantage.
Remember: You’re just the guide, they are the hero of their own journey to solving a problem.
2. Thought Leadership Content
While educational content focuses on the facts, figures, and statistics of a given subject, thought leadership content focuses on your unique viewpoint on it. This is where you share your insights, experiences, and perspectives on industry trends, challenges, and innovations. Thought leadership content is not just about regurgitating facts; it’s about adding value through your analysis, predictions, and advice. It showcases your expertise and establishes you as a forward thinker in your field.
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For example, let’s say you’re a landscaper. Rather than simply stating which type of grass is best for a certain climate, which is typically a fact/well-known piece of information, sharing your own personal experience with different types of grass and how well they do in varying climates, types of yards, etc would be extremely valuable.
It’s the difference between just googling information and asking someone with years and years of experience what they think.
Both types of information are necessary for a quality content marketing strategy.
The thought leadership and educational content pillars should make up the majority of your content marketing strategy – aim for at least 50%.
3. Client-focused Content
No content marketing strategy is complete without pieces that highlight the successes of your brand. There are a few effective ways to do this including:
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- Video testimonials from your clients.
- Quotes/reviews of your service/work.
- Interview-style videos with your clients talking about their business and your work with them.
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Just to name a few. This type of content serves multiple purposes: it showcases your achievements, builds trust with potential clients, and provides real-world proof of your expertise.
Remember: People connect with stories, especially those they can see themselves in. Showcasing your client’s successes humanizes your brand and demonstrates the positive impact you have on other clients, making potential customers more likely to pick you.
4. Third-party Articles
To truly position yourself as a thought leader in your industry, you need to keep up with industry news and trends. It is a crucial part of the job for any solopreneur. But taking it a step further by providing your commentary on these developments can significantly enhance your thought leadership.
This style of content involves curating relevant third-party articles, reports, or studies and then adding your insights or counterpoints. This not only shows that you’re well-informed but also offers your audience a unique perspective that they won’t find elsewhere. Whether it’s a trending technology, a regulatory change, or a major industry event, your take on these topics can spark discussions, engage your audience, and build a community around your brand.
5. Engaging and Fun Content
Finally, we have the most lighthearted type of content. All work and no play can make your digital presence a dull space. Incorporating engaging and fun content lightens the mood and helps you connect with your audience on a more personal level.
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Depending on who you are and what your brand is, this type of content will vary. If you are a more relaxed brand, this could mean posting memes and funny videos. But, if you are a more serious, buttoned-up brand, then this might mean posting content that celebrates milestones, holidays, or something as simple as the weekend.
The key is to stay true to your brand’s voice and personality. What’s “fun” for a quirky startup might be very different for a more conservative consultancy firm. Regardless of the tone, the goal is to make your brand approachable and relatable by showing a less serious and more open side of the brand.
Content Marketing Strategies for Solopreneurs
While there are obviously other content options, these five content types form a solid foundation for any solopreneur’s content marketing strategy. They are a great starting place to build off of as you continue your content marketing journey, especially if you are on your own creating content right now.
Some honorable mentions for other types of content and mediums are podcasts, live Q&As, webinars, and polls. Each offers unique advantages and can play a crucial role in deepening your engagement with your audience.
The medium through which you present your content—whether it’s infographics, videos, polls, or carousels—should also vary to cater to different preferences and platforms. Diversifying your content format not only helps to reach a wider audience but also keeps your content strategy dynamic and interesting.
How Breezy Can Help With Your Content Marketing Strategy
Content marketing stands out as one of the most effective and cost-efficient ways for solopreneurs to establish their brand, demonstrate their expertise, and build trust with their audience. However, it can be hard to constantly push out quality content.
If you’re already overwhelmed by what’s on your plate, then adding “creating content” to your list is just going to make it worse. That’s why we created Breezy, to make content marketing simple and easy for the busy solopreneur. We build the strategy, create the content, and even publish it all for you. No need to stress about what content pillars are, we’ll handle it all for you. If you’re interested in learning more click here.
Ready to Launch a Content Marketing Plan for Your Small Business?
We know that carving out the time, resources, and energy to create ongoing content for your brand or business is a full-time job. That’s why we created Breezy – your instant content marketing team.
You don’t need to hire multiple full-time employees to handle all of the strategy, planning, writing, designing, and publishing of content. You also don’t have time to wrangle tons of different freelancers to get this all completed. You need one expert team that can help get all of the amazing thought-leadership and subject matter expertise out of your head and into formalized, engaging content that keeps you top of mind with your audience.
We’re that team!
See how we can help your small business, startup, or agency with a free consultation.
