How to Use Content Pillars to Shape Your Personal Brand as an Influencer

In the vast world of social media where every click, scroll and share is a chance to make a lasting impression, how do you leave an indelible mark on your audience? The answer lies in being strategic: using content pillars to carve out a fresh perspective to help you stand out amongst your competition. If you want to know more, join us as we dive into the transformative nature of content pillars and explore how you can use them to connect with your audience.

What are content pillars?

Content pillars are a core set of topics and themes that form the foundation of your social media strategy. The framework helps determine and transform your digital presence into a coherent story that has the power to continually captivate your audience.

Why are content pillars important?

Content pillars are the foundation of your content strategy and the guideposts for your content production. They help you focus your content on what matters most to your audience and what aligns with your goals.

With social media platforms categorising content to help consumers discover content more easily, creating pillars that align with the categories associated with your niche will lead to a higher search ranking on social media search engines.

Provides a framework for your content calendar

Content pillars help develop and organise your social media content. It is important to aim for 3-5 main pillars to prioritise the production of content that holds value and truly resonates with your audience.

Create more relevant content

Establishing topics of interest will provide a clear direction and focus on creating content that best aligns with your personal brand. For example, if you’re a fashion-focused influencer, your content pillars could be maximalist style, attending fashion shows and styling tips.

Rather than scrambling for content or experiencing a creative block, content pillars can help you map out your content calendar for months on end.

Saves you time

Content pillars help you streamline the creative process of making content. Instead of brainstorming new topics each week, you can refer to your pillars and the overarching themes which heavily reduces the decision time of content ideation.

How do you create content pillars?

To set you up for social media success, we’ve compiled a list of our top tips for creating effective content pillars!

Identify your target audience

Start by defining your niche to narrow down your content focus. From there, create a detailed audience profile that outlines the needs, wants, interests and behaviours of your intended audience. It also helps to engage with consumers of your niche via the comment section, discussion forums, and even DMs to further understand the type of content they prefer to engage with.

Consider your business goals

Clarify your mission and the impact you wish to make on social media. Doing this will help you clearly outline your content strategy to help you achieve your goals.

Determining clear KPIs such as engagement rate, brand awareness and conversion rates will hold you accountable as you can regularly track these to measure your progress.

Keyword research/brainstorm topics

Keywords can help in the formation of your content pillars. Knowing popular keywords can help you identify core themes and trending topics of your chosen niche, which in turn can expand your content topic ideation.

Competitor analysis

Scoping the competition can help you discover the gaps and pain points of your audience. Identifying areas where you can offer unique perspectives or value propositions will set you apart from other influencers involved in the same niche as you.

Types of content pillars

Content pillars generally fall into the following categories:

Entertainment content

Content that aims to capture attention and increase engagement. Examples include Day in the Life (DITL) and bite-sized reels.

Educational content

Content that positions you as an expert and allows you to build trust with your audience. Examples include tutorials and Q&As.

Inspiring content

Content that serves to build an emotional connection with your audience. Examples include sharing the behind-the-scenes of your life.

Promotional content

Content that markets the brands you love. This can include testimonials and collaborations.

Summary

Content Pillars are a strategic way to map out your content and ensure that you never run dry of ideas. Creating content that aligns with your niche and the interests of your audience helps foster trust and ensures that your audience remains engaged in your personal brand.

Building A Trusted Voice as an Influencer

Being an influencer is more than just having a large following or posting aesthetically pleasing content. It's about building trust with your audience, becoming a reliable source of information, and establishing yourself as the go-to expert in your niche.

Take influencers like fashion guru, Melissa’s Wardrobe, or college-grad, Clarke, as examples. They are renowned for their transparency and ability to amplify the impact of their honest recommendations.

With countless influencers vying for attention, standing out and earning trust is essential for long-term success. So, how can you establish yourself as the go-to influencer? Let’s delve into the strategies behind building trust as an influencer.

How do you build trust with your audience?

With more consumers sceptical of traditional advertising, building trust is necessary for building brand loyalty and establishing genuine connections with your audience.

Character

Discovering your voice on social media may seem daunting, but it’s all about authentically presenting yourself. Speaking your truth consistently and channelling your values will persuade brands and your audience to recognise your value.

Competence

Producing high-quality content that showcases your expertise enables you to create relevant material that paints your brand in a trusted light.

Communication

The quality of your relationship with your audience directly impacts the success of your content. Employing open communication and body language is key to sustaining the trust of your audience. It is important to behave consistently - extreme behaviour or sporadic actions may cause people to doubt you.

Identify your target audience

To capture your audience’s hearts, show a genuine interest and concern for their interests. To identify their needs, you must conduct thorough research to uncover who they are. Methods like social listening provide valuable insight into how your audience interacts online with your brand niche, offering a deeper understanding of their pain points and engagement patterns.

Experiment

Exploring and testing new content styles empowers you to discover what type of topics resonate with your audience, which helps to foster trust in your personal brand over time.

Strategies for building a reputable personal brand

Define your niche

To become the go-to influencer in your niche, it's essential to define your area of expertise. Identify what sets you apart from others and focus on creating content that resonates with your target audience. For example, Melissa’s Wardrobe’s trusted endorsements (aka #MelMadeMeDoIt) often influence the purchase decisions of consumers within the fashion and luxury lifestyle communities.

Consistency is key

Consistency breeds trust. Whether it's the frequency of your posts, the tone of your voice, or the quality of your content, maintaining consistency is crucial. Your audience should know what to expect from you, and consistency helps foster a sense of familiarity and reliability over time.

Authenticity

Authenticity helps to build a rapport with your audience, reassuring your audience that you have their best interests at heart. Sharing behind the scenes and being ‘real’ about your experiences as an influencer is crucial for building credibility.

Engage with your audience

Engaging with your audience is pivotal for cultivating trust among your audience. Actively participating in conversations and acknowledging your audience’s input helps create a community where your audience feels valued and respected.

Recognise your social responsibility

Taking a stance on social issues and being an advocate for ethical practices will resonate with your audience who seek authenticity. Using your platform to address societal concerns demonstrates your genuine concern for the welfare of the world and your community.

Tips on how to avoid spreading misinformation

With the rise of fake news and misinformation, ensuring the accuracy of your content is necessary to ensure the credibility of your account. If you want to learn how you can impede the spread of false information, check out our tips below!

Fact check your content

Verifying the reliability of your sources and statistics before posting demonstrates your commitment to truthfulness. Followers who can rely on the accuracy of your content are more likely to trust your expertise and recommendations.

Stay up to date

Keeping up to date on current events allows you to create content that responds to emerging trends and important topics that your audience cares about most.

Be transparent

It is good to get in the habit of influencer disclosing. If you’re sharing sponsored content or promoting products, be transparent about your partnerships and affiliations. Transparency builds trust and demonstrates your integrity as an influencer.

Be brave: call out fake news!

By actively addressing and calling out misleading narratives you position yourself as a reliable source of information. Twitter has joined the fight against fake news with the introduction of their community notes feature which allows users to better inform the world by adding context to misleading posts.

Summary

Establishing trust with your audience is a gradual process that takes time, but, when done right, it can establish you as the go-to creator for knowledge.

FAQS

What are the best practices to become an expert in my niche?

You don’t have to wait to be perceived as an “expert” to be one. Focus on investigating topics that aren’t heavily touched upon as content and always address your audience’s pain points to show that you can solve their problems.

How do I properly disclose sponsored Instagram posts?

It is good practice to make the disclosure easy to read by using the correct brand content tags.

What is fake news?

Fake news is false information misrepresented as news to deliberately mislead and deceive online readers.

The Influencer Playbook for Building Long-term Brand Partnerships

Are you ready to level up your brand partnerships game? Well, we certainly are. Buckle up as we dive into the ultimate playbook on how to select and foster the right brand partnerships that go far beyond the 'gram.

As an influencer, your success hinges on the art of confidently selling your personal brand and understanding your audience well enough to keep them engaged as you evolve. For those new to the game, the idea of pitching yourself to household brands might seem daunting and time-consuming. But fear not! We're here to share the best practices for creating a killer brand pitch that will not only help you secure the perfect brand deal but will also ensure longevity.

How to choose the right partnerships

Brand alignment

Brands are seeking more than just a one-time promotion; they want a partner in crime who aligns with their values and vision. Before diving into collaborations, make sure you research into the brand’s mission, values and audience. A clear outline of your personal brand, content pillars and audience demographics, helps establish whether there is a common ground with the brand and how they fit with your audience’s evolving interests. Your audience is your ticket, so make sure your vibe attracts your tribe.

Know the brand

Take the time to understand the brand you're partnering with. Research their values, products, and previous campaigns. By becoming a walking encyclopedia on your collaborator, you'll be better equipped to tailor your content in a way that seamlessly integrates their message with your unique style.

Metrics that matter

Regularly assessing your audience demographics and performance metrics can provide great insight into the impact of your content. Being purposeful about the type of content you create not only strengthens your personal brand but helps to foster a deeper connection with your audience.

Look for authenticity

Recognising the role of authenticity is critical for influencers aiming to forge long-term brand relationships. Maintaining a consistent and trustworthy brand instils confidence in content, making you more attractive to brands. With brands prioritising authenticity more than ever in the over-saturated influencer landscape, staying true to your values ensures your credibility and contributes to cultivating enduring relationships.

Relationships matter

Remember that brands are run by people, not robots. Building a genuine relationship with the individuals behind the scenes can make all the difference. Engage with them on social media, attend events, and show genuine interest in their journey. Relationships are the secret sauce to long-term success.

Navigating brand partnerships

Scored your first ever brand collaboration but don’t know where to begin? We’re here to share some tips and tricks on how to navigate your relationship with the brand to convert one opportunity into multiple.

Professionalism

Upholding professional standards is necessary to preserve your personal brand and foster brand relationships. By honouring contractual obligations and remaining respectful throughout the campaign both offline and online can strengthen your relationship with the brand.

Consistency is Key

Consistency isn't just about posting regularly; it's about maintaining a cohesive brand image. Brands love influencers who can weave their products into their content seamlessly. Whether it's a story, a reel, or a post, keep your content in sync with your established aesthetic.

Flexibility & Adaptability

As we all know, trends change faster than you can say "influencer." Brands appreciate influencers who can adapt to new platforms, formats, and trends. Flexibility is not just a skill; it's a superpower that can elevate your brand collaborations to new heights.

Master a good pitch

When bidding on The Influence Room platform, it is important to use your filter to check the nature of the campaign to ensure that it aligns with your influencer brand. Use your bidding message to communicate your genuine interest in the brand and showcase how and why the campaign fits your social channels by sharing your content ideas. PS: The more creative, the better! By clearly articulating the value of your content and evidence of your influence, you establish yourself as a professional potential brand partner.

Reading the T&Cs properly!

Before celebrating your first brand partnership, it is crucial that you read and understand your contract inside out. Clarify any ambiguities and ensure that it aligns with your expectations before signing. A careful examination of your contract ensures a mutually beneficial partnership that is void of any potential misunderstandings.

Do not be afraid to negotiate

Really want to work with a brand but their offering doesn’t align with your content value? Negotiate! Being transparent about your expectations and understanding your worth can ensure a harmonious long-term relationship with the brands that you’re working with.

Diversifying your collaborations

To broaden your brand and audience, it is essential to occasionally collaborate with brands that sit slightly outside your niche. By tapping into different unique markets, you can reach different segments of your target audience and offer something new.

Using collaborations as a growth strategy

Regular brand collaborations can be a powerful growth strategy, fuelling your personal and professional development. Former Love Island legend, Molly-Mae Hague, signed a multi-million pound brand deal with the online fast fashion brand, Pretty Little Thing, after she left the villa and was later appointed as a Creative Director. Molly-Mae’s genius move was undoubtedly a success because of her ability to evaluate brand alignment and genuine understanding of her current audience.

Look for brand partnerships outside of your niche

Being intentional about the brands you work with can help accelerate your growth. It is important to look for brands that allow you to organically integrate unique and fun services within your existing brand and content strategy to ensure you stay true to your personal brand.

Conclusion

It’s important to remember that building a long-term brand partnership is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay authentic, be adaptable, and before you know it one opportunity will turn into multiple opportunities. At The Influence Room, we focus on cultivating genuine brand relationships that ensure both parties shine. With the imminent arrival of our communities feature, you’ll soon have the chance to develop long-term collaborations with your favourite brands in no time!