Most small business owners I meet are incredibly passionate about their work. They’ve poured themselves into building something worth sharing—yet when it comes to their online presence, especially content strategy, things tend to get... murky. During discovery calls, I often hear, “We know we’re supposed to be doing more content, but we don’t know what that means or where to start.” Sound familiar?
Today’s digital landscape can feel overwhelming: blog posts, emails, Instagram Reels, LinkedIn updates, landing pages—but how does it all connect? How do you create content that’s not just noise, but actually drives traffic, builds trust, and helps customers say, “Yes, this is exactly who we’ve been looking for.” That’s where content pillars come in.
This guide isn’t theory. It’s drawn from real consulting sessions, SEO campaigns, and web design projects I’ve led across platforms like Webflow, WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace. Whether I’m building a site for a therapist in Nashville or consulting a home renovation business in Franklin, content pillars always have a seat at the strategy table.
At its core, a content pillar is a thematic foundation for your brand’s content. It’s a broad topic that supports multiple related pieces, like blog posts, social media updates, and videos. Think of it like the major rooms in a house: each room has its purpose but is tied into the overall structure.
Content strategies based on pillars are wildly effective because they offer consistency for your audience while helping you rank better in search engines. Search engines now prioritize topical authority—your depth of knowledge and interconnectedness around a subject—not just how many times you repeat a keyword.
Anyone can write a blog post. But a business that builds interconnected pages around clear themes? That’s a business showing Google (and real humans) that they’re the go-to expert.
I worked with a nutritionist in Nashville who was overwhelmed by the idea of “blogging.” Her services varied—meal planning, eating disorder recovery, general nutrition—and her site had scattered, unfocused content. We developed three core pillars: Intuitive Eating, Nutrition for Athletes, and Women's Health. For each, we created a series of blogs, Instagram posts, and service pages.
Within three months, web traffic increased by 37%, and she began ranking for long-tail keywords she wasn’t targeting before. More importantly, she finally had direction—every piece of content had a place in her broader strategy.
This step is where empathy really matters. I often sit down with clients and start by just listening. What do you get asked most by customers? What lights you up to talk about? What feels repetitive, tiring, or misunderstood about your industry? These patterns usually point toward your natural content pillars.
Most service-based businesses (especially local ones) offer 2–4 core services. Take those and expand outward. For example:
This framing simplifies what can feel like endless "content" into clear, purposeful topics.
If you’re not sure what your audience cares about, start collecting the language your clients actually use. Read your reviews. Browse social media comments. Or use a tool like Answer the Public to see how people phrase their search queries.
You don’t need to chase every term. You just need to plug into the ones that fit the heartbeat of your business.
Once your pillars are defined, it’s time to build a structure. Think of your pillar as the “parent” page or long-form blog post. Supporting each pillar are “cluster” topics—specific articles, FAQs, case studies, or tutorials that link back to that core piece.
Let’s say you run a wellness studio and your pillar is Holistic Healing Methods. Your structure might look like this:
Each cluster piece answers a specific question, but also ties back to the bigger idea. For SEO, this creates a topical map. For readers, it's a guided tour instead of a maze.
Google follows links to understand the relationship between pages. When you link back to your pillars from related content, it tells the algorithm, “Hey, this is the central theme, and we’ve got lots of authority on it.”
This also reinforces user trust. People love depth. If you’re the type of business that can guide someone through all angles of a topic—education, execution, misconceptions—that’s value they’ll come back for.
Not every pillar has to live as a 3000-word SEO epic. In fact, strong content pillar strategies involve multiple formats:
Personally, I encourage clients to start with formats they can realistically maintain. If you're a solo business owner juggling 10 hats, it’s better to publish two foundational blog posts each month than half-finish 18 different things.
I recently consulted with a local contractor in Franklin who wanted more visibility but hated writing. We used voice notes to build a content pillar around “Historic Home Renovation.” He’d speak naturally, I’d transcribe it, and my team would polish it into content across platforms. Because the authenticity remained, his audience responded—and submissions on his estimate page increased 64% in five months.
If you're a small business focused on local clients, content pillars take on even more strategic weight. That’s because Google doesn't just care what you know—it wants to see you’re relevant in your specific region.
When you write about “landscaping trends in Franklin, TN” or “how weather affects roofing in Middle Tennessee,” you're combining topical depth with geographic relevance. That’s a signal few competing brands are sending as clearly.
For example, one of my clients—a dog trainer—built a pillar titled “Dog-Friendly Spots in Franklin.” Not only did it serve her audience, it introduced her to a whole new demographic searching non-branded terms. It now ranks above Yelp for her target keywords.
If your content efforts have felt flat in the past—even with regular posting—the issue usually isn’t frequency. It’s alignment. Specifically, whether your content aligns with:
For instance, I once audited a fitness coach’s blog that had tons of technical content about macros and mobility, but nothing explaining her own training philosophy or how beginners should start. Her prospects were confused because they didn’t know what level the content was meant for. We reframed her content pillars around stages of her customer journey—from absolute beginners to seasoned lifters—and engagement spiked.
If you’re seeing these warning signs, your pillar content might need reshaping—not more volume.
One final note: distinguish between evergreen and seasonal content. Pillars should have a long shelf life. They’re foundational. But that doesn’t mean your content strategy should ignore trends.
You can think of trends as “branch content” sitting just outside the core tree. They pull in attention short-term and often attract new audiences. Then, you use those trend-aligned pieces to link back to your core topics and bring users deeper into your ecosystem.
A designer I coached had a content pillar about “Functionality First Design.” When a seasonal design trend swept Pinterest—‘Barbiecore'—we published a timely post called “How to Integrate Fun Colors Without Losing Function.” It exploded on social, and readers who arrived for color discussion ended up contacting her for a consultation about layout strategy. Trend met pillar. Pillar converted.
At its best, content strategy isn’t a marketing hack. It’s an extension of how you think, work, and serve. Content pillars provide the structure that lets your business speak clearly and consistently across every platform—and they do it in a way that feels grounded in your actual expertise.
They help you stop chasing keywords and start showcasing value. They help readers navigate your services with trust. They help Google understand your strengths, and they help your future clients say, “That’s exactly what I needed.”
I’ve seen this transformation in businesses of all sizes, across industries—from solo freelancers to small teams offering complex services. It’s not about being everywhere. It’s about showing up strategically, with depth and empathy. Done right, your content doesn’t have to chase attention—it earns it.
Copyright © Zach Sean Web Design
