How to Choose Content Pillars
Content pillars are the three to five recurring topics your blog is built around. They’re what stop you from staring at a blank post editor wondering what to write, and they’re what make your blog feel focused instead of random.
Why pillars matter more than a single topic
A single topic gets narrow fast. A photographer who only writes about “photography” runs out of angles quickly. A photographer with pillars like client prep tips, behind-the-scenes process, and business advice for other photographers has three separate wells to draw from, and each post reinforces a different reason to keep reading.
How to find yours
Start with a brain dump, then group it.
- List everything you know or do. Don’t filter yet. Write down every topic, skill, or question you could talk about related to your business or craft.
- Group similar items together. You’ll usually find they cluster into three to five natural themes.
- Check each group against two things: do you have enough to say to sustain it long-term, and does it connect to something your audience actually wants to know?
- Cut anything too thin. If a group only produces one or two post ideas, it’s not a pillar, it’s a one-off topic. That’s fine, just don’t build a whole category page around it.
Example pillar sets
These are starting patterns, not rules:
- A handmade jewelry maker: behind-the-scenes process, styling and gift guides, running a small shop.
- A freelance designer: client work case studies, design tips for non-designers, running a freelance business.
- A local bakery: recipes and seasonal specials, behind-the-scenes of the shop, customer favorites and how-to-order guidance.
Test your pillars before you commit
For each pillar, try to list ten post ideas on the spot. If you can get to five or six without much effort, it’s solid. If you’re stretching by post three, the pillar is too narrow or too far from what you actually know.
Once your pillars are set, turn them into an actual posting schedule with How to Create a Simple Content Plan, or generate specific post ideas for each pillar with the free Blog Post Idea Generator.
