Content pillars and marketing how to use them for paid social

Content pillars aren’t only for organic use, they can be developed for paid media efforts too. This article will focus predominantly on content pillars and how to use them for paid social, but you could likely take some of this and factor it into other methods of advertising too.

Quick refresh: What are content pillars?

Content pillars are broad topics that your content is based on, however it can’t be about anything random. The pillars absolutely have to reflect your brand whilst providing value to your target and existing audience.

For the full breakdown of content pillars and what they are, we recommend reading our previous article, Content Pillars: The basics.

What content pillars are needed?

It’s easy to assume content pillars are only needed for organic purposes. However, the creative and ad copy will form part of the content pillars needed to run a successful advertising campaign, especially when taking into consideration the marketing funnel and consumer decision making model.

The core content pillars to make note of are education, entertainment and promotion. Though there is also the option to add storytelling and inspirational content pillars here too, these would work exceptionally well for brand awareness and consideration campaigns.

How to use educational content

To effectively educate a user you will need to discover their problem, from here the messaging within both the ad copy and creative should focus on providing valuable information that directly addresses the problem.

By crafting attention grabbing headlines and visuals that pique curiosity and clearly communicate the educational value of the content, the educational content hooks the user into your brand and product almost immediately. To continue with this pillar, the creative will need to be in easily digestible formats such as short videos/reels, infographics and/or carousel ads to deliver the message efficiently.

The key here is to educate, so make sure the ad copy is relatable, solution-oriented and empathetic to the user. As an advertiser there is also the option to encourage conversations in the comments and/or link directly to educational content prior to purchasing the product/service being offered.

SURI the sustainable toothbrush manufacturer educates users by sharing their USPs, whilst claiming it’s the last toothbrush you’ll ever own. Simply because it’s that good not only for the user's teeth, but for the planet too.

Have you thought about this for entertainment?

You’ve educated, now entertain. To leverage entertainment content effectively across paid social, it’s imperative to strike a balance between solely entertaining content and value proposition. Ideally, as an advertiser you’ll look to create engaging content (videos or any form of visuals) that incorporates humour, storytelling and/or captivating narratives related to the product or service being advertised.

Toothbrush brand, Ordo did this fantastically well when promoting their new Sonic+ Charging Travel Case. By generating a story of the founder opening their new travel case for the first time. Emphasising the beauty and design, whilst claiming there have already been multiple pre-orders, generating the FOMO appeal.

There is a difference between entertaining and being silly. The content needs to align with the interests and preferences of both the brand and target audience, preferably with a seamless integration of the product or service, without it being too outlandish and the whole ad seeming unauthentic.

Promote without being too salesy

And finally, the promotional pillar; to be effective here without seeming too salesy it’s essential to offer a compelling value proposition. You need to entice the user to take action on your ad, then again on your website. This can be in the form of discount codes, time-sensitive offers or an exclusive perk. Through the craft of visually appealing ads and attention grabbing ad copy, alongside a clear CTA directing users to take immediate action, users may be more inclined to purchase your offering.

A great example of promotional content comes from both Luxury Flooring and Furnishings and Converse. Luxury Flooring and Furnishings entices the users through the bold copy of ‘Free samples anyone?’ alongside smaller text such as ‘next-day delivery’ and ‘save up to 70%’ again enticing users to engage with the ads. Similarly, Converse uses the art of creativity to entice a user to engage and convert with their ads, by emphasising both the brand and the word ‘sale’ in multiple languages in addition to some products. It’s a way of encouraging a user to potentially purchase.

It is worth noting the promotional pillar should be saved for the low funnel and/or remarketing to ensure you’re enticing users within the purchase and post purchase decision stages.

If you’re unsure how to use the pillars within the funnel approach, then take a look at our recent post all about matching creative to user intent and you’ll likely have a full circle approach to your next campaign.

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