With over 2 billion active users every month on Instagram, it can take time to stand out and capture the attention of your target audience. One effective strategy for achieving this is to develop a set of Instagram content pillars – key themes or topics your content consistently revolves around.

In this blog post, we’ll explore nine different Instagram content pillars that can help you create engaging and compelling content for your audience.

1. Education and Tips

One of the most effective content pillars for Instagram is education and tips. This pillar involves creating content that provides value to your audience as it teaches them something new and provides them with helpful tips and tricks.

It includes catchy Instagram captions, tutorials, how-to videos, infographics, and other educational content your audience can learn from. By providing value to your audience through educational content, you can build trust and establish yourself as an expert in your niche.

For example, a makeup artist could create a series of tutorials on achieving different makeup looks, while a fitness coach could create videos demonstrating proper exercise form and technique. Whatever your niche or industry, there’s always an opportunity to create educational content that provides value to your audience.

2. Behind the Scenes

Another effective Instagram content pillar is behind-the-scenes content. This pillar involves giving your audience a peek into your daily life or the inner workings of your business.

By sharing behind-the-scenes content, you can build a sense of authenticity and transparency with your audience, which can help to strengthen your relationship with them.

For example, a fashion brand could share behind-the-scenes photos or videos of their design process or photoshoots, while a food blogger could share behind-the-scenes footage of them preparing a recipe. Whatever your industry, there’s always an opportunity to share BTS content that gives your audience a glimpse into your world.

You can also post and repost your BTS stories for much better engagement to remind people about your great content.

3. User-Generated Content

User-generated content is another effective Instagram content pillar that involves sharing content created by your audience. For example, it includes photos & videos of your product or service in use or your audience’s testimonials that show your brand in a positive light.

By sharing user-generated content, you build social proof and demonstrate the value of your product or service through the eyes of your satisfied customers. It is a robust way to construct trust and credibility with your audience and motivate them to engage with your brand.

Pro Tip: Create a creative Instagram highlight to organize your best UGC content.

4. Lifestyle and Culture

If you are a content creator, then sharing glimpses of your lifestyle is a great way to boost the engagement rate on Instagram. You can share how you spend your day, what hobbies you have, or how you create your content.

People love watching their favorite influencers share information about the things that use in their daily life. If you want to create a strong bond with your followers, it’s always a great option!

The lifestyle and culture content pillar is a great one for brands as well. Brands can share their work environment, employees’ work lifestyle, workplace setup, etc.

This way, a brand can build a closer relationship with the audience and convert viewers into loyal followers. Ultimately, this helps in securing a high engagement rate on Instagram in the long term as well.

5. Humor and Entertainment

Humor and entertainment content are great for capturing the audience’s attention and standing out on Instagram. This pillar involves creating fun, lighthearted, and entertaining content, such as memes, funny videos, or other humorous content that resonates with your audience.

For example, a food blogger could create a series of funny cooking videos or share memes related to food and cooking.

You can create a sense of joy and positivity around your brand, which can help to build a loyal following and encourage your audience to engage with your content.

6. Inspirational and Motivational

Another effective content pillar for Instagram is inspirational and motivational content. It involves creating content that inspires and motivates your audience, such as quotes, stories of success or overcoming obstacles, or other content that encourages them to pursue their goals and dreams.

For example, a personal development coach could share their clients’ motivational quotes or success stories. Similarly, a travel blogger could share photos and stories of their adventures that inspire others to travel and explore the world.

By creating inspirational and motivational content, you build a positive association with your brand and encourage your audience to engage with your content on a deeper level.

7. Products and Services

The products and services content pillar showcases a brand’s products or services in a way that highlights their features and benefits. For example, it includes product demos, customer testimonials, or other content that demonstrates the value of your products or services.

For example, a skincare brand can create videos demonstrating the benefits of its products on different skin types. Another example is a home decor brand that can showcase its products in different room settings to show how it can enhance a space.

By compellingly showcasing your products and services, you can encourage your audience to act and purchase.

8. Contests and Giveaways

Contests and giveaways are a great way to drive engagement and grow your Instagram following. This Instagram content pillar involves creating content that encourages your audience to participate in a contest or giveaway, such as by commenting, sharing, or tagging their friends.

For example, a fashion brand could create a giveaway where participants can win a shopping spree or a free item from their collection by following their account and tagging their friends in the comments.

Creating contests and giveaways incentivizes your audience to engage with your content and encourages them to share your brand with their followers.

9. Personal and Authenticity

Finally, the unique and authentic content pillar involves creating content that showcases your personality and authenticity as a brand or individual.

This Instagram content pillar includes sharing personal stories or experiences, showcasing your values and beliefs, or sharing visual content that reflects your unique perspective and personality.

For example, a travel blogger could share personal stories and experiences from their travels, while a small business owner could share stories and insights from their journey of starting and growing their business.

By sharing such content, you build a deeper connection with your audience and showcase the human side of your brand.

Conclusion

By incorporating these nine Instagram content pillars into your overall content strategy, you can create a diverse and engaging mix of content.

Whether you’re creating educational content, sharing behind-the-scenes footage, or creating humorous memes, there’s always an opportunity to create content that provides value and builds a connection with your audience.

You can also consider using SocialBu to make your social media management hassle-free while growing effectively on Instagram.