Content Pillars 101: How to Create Them For Your Coaching Business

Content pillars are the secret sauce to creating stuff that actually makes sense to your audience, but how do you create them in a way that makes sence for your coaching business? Read on, and I’ll show you how and give you ideas you can implement right now! The pillars you create will help you drive real business results without struggling with the eternal what should I post today headache.

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Why content pillars are game-changers for your coaching business

Let’s be brutally honest about the cost of random content creation. Your audience has NO freaking idea what you actually do. Seriously, they’re confused! They’re left wondering if you’re a wellness coach, a business coach, or maybe just someone who really loves productivity. And this confusion is killing your conversions.

Another consequence is that you feel like you’re shouting into the void. Hello? Is anyone actually out there? You pour your heart into a post about your signature process. But it gets less engagement than that random cat meme you shared last Tuesday. Ouch!

Besides, content creation without pillars can feel overwhelming because you’re starting from scratch every. single. time. No wonder you’re procrastinating on social media or blogging instead of actually posting.

Content pillars are essentially 4, 5, or 6 core topics that directly connect to your coaching services. They speak to your ideal client’s biggest struggles. And they’re the foundation that makes all your content creation make sense — both to you AND to the people you want to work with.

When you build your content strategy around clear pillars:

→ Your audience quickly understands exactly what you do and who you help 

→ You stop feeling like you’re throwing content spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks 

→ Your brain can finally relax because you’ve got a clear roadmap to follow 

→ Creating content becomes about 10x faster

→ Your content actually starts converting because it consistently addresses the specific pain points that drive clients to book your services

How to create strong content pillars for social media, blog, podcast, etc: The 3C framework

The strongest content pillars follow what I call the 3C Framework.

Trust me, they can save you countless hours of content creation headaches.

→ Connected to your offers: They directly tie to the coaching services you actually sell.

Not random topics that sound good.

Honestly, this is where most people go wrong! They pick pillars like mindset or inspiration because they seem easy to create content around. But if you’re selling group programs or 1:1 coaching for leadership, how exactly does that inspirational quote about believing in yourself lead to a sale? 

It doesn’t.

Your pillars should create a breadcrumb trail that naturally leads to your paid solutions.

→ Clear to your audience: Your ideal coaching clients can easily understand and recognize the value

Your pillars need to speak directly to the problems keeping your ideal clients up at night. When they see your content, they should have that OMG, it’s like they’re in my head! moment. If your content pillars use industry jargon or focus on problems your clients don’t know they have yet, you’re making things way harder than they need to be.

→ Comfortable for you: Topics you can speak about confidently and consistently without dreading content creation

If creating content around a pillar feels like pulling teeth, you won’t stick with it. Choose topics you could happily chat about over coffee with a friend. The pillars should play to your strengths and expertise in a way that makes content creation feel less like a chore and more like sharing helpful advice.

If a potential pillar doesn’t hit all three Cs, it’s probably not right for your business. And that’s okay! Better to have three rock-solid pillars than six mediocre ones that don’t drive results.

Need a more in-depth content marketing guide?

Read The Ultimate Content Creation Plan For Coaching Business

How to identify and create your ideal content pillars: step-by-step process for coaches

Now that you know why content pillars are smart, we’re going to break this down into actionable steps you can implement today. Like, literally right now. Grab a coffee, open a Google Doc or whatever you use to write stuff, and let’s do this thing.

1. Start with your coaching services, not random topics that sound good

This seems obvious. But you’d be shocked how many coaches choose content pillars that have nothing to do with what they actually sell.

Quick exercise: Grab a piece of paper and list all your current service offerings. For each one, identify:

• The key problem it solves
• The transformation clients experience
• Why clients seek this service in the first place

2. Map content to your client journey

Next, think about where your clients are in their journey when they find you. What are they thinking about, struggling with, or searching for? Brainstorm questions they might have for each stage:

Awareness stage (they recognize a problem but don’t know solutions yet):

• Why isn’t my current approach working?
• Is this normal or should I be concerned?
• What options exist for solving this?

For example:

• Why do I feel stuck despite setting clear goals?
• How do other successful people in my field manage their time?
• Is it normal to feel this overwhelmed when scaling my business?

Consideration stage (they’re exploring potential solutions):

• What’s involved in implementing this solution?
• What results can I expect?
• How do different approaches compare?

For example:

• How long does it typically take to see results from working with a coach?
• Will group coaching give me the personalized attention I need?
• How does coaching compare to self-paced courses for accountability?

Decision stage (they’re deciding who to work with):

• Why should I choose this coach over others?
• What’s the process like?
• How do I know this will work for my specific situation?

For example:

• What makes your coaching approach different from others I’m considering?
• What support do you offer between sessions?
• How do you handle it if I’m not seeing the results I expected?

A simple and sustainable system for coaches:

Grab The 3-Layer Marketing Plan for Coaching Businesses

3. Identify themes and group them

Now look for patterns in all those service outputs and client questions. You’ll likely start noticing recurring subjects that show up again and again. They are your content pillars!

Example content pillars for a mindset coach:

• Overcoming limiting beliefs and self-sabotage
• Building unshakeable confidence
• Creating sustainable motivation systems
• Navigating major life transitions
• Developing emotional resilience

Example content pillars for health and wellness coach:

• Sustainable nutrition without restriction
• Movement that fits your actual life
• Stress management and nervous system regulation
• Sleep optimization and energy
• Building habits that stick

Group similar topics together until you have 3-5 content pillars. Don’t overthink this part. If you’re struggling to perfect your categories, you’re probably making it harder than it needs to be.

Here’s a pro tip: Your content pillars don’t have to be perfectly balanced. Some might be broader than others, and that’s totally fine. What matters is that they collectively cover the main areas your audience cares about and that connect to your services.

4. Test your pillars against the endless content rule

Here’s a simple test to make sure you create strong content pillars for your business: Could you easily create at least 20 pieces of content for each pillar without breaking a sweat or resorting to super repetitive topics?

If you’re struggling to come up with even 5 topics, your pillar might be too narrow. If you could write hundreds of posts but they feel scattered like confetti, it might be too broad.

For example:

• Journaling prompts for anxiety” is probably too narrow with limited topic potential
• Personal development” is too broad and scattered
• Overcoming anxiety and building emotional resilience” is just right—specific but with plenty of sub-topics to explore

5. Align with your expertise and passion

The final filter (and honestly, maybe the most important): Which topics do you naturally geek out about? Where do your expertise and enthusiasm intersect with what your clients need?

Your content pillars should feel energizing. If the thought of creating content about a particular topic makes you want to take a nap or scroll Instagram for three hours instead, it’s probably not the right pillar for you. Yes, even if it technically connects to your coaching business.

The best content strategy is one you’ll actually implement. Choose pillars that light you up, and creating consistent content becomes so much easier. Your enthusiasm will shine through, making your content more engaging and authentic. 

And honestly? That enthusiasm is often what finally convinces people to work with you over someone else.

Content pillars vs. content buckets

I get this question all the time as the terminology can get a bit confusing. People use content pillars, content buckets, and content themes sometimes interchangeably. Let me break it down in a way that actually makes sense:

Content pillars are your big, overarching categories that connect directly to your business offerings. They’re the foundation of your content strategy. Think of them as the core topics you’ll consistently create content around to establish your expertise and attract your ideal clients.

Remember those 3-5 main categories we just identified using the service-focused approach? Those are your pillars!

Content buckets (or themes) are more like the sub-categories that fit within your pillars. They’re more specific topics or content types that help you organize your actual day-to-day content creation. If content pillars are your chapters, content buckets are the individual sections within those chapters.

For example, if you’re a business coach:

• Content pillar: Client Management Systems
• Content buckets within that pillar might include:
  • Client onboarding processes
  • Client communication templates
  • Feedback collection systems
  • Offboarding procedures
  • Client portal setup

Here’s where it gets interesting and super helpful for your content planning. You can also have content buckets that cut across your pillars. based on content FORMAT or PURPOSE:

Format-based content buckets might include:

• Educational: how-to’s, tutorials, tips
• Inspirational: success stories, motivation
• Behind-the-scenes: your process, day-in-the-life
• Promotional: offers, launches, special deals
• User-generated: testimonials, client spotlights

Imagine a grid with your content pillars as columns and your format buckets as rows. Each intersection gives you a specific content idea!

For example, if one pillar is “Building Confidence” and one format bucket is “Behind-the-scenes,” an intersection might be “What I actually do before a breakthrough coaching session.”

How to quickly create 20 different types of content using pillars and buckets

You’ll never run out of content ideas again once you’ve taken your time to create pillars and buckets. Seriously. When you have 4 pillars and 5 format or purpose buckets, that’s 20 different types of content you can create right there.

Some people find it helpful to batch-create content by pillar. Just focus on one core topic at a time. Others prefer to batch by bucket, for example creating all your educational content at once.

Examples

If you are creating content pillars for your blog, I recommend focusing on one pillar at a time. That way, you create strong topical authority around that subject.

So if you’re business coach with “Client Experience Systems” as one of your pillars, you might create a series of blog posts all under that same pillar:

• 5 Client Onboarding Mistakes That Are Costing You Referrals
• The Essential Elements of a Stress-Free Client Welcome Packet
• How to Create Client Offboarding Templates That Generate Testimonials
• Client Communication Templates: What to Send and When

This approach helps search engines understand that you’re an authority on client experience systems and is great for your SEO. Each post reinforces the others. And you’ll end up creating a content ecosystem that builds your expertise in that specific area.

Plus, it’s so much easier on your brain! You can deep-dive into one area of your expertise, pulling from the same knowledge base rather than constantly switching contexts.

For social media, I actually recommend a mixed approach when you create content from your pillars. You want to keep your feed interesting and engaging while still being strategic:

• Monday: Pillar 1 content (e.g., Client Systems) in an educational format 
• Tuesday: Pillar 2 content (e.g., Business Automation) in a behind-the-scenes format 
• Wednesday: Pillar 3 content (e.g., Team Management) in an inspirational format 
• Thursday: Pillar 4 content (e.g., Time-Saving Templates) in an educational format 
• Friday: Personal/relational content to build connection

But whatever you do, make sure your content buckets support your pillars, which in turn support your business goals. It’s all connected, just like a well-designed house needs both framing AND rooms to be functional.

Conclusion: How to create content pillars for your coaching business, quick and easy

You want to create content that connects with your audience and converts them into clients. And your content pillars are the foundation that makes this possible.

As your coaching business evolves, you can adjust your pillars while maintaining the core structure that keeps your content focused and effective.

Ready to say goodbye to content chaos once and for all? I’ve created a free ChatGPT marketing prompt generator for coaches that makes content creation even faster once you have your pillars in place. 

Just add your business details, select a prompt, and watch as it generates content ideas specifically for YOUR business.