Learn how an effective retail design plan creates lasting success....
If you’re tired of posting just to post, this is your way out. User personas aren’t just a marketing exercise—they’re the foundation of a smarter, more sustainable content strategy. Whether you’re selling handmade goods, eco-conscious products, or running a small service business, knowing who you’re talking to helps you stop guessing and start connecting.
And when paired with content pillars—your brand’s recurring themes—personas help you build a feed that’s consistent, engaging, and actually drives growth.
Let’s walk through how to build personas that work, how to balance your ideal customer with other segments, and how to use them to shape content pillars that make sense.
Your ideal persona is the person who most perfectly fits your brand’s mission, values, and product benefits. This is the customer you want more of—the one who buys, shares, and sticks around.
Lila is your north star. She’s thoughtful, values-driven, and visually sensitive. She’s not building a business—she’s shopping for herself. She wants products that feel personal, ethical, and beautiful.
What to include when building your ideal persona:
Name and short profile
Age range, lifestyle habits
Values and motivations
Pain points and buying behavior
Preferred platforms and content types
Tone and messaging that resonates
| LILA - THE IDEAL USER | |
|---|---|
|
PERSONA DETAILS |
Lila is a 28 year old skilled professional with a busy life full of work, family and personal projects. With strong values, Lila appreciates companies that share a commitment to ethical production methods and earth-friendly business practices. |
|
PERSONA DESCRIPTION |
Buys based on values, not urgency. Loves beautiful visuals and honest storytelling. |
|
MOTIVATION |
A sense of connection. Lila wants to shop but needs to feel connected to the company and their mission. |
|
USER BEHAVIOR |
With a lot of time spent on instagram and tiktok, Lila shops on social, is happy to share product purchases, often engages in polls or surveys and will thoughtfully read emails. |
|
USER NEEDS |
Driven by a strong set of core ethics and values, Lila needs to know the why behind every product as well as feeling personally connected to the brand. |
Why Lila matters: She’s the kind of customer who doesn’t just buy—she becomes an unofficial brand ambassador. She shares your posts, tags your products, and tells her friends. Your content pillars should be built primarily with her in mind.
While we’ve laid out a linear process—starting with your ideal persona, then building supporting personas, and finally shaping your content pillars—it’s important to note: Steps 2 and 3 can be swapped or co-developed, especially if you’re restructuring an existing brand or refining a strategy that’s already in motion.
If you already have content pillars in place (even loosely), you might reverse-engineer your personas based on who’s engaging with each pillar. For example:
If your “Behind-the-Scenes” posts consistently attract makers and creatives, that’s a signal to flesh out a persona like Dana.
If your educational content gets saved and shared by service providers, Nico’s profile becomes clearer.
In this case, your existing content categories can help you define or refine your audience segments—rather than the other way around.
If you’re starting fresh or pivoting, it’s often better to build personas first. That way, your pillars are grounded in real audience needs—not just trends or assumptions.
While Lila is your ideal, she’s not your only customer. Real growth comes from understanding the full spectrum of your audience. Supporting personas represent other segments who engage with your brand in different ways. They help you avoid building a content silo—and make your strategy more inclusive and stable.
| Nico | Dana | Ivy | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
PERSONA DESCRIPTION |
Nico runs a small service business. He’s skilled but camera-shy, and wants practical content that helps him feel confident online. |
Dana sells handmade goods. She’s creative and visual, but struggles with writing and promotion. |
Ivy is just starting out. She’s excited but overwhelmed, and wants structure and guidance. |
|
MOTIVATION |
Has limited time to spend online – needs calm, informational and educational posts with actionable suggestions |
Creative fatigue is a real concern and Dana is always looking for new ideas – loves behind-the-scenes and seasonal promos |
Eager to get started and make a name for themselves. Ivy is hungry for information, tips and tricks – Loves templates, checklist and productivity tips |
|
USER BEHAVIOR |
Nico saves tips for reference later and will spend time reading long-form content when it provides actionable insights. |
Outgoing with a desire to interact with people Dana frequently engages with stories and often shares content on Pinterest. |
Fast-paced and seeking big impact, Ivy engages most with short-form content like Reels and may participate in seasonal events or challenges. |
|
USER NEEDS |
With a logical analytical mind, Nico needs to see how your product or service fits into their workflow. |
Ready and willing to roll their sleeves up and get started, Dana needs step-by-step, actionable content to help their projects succeed. |
With an emphasis on work-life balance, and dreaming of a 4-Hour Work-week, Ivy needs simple wins, quick-fixes and encouragement. |
Once your personas are defined, use them to build 3–5 recurring content categories that speak to their needs. These are your content pillars—themes that give your feed structure and purpose.
| Pillar | Lila | Nico | Dana | Ivy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Eduational |
Product benefits, sustainability |
Expert tips |
Visual tutorials |
Content planning hacks |
|
Behind-the-Scenes |
Packaging, process, mission |
Workflow snapshots |
Studio shots |
Launch prep |
|
Promotional |
Curated bundles, gift guides |
Service highlights |
Seasonal promos |
Affiliate offers |
|
Customer Stories |
Real-life reviews, UGC |
Case studies |
Styled product photo |
Peer success stories |
|
Seasonal Themes |
Holiday gifting, eco-challenges |
Timely service tips |
Trend tie-ins |
Social challenges |
How this helps: Instead of scrambling to post something random, you build content that’s purposeful and repeatable. Each pillar serves a persona—and each persona supports a different part of your business.
Your personas aren’t just static profiles—they move through a journey. If you’ve well balanced your content pillars, they should support the user at each stage of their journey:
| Stage | Focus | Pillar Match |
|---|---|---|
| Awareness | “Who are you? Why should I care?” | Educational, Entertaining, Seasonal |
| Consideration | “Can you solve my problem?” | Behind-the-Scenes, Testimonials, Stories |
| Loyalty | “What else can I learn or buy?” | Exclusive Content, Community Spotlights |
Example:
Lila discovers your brand through a seasonal gift guide (Awareness)
She reads a behind-the-scenes post about your packaging process (Consideration)
She shares a customer story and joins your email list for curated bundles (Loyalty)
User personas aren’t just for big brands. They’re for anyone who wants to stop posting randomly and start building with intention. By focusing on your ideal customer (Lila) and balancing with supporting personas (Nico, Dana, Ivy), you create a strategy that’s clear, inclusive, and built to last.
User personas aren’t carved in stone. Neither are your content pillars. As your brand grows, your audience evolves—and your strategy should too.
We recommend revisiting your personas and pillars during each quarter retrospective to:
Reflect on what’s working (and what’s not)
Adjust for seasonal shifts or product changes
Add new segments or refine existing ones
Realign your messaging and visuals with current goals
This keeps your content strategy agile, relevant, and rooted in real connection—not just routine.
With over a decade of experience in a variety of creative industries I provide creative design solutions that exceed client expectations.
If you are interested in working with me – please reach out using the contact form below and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
