Most businesses post on social media the same way: sit down, think "what should I post today?", panic, post something random, repeat. The result? Inconsistent content, no growth, and the feeling that social media "doesn't work for my business."
It does work. You just need a system.
At Maken Media, we've generated over 400 million views for brands using the exact framework we're about to break down. It's not complicated. It's not expensive. It just requires doing the research upfront so you're never guessing what to post.
Here's the 4-step process we use for every client, whether they're a pool company in Scottsdale or a national e-commerce brand.
Step 1: Research the Top 100
Study what's already winning before you create anything.
Open Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Find 10-15 competitors or industry leaders in your space. Sort their content by most viewed or most engaged. Save the top 100 performing posts into a spreadsheet. That's it.
For each post, note:
- Format — was it a talking head, b-roll, before/after, interview, POV?
- Hook — what was the first line or first 2 seconds?
- Topic — what was it about?
- Engagement — views, likes, comments, shares
You're not copying. You're identifying patterns. What formats get the most views? What topics resonate? What hooks stop the scroll? The answers are already in the data — you just have to look.
The best content strategies aren't built on creativity. They're built on research. Creativity comes after you know what works.
Step 2: Build Your Content Pillars
Group your top 100 into 4-6 recurring themes.
Look at your research and ask: what are the 4-6 categories that keep showing up? These become your content pillars — the topics you'll rotate through every single month.
Every business is different, but most content strategies use some variation of these pillars:
Before & After
Showcase transformations and results. Builds credibility through visual proof.
POV / Perspective
Emotion-driven content. Makes the audience feel something and share it.
Education
Teach your audience something valuable. Builds trust and authority.
Entertainment
Humor and personality. Makes people like you before they buy from you.
Social Proof
Testimonials, reviews, case studies. Converts warm leads into customers.
Behind the Scenes
Day-in-the-life, process shots, team culture. Humanizes the brand.
The key insight: each pillar serves a different purpose in your funnel. Entertainment gets reach. Education builds trust. Social proof closes sales. You need all of them working together.
Step 3: Create Your 30-Day Calendar
Assign 5-10 content ideas per pillar.
Each idea should reference a winning post from your Top 100 research. You're adapting proven formats to your brand — not reinventing the wheel. Aim for 20-30 total pieces of content per month.
For each content idea, define:
- Format — iPhone, camera, drone, talking head, b-roll, etc.
- Hook — the first line or caption that stops the scroll
- Reference — the winning post you're adapting from
- Platform — Instagram Reel, TikTok, YouTube Short, etc.
Then map them to a calendar. Don't overcomplicate this — even a simple spreadsheet with dates works. The point is having a plan so you never wake up wondering what to post.
Batch your production
The biggest efficiency hack: film everything in 1-2 shoot days per month. If you have 30 content ideas planned, you can film the raw footage for all of them in a single day. Then spend the rest of the month editing and posting.
This is how agencies (including us) produce 30+ pieces of content per client per month without burning out.
Step 4: Add a CTA to Every Single Post
Every piece of content needs a purpose.
Don't just post for engagement. Map each content pillar to a specific call-to-action that moves viewers closer to becoming a customer.
Here's how to match CTAs to pillars:
- Before & After → "Want results like this? Link in bio"
- POV / Perspective → "Follow for more" / "Save this"
- Education → "Drop a question in the comments"
- Entertainment → "Tag someone who needs to see this" (natural shareability)
- Social Proof → "DM us to get started" / "Book a call"
- Behind the Scenes → "Follow along for the journey"
Not every post is a hard sell. Most shouldn't be. But every post should move the needle in some direction — followers, trust, engagement, or direct leads.
Want Us to Build Your Content Strategy?
We create custom 30-day content strategies, film the content, and post it — so you can focus on running your business.
Book a Free Strategy CallWhat Happens After 30 Days
At the end of Month 1, look at your data:
- Which pillar got the most views?
- Which posts got the most engagement (comments, shares, saves)?
- Which posts drove actual business results (DMs, calls, sales)?
Double down on what worked. Cut what didn't. Month 2 should have more of your top-performing content types and less of the ones that flopped. By Month 3, you'll have a repeatable content engine that practically runs itself.
This is exactly what we build for our clients at Maken Media. We handle the research, strategy, filming, editing, and posting — so the business owner can focus on what they're good at.
Download the Free Template
Get our exact 30-day content strategy template — the same one we use for clients generating millions of views. Includes content pillar worksheets, posting calendar, and production checklist.
Download Free TemplateThe Bottom Line
Content strategy isn't about being creative every day. It's about doing the research once, building a system, and executing consistently. The brands winning on social media aren't more creative than you — they just have a better process.
Stop guessing. Start with data. Build your pillars. Fill your calendar. Post consistently. Review and repeat.
And if you'd rather have someone do it all for you — that's what we're here for.