First, what is a pillar page?

A topic cluster is constructed from the ground up using pillar pages. With space for more in-depth reporting in more in-depth cluster blog posts that hyperlink back to the pillar page, a pillar page covers all aspects of the topic on one page.

Please continue reading so I can go into more detail about what a pillar page is.

What Does A Pillar Page Mean?

Pillar pages broadly cover a particular topic, and cluster content should address a specific keyword related to that topic in-depth. You might, for instance, write a pillar page about blogging, a more focused keyword within the topic of content marketing, and a piece of cluster content about blogging, a more general topic.

Because they cover every aspect of the subject you’re trying to rank for, pillar pages are longer than typical blog posts but less in-depth. Cluster content is made to accomplish this. The goal is to develop pillar pages that provide information on a specific subject while leaving room for more in-depth information in related cluster content that comes after.

Our pillar page about Instagram marketing, for instance, is shown here. It offers a comprehensive rundown of how to use Instagram and contains hyperlinks to specific pieces of cluster content, such as this blog post on how to craft effective Instagram captions. We’re attempting to rank for Instagram-related keywords in this instance. The cluster content focuses on one particular aspect of Instagram marketing, writing strong caption copy, while the pillar page acts as a 101 guide to Instagram marketing.

The Benefits Of Pillar Pages

• Increased engagement: The ease of use for viewers increases engagement when content is well-organized.
• Longer session durations: Due to the interconnected nature of the pillar-cluster pages, this configuration keeps users on the site longer, increasing engagement and page views.
• Provide better signals to Google: As a result of the pillar and cluster page groupings’ excellent organization, Google can quickly determine the topics they cover and rank them accordingly. Content that is organized using topic pillars and clusters is more likely to receive higher rankings from Google than poorly organized web pages do.

The Ideal Length For A Pillar Page?

Unlike typical blog posts, pillar posts are frequently much longer. There is no hard and fast rule, but they are typically at least 2,000 words. But keep in mind that they are comprehensive as well as lengthy.

Remember that pillar pages won’t function on their own. Similar to how spokes on a bicycle’s wheels strengthen the wheels, cluster pages provide support for pillar pages.

Here is a brief explanation of the topic cluster model in case you’re not familiar with it.

Create A Pillar Page

The first step to creating a pillar page is to stop thinking about your site in terms of just keywords. Start thinking about the topics you want to rank for first — then, brainstorm blog topic ideas based on more specific keywords related to the broader topic.

To come up with ideas for pillar page content, consider the main passions and difficulties of your core audience personas. Choose a topic that is broad enough to inspire additional related blog posts that will act as cluster content, but not so broad that you won’t be able to cover the entire topic on a single pillar page.

For instance, in our situation, the topic of “social media” was too broad, whereas the topic of “Instagram captions” would have been too specific. “The phrase “Instagram marketing” is broad enough to allow us to link to numerous additional blog posts that explore Instagram in more depth, but it’s also detailed enough that we could create a thorough pillar page about it.

When a searcher types in a Google search term that your page ranks for, your pillar page should address any questions or queries they may have about the topic, enticing them to click on it. Then, after clicking into your pillar page, they will find the answers to their queries, which will then link to more specialized pieces of cluster content that are hyperlinked on the pillar page.

Find Topic And Content Ideas For Pillar Pages

Check out the Topic Research Tool if you’re unsure of what belongs on pillar pages or which cluster pages you should include. You simply enter a keyword and the tool provides you with related subtopics

Next: To view recent headlines (great for competitive research) and to see related questions people are currently asking in real-time, select one of the “trending” cards. You can create a comprehensive, timely, and helpful pillar page with the aid of both of these types of information. You’ll also come up with concepts for cluster pages.

Create Stronger Content Pillar Pages

One of the best ways to engage your target audience, establish the authority and brand of your business, and create the kind of trust that will enable you to move prospects through the sales funnel and convert them into paying customers is through content marketing.

Adopting the pillar-cluster model is one of the best ways to organize your content so that it produces results. The best practices for creating pillar content include deciding on the planned returns, deciding what you want to rank for, and defining the content’s goals and what you are trying to achieve.

Also read: What Is A Content Marketer?

Pillar Pages Help SEO

It’s not just about an organization with pillar pages. They are also performance powerhouses when it comes to SEO. Let’s examine a few methods for pillar pages that can boost website traffic.

Improve Site Structure

Google’s algorithm examines more than just the individual web pages on your website in order to comprehend your content. It takes into account a variety of content, including the connections between individual pages. When there is a lot of content, pillar pages group related topics and produce a hierarchical map. This enhances the structure of your website and makes it simpler for Google to determine your level of expertise and choose the most appropriate URL for a given search query.

You’ll achieve higher rankings in the SERPs as a result.

Rank For High-volume Keywords

Because they cover a wide range of topics, pillar pages are more likely to rank for competitive keywords with high search volume. In other words, users who conduct more general searches are likely looking for a topic’s informational overview. As a result, Google favors high-quality content that reflects that intent.

Users will focus their searches on more specialized long-tail keywords as they gain familiarity with a concept. Users are more likely to stay on your website and read your content because pillar pages discuss numerous related topics and link to them through CTAs.

The depth of pillar page content makes it ideal for receiving lots of reliable backlinks. They therefore have more PageRank to spread via internal links. As a result, other pages in the cluster start to perform well, which results in backlinks that boost PageRank within the cluster.

It’s a positive SEO circle.

Pillar Pages & Topic Clusters Showcase Expertise

Your brand will be seen as an authority when you create an ecosystem of content centered around a particular subject by stakeholders, customers, the media, and Google. Additionally, you’ll be more likely to receive better rankings from search engines when they view your website as a reliable source of information on a particular subject.

Google’s main goal is to deliver the best, most pertinent results to users. The pillar-cluster model enables you to cover a subject from a variety of perspectives, showcasing your knowledge.

Topic Clusters: What Are They?

In a hub-and-spoke model, topic clusters are collections of related content that are closely organized around a central topic. Each cluster consists of a central pillar page (the hub) and cluster pages (the spokes), which surround it. If blogging plays a significant role in your inbound marketing strategy, the topic cluster model Hubspot introduced is especially helpful.

Don’t miss my thorough exploration of content clusters because I’m an enthusiast about this subject. I discuss both best practices and the most common errors that can cause results to falter. From that post, you can also get a free topic cluster template.

An SEO topic cluster is made up of three main parts:

• One broadly focused pillar page
• Multiple in-depth cluster pages
• Strategically placed internal links

What cluster content should resemble is as follows:

There are several ways that topic clusters increase traffic and rankings in organic search results:

• Clusters reflect Google’s AI direction because Google comprehends the subtopics surrounding a general interest.
• Context, relevance, and PageRank flow are all improved by topic clusters.
• The development of expertise, authority, and trust (E-A-T), which are critical to search rankings in many industries, is facilitated by pillar pages and content clusters.

Final Words

What a pillar page is was the main topic of the article.

A pillar page is a high-level piece of content that provides a broad overview of a primary topic and links to in-depth articles about particular facets of that topic.

The pillar-cluster model is beneficial for SEO because it displays your knowledge and authority while also adding context and enhancing PageRank flow through internal links.

Users love pillar pages because they completely cover a subject and predictably offer deeper dives into subtopics at just the right time.

Do you now understand what a pillar page is after reading the post? If you have any questions about what a pillar page is, kindly leave a comment. I’ll answer right away.

Finally, I want to thank you for reading.