High-Performing Content Pillars

Are you considering a content pillar strategy for your marketing efforts? Well, you've come to the right place. This guide will explore successful examples of content pillars that drive traffic and establish brands as authorities in their respective fields.

We'll provide a step-by-step workflow to create high-performing content pillars that boost your rankings and promote organic traffic growth. But before we dive into the details, let's start by understanding what content pillars are, what they look like, and why they're crucial.

What Is a Content Pillar?

A content pillar page is an authoritative and comprehensive exploration of a specific topic or theme. It is a one-stop destination where readers can find all the necessary information.

This content pillar can be broken down into multiple cluster pages and repurposed into smaller content pieces.

The key to understanding content pillars is recognizing that they serve as the central hub of your content strategy, with cluster pages interlinking with the pillar. The primary goal of a content hub is to provide the most comprehensive coverage of a topic, addressing every conceivable question related to it.

For example, let's consider the topic "SEO" as the main pillar. Underneath, you can break down subtopics like "Technical SEO" and "Local SEO" as cluster topics. Furthermore, it goes further by listing SEO tools, such as Google Analytics, used to create both the pillar and clusters. This interconnected approach supports the main pillar topic.

Why Are Content Pillars Important?

Content pillars are powerful assets that can enhance your organic rankings and drive traffic growth. They showcase your expertise on a particular topic and provide valuable context for search engines. The pillar-cluster model is an effective SEO strategy for several reasons:

Comprehensive Topic Coverage

Content pillars and clusters combine to offer exhaustive coverage of a subject, answering a wide range of questions and providing valuable insights.

Generating Subtopics

Pillars generate numerous subtopics, making it ideal for targeting long-tail keywords and specific queries, giving you a wealth of content ideas and ranking opportunities.

Audience Engagement

Pillars help you effectively engage your audience by providing in-depth information that caters to their interests and needs.

Now, let's review the three main types of content pillars and explore some examples to understand how they work.

Three Key Types of Content Pillars

Here are a few ways you can whip up pillar pages.

The Guide

Guide pillar pages aim to provide readers with a comprehensive view of a topic, offering all the essential information they need. These guides can cover evergreen topics, from "101 for beginners" to encyclopedic treatments of a subject. Cluster pages associated with guide pillars dive deeper into specific aspects of the main topic, offering authoritative coverage of related questions.

Example of a Guide Pillar Page

Imagine a pillar page titled "Understanding Bankruptcy." This page offers a high-level overview of bankruptcy law, outlining major themes, chapters, and courts involved in personal and corporate bankruptcy. It provides all the necessary information in one place for readers seeking quick answers.

The What Is

What Is pillar pages aim to describe, define, and explain a topic thoroughly. These effectively introduce a topic to a beginner audience and then go into detailed material. The content can be broken down into chapters and segments, making it suitable for complex subjects.

Example of a What Is Pillar Page

Consider a pillar page titled "What Is SEO? A Beginner’s Guide to Search Engine Optimization." This page follows a structure that includes "what is," "why is it important," and "how to," covering fundamental concepts around SEO without diving too deep into technical details.

The How-To

How-To pillar pages guide readers on accomplishing a specific task or solving a problem. These pages provide granular details, breaking down the steps required to achieve a goal.

Example of a How-To Pillar Page

Imagine a pillar page on "How to Get a Marriage-Based Green Card." This page outlines the process step by step, covering timelines, eligibility, costs, forms, and the interview process. It incorporates various content elements, such as reviews, additional resources, and an interactive checklist quiz.

Developing a Pillar Content Strategy for Your Website

Creating an effective content pillar strategy requires careful planning and execution. Here are the essential steps to build a successful content pillar:

Identify Your Content Pillar’s Topic and List Topics for Your Cluster Pages

• Research your audience to understand their needs and pain points.
• Create a list of high-level topics relevant to your audience.
• Use tools like the Topic Research tool to generate subtopics and themes related to your chosen topic.
• Select topics with high search volume, relevance, and potential for evergreen content.

Audit the Existing Content on Your Website

• Perform a content audit to identify existing pages that can be optimized for your content pillar strategy.
• Avoid creating duplicate content or cannibalizing existing material.
• Decide whether to create the pillar page first or begin with cluster articles based on your existing content.

Take a Look at the Competition

• Analyze competitors to identify gaps and opportunities for your pillar content.
• Improve existing content by addressing topic gaps and providing value to readers.

Create Your Content Pillar

• Map out the structure of your pillar page by researching top-ranking pages for your target keywords.
• Gather questions your pillar page aims to answer and design the article's structure accordingly.
• Utilize AI content writing tools like ContentShake for content ideation and outline generation.

Interlink Your Pillar and Cluster Content

• Implement a robust interlinking strategy, connecting your cluster content to the pillar page and between cluster pages.
• Ensure that your information architecture provides context for both readers and search engines.

Distribute and Promote Your Pillar Content

• Develop a content distribution plan to reach your target audience effectively.
• Utilize social media, email marketing, and influencer outreach to promote your pillar content.
• Consider boosting top-performing organic posts with a paid promotion budget.

Evergreen vs. Timely Pillar Content: Which Is Better?

A mix of evergreen and timely pillar content is ideal for a well-rounded content marketing strategy. Evergreen content pillars can perform exceptionally well, provided you have enough high-quality cluster topics to support them. They offer long-lasting value to readers and search engines.

For instance, a news publisher may discover numerous articles about a historical event, making it suitable for an evergreen content pillar. Conversely, a technology solution provider may opt for a pillar containing evergreen and timely content to cover product updates and releases.

Elevate your brand's content marketing strategy with well-crafted content pillars. You can stand out in the competitive digital landscape by strategically addressing your audience's needs and providing valuable insights. Like sturdy pillars support a building, content pillars support your brand's online presence and expertise.