Do you want to rank higher in search engines?
Pillar Pages are an essential part of any content marketing and SEO strategy. If you want to rank higher in search engine results pages, you need a strategy that includes pillar pages. This article will teach you what exactly a pillar page is and how to create one.
Follow the eleven simple steps laid out in this article to create pillar pages that are optimized for search engines.
What Are Pillar Pages?
Pillar pages are those core, content-heavy web pages that establish your authority online.
They answer all of the questions and provide value to your audience. They keep users on your site longer and boost your Google rankings as a result.
Creating pillar pages is time-consuming, but it’s worth it in the long run because they can bring you more traffic and help you rank higher on Google, making it easier for people to find you online.
What You Need To Know About Pillar Pages
Pillar pages are all about having good content that helps your users succeed. It’s more than just creating content; it means creating valuable, actionable content that keeps them on your site longer.
These types of content are what Google is looking for, making it easier to rank your site on the first page. Let’s look at this example:
You’re searching for something online, and you get two results: one with an article with 11 words and another with 1000+ words. Which do you think will answer your questions and provide value to you?
Of course, an article with 1000+ words will be more helpful because it gives you a detailed explanation of what you want. It answers all of your questions and then some.
Because this article is so informative and provides value, Google thinks that it’s an authority page! This means it will show up higher in search results, so naturally, it will get more clicks!
Why Should You Create Pillar Pages For Your SEO Strategy?
Creating these pages ensures that you are offering value to your readers.
Let’s say you opened up a new restaurant and wanted to increase your search engine rankings.
You could create an article about choosing the best steak cut, how to grill it just right, what side dishes you should have, etc.
These articles provide value to your readers because you are teaching them how to do something.
You’re answering their questions and providing solutions, so they will enjoy what you have to offer! It’s not just about having solid content; it’s also about creating that solid content that helps your users succeed.
Blog Post vs. Pillar Page
Pillar pages are longer than typical blog posts because they touch on all parts of a topic and link back to each other.
Pillar page design should do its job right if it becomes an authoritative source that attracts many external links from referring websites or sources outside the pillar website itself!
How To Create A Pillar Page:
Here are eight simple steps to create pillar pages that will boost your SEO strategy.
Step 1: Pick A Pillar Page Topic And Do Your Research
Before you start creating your pillar page, you need to know precisely what it is that you’re going to write.
You must choose a topic and do the necessary research to answer your readers’ questions and provide them with solutions.
For example, let’s say you wanted to create a pillar page about “How To Create A Blog.”
You need to do the necessary research and find out how people go about creating a blog and all of the steps they would take. You also need to provide them with solutions to common problems that they may face, such as:
- how to make money blogging
- how to brand yourself online
- where to start
Step 2. Decide What Topics To Target Using The Pillar Pages
You need to create pillar pages that are targeted to the different topics you’ve chosen.
For example, if you chose “How To Create A Blog” as one of your topics, you would want to target it with another pillar page like “Choosing The Best Platform For Your Blog.”
These articles provide value to your target audience because they show them how to do something. It’s not just about having generic content; it’s also about creating solid content that answers your readers’ questions and helps them succeed!
Step 3. Decide What Format To Use
You don’t need to be a professional writer or blogger to create pillar pages that rank high on search engines.
Anyone can do it as long as you choose the right topics and format your content correctly.
The main thing is having valuable and informative content!
Choose what works best for you:
- Video: Create a video and embed it on your site (Canva and InVideo are great tools to use)
- PDF: Create a downloadable PDF version of your pillar page
- Blog Post: Write an article with information about the topic you chose
- Infographic: Present information in a creative way using images and graphics that people can share on social media or save (Piktochart is a great tool to use)
Step 4. Conduct Keyword Research
Keyword research is essential when creating pillar page content. You need to choose the specific keywords that people are searching for so you can rank high.
Don’t be tempted to focus on keywords with a high search volume and low competition.
Instead, focus on keywords that will attract your target audience’s search intent and provide value to them.
For example, let’s say you wanted to create pillar pages about “How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs.”
You could target keywords like:
- how to get rid of bed bugs at home
- how to get rid of bed bugs naturally
- How do you get rid of bed bugs?
- how to kill bed bugs instantly
If you match your keywords with your target audience’s intent, you’ll get the most traffic and conversions.
Step 5. Write an Outline
Now that you’ve done your research and chosen the topics you want to write pillar pages about, you need to create an outline. This will ensure that you don’t miss anything when writing your pillar page content!
For example, let’s say your pillar page was about “Choosing The Best Web Hosting For Your Blog.
You could write your outline like this:
- Introduction (what does web hosting mean, the difference between shared and VPS hosting, etc.)
- How To Choose A Web Hosting Provider (how to find a reliable host, how to check for customer support and server uptime, how to choose a plan etc.)
- Conclusion (summary of what you should look for in a web hosting provider, who the best hosts are etc.)
That’s essentially what your pillar page content should be like! The outline sets the foundation of your pillar page and ensures that it flows properly.
Step 6. Create a Catchy Title For Your Pillar Page
Your page title is the first thing your readers will see, so it needs to be attention-grabbing! You want them to click on it out of curiosity.
For example, “Choosing The Best Web Hosting For Your Blog” would probably have a better chance at getting clicks if its title was “The 5 Reasons Why BlueHost Is The Best Web Hosting Provider“.
The catchy title acts as the hook for your pillar page. It gives readers a reason to click on it so they can find out more.
Learn how to write an awesome title on our recent blog post.
Step 7. Create An Intro That Will Get People Interested In Your Content
Your intro needs to be strong and get people interested in reading more of your content.
The structure of an introduction is simple; you start by introducing your readers to the topic that they are about to read, then explain how it fits into their lives.
For example:
“If you’re looking for ways on how to create a blog, then you’ve come to the right place! This article will give you step-by-step instructions on how to create a blog…”
The intro tells them that they are about to read the information that will solve all of their problems, which gets people interested! You also establish yourself as an expert because you share your knowledge with them to trust your advice.
Step 8. Create Your Pillar Page!
It’s time to write your pillar page! Ensure you do thorough research and answer all of your readers’ questions with helpful content that provides solutions.
Also, make sure that it’s original and informative, not just a bunch of fluff.
Step 9. Work on Your Internal Links
When you create pillar pages, it’s essential to have internal links, so people can navigate through your site and find the information they need.
An internal link strategy will help you create more pillar pages for your blog that are easy to navigate while also making it look more natural to search engines.
You can do this by linking certain words in your pillar page to relevant content with other pillar pages on your site.
For example, if you have a pillar page about “Choosing the Best Web Hosting For Your Blog,” you could link the words “blog” and “blogging” with your other pillar page about blogging, which is titled “3 Ways On How To Start A Blog”.
You must have an internal linking strategy if you plan to have pillar pages on your site. Otherwise, they will be hard for your readers and search engines to navigate around, which could hurt your rankings in the long run!
Site structure is fundamental, and it needs to be easy for people to navigate. For example, if they click on your pillar page about “Choosing The Best Web Hosting For Your Blog” but can’t find the pillar page about blogging, then you’ve failed as a webmaster!
Try working on your internal linking strategy today by consulting with one of our SEO experts from BlakSheep Creative. Complete the form below for a free consultation:
Step 10. Promote Your Content!
The key to getting people to read your pillar page content is by promoting it regularly. You can promote your pillar pages through social media, guest blogging, etc…
Depending on the particular topic you chose, there are different ways to promote your content:
For example:
if your pillar page was about writing a book, you could promote it on websites that have sections dedicated to authors. If your pillar page was about marketing, you could guest blog on marketing-related websites or social media platforms!
Remember to keep promoting your content until you start ranking for the keywords you researched earlier.
Step 11. Monitor The Performance Of Your Pillar Page
To ensure you’re getting the most out of your pillar page, it’s crucial to monitor its performance regularly. You spent time and money creating this fantastic site for customers, so you’ll want to make sure it’s doing well!
The most important KPIs to monitor are:
- Pageviews: how many times your pillar page was viewed
- Bounce rate: The percentage of people who reached the page and left without visiting a second page on your site. The lower the number, the better.
- Email subscriptions: how many people signed up to your email list due to the pillar page.
- Leads/conversions: how many leads were generated on the pillar page
- Organic traffic: how many people accessed the page through search engines
- Ranking: what specific keyword(s) your page is ranked in Google and other search engines
- Visits from social networks: analyzed by network
- Interactions on social networks: how many people liked, shared, or commented on your page. (Don’t get wrapped up in vanity metrics!)
You can use Google analytics reports and Google Search Console to collect this data.
For example, you could save yourself some time by adding all of the information about your website’s visitors into a spreadsheet or through Data Studio – an easy-to-use reporting tool from Google that lets users create their own charts!
Don’t be too quick to jump to conclusions; it may take up to six months for your page to start ranking high in Google.
Remember that pillar pages are not “get rich quick” schemes – they take time and effort to implement effectively! Keep at it, and before you know it, your efforts will pay off!
Frequently Asked Questions about Pillar Pages
Before you create your first pillar page, here are some frequently asked questions that you should be familiar with:
What are pillar pages?
Pillar pages are those core, high-quality content pages on your website that rank for many keywords and help increase your conversion rates.
Who uses pillar pages?
Anyone who wants to rank highly in search engine results pages should create pillar and cluster pages.
Are they the same as regular web pages?
Nope! Regular web pages are usually about a single topic and don’t cover multiple topics at all. On the other hand, Pillar pages incorporate two or more related topics to provide your audience with whatever information they need to solve their problems.
What is the purpose of pillar pages?
Pillar pages are generally used for informational purposes. For example, if you have a website about fashion in Baton Rouge, your readers would benefit from having access to article lists with information about how to find fashion in Baton Rouge!
How many pillar pages should I create?
There’s no exact answer to this one. The more keywords your pillar pages rank for on Google, the better, so it would be a good idea to have around five or six of them!
What are some examples?
Use your imagination! Pillar pages can take all sorts of shapes and forms – you just need to choose related topics and that your readers would be interested in learning more about!
How do I make one?
Making a pillar page is as easy as writing an essay or blog content. Just choose a topic, create a plan for it and write as much as you can!
Do they have to be on my website?
It’s generally a good idea to include your pillar pages on your website; you can also create links for them on social media and other relevant sites.
What’s the difference between a pillar page and a landing page?
Landing pages are used to generate conversions by providing your audience with exactly what they need – for example, if somebody types in “how to find fashion in Denham Springs” on Google, you’d show them a page with all the information they need about that topic.
Pillar pages are simply informational pages that rank highly in search engines and drive your website’s traffic. You can use them in conjunction with your landing pages to bring more leads and conversions.
What are some advantages to creating pillar pages?
There are many advantages to creating pillar pages – the most important one being the increase in your website’s organic search traffic, rankings, and overall visibility! They also help you build relationships with your readers/customers by providing valuable content that they can share with their friends and families.
What are some disadvantages of creating pillar pages?
The main disadvantage is that they take time to create! However, you could always hire a professional writer like us to write up some high-quality, SEO-optimized pillar page content for you in no time!
So, are pillar pages right for my business?
That’s up to you – but if you want your website to generate more leads and increase your organic traffic, creating a few pillar pages is definitely the way to go.
What is the topic cluster model?
The topic cluster model is a great way to maximize your organic traffic – it’s based on the idea of targeting multiple, closely related keywords at once!
Cluster content to target multiple keywords at once with just one pillar page!
What are some examples of topic clusters?
Let’s say that you run an online store for clothing. Your first pillar page could be about fashion in Baton Rouge (because lots of people search on Google for that topic), and your second one could be about fashion in Louisiana (because that’s another common search term).
You’ll have successfully targeted two sets of keywords with just one pillar page! This is an effortless way to increase your chances of ranking higher on Google.
How many topics should I use?
Some experts will tell you to create an entire pillar page for every related keyword you can think of, but that’s just too time-consuming!
The idea behind this tactic is to build up your pillar pages gradually – so start with however many topics suit your business best and expand from there if necessary.
What are some advantages of topic clusters?
This is another excellent way to maximize your website’s organic traffic and increase its rankings! There will also be more variety in your pillar pages, which means you’ll appeal to a broader audience and build deeper relationships with them.
What are some disadvantages of topic clusters?
The main disadvantage is that it can take a long time to create enough topics for this tactic to work – but once you’ve got the ball rolling, it’ll only be a matter of time before your rankings improve.
Pillar Page Tips & Tricks
If you’re still not convinced that pillar pages are worth it, here are some tips and tricks guaranteed to make the most out of this important search engine optimization strategy!
So you’ve got a shiny new website and want to make the most of your SEO strategy? Then you’ll need to create amazing pillar pages!
Here are nine simple steps for creating an informational, high-quality pillar page.
- Choose one or several related topics that are popular among your target market – these should be problems that your target market has!
- Create a plan for each of these topics – what do you want to include? Why should people who are searching for that topic visit your page?
- Choose the best keywords that match up with these topics – they don’t have to be long-tail or complicated, just relevant.
- Consider spacing out the pillar page over time – it may be best to write one pillar page, let it sit for up to six months, then create another one.
- Create your pillar pages! Remember that writing high-quality content takes time and effort – don’t expect results right away!
- Use keywords on your pillar page that will draw people in. These could be catchy phrases about the topic or a good call to action!
- Create links from other websites to your pillar pages – this boosts their SEO and helps them rank higher by increasing their authority!
- Use social media to our advantage – create links from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and more to drive traffic to your pillar pages!
- Monitor how well your pillar pages are doing with Google Analytics and Google Search Console – this way, you can always improve on them if they aren’t ranking as high as you’d like.
If you follow these simple steps, then creating an effective pillar page is easy peasy! If you need more advice, make sure to get in touch with a digital marketing professional.
Let’s Recap
If you want to grow your website, create pillar pages.
A pillar page is a single page on your site that has the potential of becoming an authority hub for one or more specific topics in your niche.
You can also call them cornerstone pages because they are the most critical part of any marketing strategy and should be treated as such by being optimized with SEO best practices and well-researched content.
The only way to find out what type of pillar pages may work for you is through experimentation and testing, which we’d love to help you do!
Give us a call at (225) 505-3834 so we can start taking care of all those technicalities like SEO audits, keyword research, link-building campaigns, and more!
You can do it! We’ve got your back when you need us. Discover how our expert content marketers can help you build/improve your online presence to become an authority in the industry today!
