What is a Pillar Page? | SEOLeverage Glossary

A pillar page is vital to an effective content marketing and SEO strategy. This comprehensive guide will explain what a pillar page is, the benefits of using pillar pages, how to create an excellent pillar page, and pillar page best practices.

What Are Pillar Pages?

A pillar page is known for other names, like a hub page or cornerstone content. It refers to a specific type of web page covering a broad topic in great depth while linking to related content. The key characteristics of pillar pages include:

In-depth, comprehensive content, usually over 2,000 words
Targeted around specific high-value keywords and topics
Well-optimized for organic search and designed to rank highly
Links internally to other relevant pages on your site
Acts as a hub that anchors a "cluster" of content

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Pillar Pages and the Topic Cluster Model

Successful content marketers leverage a topic cluster or pillar-cluster model to structure their website's content and internal linking. With this approach:

Content marketers create a comprehensive pillar page to cover a broad topic important to the target audience.
Multiple supporting cluster pages or blog posts, then discuss specific keyword-related subtopics in more detail.
The pillar page links to the cluster content, while cluster pages link back to the pillar page.

This model produces a unified content strategy with a logical site structure around core topics. It can boost search engine rankings by showing your site's authority on particular issues essential to search intent.

For example, an online fitness brand might create a pillar page about "Weight Loss Exercises" as a broad topic. Supporting cluster content could be blog articles about "Best Cardio for Weight Loss," "Weight Training for Fat Burn," or specific workout routines.

Creating this kind of pillar page with internal links to relevant cluster pages on the same overarching topic provides value while optimizing for both keywords and organic search traffic potential.

Why Are Pillar Pages Important?

There are several reasons why pillar pages should be an integral part of your content marketing strategy:

Help your website rank high on search engine results by targeting topics people are searching for
Attract targeted organic traffic interested in your niche and offerings
Establish your site and brand as an authority on specific topics
Provide a hub for internal linking to distribute equity
Create more entry points and improve site navigation and usability

Additionally, well-crafted pillar pages encourage visitors to spend more time on your site by linking them to other helpful pages and resources related to that topic.

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How to Create Excellent Pillar Pages

Follow this checklist to develop compelling pillar (and cluster pages):

1	Conduct keyword research to find topics and search queries with sufficient volume and competitiveness to create content. Tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Google Keyword Planner can help uncover ideas.
2	Choose a focused pillar page topic. Dig deep into one particular topic.
3	Optimize content for a primary keyword you want the page to rank for organically. Also, incorporate related keyword variations.
4	Write comprehensive on-page content of at least 2,000+ words. Include visuals like images, charts, or tables to break up text.
5	Add H1 and H2 tags optimized around the target main keyword.
6	Include internal links to other authority pages on your site. Link anchor text varieties of the keyword targeted.
7	Promote your new pillar page content on social channels when published to boost traffic.

Best Practices for Pillar Pages

Refer to these top tips for ensuring your pillar pages are well-optimized:

Focus each on an individual broad topic with a cohesive theme
Thoroughly cover every aspect to demonstrate your knowledge
Link out to other pillar pages when relevant as part of an internal linking strategy
Develop pillar pages around priority keywords from your content audit
Include targeted keywords naturally throughout each page's content
Update old underperforming pillar pages by improving page speed, content, etc.
Promote your latest pillar pages through email, social media, etc., to help them gain initial traction.

By learning what a pillar page is and leveraging it correctly, you can craft a content strategy that aligns with search intent, establishes authority, and wins more organic traffic.