SEO is a continually evolving practice, and no one can claim mastery of it. Despite frequent updates to search engine algorithms and the dynamic nature of user search behavior, content creation and link building remain the core lifelines of effective SEO.
If you can use content creation and link building to your advantage, you will see an increase in web traffic, which will help boost your search engine ranking.
In this article, let me show you how the pillar cluster model is essential for SEO success.
Table of Contents
What is a Pillar Page?
Pillar Pages are focused landing pages, which give you the chance to build authority and increase quality traffic in specific areas of interest.
Pillar pages are a central part of any content strategy.
Pillar pages are longer content pages focused on one particular subject. They should be comprehensive and contain all of the answers a user might need around a subject.
Pillar pages should accomplish two things. First, they should condense the most important points in a topic, Second, they should link to other pages that delve deeper into each key issue.
What is Cluster Content?
Cluster content is a collection of articles, with corresponding links between the pages.
The cluster strategy enables content to be created around a well-defined core topic while maintaining a cohesive site architecture that will pass strong signals to search engines. This in turn will increase the keyword ranking and improve the authority for the particular niche.
Customers are less likely to shop in a grocery store if the aisles are not organized because people tend to shop by product type. (e.g., dairy products, produce, etc.). However, if the aisles were labeled with names—like meat, produce, and dairy—customers would easily know where to go and pick out their groceries.
This structure, in which one primary page links to a series of secondary pages on the same topic, tells search engines that your website covers this topic comprehensively. Google’s algorithm will increase your site’s ranking on searches for the topic.
Benefits of Pillar and Cluster Content Strategy
A topic-first approach to content organization consists of topic clusters, pillar pages, and links connecting related topics.
Improve SEO Rankings
When a cluster page performs well, the search engine rankings of other pages in that topic cluster increase. For example, if your homepage has organized internal links to cluster content, the ranking for your home page will also benefit by association.
Create Better User Experience
The Pillar and Cluster pages on a website allow the website visitor to get all the information they need about a topic right on that website, without jumping between multiple websites to find the right information.
Build Trust and Credibility
By providing the most complete and up-to-date information on a particular topic, you will brand yourself as an authority in your field. You’ll earn visitors’ trust and become their go-to authority.
Help Sales Bring in Qualified Leads
Pillar pages are designed to attract visitors, convert them into leads and provide your sales and support teams with valuable content they can use to educate prospects, answer their questions and qualify leads.
Improved Conversions
Topic clusters help you organize and engage your audience. As you analyze buyer personas before finalizing your Cluster content, draft your content to address industry-specific pain points and try to arrive at a solution.
This approach brings in a positive user experience and translates into engaging content that improves a business’s conversion rate.
How to Come up with Pillar and Cluster Strategy?
When choosing the topic for your pillar page, be sure that it is of interest to your niche and will spark a strong response from potential readers.
In addition, make sure the topic you choose is broad enough to divide it into three or four subtopics.
Select a Pillar Page Type
Each business has one or more pillars on which its foundation is built. Depending on your field, these can be product or service pages, or they might be resource pages. Pick any one from these page types.
Break the Topic into Smaller Segments
Although each content cluster helps form a pillar page, clusters should be able to stand alone as independent pieces of information.
To appeal to your target audience, you may need to include a cluster of pages in addition to the pillar page. It may be necessary to link cluster pages together and to the pillar page.
You need to break a topic into chunks because doing so makes it easier for the reader to follow large amounts of information.
Construct Detailed Clusters
In-depth information on each topic cluster is a necessity when implementing this strategy. It is worthwhile to elaborate on the particulars of a cluster topic to answer readers’ questions about it.
We need to make sure that the clusters are meaningful when used alone and in combination, giving an edge to target audiences and Google.
Interlinking Cluster Pages
The pillar cluster model comprises four parts: content, landing pages, navigation links, and authority. These elements allow search engines to crawl your website and index it properly.
If you do not link properly, your efforts will be wasted. No website owner wants to experience that.
So, if you use a pillar cluster structure to organize your website’s content, make sure the pages are linked correctly. It will allow users to navigate your site easily and without confusion while passing authority from one page to the next.
Now that it’s clear how vital links are to your pillar content, here are four best practices when interlinking cluster pages with the pillar page.
Don’t Link to Images
When you use anchor text, make sure that the place it’s linked to makes sense. Otherwise, your links will look off-putting and unnatural.
Linking to images is not always a good idea; you may not get the SEO results you want.
Deep Linking
When users encounter a topic not explained in enough detail on a website, they often look for additional resources elsewhere on the Internet.
Instead of linking to the user’s primary navigation, please direct them to a stand-alone article or guide not easily found on navigational menus. It will pique their curiosity and encourage them to read additional articles.
Limit the Number of Links
While it’s possible to have more links on a pillar page than on your other pages, it will not necessarily improve your rankings. Adding too many links on a single page might give users a poor experience and hurt your search ranking.
Build Relevant Links
When links are created between pages, you should build relevant links, repair broken links, and design pathways for a smooth user experience across your website.
Conclusion
SEO is a dynamic field, and Google updates are designed to create a positive user experience by rewarding sites that produce engaging content and promote that content using quality inbound links.
Using the pillar cluster content model, you can boost traffic to your website. You can increase conversions and raise your ranking in search engine results.
When composing your content, aim to make each piece of information stand alone on its own merits. However, ensure that when the pieces come together on the pillar page, they comprise a complete guide to the given topic.
If you need more information on this topic, contact Ahbiv Digital Agency; we are here to guide you further.
