What is a content pillar? 6 steps to build one

What is a Content Pillar? This concept is familiar to marketers, especially those working in SEO. Implementing Content Pillars is fairly simple and helps you build a content marketing strategy that brings real value to your website and social channels. In this article, MONA Media will help you understand the concept of Content Pillars in marketing better. We will also guide you through the 6 most effective steps to implement pillar content. Let's get started!

What is a Content Pillar?

Content Pillars also goes by other names such as pillar content or pillar page. It is a broad topic page used to lay the foundation of a specific content strategy, and it covers all the content you will publish on your website or social media. Pillar Content can also be understood as the main topic group developed from big ideas.

Example: If your website focuses on Digital Marketing then your subtopics will be services such as: Facebook Ads, Google Ads, Tik Tok Ads,.. and other platforms. In this case, the large circle is the Pillar Page (pillar page), and the small circles around it are the Subtopic, developed through Topic Clusters and hyperlinks.

These main pillar pages let a business show its expertise in its field through a niche site. With Content Pillars, a business gets an overview of its articles and can quickly plan how to deliver on its goals. This builds a deep, high-quality content system that gives users useful information.

Terms related to Content Pillars

There are two terms related to Topic Cluster and Subtopic. Topic Cluster means a group of topics that forms Content Pillars: one pillar page linked to a set of different subtopics with in-depth, specific content on the same website.

• Pillar Page: The main topic page covering the general content you are developing.
• Subtopic/Content Cluster: Secondary topics developed from the main topic outline, helping users understand the whole topic better.

So far, Content Pillars look like the future of content marketing, making it easy to build content for a website.

Common types of Content Pillars

Have 3 forms of Content Pillars in marketing are the most common today. Depending on your business's needs, you can choose different types. Let's Agency SEO look at the 3 types of Pillar Content with MONA in detail below:

Pillar pages with 10X content

Content 10X means content 10 times better than the pages that rank highly for certain keywords searches. Professional Content Pillars with 10X content let you research a topic more deeply. You can also target many related keywords within the same topic.

Use these criteria to check that a Pillar Page has 10X content:

• User experience Displays well on both desktop and mobile.
• Quality content that is useful to users.
• Authentic content that meets users' search needs.
• Engaging content that holds readers' attention.
• Content that stirs readers' emotions.
• Content that analyzes the topic keywords comprehensively.

Subtopic Pillar Page

Subtopic Pillar Page are pillar pages for secondary topics that help readers understand the whole subject. When building a Subtopic Pillar Page, make sure it is comprehensive and solves the problem your customers face.

Resource Pillar Page

Resource Pillar Page is understood as a pillar page of resources, arranged in a set order by SEOers. A Resource Pillar Page lets readers reach information easily through tightly linked content, so users can quickly find the answer to a question. That is why resource pillar pages affect traffic as well as the level of interaction on the page.

Why businesses need Content Pillars

From this, it is easy to see why Content Pillar matters to a business. Specifically:

• Organization: Helps build a complete system of the topics your brand needs, instead of creating scattered, unconnected content.
• Goal: Aims to produce in-depth, useful information about a topic the business wants to communicate to specific audiences.
• Ideas: Pillar Content builds an overview of the core topic or idea the business wants to convey, and helps identify related angles to create an optimal content development strategy.

Bringing real, relatable value to customers quickly is one of the standout advantages of Content Pillar. Content in this format needs high accuracy and should be concise and clear so readers find it easy to understand and use.

However, not every SEOer can communicate clearly. At MONA, we build SEO content with optimized quality, real images, and answers that address customers' actual questions. With the Full-scope SEO servicesplan, we will design a complete plan from A to Z for each stage. MONA also researches customer behavior and user preferences to bring quality content closer to readers.

100% of clients who have used Full-scope SEO at MONA have all given us satisfied and positive feedback. CONTACT US with MONA via hotline 1900 636 648 for advice on raise SEO performance for your business's website, and receive SEO price list accurate advice.

What are the benefits of building an effective Content Pillar?

In practice, building Content Pillars brings certain values and benefits. The main practical ones are:

Content Pillar helps your SEO

Google's search engine algorithm follows a consistent principle of valuing informative content. Content created only for a business's own benefit usually doesn't rank or get valued. A website's ranking mainly depends on what users are searching for, and Content Pillar fits that well. It is a useful tool for improving website ranking and drawing traffic effectively.

-> Read more: Guide How to improve website SEO Reach #1 on Google

Builds credibility and expertise for your business

Content Pillar content gives users quality, in-depth, trustworthy information, which helps a business build trust with potential customers. Valuable content on the pillar page and related subtopics also positions your brand in the field it is investing in.

Brings real value to customers

Developing a website is how a company shows customers it offers far more value than its competitors through a digital platform. Creating a dedicated Pillar Content page is the core of that. It is the base topic for developing the website effectively, producing quality that helps each business achieve its set goals.

In particular, Content Pillar makes it possible to give readers real value by sharing your own experience, knowledge and skills. Using Content Pillar well helps users feel satisfied and value what we share.

Content Pillar is shareable

Content Pillars are a tool for adding real information that is truly valuable to readers. So it is likely they will share it across social channels. More shares increase brand recognition, boost traffic to your website considerably. Reaching more potential customers also becomes easier.

Steps to implement a Content Pillar successfully

Content Pillar is not just an option but a necessity for standing out in your customers' minds. To make it happen, follow these steps to carry it out in a distinctive and effective way:

Step 1: Define the main topic

Choose the main topic carefully so it is broad enough and has lasting value. A good topic also fits your field and can be split into different sub-contents, so you reach the right target customers.

To choose a main topic, start by identifying main keywords that are popular and closely related to your products or services. Avoid choosing long-tail keywords as the main topic because it is too narrow and hard to split into subtopics. An ideal topic should include about 2-3 words that summarize the main content so it is easy to split into supporting articles.

You also need to understand the problems your customers face and what they care about when looking for information on your website. This is an effective tip for creating content that is truly useful and meets their needs.

You can pin down the topic for each Pillar Page by answering these specific questions:

• Does this topic fully answer readers' questions about a specific keyword?
• Is the topic broad enough to cover many angles in about 20-30 articles?

Step 2: Create a Topic Cluster and Subtopics

To create Topic Cluster and Subtopics to complete your website's content system is an important step to optimize content structure and improve SEO. A Topic Cluster consists of one main topic (Pillar Page) and related articles (Subtopic) linked to each other.

To create a Topic Cluster, do keyword research with tools such as Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Keywordtool.io to find suitable keywords for subtopics. Choosing the right keywords helps you shape the content structure effectively.

Besides using keyword research tools, also look at how competitors structure their content, or at search results related to the main topic. 

For example, to find Subtopics for a Pillar Page, follow these steps:

• Using the main keyword you researched, search Google in an incognito tab (Ctrl + Shift + N) and pick the top competitor to analyze.
• Search with the syntax “site:domaintop1.com + main keyword” to find related articles.
• Analyze and select articles from the results to form a complete Topic Cluster.

Step 3: Build the Pillar Page

Next comes building and designing the Pillar Page, the page that organizes and optimizes content on the website. Your Pillar Page should be clear, coherent and easy for readers to navigate.

When building a Pillar Page, pay attention to the following to make your page effective and user-friendly:

• Table of contents and Anchor Text Link: Put a table of contents and text links at the start of the article so readers can jump to specific sections.
• Optimize H1, H2, H3, H4 tags: Use these heading tags to divide the content logically and help search engines understand the page structure.
• Internal Link: Create internal links between pages on the same topic to give readers more in-depth information and improve content quality.
• Outbound Link: Link to trusted sources to verify the accuracy of information and increase the page's credibility.
• Images: Choose unique, high-quality images to illustrate the content. Originality matters here, and it helps readers absorb the information easily.
• Back-to-top button: Place it at each main section or at the end of the page so users can return to the top without scrolling too much.
• Landing page elements: Add a contact form in a suitable position so users can easily get in touch when needed.
• Call-to-action buttons (CTA): Use call-to-action buttons to encourage readers to take specific actions, but place them sensibly so they don't interrupt the flow of the page.
• Mention the topic in key positions: Make an impression on viewers through the title, URL, H1 tag and the body.

Step 4: Write a professional Content Pillar

Writing a Content Pillar is not very different from writing regular SEO-standard articles articles, but it demands careful investment in content and image quality. The goal of a Content Pillar is to cover a specific topic comprehensively, giving readers both an overview and the details. 

Content should be coherent, logical and easy to follow so readers can find information quickly. A Content Pillar should introduce the topic and give an overview right from the start so readers know what they will get from the article. Then go deeper into each smaller aspect of the topic, focusing on answering the questions and solving the problems readers care about.

You can link related articles with internal links to give readers more information, increase time on site, and improve full-scope SEO of the website. 

When writing a Content Pillar, keep these points in mind to ensure quality:

• Content must meet users' search intent and cover all related topics.
• You don't need to go into as much detail on each issue as cluster articles do; just introduce them and give the basics.
• Article length should match what the keyword requires, but doesn't need to be longer than necessary.

Step 5: Promote your Content Pillars article in detail

Once the Pillar Page is done, you can promote the latest pillar content article to different audiences in several ways:

• Share on other social channels (social media)
• Run an ad campaign
• Email Marketing
• Link it to related articles
• Direct marketing
• Completing Seeding Pillar Content articles in groups and forums. 

Every successful Content Pillars article gives readers useful information and plenty of value. That is why promotion is needed: it reaches more users and increases traffic to the website, which helps improve rankings on Google.

-> Read more:

• Core knowledge about the marketing industry
• How to build an effective online marketing strategy for your website

Step 6: Update regularly and audit when needed

By refreshing content continually, you keep information fresh and engaging and make sure your article always gives readers the most value. Regular checks and additions also help you spot and fix hidden problems and improve the user experience on the website. 

Moreover, articles that are updated often and on time not only improve their position in search results but also help keep users and encourage them to share your content on social platforms.

-> Read more: What is an SEO audit? How is an SEO audit done?

What is the difference between a Content Angle and Pillar Content?

Basically, the difference between these two kinds of content lies in how you implement Content Pillar and Content Angle are:

• Content Pillars aim to answer the question “What” when it comes to the business, products and services. Within the same field, this kind of content tends to have a fairly similar pillar structure.
• Content Angle, meanwhile, aims to answer the question “How” that customers have about a brand, product or service. The content needs to be creative and different to attract readers.

-> Read more: The 9 most common types of content. How to invest in content marketing effectively

Frequently asked questions about pillar content

1- What is Page Pillar Content?

It is a main topic page containing the general content of a Topic Cluster.

2- How do you get a quality Content Pillar?

To get quality Content Pillars, a business should build content based on the development process of content marketing. That runs from finding ideas, keyword research and content planning to writing and optimizing against checklists.

3- Why do you need a Content Pillar for a Topic Cluster?

Building Pillar Content for a Topic Cluster makes website content consistent and more complete than your competitors'.

4- Is Content Pillar important in marketing?

Pillar Content is very important for building a website's content strategy. It provides the general content of a topic. A pillar page not only gives readers the fullest and most detailed information but also helps raise the website's ranking in search results.

That is a detailed answer to the question What is a Content Pillar, along with related knowledge about Content Pillar for every content creator and SEOer. With it, developing website content becomes more accurate and fitting, and delivering valuable information and improving website ranking becomes easier. We hope that, with the information that has been newly MONA Media shared above, you will know how to implement an effective Content Pillar strategy for your website!