Content pillars represent cornerstone content topics for pages, categories, or posts, which include content clusters with subtopics. They serve as “hubs” for subtopics. They help to link your website content and build an effective internal linking strategy. By using the Content Pillar Template discussed in this article, you’ll be able to build website authority on content pillars, achieve better engagement, and create a better website structure.

1. Reasons Why Your Website Needs Content Pillars

Structuring your website pages and posts based on creating content pillars can be a great way to increase engagement and user experience with the following benefits:

• Improved website authority on specific topics (pillars)
• Better Expertise – Experience – Authoritativeness – Trustworthiness as Google’s principles of ranking
• A website structure and navigation which equal to better user experience and engagement
• Effective internal link-building
• Improved Search Engine Optimization (SEO) through long-tail keywords for content clusters and short, high-volume keywords for content pillars
• Evergreen long-form content that presents comprehensive and well-structured information on the topic
• STRUCTURE + RELEVANCY of information based on time with Regular Updates + COMPREHENSIVE Guides Reflecting Expertise and Experience = AUTHORITATIVENESS
• Content pillars improve your writing or blogging skills with better organization of ideas and content planning

Content pillars may be aligned with your goals and vision:

• Educating
• Entertaining
• Engaging
• Increasing visibility
• Explaining
• Selling
• Providing topic overviews

Therefore, for your website audience growth and engagement, a great structure is a must:

CONTENT PILLARS (Short keywords) – GOAL – CONTENT CLUSTERS (Long-tail keywords) – Explanatory content/Educational guides/How-to articles – SUB-CLUSTERS – Examples/Videos/Podcasts/Infographics (More specific and narrow keywords)

2. Steps How to Create Content Pillars

Several easy steps can help you create compelling content pillars that will reflect the vision of your personal or business brand:

• Create a marketing plan that will serve as a basis for content pillars
• Understand how you want to position your personal or business brand (website) – education, coaching, or selling products/services
• Research, brainstorm, and write down what needs or interests of the target audience your content will meet
• To identify needs, draw your ideal reader or buyer persona (age, interests, behavior patterns, and values)
• Develop broad topics based on audience interests and your brand or website growth vision or strategy
• Use ChatGPT or other Artificial Intelligence tools to brainstorm topics
• Find keywords for these topics or pillars
• INTERESTS + VALUE = BROAD TOPICS or CONTENT PILLARS
• Identify the type of content or content clusters that content pillars will include
• Create a content management plan based on the Content Pillar Template below

To analyze the effectiveness of your content management strategy, measure how the new website structure with content pillars performs. You can easily brainstorm content pillar ideas using the concept may below.

3. Content Pillar Template

Use the following fillable PDF with the Content Pillar Template to plan and manage your website content.

This Content Pillar Template is designed to help you plan your content for 4 weeks:

• Fill in the topic for Content pillar No. 1 based on brainstorming ideas
• Align the topic with your brand based on creating the message you want to communicate to the audience
• Write down the message and the audience (age group and short data), which will help you develop the content pillar further
• Think what interest, need, or question this content pillar will cover
• Determine the content type that you will create: a story sharing your experience, case study, book chapters, visual content like infographics, videos, social media posts, or webinars, or podcasts
• Write down sub-topics or content clusters for the content pillar
• Repeat the steps above for each content cluster
• Create topics for sub-clusters with some narrow long-tail keywords and examples
• Consider how you plan to distribute the content: blog posts, social media (create short excerpts for social media posts), email, YouTube, guest posts, etc.
• End each content pillar with a call to action: whether you want the reader to comment, share, download, subscribe, donate, pay, or follow
• Write down engagement and traffic rates within the set time: 1 month, 3 months, half a year, and a year

4. The Key Content Pillar Creation Steps

Consider the following recommendations to create content pillars fast:

• Create 4-7 content pillars for your blog
• Consider creating GUIDES, HOW-To articles, or Explanatory content
• Brainstorm topics for clusters
• Write 10 content clusters for one Content Pillar
• Use these content clusters to create a content pillar page, category, or post
• Include internal links to this 10 clusters or posts
• If you use Yoast SEO plugin for WordPress, mark the Content Pillar page or post as cornerstone content
• Work on creating new cluster posts using the Content Pillar Template
• Update the Content Pillar page by adding new Cluster Posts, internal links, and content on the topic
• Track progress, feedback, and performance

Takeaways

• Each content pillar should reflect your personal or professional brand.
• Using keyword research can help you identify important content pillars.
• The next step is to find long-term keywords for clusters.
• You can use AI to brainstorm and find ideas for content clusters.
• The Template above can help you plan pillar and cluster content publishing based on creating your own schedule.
• A call-to action at the end of the content pillar page can help engage the audience, get feedback, or ask readers to subscribe.

How do you structure content on your website? Do you use content pillars and clusters?