What is a pillar page and how do you make one?

What is a pillar page?

A pillar page is a general collection page for a main theme on a website. This could be an article or guide, for example. The purpose of this page is to briefly describe the various subtopics that together make up the pillar page. A pillar page acts as a central hub and is often optimized for keywords that are relevant to the theme.

What distinguishes a pillar page from a regular article/guide is the link structure. A pillar page links out to several subpages, which in turn link back to the page. This concept is called a topic cluster. Pillar pages are particularly linked to search engine optimization (SEO) strategies.

Why create a pillar page?

Creating a pillar page offers several advantages, especially when it comes to content strategy, search engine optimization (SEO), and user experience. A pillar page contains an overview of the main topic with internal links to deeper subtopics. This helps search engines understand the context and relevance of your content, while providing a better experience for visitors who want to explore a particular topic in depth.

How to create a pillar page:

Step 1: Choose a main theme

Choose a broad main topic that is relevant to your business or website. This should be a topic that can be divided into several subtopics.

Step 2. Identify subtopics

List subtopics that are related to your main topic. These subtopics should be specific enough to provide detailed information, but also related enough to support the main topic.

Step 3: Create an overview

Create an outline of how your main topic and subtopics should be organized on the page. This can be done hierarchically, with the main topic at the top, followed by subtopics and possibly sub-subtopics.

We recommend creating a publishing plan in a Google Sheet/Excel sheet to keep a good overview of the topic cluster. 

Step 4. Create content

Write detailed and informative content for each sub-topic. 

Step 5. Implement internal links

Make sure to add internal links from the main topic to each sub-topic, and vice versa. This helps both users and search engines navigate through your content.

Step 6: Optimize for search engines

Include relevant keywords and key phrases in your text. This will help improve search engine optimization and make your page more visible in search results.

Step 7. Add an overview or navigation element

Add an overview, table of contents or navigation element to the top or side of your page to help users easily find and navigate between different pieces of content.

Step 8: Update regularly

Keep your content updated with new relevant details and trends. This helps to maintain your site's relevance over time.