There are a few things that I just can’t gatekeep when it comes to sharing my tips for great content creation; one of them is pillar page.
A pillar page is the cornerstone of a well-structured content strategy.
That’s because it provides a comprehensive guide to a specific topic, linking to related content or cluster pages to provide depth and breadth.
By creating pillar pages, you set your content up for long-term success and proper structure.
So, in this guide, I’ll explain what a pillar page is, why it’s essential for SEO, and how to create one in six simple steps.
Let’s start!
What is a Pillar Page?
A pillar page is a long-form, in-depth piece of content that is the hub for a specific topic.
It provides a broad overview of the subject while linking to cluster pages that dive into subtopics.
For example, a “Content Marketing” pillar page might cover the basics and include links to cluster pages about social media marketing, email marketing, and content creation tools.
Why Pillar Pages Are Important for SEO
So, now that you know what pillar pages are, let’s look at the 3 things that make them important for your SEO strategy:
1. Improves Website Organization and Content Hierarchy
They are the backbone of your content strategy, helping search engines understand the structure and relevance of your site.
By doing so, they ensure your site is organized, reducing duplicate content and creating a logical flow.
2. Enhances Internal Linking and Reduces Content Cannibalization
When you create a pillar content page, linking to other related content is easier. This also makes creating topic clusters easy and helps identify opportunities for linking.
Linking related cluster pages to the pillar page boosts your site’s crawlability.
Also, by interlinking, you avoid having multiple pages compete for the same keywords. This way, you can prevent keyword cannibalization.
Use AIOSEO’s Link Assistant feature to identify and implement internal linking opportunities.
3. Better User Experience Through Navigation
Pillar pages guide users to detailed subtopics, making it easier to find relevant information.
This enhances engagement, reduces bounce rates, and encourages longer sessions.
Use SEOBoost’s Content Optimization feature to structure and refine your pillar page for readability and relevance.
5 Components of a High-Quality Pillar Page
Here’s what makes a pillar page truly effective:
1. Topic Overview and Relevance
A high-quality pillar page starts with a clearly defined topic that aligns with your audience’s needs.
Remember, this component sets the stage for everything else on the page, so ensure it’s done right.
I’d suggest that you begin by explaining the topic in a way that is informative yet easy to understand. Introduce the main idea and why it matters, setting a strong foundation for the following subtopics.
For instance, if your pillar page is about “Content Marketing,” provide an overview of content marketing, why it’s important for businesses, and the key strategies involved.
2. Well-Organized Structure
Organization is key to making your pillar page scannable and user-friendly.
Remember, a cluttered page loses readers quickly.
So, to create a well-organized structure, use a hierarchical structure with headings, subheadings, and bullet points to break down complex information into manageable sections.
An easy way to do this is to structure the content so that each section flows logically into the next.
Include a table of contents at the top for easy navigation, especially for long pages.
3. Engaging and Detailed Content
The content on a pillar page should be thorough, informative, and tailored to keyword intent.

Here’s how you can do it:
- Answer common questions. You can also get this from Google’s PAA box.
- Provide actionable insights.
- Include real-world examples.
- Avoid fluff and ensure that every sentence adds value.
- Optimize for winning featured snippets.
One thing I do that really helps me is write using SEOBoost’s Content Optimization feature. It provides real-time recommendations that help me refine my writing for keyword placement, readability, and structure.
4. Strategic Internal and External Linking
Internal and external links enhance the usability and authority of your pillar page.
To improve internal linking, kink to cluster pages or related blog posts to provide a deeper dive into specific subtopics.
When adding external links, ensure that you add credible and authoritative sources.
Use AIOSEO’s Link Assistant to identify opportunities for internal linking and ensure all links are relevant and valuable.
By using this feature, you can easily identify opportunities for linking and improving your site structure.
5. Visual and Interactive Elements
Visuals aren’t just decorative – they enhance comprehension and engagement, making your pillar page more impactful.
They break up large blocks of text and keep users on the page longer.
Here’s how you can use them effectively:
- Add custom images
- Create infographics
- Embed videos
- Add charts and tables
- Incorporate interactive elements like quizzes or calculators.
Use the Content Management feature to access and organize visuals, ensuring they are optimized for fast loading times.
How to Create a Successful Pillar Page in 6 Steps
Now, let’s look at the step-by-step guide to creating a successful pillar page.
Step 1: Conduct Keyword Research and Choose Your Core Topic
The foundation of a successful pillar page starts with thorough keyword research and selecting a core topic that resonates with your audience.
This step ensures your content targets user intent while maximizing SEO potential.
Here’s how you can conduct keyword research using the 3 tools I use:
Use SEOBoost’s Topic Reports
SEOBoost’s Topic Reports is one of the most powerful tools that I use regularly for uncovering high-performing keywords and trending topics.
By analyzing search data, it helps you identify core topics with substantial content opportunities to address user needs effectively.
My advice would be to look for long-tail keywords that indicate specific user intent.
Use LowFruits for Low-Competition Keywords
LowFruits excels at finding low-competition keywords that niche audiences search for.
This tool lets you discover terms competitors may have overlooked, giving your content an edge in ranking for less-saturated queries.
My advice would be to pair low-competition keywords with high-performing ones to target a broader audience while securing easier wins in search rankings.
Monitor Performance with AIOSEO’s Keyword Tracker
AIOSEO’s Keyword Tracker has become one of my essentials for monitoring the performance of your selected keywords.
It tracks rankings, search visibility, and traffic metrics, helping you refine your strategy over time.
After identifying your core topic and related keywords, input them into the tracker to monitor your pillar page’s performance post-publication.
Step 2: Map Out Your Content Cluster
A content cluster organizes your site’s information logically, with the pillar page serving as the hub and related subtopics as spokes.
This structure improves your site’s navigation and SEO rankings.
So, here’s how you can create a content cluster:
Define Your Core Topic and Subtopics
Start by determining the main topic for your pillar page. Then, identify related subtopics that naturally branch from it.
For a pillar page on “SEO Strategy,” potential cluster pages could include:
- Keyword Research: Discuss the tools and techniques for identifying high-performing keywords.
- On-Page SEO: Cover essential practices for optimizing individual pages.
- Technical SEO: Explain the importance of site speed, mobile-friendliness, and schema markup.
Plan Internal Linking
Link each subtopic page to your pillar page and vice versa. This interconnectivity signals to search engines that your site offers comprehensive topic coverage.
Use Visual Mapping Tools
Use tools like MindMeister or Google Drawings can help you visualize your content cluster, making it easier to plan and implement.
Step 3: Write In-Depth, Scannable Content
When creating your pillar page, ensure the content is detailed enough to establish authority but formatted for readability.
Here’s how you can create scannable content:
Dive Deep Into Your Core Topic
Address all major aspects of the topic, anticipating questions your audience might have. For instance, a “SEO Strategy” pillar page could include sections on keyword research, analytics, and link-building strategies.
Use Reader-Friendly Formatting
Break down information into digestible sections using:
- Subheadings: Clearly label each section to guide readers.
- Bullet Points and Lists: Make key takeaways easy to spot.
- FAQs: Answer common queries to keep users engaged and on the page longer.
Incorporate Examples and Visuals
Support your points with case studies, charts, or infographics to clarify complex ideas and add visual appeal.
You should also use a content optimization tool like SEOBoost to speed up your content creation process. I’ll discuss how to do this in the next step.
Step 4: Optimize for SEO
The next step is SEO optimization, ensuring your pillar page ranks well in search engine results.
This step involves fine-tuning your content’s structure, keywords, and metadata.
To optimize your content properly, I suggest you use SEOBoost’s content optimization feature.
Using this feature, you can write, edit and optimize your content in an editor-style document on one platform.
It analyzes your content in real time and gives recommendations for improvements.
The best part is that it assigns your content a content score based on its value and compares it to other pages ranking on SERPs.
Here are a few other ways in which it helps:
- Keyword Placement: Ensure keywords are strategically placed in headings, subheadings, and body text without overstuffing.
- Readability Analysis: Refine sentence structure and content flow to meet user expectations.
- Structure Recommendations: Improve using H1, H2, and H3 tags for a logical hierarchy.
Other than using this for content optimization, you can also do the following:
- Add Schema Markup: Implement schema markup for FAQs, articles, and how-tos to enhance your page’s visibility in search engines.
- Meta Tags and Descriptions: Craft compelling meta titles and meta descriptions that incorporate your primary keyword and entice clicks.
Step 5: Design for User Experience
A visually appealing, easy-to-navigate page keeps users engaged and improves engagement time, which is an important ranking factor.
So, here’s how you can improve UX:
- Prioritize Mobile-Friendliness: Use a responsive design that adapts seamlessly to any screen size.
- Optimize Page Speed: Compress images, enable caching, and minimize code to ensure fast loading times.
- Use a Clean Layout: Include a clear table of contents at the top of the page for easy navigation. You should also use whitespace strategically to reduce clutter and guide the reader’s eye.
Step 6: Promote and Update Regularly
Now, before I explain the details of the last step, remember that creating a pillar page is only half the battle – you need to promote and maintain it for long-term success.
So, here’s how you can promote your pillar page:
- Leverage Social Media and Email Campaigns: Share your pillar page on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Use email newsletters to drive traffic.
- Collaborate with Influencers: Reach out to industry influencers for backlinks or shoutouts to amplify your reach.
And here’s how you can update your pillar page if needed:
- Use SEOBoost’s Content Audit Feature: Regularly analyze your pillar page’s performance using SEOBoost’s content audit feature. It provides actionable insights to refresh outdated sections, update statistics, and improve keyword optimization.
- Add New Information: Stay ahead by incorporating recent trends, tools, or developments in your niche.
3 Types of Pillar Pages and Examples
So far, you’ve learned what a pillar page is, why it’s important, and how to create one for your website. Now, let’s put all this knowledge to practice.
Here are 3 examples of the 3 types of pillar pages and how I’ve created them for SEOBoost.
1. Guide
Example: “The Complete SEO Course”
This pillar page is a detailed guide on SEO and is super helpful for beginners.
It covers tools for keyword research, content optimization, and analytics and provides a basic understanding of each.
More importantly, it links to the advanced guides and blog posts covering these concepts in detail.
2. What-Is
Example: “What is B2B Content Marketing Strategy?”
This guide is a classic example of a ‘what is’ pillar page.
It explains the concept, benefits, and strategies associated with a specific concept, hence the name
It also links to detailed subtopics, so you can access those easily too.
3. How-To
Example: “How to Create a Content Strategy”
This guide is the perfect example of a ‘how-to’ pillar page.
It includes step-by-step instructions with links to other related guides and concepts.
The main purpose of creating a ‘how-to’ page is to provide detailed instructions on achieving something so the readers can do it themselves.
Final Word
Pillar pages are indispensable for a comprehensive and long-term SEO strategy.
Creating well-structured, content-rich pages that connect to relevant clusters improves search rankings, enhances user experience, and establishes topical authority.
And if you really want to 10x your content game, I’d suggest you use AI-powered SEO tool like SEOBoost to make this process seamless, providing everything from keyword research to content audits.
FAQs
1. What is a pillar page?
A comprehensive page that covers a core topic and links to related subtopics, serving as the hub of a content cluster.
2. What is a pillar page vs. landing page?
A pillar page educates and informs, while a landing page is designed for conversions, such as sign-ups or purchases.
3. What is the difference between a blog and a pillar page?
A blog focuses on specific, often timely topics, whereas a pillar page provides an in-depth overview of a broader subject.
4. How long are pillar pages?
Pillar pages typically range from 2,000 to 5,000 words, depending on the complexity of the topic.