Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) has become the trend of our time.
In the marketing world, there’s likely not a single person who is unaware of what this means. Given the growing ways in which SEO can take place, many often jump to more complex applications of the practice.
Experts in the field, however, prefer to focus on the relatively mundane ways in which a website’s content can rank better. Among these, pillar pages and topic clusters form a very important, and often underrated, role.
Our blog this week takes a look at both these aspects and how a little focus on these could have you ranking neck and neck with the heavyweights of your industry.
Pillar pages
Generally, these are a type of master resource page that covers a core topic of your business in depth. Including links, sub-categories, and most importantly, well curated content, these pages are often replete with high-ranking keywords in the title, URL, and H1 tag – standard SEO practices.
As marketing guru, Neil Patel, explains it, pillar pages are “…a page on your website that is the topical cornerstone for a large portion of your site’s content”.
If you’re looking to drive traffic to your website, it is important that your pillar page is simple, easy to look at, and easier to read and understand. These are generally longer than your average blog post but aren’t as in-depth. More of the deeper content is divided into several other sub-categories and subpages, all of which will link back to each other.
With a well-selected list of inbound links, make sure you establish authority in your area of practice through clear and concise content. In order to ensure that you’ve covered every possible area of SEO, ensure that your pillar page is not one that requires a form or password in order to access content.
Why is a pillar page so important for SEO efforts?
Google algorithms get easily confused by the number of disorganised content online. When your website organises its core information in a coherent, easily searchable manner, you’re likely to perform much better in terms of search engine results.
There are, therefore, two primary ways in which a well curated pillar page helps boost your SEO.
Firstly, it helps structure our content in a way that makes it easy for guests to navigate your website and drive traffic to your range of content. Second – tying your content together in some sort of summary form organises your information in a way that makes it easily searchable.
Topic Clusters
Topic clusters basically refer to singular pillar pages that act as the main anchor for your content, combined with the information organised under various subtopics on this page itself. These are often linked to numerous other pages on your website. A topic cluster, therefore, is simply a way of organising your site’s content in a more coherent and structured manner.
Generally, it is recommended that websites have around 6-8 subtopics per cluster. These should address key concerns and queries your customers are likely to have when they look over your business and its product or service.
How do topic clusters relate to SEO?
Easy.
Between the pillar page and the various subpages, there are a number of links redirecting the user back and forth. This kind of linking action signals to Google and other search engines that your pillar page is an authority on a certain topic. Over time, with greater traffic, this page is likely to rank better in terms of search results due to this very factor.
A study done by Anum Hussain and Cambria Davies in 2016, showed that the more interlinking a website did, the better it placed on search engine results pages. Impressions also increased with the number of links created.
Key Takeaways
Pillar pages and topic clusters are underrated ways of polishing up your routine SEO efforts.
While it might take some work to restructure your website, any company that’s serious about driving greater traffic and increasing engagement will have already started their redesign process. By addressing little factors such as this, rank better with the resources you have in hand, before resorting to fancy tools that are only as good as your basic groundwork.
At Hype Insight, we aim to provide you with visionary marketing strategies and advice. Contact us today for more information about our services; success awaits!