What is a Pillar Page?

A pillar page is a comprehensive, long-form page that covers a broad topic thoroughly and links to more detailed content cluster posts on specific subtopics. It serves as the central hub for a topic area on your site.

Think of a pillar page as the foundation of your topical authority strategy. It's similar to cornerstone content, but specifically designed to anchor a cluster of related posts.

Why pillar page matters

Pillar pages signal to search engines that you have deep expertise on a subject. By comprehensively covering a topic and linking to detailed supporting content, you demonstrate authority across an entire subject area.

The pillar page targets a broad short-tail keyword, while cluster content targets specific long-tail keywords. Together they create a content ecosystem that dominates a topic in search results.

Structure of a Pillar Page

A pillar page should be 3,000+ words covering a broad topic at a high level. It introduces concepts without going too deep, then links to cluster posts for details.

Each major section should link to a more detailed cluster post on that subtopic. For example, a "Content Marketing" pillar page might have sections linking to separate posts on "Blog Writing," "Email Marketing," "Social Media Content," and "Video Marketing."

The page should be evergreen and comprehensive enough to serve as the definitive starting point for anyone learning about the topic. It answers "what is this and why does it matter" while directing readers to deeper resources.

Pillar vs Cornerstone

Cornerstone content is your most important content generally. A pillar page is a specific type of cornerstone content designed as a hub with supporting cluster posts.

All pillar pages are cornerstone content, but not all cornerstone content follows the pillar-cluster model. A comprehensive standalone guide can be cornerstone content without being part of a cluster.

How to Create One

Choose a broad topic central to your niche. Map out 5-15 subtopics that deserve dedicated posts. Create the cluster posts first, then build the pillar page linking to them.

Use strategic internal linking in both directions. The pillar page links to cluster posts. Cluster posts link back to the pillar page and to related cluster content. This passes link juice throughout the cluster.