Content content content. Every self-respecting SEO should have a deep love for content. Or, at the very least, recognise its importance for ranking at the top of organic search results (but bonus points if you love it too).
These days, however, creating content is only half the battle in building a strong SEO strategy. What’s just as important is your content structure. And one of the most effective ways to incorporate a solid content structure—while simultaneously organising your website and boosting visibility—is using pillar pages and topic clusters.
But what are pillar pages and topic clusters, and how can they elevate organic performance? Well, those are two very good questions—so over to the SEO specialists answer them.
What are SEO pillar pages and topic clusters?
In terms of website structure and SEO, a pillar page is a long-form, authoritative website page that covers a broad topic in detail. It’s designed to give a comprehensive overview, while linking out to more focused blog posts or landing pages for deeper dives into related subtopics. Think of it as a hub—the central point around which related content is built.
For example, if your pillar topic is Social Media Ads, your SEO pillar page might cover Meta ads, TikTok ads, and Pinterest ads at a high level. Then, each of these areas can become a separate blog post or landing page, forming part of your SEO content cluster.
Funnily enough, that’s exactly what we’ve done to showcase our Social Media Ad services on our own website. At the top, we have our core paid social ads page, and within that, we have a series of pages linking off that provide greater detail on the exact services we offer
And topic clusters?
So, those are pillar pages—but what are SEO topic clusters?
In short, topic clusters—also known as content clusters—are the related pages that support and expand on the subject introduced in the pillar page. Each cluster page targets a more specific, often longtail keyword, allowing you to reach a broader range of search queries and user intents.
In the example we used just now, the cluster pages would be the individual pages covering our Meta, TikTok, and Pinterest ad services. However, cluster pages don’t have to be limited to your core services—you can use topic clusters for blogs too.
For example, remaining on the theme of paid social ads, your SEO topic clusters might include blog posts like:
- 6 best practice tips for your TikTok ads
- 4 tips for Facebook audience targeting
- 5 tips for supercharging your Pinterest ads
Each of these posts supports the main SEO pillar content, while providing in-depth insights into specific subtopics.
Why pillar pages and topic clusters are great for SEO
Today, search engines prioritise topic relevance and authority—and your content structure will help towards both. Here’s how SEO pillar pages and topic clusters can help your site in organic search:
1. Improved site structure & user experience
By using a structured cluster model, your website becomes easier to navigate—for both users and search engines. Readers can find related content easily, and search engines can crawl and index your content more efficiently.
To briefly expand on this, it’s easy to fall into the trap with SEO of doing everything to appease Google’s search algorithms. However, you should always prioritise your users first. Fortunately, what’s good for them is usually good for SEO too—as with pillar pages and content clusters.
2. Better keyword targeting
SEO content clusters allow your site to target a wider range of keywords, particularly longtail terms that are less competitive but highly relevant. This increases your chances of ranking for multiple variations of a topic.
3. Stronger topical authority
And on a similar note, creating a pillar page supported by relevant topic clusters is a great way to signal to search engines that you have a comprehensive knowledge and authority on that subject. Over time, this can help improve rankings for your entire content ecosystem, with search engines recognising the value of your expertise over competitors.
Not forgetting your internal linking…
One last point to mention, and that’s internal linking. To maximise the SEO benefits of your structured cluster model, you’ll want to incorporate internal links throughout your site. This involves:
- Linking from the pillar page out to each cluster page
- Linking from each cluster page back to the pillar page
- Including contextual internal links between related cluster posts
This interlinking helps distribute link equity across your site, improves crawlability, and reinforces the topical relationship between content. It also keeps users engaged by guiding them through a journey of related topics.
And with that, you have the knowledge of how to create a strong SEO content strategy for your site.
If you’re looking for specialist support with your SEO, our leading digital marketing agency is here to help. Get in touch on 01202 798820, send an email to hello@upperdog.co.uk, or find out more by exploring our services today!
