Making sure the correct people see their material is the ultimate goal of any marketer. Producing information that is both entertaining and educational is not enough; it also needs to be pertinent.
When it comes to content generation, this has always been difficult. No matter how many lead capture tools you provide, well-written content won’t create traffic or leads if your target audience isn’t looking for it.
Reaching your human audience is only one aspect of it; you also need to take algorithms into account. This holds true for social media sites, which are now recommendation engines, as well as search engines.
Content pillars can help with it. These serve as the cornerstone of an effective content marketing plan, boosting search engine ranks and generating organic traffic.
This blog post will go into greater detail about:
What are content pillars?
Why are content pillars important?
Content pillars vs. topic clusters – what’s the difference?
How do you create content pillars?
How can you use AI for content pillars?
3 great examples of content pillars
What are content pillars?
The main ideas that structure and mould your content strategy are known as content pillars. These fundamental subjects are directly related to your business and emphasise the goods, services, and principles that your organisation upholds.
Content pillars are meant to provide you the opportunity to demonstrate your expertise by delving deeply into important issues. You may increase traffic and audience engagement by creating content on your website, social media accounts, and other pertinent platforms that revolves on these pillars.
Why are content pillars important?
Covering every keyword or key phrase related to your target is impossible. Covering the subjects and keywords that matter and convert (and fit into your SEO plan) is what you should do. That is made possible by content pillars.
The following reasons make content pillars crucial:
- assist you in establishing power
- Increase natural traffic
- Involve your audience
- Encourage conversions
- Boost your search engine ranks
- Utilise the Google E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trustworthiness) ranking criteria.
- Develop the voice of your brand.
- Attract backlinks of superior quality
- Connect pertinent internal content
Content pillars vs. topic clusters - what’s the difference?
Content pillars and subject clusters, commonly referred to as the hub-and-spoke concept, are frequently confused.
The main ideas that direct your content strategy are known as content pillars, or hubs. Conversely, the sub-topics that relate to the pillar material are known as topic clusters, or spokes. Internal linkages can be created since these subtopics examine different facets of the major theme and are connected to the content of the core pillar.
For instance, the pillar page for a furniture company that decides to make outdoor furniture one of its content pillars may be “The Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Furniture.” Blog entries such as “How to Choose the Right Patio Set” and “Top Materials for Weather-Resistant Outdoor Furniture,” each of which links back to the pillar page, might be included in the supporting subject clusters.
How do you create content pillars?
It’s critical to consider your audience and their search intent while creating content pillars. To begin, go over your buyer personas to learn more about your target audience and their problems. Make sure to define and conduct research on your personalities if you are unfamiliar with them.
Examining your best-performing content is another excellent method to determine your content pillars. Examine indicators like engagement and click-through rates to determine what appeals to your audience. You can use this information to guide your approach.
Don’t restrict your investigation to social media or blogs alone; evaluate performance on all platforms. To determine which digital marketing channels are most effective, use technologies such as GA4. Email marketing and paid search can offer more information that you may not have thought about.
Your content pillars may also be shaped by existing material. Update your high-performing post on a pillar topic with fresh content or more links if you already have one. You can evaluate what you currently have and find areas for development with the aid of a content audit.
Researching keywords is essential to any content marketing plan. You can match the interests of your audience with your content by knowing what they are looking for. To help you with this process, use keyword research tools, such as some excellent AI-driven solutions. To determine how competitive a keyword or phrase will be, consider search volume and keyword difficulty.
It’s time to develop your content pillar approach when you’ve determined your audience and their content requirements. To prevent your information from being overly dispersed, concentrate on no more than four major pillars. Next, develop topic clusters or subtopics that reinforce each pillar. To build a solid linking strategy and increase authority, make sure all content is internally connected.
During this brainstorming stage, take your time. Since some ideas may not work, it’s useful to write down everything and go over it later. Engage stakeholders or team members who can contribute new ideas and viewpoints to improve the procedure.
How can you use AI to develop content pillars?
AI tools are becoming more and more common for creating and generating content. By only offering hints, platforms such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude can assist in the creation of content on any subject.
When you’re having trouble coming up with a theme or experiencing writer’s block, these generative AI tools are really beneficial. They can serve as a catalyst for your creative process and provide you with foundational ideas.
Here are some helpful pointers to maximise the use of AI tools for content creation:
Have a clear premise first.
Establish the goal of your content brainstorm first, then try out several questions. The AI-generated response will be more focused and pertinent if you provide a more detailed prompt.
Example prompt: “Outdoor furniture is my primary focus. List three to eight content pillars. These will act as the key ideas that all of my material will centre on in order to showcase our proficiency and appeal to both human viewers and content recommendation systems like TikTok and Google Search.”
Request that the AI display the content pillars as a two-column table:
The primary themes, or pillars
Topics (similar to SEO keywords, important subtopics that bolster each pillar)
Employ Modifiers to Obtain Diverse Outcomes
Asking the AI for various kinds of ideas will allow you to experiment. To compare the responses and choose the greatest fit, try asking for “10 unusual ideas for X” and then “10 creative ideas for X.”
Look for Diverse Views
To observe how the AI influences the material, ask it to assume the viewpoint of a client or another persona. This might inspire fresh perspectives and concepts that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Think About Every Platform
Make use of the AI’s capacity to produce concepts for a range of media, such as email newsletters and social media sites. This can assist you in developing a comprehensive content strategy for many touchpoints.
Request Initial Drafts
Ask the AI to create a longer draft of your concept if you already have one. This will make it simpler to hone and develop the idea further by assisting you in identifying any possible holes, locations for expansion, or difficulties.
3 great examples of content pillars
Here are three examples of content pillars from successful brands that help guide and amplify their content across various channels:
Patagonia
Content pillars: outdoor lifestyle and sports, environmental activism, sustainability
Patagonia is renowned not only for its high-quality outdoor apparel but also for its strong commitment to sustainability. The brand’s founder is a vocal environmental activist, and this passion is deeply woven into the company’s core values.
These content pillars resonate with consumers who are passionate about supporting brands that aim to make a positive impact on society, fostering a sense of community among like-minded individuals.
Dove
Content pillars: diversity and inclusivity, empowerment and self-worth, and beauty and skincare
With a wide selection of skincare products, Dove is a well-known brand in the beauty sector. Nonetheless, the company’s success and broad appeal can be attributed to the constant message it delivers through all of its marketing platforms.
Dove’s marketing campaigns embody the company’s basic principles by emphasising themes such as inclusivity, empowerment, and self-esteem. These advertisements frequently garner a lot of media attention in addition to being in line with its content pillars. Dove is aware that maintaining its message is essential for both advancing its ideals and increasing product sales.
Innocent Drinks
Content pillars: community, sustainability, and nutritious food and beverages
Fruit smoothies, a cool novelty for many customers at the time, were Innocent Drinks’ big hit in 1999. The brand’s social media presence is well-known for its humorous and engaging tone, which aids in the development of its distinct and approachable voice.
As evidenced by its successful “Big Knit” campaign to generate money for Age UK, Innocent Drinks is steadfastly dedicated to community projects in addition to its emphasis on health—which has led to its expansion into food items. The business has just reaffirmed its dedication to sustainability, earning its B Corp designation in 2018.
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