We all know that having valuable web content is crucial for attracting people to your page.
But from an SEO marketing perspective - the way your content is structured is just as important as the information itself.
Not only do you need to create incredible content, you also need to create it in a way that makes it easier for Google to recognize the value you are sharing.
One method that has grown in popularity is the Pillar Page concept.
But what exactly are these pages, and how can you optimize to improve website content conversions?
A pillar page is a single web page that ties content together topically.
These comprehensive overviews cover a core topic, then break it down further into subtopics – also known as topic clusters.
For example, a design studio’s blog might have a pillar page about photography.
The page would offer an overview of the medium, such as a brief history of film photography, the benefits of professional photography for companies, and some of the services they offer, but wouldn’t go too in-depth in any one sub-topic – that’s saved for the supporting content that links between the pillar page and the blog posts.
You are essentially creating a cluster of content that comprehensively covers a key topic related to your business.
Furthermore - the creation of this content should be guided by extensive keyword research and a competitive content analysis to identify a solid opportunity to rank in a top 10 position for your target keywords.
Before focusing on conversion rates, you’ll need to attract people to your website.
If you are on-board with the pillar page concept - then here are a few tips to make sure you capture that organic search traffic properly.
Before you even start - you should be guiding your content ideas by doing thorough research on keywords that present reasonable difficulty to rank for and a competitive content analysis to see what you are up against.
In addition, once you have created that content - you must constantly review it and see where you can optimize by digging deeper.
You will want to review your SEO copywriting to make sure that it is truly representing your desired targets.
The way these pillar pages and topic clusters are laid out matters. This will help Google recognize your content for the cluster of keywords that you have optimized towards.
This is achieved by connecting all of your content through links that identify relation between your pillar page and the supporting blog content.
This architecture model organizes and connects your sitemap more efficiently, making you appear like a topic expert in Google’s algorithmic eyes. It gives the search engine more content to pull from, helping your pages rank higher and reach more searchers.
Beyond amazing content and great optimization - you need to prove the value of your work to Google by acquiring a healthy set of backlinks that lead to your content.
This is essentially gathering 3rd party validation and demonstrating to Google that your content deserves a place in a top ranking position.
However, it is important to note that this is a quality vs. quantity exercise.
Hundreds of backlinks from spammy, low-tier publications are worth far less than a few high-quality backlinks from reputable websites.
One great way to build these backlinks is through guest posting. This gives you an opportunity to get in front of new audiences with related content, as well as build out the backlinks you need!
You’re ranking high on Google, you have traffic to your website – great!
However, none of this traffic matters if you aren’t getting any leads or conversions from it.
This is why you need to leverage strategic touchpoints in order to encourage people to engage with your company.
Here are a few ways that you can improve conversions on your pillar page content!
The vast majority of people that land on your content - probably won’t convert immediately.
However, that doesn’t mean they are not interested. They just might need a gentle reminder (or three!) before they actually become a customer.
[bctt tweet="A pillar page can be an awesome way to capture email information and get potential customers into a drip campaign." username="relevance"]
They work well because you are already providing the reader with valuable content - so it’s easy for them to jump on board for the next piece of amazing content that you plan to share.
You can rotate through a variety of offers to see what works best - but this might include an e-book, newsletter sign up, or exclusive discounts.
There's a fine line between helpful and salesy - but you need to put what you offer on the table.
All of your content should include a call-to-action that encourages the reader to continue interacting with your page.
[bctt tweet="Consider your goals, whether it’s increasing sales or building your Twitter following, then craft your call-to-actions accordingly." username="relevance"]
This could include downloading your latest whitepaper, following your company on social media, or setting up a free strategy call, but whatever it is - you need to make a clear and resounding call to action to keep people engaged with your business.
AI and instant messaging apps for websites can be a great way to capture more attention from visitors on your website.
If they are staying on your website for a decent amount of time - then they are probably enjoying your content and may even have more questions that could be answered by chatting with them.
Chatbots are a smart way to engage people because they are built to seem like you are conversing with a real human, but most of the time - it is easy to rotate through common questions about your products and services.
They also open up opportunity to set up a real conversation with a salesperson, who can really drive those conversions home.
