topic Re: Someone please explain Pillar Pages like I'm 5 in Content Strategy & SEO

What is a pillar page vs. a category page in HubSpot?

alwaysfabian — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:14:14 GMT

How do pillar pages differ from category pages in HubSpot?

I for the life of me cannot comprehend pillar pages. Many resources like Hubspot have used examples like content marketing to demonstrate a pillar page, but that's too ambiguous of a topic to understand. I need a simpler example, like a pillar page for a blog about cats or pets.

I also don't understand the difference between a pillar page and a category page that holds a bunch of blogs categorized around the same topic? Where would pillar pages even live? In the navigation? Inside a category page?

Generally, I've been thinking about pillar pages like this:

Pillar page: Skin care for dry skin
Content clusters/sections inside the pillar page:
- Skin care for dry skin in the summer
- Skin care for dry skin in the winter
- Best exfoliators for dry skin
- Best moisturizers for dry skin

Is this the right way to think about it?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Moderator Note: this post was reviewed for relevancy and optimized for clarity on April 1, 2026. Thank you for your contributions to the HubSpot Community!

Re: What is a pillar page vs. a category page in HubSpot?

karstenkoehler — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:07:06 GMT

Hi @alwaysfabian,

Absolutely, let's break down the concept of pillar pages using a simple example related to a blog about cats or pets. The content piece ideas below were generated with the help of ChatGPT.

Imagine you have a blog about cats:

1. Pillar page: "Ultimate Guide to Cat Care"

This is your main, comprehensive guide covering everything about taking care of a cat.

2. Content clusters/sections inside the pillar page:

Feeding Your Cat:
- Types of cat food
- Feeding schedules
- Treats and snacks
Grooming Your Cat:
- Brushing techniques
- Bathing tips
- Dealing with shedding
Healthcare for Your Cat:
- Regular vet check-ups
- Common health issues
- Medications and vaccinations
Playtime and Exercise:
- Best toys for cats
- DIY play ideas
- Importance of exercise
Understanding Cat Behavior:
- Communication signals
- Behavioral issues and solutions
- Bonding with your cat

You had a few additional questions, let's look at the difference between pillar page and category page:

Pillar page: A comprehensive guide that acts as the main hub for a broad topic, like "Ultimate Guide to Cat Care." It provides an overview and links to more specific subtopics or content clusters.
Category page: A page that groups together related blogs or articles. In this example, you might have a category page titled "Cat Health," which includes blogs about feeding, grooming, healthcare, etc.

You also wanted to better understand where pillar pages live.

Navigation: Yes, pillar pages are often placed in the navigation menu as a key resource. A good pillar page should be top-level, easily crawlable by search engines, and well-linked to related content. This helps both users and search engines find and understand your most important topics!
Inside a category page: Category pages are auto-generated listings; pillar pages are strategic SEO assets. They’re separate concepts, but you can link between them if it helps UX/SEO.

This approach helps organize your content in a way that provides a comprehensive guide (pillar page) while allowing visitors to delve into specific subtopics (content clusters) as needed. Remember, the key is to provide a user-friendly structure that helps your audience navigate and find relevant information easily.

Best regards!

Re: Someone please explain Pillar Pages like I'm 5

alwaysfabian — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 18:20:38 GMT

Hi Karsten, thank you for this thoughtful reply!

Pillar pages seem more clear now. What I'm still a bit unclear about is where they could potentially live. Pillar pages somewhat seem like "super-sized" blog posts that link out to smaller, more niched blog posts (at least in my mind.)

When I think of a conventional blog navigation, I think of divisions like "Home", "About", "Blog", "Contact", etc. Is this the level where pillar pages could be linked? Would a pillar page live on the same level for a niched cat blog with a navigation like "Cat Health", "Cat Toys", "Cat Costumes", etc.?

Thank you!

Re: Someone please explain Pillar Pages like I'm 5

karstenkoehler — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 19:19:26 GMT

@alwaysfabian You're on the right track! Pillar pages can indeed be thought of as "super-sized" guides that serve as comprehensive resources on a particular topic. Now, let's consider where they could live within your blog structure.

In a conventional blog navigation like "Home," "About," "Blog," and "Contact," you can absolutely have a category or section specifically for your pillar pages. Here's how it might look for your niched cat blog:

Home: Introduction to your blog.
About: Information about you and your blog.
Blog:
- Cat Health: This is where your pillar page "Ultimate Guide to Cat Care" could live.
  - Feeding Your Cat
  - Grooming Your Cat
  - Healthcare for Your Cat
  - Playtime and Exercise
  - Understanding Cat Behavior
- Cat Toys: Another potential pillar page like "Complete Guide to Cat Toys."
  - Interactive Toys
  - DIY Toys
  - Best Toys for Different Breeds
- Cat Costumes: Similarly, a pillar page like "Dressing Up Your Cat."
  - Safety Tips
  - DIY Costume Ideas
  - Popular Cat Costumes

By placing pillar pages at this level, you're making them easily accessible from the main navigation. Visitors can then navigate to the pillar page for a comprehensive overview and explore specific topics within that category.

So, in your case, you could have a "Cat Health" section in your blog navigation, and under that, you'd find the "Ultimate Guide to Cat Care" as your pillar page.

This helps create a hierarchical structure that guides your readers from broader topics to more specific and detailed information. It also helps in organizing your content for both SEO purposes and a better user experience.

Re: Someone please explain Pillar Pages like I'm 5

alwaysfabian — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 17:05:58 GMT

Thank you, Karsten! Greatly appreciate your guidance. You've been super helpful!